Calipers anyone?

[rhossack]

I never have enough tools it seems ...

Ordered these yesterday ..

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/Kit7426

With 'Take Your Time Shipping' it came to $12.76

[rdabpenman]

I never have enough tools it seems ...

Ordered these yesterday ..

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/Kit7426

With 'Take Your Time Shipping' it came to $12.76

No thanks.

Had these and worked fine for a short time and now for some reason when I replace the battery it kills the battery within days.
Must be shorting out for some reason.

Same old story: "You get what you pay for"

Les

[William Young]

I never have enough tools it seems ...

Ordered these yesterday ..

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/Kit7426

With 'Take Your Time Shipping' it came to $12.76

A lot lower price than what I paid for mine when I thought I was getting a great "on sale" price of $29.95 for regular $50.00 dollar ones.
It's still going strong . Has been used a lot and is now on its second battery.
Hope yours lasts as long.

[Sawdust]

I have the same one and it has been cranking for a couple of years now. I've dropped it on the floor more than once (OK, more than 10X) Still works and matches dimensions with a second one I have. If I can ever get one of my two to fail I'll consider this one. Bookmarked it, just in case. Good find!:cool:

[rhossack]

A lot lower price than what I paid for mine when I thought I was getting a great "on sale" price of $29.95 for regular $50.00 dollar ones.
It's still going strong . Has been used a lot and is now on its second battery.
Hope yours lasts as long.
Bill, this will be a second one for me ... the first one the batteries last about 1+ years but they are cheap when found at the Dollar Store.

I paid $29 for the first one and I use it a lot also.

[mywoodshopca]

Have one of those as well. Works good, except for the power on is very sensitive. If I set it down, it turns itself back on sometimes.. Gotta get a new battery for mine though.

[Sawdust]

Have one of those as well. Works good, except for the power on is very sensitive. If I set it down, it turns itself back on sometimes.. Gotta get a new battery for mine though.

That IS weird because mine does the same thing unless I leave it open when I shut it off. For some silly reason when I turn it off when open an inch or so then everything is OK. If I close them up and shut it off then if I bang it at all when setting it down then it turns back on. Hmmm.:confused:

[jaywood1207]

when I turn it off when open an inch or so then everything is OK. If I close them up and shut it off then if I bang it at all when setting it down then it turns back on.

How long did it take you to figure that out? I have a mental picture of you sitting in your shop on a stool repeatedly picking up and setting down your calipers trying to figure out why it is turning on by itself. :p

[dalemcginnis]

That IS weird because mine does the same thing unless I leave it open when I shut it off. For some silly reason when I turn it off when open an inch or so then everything is OK. If I close them up and shut it off then if I bang it at all when setting it down then it turns back on. Hmmm.:confused:


Some calipers have an auto on. If you start to open it when it is off it will automatically turn on. That's why I store mine is the padded case it came in.

[rhossack]

That IS weird because mine does the same thing unless I leave it open when I shut it off. For some silly reason when I turn it off when open an inch or so then everything is OK. If I close them up and shut it off then if I bang it at all when setting it down then it turns back on. Hmmm.:confused:
Hmmmm Ed ... did yours come in a cardboard box? Mine came in a padded case and I always put it back in there with no problems like that.

That being stated, it auto-shuts off after "X" number of minutes.

Another thing batteries:

These things come with LR44 batteries which do not last very long ... look for SR44 (Energizer 357) batteries and they last much longer (10X times in my limited experience) ...

ENCO has a good price @ 0.75 each http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INSRAR2&PMAKA=712-0185&PMPXNO=2664602

[mywoodshopca]

Mine came in a padded case as well, and sometimes "clicking" the case shut will turn it on.. Mine dont auto turn off as far as I know, I checked it once and it was on for a few hours. My laser guy had the same one as me and he had the same issue with it staying on and killing the batteries.

[X-cut]

Sawdust and the calipers have something in common.
Both have been stored in a "padded box" before. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Chewed his way out of the cardboard ones too!

[rhossack]

Sawdust and the calipers have something in common.
Both have been stored in a "padded box" before. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Chewed his way out of the cardboard ones too!

Here I thought you were going to sat that his power supply is dead too :D

[Sawdust]

How long did it take you to figure that out? I have a mental picture of you sitting in your shop on a stool repeatedly picking up and setting down your calipers trying to figure out why it is turning on by itself. :p


You nailed it! I have scanned for electronic bugs. How'd you do that?:confused:

[Sawdust]

Here I thought you were going to say that his power supply is dead too :D

Our bedroom is above the drive way. I just have a really long set of jumper cables that I run through the window. (I had to cut a hole in the padding.)

:(



.

[Curly]

Our bedroom is above the drive way. I just have a really long set of jumper cables that I run through the window. (I had to cut a hole in the padding.)

:(



.
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: Your butt's that big??!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Hope we don't see you in the news being lifted out through a hole cut out of your bedroom wall by a forklift!!!

Jerome

[Brad]

Mine came in a padded case as well, and sometimes "clicking" the case shut will turn it on.. Mine dont auto turn off as far as I know, I checked it once and it was on for a few hours. My laser guy had the same one as me and he had the same issue with it staying on and killing the batteries.

Had the same issue. Cut out the case padding above the on switch and the caliper stays off now.

[Bellsy]

I can understand why you would buy a digital set of calipers.....age versus eye sight, but a good ol set of dial calipers does not require batteries. Now before you go off on the age thing...I just got my first set of glasses. I can still read my dial calipers....even better.

Canadian Tire sells a cheap but effective set of digital calipers every once in a while and the battery last a good while. Once you get past the flashing read out, they work great.

Mr. Dave

[Brad]

Once you get past the flashing read out, they work great.

Mr. Dave

Good point. My calipers start to flash after a week with a new (dollar store) battery, but they will continue to run like that for months. I don't even notice the flashing anymore.

[Curly]

I can understand why you would buy a digital set of calipers.....age versus eye sight, but a good ol set of dial calipers does not require batteries. Now before you go off on the age thing...I just got my first set of glasses. I can still read my dial calipers....even better.



Mr. Dave

There is another reason to consider a good digital, Mr. Dave. The old brain thing (Mrs. Dave will tell you how yours should work :eek:). You can set a zero point anywhere along the scale and that will let you see how much above or below that reading you are. If you like to turn to the actual pen parts you can zero the caliper to the part and then turn down to that diameter and not have to remember the number as you go. A big plus for you yes???;)

Pete

[Larry in Harrow]

There is another reason to consider a good digital, Mr. Dave. The old brain thing (Mrs. Dave will tell you how yours should work :eek:). You can set a zero point anywhere along the scale and that will let you see how much above or below that reading you are. If you like to turn to the actual pen parts you can zero the caliper to the part and then turn down to that diameter and not have to remember the number as you go. A big plus for you yes???;)

Pete

Hi Pete,
Problem with your theory is that the digitals all have auto shut down now. When the cheaper ones shut down they forget the reading. This is a major problem for me when bird carving. Transferring measurements from a pattern to the work piece is a pain when I have to keep returning to the pattern because the stupid caliper shut down and forgot the original measurement. I agree with Dave and use a good set of dial calipers for that reason.
I also have one of the original Mitutoyo digitals without the auto shutdown. I use them only in my shop; no travelling to the carving classes. Oddly enough even without the auto shutdown the batteries last much longer (about 2 years) than in the new digital/fractional set I bought to try out (about 6 months). The Mitutoyo gets used all the time at home and the new cheaper digital/fractional gathers dust.
I see the new Starretts and Mitutoyos retain the reading even after they shut down but they are pricey.

[Bellsy]

There is another reason to consider a good digital, Mr. Dave. The old brain thing (Mrs. Dave will tell you how yours should work :eek:). You can set a zero point anywhere along the scale and that will let you see how much above or below that reading you are. If you like to turn to the actual pen parts you can zero the caliper to the part and then turn down to that diameter and not have to remember the number as you go. A big plus for you yes???;)

Pete

See Larry's post above.....lol

Mr. Dave

[Curly]

Well L and B, I was thinking along the lines of each pen having up to 4 different sizes to turn down to so you would be resetting for each diameter anyway. I would also think that you can turn each end down before the calliper decided it had enough and fell asleep, but perhaps I have overestimated your abilities somewhat.;)

I do have a little 4" digital that I bought at LV a number of years ago that eats the tiny battery in it if I leave it on, however it does stay off once it has been told to do so. I don't use it a lot because I always run out of the batteries.:rolleyes: The dial and an old Mitutoyo digital get the most use. One of the features on the old Mitutoyo's that the new ones don't have is the "hold" button. At work it was great for taking and holding a reading when squatting over a part and the reading you need is on the under side.

The new Mitutoyo with the "absolute technology" will keep a set value when it turns off so your "ducky number" ;) will be there when you turn it back on. The batteries last at least 6 months of daily use at work and well over a year, maybe two at home. The only Starretts I have used at work are about 5 to 10 years old and in addition to having a kind of clunky shape/feel, use a big nickel/quarter size battery that they digest in rapid time, and for that reason would never buy one for myself.

Pete

[Larry in Harrow]

I agree with ya' Curly, that old Mitutoya digital is my favorite as well. Use it every day at the lathe. It handles the switches from inch to metric, doesn't shut down on me, is accurate, handles very well and the small calculator style batteries last forever. If I remember correctly, when I bought it 15 years ago, I paid more for it than than the cost of the new ones today. It is my baby and not replaceable so I treat it with kid gloves.
I recently bought one of LV's "better" grade dial calipers because I need a travel set in metric for my carving classes and am very dissatisfied with it. Not very accurate and the movement is course. The dial readings do not match the scale readings, so for instance you never know whether the reading is 20.6 mm or 21.6 mm. I was looking at a sale on a Mitutoyo metric dial for twice the cash and am kicking myself for not buying the better set. I'll probably end up tossing this set and getting the Mitutoyo eventually.

[wm460]

I have a Mitutoyo micrometer that I am real happy with, but this brand is really expensive over here.
I have got two set of Digital callipers, one metric/ imperial the other is metric/ imperial/ fractions my favourite pair.

[mywoodshopca]

Had the same issue. Cut out the case padding above the on switch and the caliper stays off now.

Thanks for the tip Brad, I will need to try that :)