Why
More to go wrong. What can be simpler than a direct reading sliding stick?
Vernier caliper recommendations
- Thread starter SeanW
- Start date
More to go wrong. What can be simpler than a direct reading sliding stick?
Yes I would agree.
But they aren't difficult to read with a little a bit of practice...if one dedicated an hour to learning it properly, it would be less time investment that in working an extra hour earning money to buy batteries in the long run...
...and there's a snobbish satisfaction in doing to too
You're having a laugh, right?
A genuine battery for the Mitutoyo costs £3.00 and will last approx 3yrs under normal use.
You would need to save £1.00 per year for your next purchase , or , to break that down further, a massive wallet busting 1.9p per week!
Why strain your eyes when simplicity is already there for you?
Ah yes, sorry, I forgot the £3.00 price tag.
A digital readout of course. What has going wrong got to do with accuracy?
Do you ride a pushbike or a motorcycle?
Time Traveller
Registered user
yeah. whatever. Maybe I'm too old.You're having a laugh, right?
A genuine battery for the Mitutoyo costs £3.00 and will last approx 3yrs under normal use.
You would need to save £1.00 per year for your next purchase , or , to break that down further, a massive wallet busting 1.9p per week!
Why strain your eyes when simplicity is already there for you?
Ah yes, sorry, I forgot the £3.00 price tag.
Reading a vernier scale is so easy, like learning to read a book. But if you prefer picture books cos you can't be arsed to learn to read then that's fine.
(All a bit tongue in cheek - a digital read out is easier, no doubt)
Shep
Shep of the Dessert
I have available for my use both manual and digital versions, the manual verniers have little or no use from me, the digital gets used all the time, metric or imperial at the press of a button and a hold facility that puts it head and shoulders above the manual tool for my work.
First few weeks as an apprentice meant we all learnt to read vernier scales, its hardly rocket science!
First few weeks as an apprentice meant we all learnt to read vernier scales, its hardly rocket science!
david a hall
Registered user
I could do with one that goes up to 300mm, dont need to be mega accurate. they are big bucks when you want passed 150.
Shep
Shep of the Dessert
Time Traveller
Registered user
Exactly.
And at the end of the day, its what you prefer.
How accurate? If you're only talking 0.1mm then any cheapy (analogue) vernier will be that accurate.
Fanum
Toubab
I'd lay money that there are hardly ever any times when an average, DIY mechanic genuinely needs anything more than a set of cheapo (but actually pretty good 'cos they buy in bulk) Lidl or Aldi Verniers.
david a hall
Registered user
Yep that would be great but cant find one for under £200 any links would be great.
A digital readout of course. What has going wrong got to do with accuracy?
Do you ride a pushbike or a motorcycle?
The digital readout is just that, there is an internal mecanism (linear encoder) which converts the measurement into data which is then displayed on the readout all of which must introduce some degree of inaccuracy. The thing is also useless if the battery dies and you don't have a spare handy.
I ride both bicycles and motorbikes. One motorbike I have has a digital speedo which doesn't work and mountain bike's speedo is knackered as well.
I have a lot of faith in modern electronics but still prefer to keep it simple when I can.
david a hall
Registered user
Thanks for that, have looked there. That one is 200 not 300 or did I miss something.
Mutley
Registered user
I bought the Halfords Advanced Professional Digital Caliper which works in mm and " and appears to me to be robust. It has the usual lifetime guarantee that comes with their top end kit and appears to be plenty accurate enough for working on old Harley engines
Having said that a piece of string is probably accurate enough for an old Harley engine
A digital readout is much the same principal as a Newell DRO for a Centre Lathe/Mill etc. Now in a world of CNC machinery everything is digital. It is digital because it is highly accurate, fast, reliable and easy to read. What more proof is required regarding the efficiency of both types of scale reading? If you think a 150mm scale length is a problem for a digital display to keep track of then how do you propose multi-meter Mill beds hold their tolerances?
At £3.00 a throw why not buy a spare battery?
The reason I asked whether you ride a pushbike or motorcycle was nothing to do with digital technology but about moving parts and in ref to your statement "more to go wrong".
As has been said, it's not rocket science to be able to read either a vernier or a mic , but it can be more difficult and time consuming.
A vernier is and always will be merely a measuring stick and so most cheapies will do the job , but if you buy cheap you buy twice , or thrice!
It's not as though you are going to be measuring valve shims with a vernier but they're ideal for checking how irregular the choc sizes are in chocolate chip cookies.
A vernier gives a rough guide to size and so my point is why struggle reading the scale to collect a 'that'll do' figure, whether it's in the garden shed or a workshop?
Time Traveller
Registered user
My Mitutoyo traditional verniers and micrometer set are almost 30 years old, and still as good as new. So are my Moore & Wright telescope gauges, engineers square, dial test indicator and vee blocks.
I bought a cheap(ish) digital vernier for about £20, its a piece of crap in comparison. There's a lesson here........
Buy branded quality, not cheap shite that doesn't last.
I bought a cheap(ish) digital vernier for about £20, its a piece of crap in comparison. There's a lesson here........
Buy branded quality, not cheap shite that doesn't last.
Time Traveller
Registered user
I agree.
But we are talking about 0.100 accuracy here, and a limited budget.
You pays your money and takes your choice - incidentally, I have some really cheap tools that I bought when I was 15 (35 years ago) from the local market at a 10th of the price, that are still going strong...
...sometimes (sometimes!) price isn't everything - though I concede that generally though, it is.
Just saying, you can be lucky.
But we are talking about 0.100 accuracy here, and a limited budget.
You pays your money and takes your choice - incidentally, I have some really cheap tools that I bought when I was 15 (35 years ago) from the local market at a 10th of the price, that are still going strong...
...sometimes (sometimes!) price isn't everything - though I concede that generally though, it is.
Just saying, you can be lucky.
No, I just didn't read your post properly.
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