Thread: Digital vernier calipers

I have an original style (where you line up the markings), a dial, and a digital. All are Mitutoyo and all work as good as the day they were new. I tend to go to the digital now days as the eyesight is not as good as it used to be, especially in the non perfect light in the shed. The digital one has had the same battery in it for years and it gets used on a very regular basis. I don't need to take the battery out between uses. The dial unit I still use at work for the parts measuring I need to do every so often when you don't need the accuracy of a micrometer. It used to be in everyday use back when I was still on the tools. Keep it clean and it won't give you any grief.
I cannot speak for the cheaper ones, but I would not hesitate recommending Mitutoyo for any measuring equipment if you have a little more money to spare.

The only thing I will say is that the plastic ones are crap. The one I like the most that I have, and I have a few with/without batteries, is the electronic imperial/metric/fractions one. I'm lazy and the fractions are so handy for shafts and drill bits etc.

I taught my self to read a vernier scale and bought a set of manual calipers. I was sick of the digitals going kaput.

Have had a few sets of digital cheaper 150's, first set (ebay 8 years ago) cracked the glass scale when someone else dropped them at work, but still usable to about 50mm and accurate, second set from ALDI stopped working completely at 3 months and went into the bin, last set from a H&F after Christmas sale almost 2 years ago are a metric, decimal inches, and fractional inches set. Working well, just changed the battery for the first time a couple of months ago (came with 2 spares). All have been quite consistent in comparison to a 35 yo Mitutoyo vernier.

Thanks for all the comments.
Just bought a set of Moore and Wright digital ones online.
$41.21 is not exactly a kings ransom, however I believe they are a reputable brand.
If they prove to be hungry on the batteries I guess I can live with that. Cripes, the thicknesser and planer blades needs occasional regrinding, disc sanders need new discs, bandsaw blades don't last that long etc etc.
Hoping there wont be an avalanche of tales of woe regarding the Moore and Wrights.

I have2 old style gauges that I started with, but the digital are great as described. I have looking for one with a physical Off switch.
The press off, auto on ones power much of the circuitry off, but still has to monitor the on off switch and the scale to know when to power on.
I have seen one but can't remember what make it is. I see Trade tools have one that uses a CR2023 battery (much bigger) instead of LR44. I started using SR44 which is silver oxide vs alkaline but same size as the recommended type but has slightly higher voltage and greater current capacity. Check Wikipedia,
I am considering modifying a cheapie by adding a switch. I also want to make a computer interface to capture readings to a file. Some of them have a connector on the PCB.
In the meanwhile I have gone back to a TradeTools dial type also with 0.01 mm resolution.

Moore & Wright have traditionally been a very good quality tool manufacturer in the Engineering field. Originally they were founded and made in Sheffield England, but with globalisation that may not still be the case.
I hope you are happy with your purchase when they arrive.

A couple of considerations.

Digital vernier in the Imperial world are, at best awkward. They are too accurate and measurements down into the 1/128 range are like not being able to see the forest through the trees. If you're working in the Metric world, this is not a problem.

Almost all of the digital versions use a "soft" switch for power. What I mean is that power is always on but only the display turns off. This says that button battery life is about 6 months. If you take the battery out between uses, battery life is much better. Removal and re-installation of the battery is a PITA.

We have a "Chinese Tool" importer. They sell a cheap plastic vernier in the $3 range. (Sometimes on sale for $2.) I've purchased a half dozen or so and as the painted on markings become difficult to read (a few years) I'll toss the worn out one and start to use another. These will read to 1/128 or something comparable in accuracy on the metric scales.

I have another but with a dial that reads to the nearest 1/64. (And an easy guess to the nearest 1/256) When I bought it 15 years ago, it was about $30. This one is a bit more delicate and I'm afraid to drop it in the shop. I use this one quite a bit when using the thickness / planer.

My advice is to buy few of the cheap plastic ones (pea soup green) and spray the scales with Krylon for protection. Just make sure that the vernier "zeroes" when closed. If the scales read zero when closed, the device is reasonably accurate.

I have had two Digital verniers with no battery issues. The last set came from McJings and has an on/off switch but the first set was auto on/off from memory. It got run over by the back wheel of a kart and could not be resuscitated.

I have a set of Mitutoyo 200mm digital calipers and they really are worth what you pay for them, a bit of overkill perhaps for most of the woodwork that I do, however invaluable in the machine shop.
I believe it has had the same battery for about 5 years... numbers are a little faded now...

Originally Posted by Pirate323i

I have a set of Mitutoyo 200mm digital calipers and they really are worth what you pay for them, a bit of overkill perhaps for most of the woodwork that I do, however invaluable in the machine shop.
I believe it has had the same battery for about 5 years... numbers are a little faded now...

Perhaps you could shout it a new battery for Chrissie

The Moore and Wright digital verniers arrived in the mail today. They had a battery in them and also came with SIX spare ones!. (CR2023 type)
Compared to my Swiss made old school ones they do not seem to be quite in the same quality of build. However for 41 bucks I guess one would expect that. The upside is that they sure are easier to read.

Good to see they came with batteries - CR 2023 are very common and can be bought at any supermarket or chemist - high turnover at least means that what you buy will be fresh.

Enjoy your purchase.