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Posted: 4/22/2008 9:22:18 PM EDT
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I need a caliper. Dont really care if it is digital or analog just need a decent one at a good price. Brownells had a few ranging from 150+ to 50. The 50 dollar ones were Lymans. Any brand I should look for? I would like to be in the 50-75 dollar range. Is one from home depot just as good as another? Thanks |
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Once you get beyond the brand names - Starett, Mitutoyo, they are really all the same made in China stuff. I did not say Chinese junk as even the 30 dollar ones I have run pretty well against my Mitutoyo. The Mit is nice, but not really worth 5-8 x the cost of cheap ones. I would go for the cheapest I could find if it is not a name brand. Check out Ebay - 6" digital calipers are really inexpensive - even the name brands. |
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+1 for ebay. You can get some really nice used machinist tools for the price of brand new Chinese stuff. I paid $35 on ebay for this 0-1 micrometer and it's like new. You should be able to find a 6" dial caliper from a reputable brand - Starrett, Mitutoyo, B&S - for about the same price. If you don't want to buy a used one, and you are just going to use it for reloading, a chinese one will probably work fine for you though. 
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+2 for EGay I was able to pick up a set of dial and digital calipers that are in great condition for about half of what they sell for new. If you opt for digital ones, be sure to look at the company's website to make sure you're getting the latest model and not some super antiquated ones. |
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Check Sears, they have them from $26.00 on up to $140.00, also Graingers and McMaster-Carr. Lots of good ones out there, that aren't all that expensive. The thing is with tools, especially those that are precision tools, if you buy the best you can afford, you will have them the rest of your life. |
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IIRC, all of Fowler's calipers are Swiss made by Sylvac, and here's the best price I've found on them... www.measurenow.com/Controls/Fowler_Shockproof_Dial_Calipers.aspx 6" $48 4" $36 |
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I work for a company that sells metrology equipment and any of the name brands that have been mentioned are good. Although if you want a failsafe caliper that will not run out of batteries at 2am before a prairie dog hunt while you are putting the finishing touches on your rifle I would go with a dial or vernier caliper. Plus they are very easy to repair if they ever need repair (a name brand one that is), the digital ones you may not be able to get parts for if they are more than 5 years old. That being said there are some very cheap ones that will most likely get the job done as well, but are not feasible to repair and cannot always be calibrated. One final note, if you are still looking to get a decent caliper send me an e-mail and I can see what I can get for you--used or new. |
+2 They're often on sale, and work great. You can get batteries for them at the Walmart jewelry section, ask the clerk for the cross-reference. |
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