Information On Digital Micrometers/Calipers

[ManyMartinMan]

I have an old micrometer that can't give real measurements beyond .4, .5... I would like a very nice digital caliper/micrometer that can differentiate between .54, .52..etc. - if possible. What do you have that is durable and extremely accurate? Also, do you think that a micrometer or a digital micrometer is equal or if one is more accurate.

[rampix]

MMM,
Telling us what types of measurements would be helpful. There are many types of micrometers for different measuring applications. I suspect a digital or dial caliper measuring to .001” would probably suit most of your needs and are readily available.

[ManyMartinMan]

I don't do anything important. The biggest use would be on guitar pieces.

[rampix]

Lol, me either now...I’m retired. But I did a lot of precision measuring in my career as machinist, gunsmith, inventor and even a QC manager in manufacturing.

For measuring nuts, saddles, string height, etc. a standard 6” dial or digital caliper is all you need. I tend to prefer dial calipers, but I’m old. The digital calipers usually offer switching between inches and millimeters which can be handy, especially when conversing on the www.

FYI-I also still have my first pair of calipers which are vernier calipers...no dials or displays. I doubt many people still know how to read them.

[HodgdonExtreme]

I'm in the precision-manufacturing industry and thus feel somewhat qualified to answer this.

Dial/vernier vs digital is user preference, there is no inherent accuracy difference between the two. Personally I prefer old school analog/mechanical devices, so I usually buy dial calipers and regular vernier scale micrometers. However, I own digital as well. I have cheap chinesium tools as well as high end American and Japanese tools.

I find the igaging brand to strike the best balance of cost vs performance. I've tested several of their 8" digital calipers against a set of 00 grade Jo blocks and found them to be within .0005" (thats one half of one thousandth of one inch, which is about 1/10 the thickness of a sheet of copy paper) all the way from 0" to their full span of 8".

This is the product I'm talking about: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K3PZVKG...ing=UTF8&psc=1

Their 6" caliper is only $40. They have the look, feel and performance of Mitutoyo at about 1/3-1/4 the price.

The dial calipers you can buy on sale at Harbor Freight for $10 are usually within .0005" when tested on the Jo blocks, but sometimes I find they're off as much as .0010 and sometimes (rarely) even .0015"

[Tele1111]

Hey MMM,

Mitutoyo makes very good quality micrometers and calipers. Either one will cost about 120.00. I’ve been using them for over 30 years.

Mark

[Nyghthawk]

Originally Posted by rampix

Lol, me either now...I’m retired. But I did a lot of precision measuring in my career as machinist, gunsmith, inventor and even a QC manager in manufacturing.

For measuring nuts, saddles, string height, etc. a standard 6” dial or digital caliper is all you need. I tend to prefer dial calipers, but I’m old. The digital calipers usually offer switching between inches and millimeters which can be handy, especially when conversing on the www.

FYI-I also still have my first pair of calipers which are vernier calipers...no dials or displays. I doubt many people still know how to read them.

I used to be an oilfield machinist. I could read those old calipers though I preferred dial calipers. BTW, I just looked up the current price for the Starrett Dial Calipers I used back then...wow! Something like that would serve the OP well.

[ManyMartinMan]

Thanks all. I have a better idea. My old one is a Vernier-style but it doesn't make me feel good about the accuracy.

[keith.rogers]

I just recently got a dial micrometer from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Very happy with this. I've got an ancient vernier that I have to scratch my head for about 15min before I can remember how to read it and a better outside one I used when I used to have a bike and had to measure valve shims with some frequency. The dial type is the best for general guitar use.

[Brucebubs]

A set of digital Vernier calipers can be your friend!

There's even a crazy button that reads out the measurements in inches for Americans!

[David Eastwood]

I have a couple. One is a $25 digital from a local Autoparts store. It’s come in handy a number of times, particularly in measuring string gauges on guitars I’ve forgotten what strings are installed. Seems to be accurate enough for that purpose.

The second is a beauty I picked up in a local antique store a few years ago - ex-government, complete with calibration and inspection certificates. I know how to read it, but rarely use it - it’s just a lovely thing to own and handle.

Sadly, it doesn’t have a metric button

[1neeto]

This is a stock pic from the web, but this is the one I have at work. Works great, and comes with a spare battery.

Pro-tip: always remove the battery when you’re done using it.

[tippy5]

Originally Posted by Nyghthawk

I used to be an oilfield machinist. I could read those old calipers though I preferred dial calipers. BTW, I just looked up the current price for the Starrett Dial Calipers I used back then...wow! Something like that would serve the OP well.

I like, and have used these, since 1986.

I also bought a cheapy digital caliper on Amazon that has a fraction readout to the 132 th of an inch. I can't calibrate it enough to give an accurate opinion.

[kkrell]

I used to work QC and have Helios (Germany) dial calipers.

[Dave Abrahamson]

Originally Posted by Nyghthawk

I used to be an oilfield machinist. I could read those old calipers though I preferred dial calipers. BTW, I just looked up the current price for the Starrett Dial Calipers I used back then...wow! Something like that would serve the OP well.

When I lived in New England, I worked at Starrett tool in Athol, MA.
I used to chrome plate all those calipers and scales, (Don't call them rulers I found out)