Cheap vernier calipers

[tactice]

G'day guys,

I guess everyone has the same stuff at their local bunnings, anyone got a pair of these cheap vernier calipers from bunnings?

http://www.bunnings.com.au/measuring-ve ... 3_p5660301

$30 for a set or $100 for the Kinchrome ones next to them...

Am I getting anything for the extra $70?

[Warrigul]

I have a mitutoyo set in my toolbox at work and bought a cheap set for $20 off ebay(exactly the same as the bunnings set, I have seen them)for the reloading bench, both measure the same in my case.

[boyou]

Kincrome's a classic "brand name" cost IMO.

Good tools, sure. But over priced.

Dunno about the ones you're looking at, but if you think they're decent I wouldn't pay triple for price for the Kincron calipers.

[Hercl]

Accuracy is all you need, not a fancy brand obviously.

Check the margin of error on the calipers, you'll probably find it's just as good as 'premium' brands names.

[Fujix]

I've actually got the same pair, from Bunnings obviously.

No complaints, have been consistently accurate for me.

[Guliver]

Kincrome's a classic "brand name" cost IMO.

A classic brand? I remember when Kincrome was a rip off of Sidchrome or has my memory failed me?

[boyou]

A classic brand? I remember when Kincrome was a rip off of Sidchrome or has my memory failed me?

I could have explained that better...

I meant a classic example of paying for a brand name.

I don't know about the Sidchrome thing, but regardless of the past, there's definitely a feature brand is any hardware store I've gone into.

[on_one_wheel]

I'v gone away from the digital stuff now and replaced mine with a mechanical one that has a dial indicator. Its still easy to read and it will never let me down with a flat battery, wich is a handy thing when you dont live near the shops. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Measuring-St ... 4d0ea815cb

[Sender]

How do you find the dial gauge setup.

TBH it's been a long time since I used one, but way back when I had one and found from little body movments or whatever getting an exact measure was difficult because the needle had a little wobble to it.

It was a s**ty no-name one though, no idea of the brand so probably not a fair test.

Thoughts?

[on_one_wheel]

How do you find the dial gauge setup.

TBH it's been a long time since I used one, but way back when I had one and found from little body movments or whatever getting an exact measure was difficult because the needle had a little wobble to it.

It was a s**ty no-name one though, no idea of the brand so probably not a fair test.

Thoughts?

I find my cheap dial one great, It has no free play.

I was going to buy a Mitutoyo brand name one but thought I might try a cheapy first just in case they were ok.

[Sender]

I find my cheap dial one great, It has no free play.

I was going to buy a Mitutoyo brand name one but thought I might try a cheapy first just in case they were ok.

Cool, cheers.

[Warrigul]

The cheap digital ones s**t all over the dial indicator ones, just have a look in most fitters tool cupboards- they are almost exclusively cheap electronic digital verniers now(unless supplied by the company then they are expensive electronic verniers) .

I would not recommend a dial for someone not already competant with measuring instruments.

[on_one_wheel]

Its not because they s#*t all over dial ones, thats because fitters are getting lazy... they cant be bothered reading them, some don't even know how, i'v seen that first hand. The digital ones are totaly useless with a flat battery, been down that road... never again will I get stuck with a blat flattery. I do agree with your last comment, eppecially when it comes to working out COAL... thats not something you can afford to stuff up by simply misreading your verniers.

[on_one_wheel]

Standard Vernier, Room for error,high. Toughness... bomb proof. Helps to have a magnifying glass.

Dial indicator vernier, Room for error... medium. Toughness... fragile, must be kept very clean.

Digital, Almost no room for error... Toughness... resonalbhy tough, LCD can be affected by extreme heat, prone to lost battrry covers, keep a spare battery in the box

[Guliver]

Digital, Almost no room for error... Toughness... resonalbhy tough, LCD can be affected by extreme heat, prone to lost battrry covers, keep a spare battery in the box

Keep in mind digital doesn't mean accurate, digital means easy to read, digital can be every bit as inaccurate as any other style.

Digital, Almost no room for error...

The error will depend on how well the tool is constructed.

[Warrigul]

Its not because they s#*t all over dial ones, thats because fitters are getting lazy... they cant be bothered reading them, some don't even know how, i'v seen that first hand. The digital ones are totaly useless with a flat battery, been down that road... never again will I get stuck with a blat flattery. I do agree with your last comment, eppecially when it comes to working out COAL... thats not something you can afford to stuff up by simply misreading your verniers.

Agree totally.

I still have my first set of 6" Mitutoyo verniers, yes I call them my 6" verniers but they were my introduction to metric as a second year apprentice. In 1978 the factory was a mix of metric and imperial(and four years ago when I went back for six months to sort a few things out there were still some machines from 1950 kicking around). I will still check the LCD ones against my old set occaisonally just to be sure but it is never an issue.

I don't actually consider any verniers to be a precision measuring instrument merely a very handy tool for comparison, identifying parts etc. But for general use and what we reloaders use them for they are the best option. I still grab the 0-1" mic when checking case head but if I were starting out reloading I would only get a cheap electronic set.

As far as new fitters not being able to read old style verniers properly, well I doubt there are many engineers comfortable with a slide rule either. I personally am not overly fussed if they can't as I don't think it a necesary skill anymore. It is a shame to see any skill lost however.

We have to move on with the times otherwise we would be complaining about ankles showing on dresses.

[Warrigul]

Keep in mind digital doesn't mean accurate, digital means easy to read, digital can be every bit as inaccurate as any other style.

The error will depend on how well the tool is constructed.

One wheel is talking about the human errors made when interpreting the reading.

2.212" read on a digital readout screen is usually 2.212".

2.212" on a manual vernier is subject to the interpretation of the user.

If you ask a class of 20 apprentices to measure a standard with a manual set of verniers you will usually get 15 different answers, some so far out as to make you cringe. If you ask them to do the same thing with a digital readout set they will(usually) be pretty much within a thou or two depending on how well they zeroed the unit and how well they presented the calipers to the work.

Digital is faster and better in 99.9% of cases, especially when it comes to old eyes.

I have yet to find a digital pair that are out by a thou or two, usually once zeroed they either work or they are obscenely out(and if the oil is cleaned off them and/or the battery changed they are as good as new). But I am not an island nor an expert, my brother is the machining guru.

[Kelix]

But I am not an island nor an expert, my brother is the machining guru.

Tell him to get on here and sort his out then will ya

[Guliver]

Keep in mind digital doesn't mean accurate, digital means easy to read, digital can be every bit as inaccurate as any other style.

The error will depend on how well the tool is constructed.

One wheel is talking about the human errors made when interpreting the reading.

2.212" read on a digital readout screen is usually 2.212".

2.212" on a manual vernier is subject to the interpretation of the user.

If you ask a class of 20 apprentices to measure a standard with a manual set of verniers you will usually get 15 different answers, some so far out as to make you cringe. If you ask them to do the same thing with a digital readout set they will(usually) be pretty much within a thou or two depending on how well they zeroed the unit and how well they presented the calipers to the work.

Digital is faster and better in 99.9% of cases, especially when it comes to old eyes.

I have yet to find a digital pair that are out by a thou or two, usually once zeroed they either work or they are obscenely out(and if the oil is cleaned off them and/or the battery changed they are as good as new). But I am not an island nor an expert, my brother is the machining guru.

Aren't we saying the same thing here?

[Warrigul]

But I am not an island nor an expert, my brother is the machining guru.

Tell him to get on here and sort his out then will ya

For general use he uses one exactly the same as in one wheels last picture.

[DaleH]

I got one of the cheap Bunnings ones - consistent but one occasional error in that sometimes they jump 0.2" for no apparent reason. My thoughts is that they may have a dodgy battery - Always pays to be aware of what the reading should be...

[butiwanna]

At least being .2" off for most things should be easy enough to notice.

If you check the diameter of a .308 bullet and its .508 inches, you know you've got a problem

[Bills Shed]

Who would have thought that this topic would have open up so much, great discussion.
I am a machinist and I too call them my 6" vernier.
I concurr with ON ONE WHEEL. I spend lots of time in the field conducting repairs hundreds of Km from anywhere. Flat batteries will always let you down and while my eyes are still good enough to read the scale I will always pick them up first. It is a skill I want to use and by using it, will not loose it.
All of the tradesmen that work with me used digital. I love the mechanics of moving parts and how they work together, you can see them move, you can feel them. Digital hand tools just do not do it for me. I will go to a dial indicator vernier before I go to digital but that is a personal choice, not because they are any better. There is nothing wrong with a digital vernier but expect them to fail due to lack of power. If you are prepared for that there is no drama.
If it works and is accurate, use it.

[Warrigul]

All of the tradesmen that work with me used digital. I love the mechanics of moving parts and how they work together, you can see them move, you can feel them. Digital hand tools just do not do it for me.

I still prefer a magnetic base dial indicator for checking shaft runout, checking/setting endplay or for centering work in a lathe rather than the electronic equivelent. Something about seeing actual mechanical movement.

Same with pressure guages, I can work off a display on a screen but still prefer a few big bourdan tube guages about, it is simply because I grew up with old fashioned gear I suppose. I have a big old ingersoll rand pressure guage off a water pump made in New York in 1890, still works and is accurate.