Subject: Cheap Dial Calipers?

From: [email-masked] (Will Martin)
Date: 6 Oct 1994 07:22:47 -0500

I've seen cheap dial calipers in both the Rutland and Penn tool catalogs.
They have plastic ones in the $20 range, but I was more interested in
the stainless-steel ones at a similar price point.

>From  the catalog illustrations, they seem to be the same -- Rutland is
selling its model "9000 0021" for $17.95 (dial has white face) and the
"2197 1402" for $19.95 (dial has black face) -- those appear to be the
same as the one Penn is selling for $19.95. (Penn's illustration shows
a case for its model, but there's no mention of a case in the Rutland 
catalog...)

Anyway, has anyone out there seen and handled these? Anyone own any of
them? Are they worth the money and a decent value? Are they made in
China? If not, where are they from? (These catalogs have a major failing
in my opinion in that they neglect to specify country of origin unless
they use it to brag, like saying "Swiss-made".)

Are the plastic ones at the similar prices better or more accurate than
these metal ones, or are they equivalent. If they are equivalent, is
there any reason to buy the plastic ones? (The only thing I can see is
to resist corrosive environments in specialized applications where
you're measuring items wet with chemicals...)

Also, what about the low-end micrometers that you can get for under $30?
Are they worth getting or should one pay a little more and receive a
major increase in quality? 

I'd like e-mail responses if possible; don't know how regularly I can
get to read the group these days...

Thanks!

Regards, Will
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Bob Powell)
Date: 7 Oct 1994 04:54:10 GMT

Got a $39  8" dial caliper from Enco, made in China.
Anything in this price range is Taiwan if you're lucky,
but most likely China or India.

I bought it in person.  Had to open 10 boxes in the showroom
to find one that didn't have some obvious grinding flaw that
would have made it useless at any price.  The 10th one was
perfect and is accurate and repeatable, and a pleasure to use. 
No way would I buy one mail order, at least not from Enco.

As an aside, I also got a $50  6" digital caliper, also
>from  China, "off the back of a truck" at a tool show last
summer.  Grizzly and other importers sell them now.
It also had to be "hand selected".  It's very handy, especially
the "zero" button that makes it trivial to make accurate
relative measurements, e.g. "how much more do I cut off".

Still on the same subject, most recently got Enco's 12"
digital height gauge, that uses the same Chinese mechanism
as the 6" caliper.  With this one, only had to open three
boxes in the showroom to find one that worked.  But again,
it works great and is everything I need.

Somebody, hit me over the head with a 2x4 and I'll snap out
of it -- that is, this masochistic streak that makes me shop
at the local Enco.

Hope this helps.

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From: [email-masked] (Barry Workman)
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 1994 17:01:23 GMT

Will:
You wanted to know about the inexpensive dial calipers at Rutland
and other places.  I bought an expensive dial from Enco.  I went
to the showroom and we tried 3 on a business card until we found one
that would consistantly read the same with repeated opening and closing.
After that, the tool seems to work fine for me.  I looked at the 
black face at Rutland and seems to be as good.  I also own a plastic
dial caliper that is only graduated in .01.  It is Swiss made and works
fine for it's purpose BUT I don't like using it on hot materials for
fear that I will distort the very thin caliper edge.

As far as Micrometers are concerned, buy the best you can.  Don't
skimp here.  I find that I use the dial caliper to get close but I
always do my final checks with the Mic.  MSC has several very good
ones listed and if you purchase from them, they have periodic specials
that sometimes include good tools at very reasonable prices.

-- 
    - Barry Workman