Many derogatory comments have been made about Chinese equipment. The same used to be said for Japanese tooling, then they started working on their QC and have become the world standard. I have used Chinese from Harbor freight and the digital calipers I've picked up have universally worked very well. I check them periodically on some TC (Tungsten carbide) gage blocks and they always zero out. I might add that my respect for Chinese equipment is very great. The stuff I have bought has been accurate, durable and cheap. It is scary to see them make gage blocks about as good as Lufkin or Starret at a small fraction of the cost of the name brand.
I have several micrometers, but I haven't used them in many years. I have found that the dial and digital calipers serve the same purpose and are very much faster to use. I also have a vernier caliper which is destined for a shadow box. It will never be used again.
Before I bought a (very expensive) machinist level which would be used one time and put away, I would turn a test bar on the lathe. When you are set up and ready to rock and roll, turn a piece of metal between centers. Measure the diameter at the headstock and the tailstock. There are adjustment screws on the tailstock which moves it at right angles to the bed. Adjust them until your test bar has zero runout from end to end. Tighten the screws against the tailstock locking it in position and you are done. And you don't need to buy a once and done piece of equipment.
Hope this helps
FGD
