Why digital calipers are better than the old dial (rack & pinion) calipers.

[dertsap]

for all you young guys who have never learnt better...Verniers are the way to go.

.

i bought a pair of verniers for my workshop because their nearly indestructable , problem is i haven t freed up the time to get glasses so i can read them .



i think they all have their place , i like digitals for quick checks and for the times i don t feel like dragging out my calculator , when it comes to a larger scale , verniers can t be beat for price durability and reliability .
and when i want decent measurements i pull out the dial calipers

one thing i don t like about digitals , i have had frightfully sick feelings in my gut a few times when i thought ive overcut something and i later realize i forgot to reset the zero

they are all accurate , i think i boils down to personal preferance and the kind of crap your knee deep in

[Geof]

i bought a pair of verniers for my workshop because their nearly indestructable , problem is i haven t freed up the time to get glasses so i can read them ....

That is a good point, I did use a magnifying glass sometimes.

To answer Kiwi yes I have used the fractional Verniers and used to have all the decimal equivalents ready in my memory. Now I have to think a bit.

[Mcgyver]

well i prefer the dial calipers. same reason as digital isn't going to replace analogue gauges in an automobile, or at least isn't an improvement when one of the gimmick makers does so. a caliper is a roughing tool for me, - the position of the needle tells a lot. without bothering to take reading or do any math i know i have say another 60 something thou to take of so i advance the cross slide 25, hit the feed and go get a mic to finish it off.

many times you're just looking for an approximation (heck that's all calipers are for), like when searching through material rack/bins, having to read and processes digits is more work than the quick visual the needle provides.

[Geof]

well i prefer the dial calipers. same reason as digital isn't going to replace analogue gauges in an automobile,....

Maybe somewhere there is a fake analogue/digital caliper somewhat like the circular bar graph display where a coloured arc moves aroung a circle giving an analogue effect to a digital display.

And how about the correlation to the type of watch you wear? How many people prefer a digital watch to an analogue?

[Caprirs]

And how about the correlation to the type of watch you wear? How many people prefer a digital watch to an analogue?

Let me guess. You have to wind your watch.

[Geof]

Let me guess. You have to wind your watch.

All battery; three analogue, one digital and one binary.

[Caprirs]

I'm disappointed that such a self-professed old guy would have a digital watch.

[ImanCarrot]

If you leave digital calipers in our lab and leave it, it will get nicked. Verniers wont cos the youg guys dun know how to use em Oh! we're metric over here in the UK so leave imperial verniers and that totaly confuses the *&7&^**'s

[Mcgyver]

Maybe somewhere there is a fake analogue/digital caliper somewhat like the circular bar graph display where a coloured arc moves aroung a circle giving an analogue effect to a digital display.

And how about the correlation to the type of watch you wear? How many people prefer a digital watch to an analogue?

thats a good idea, getting rid of the rack is an improvement. On the watch thing, hmmmm, an insightful thing to observe. me, I haven't worn one in 20 years. seems like there's always a computer screen, phone or treo handy. see? Another reflection of my very cheap and highly efficient character

[NEATman]

As far as batteries, I didn't want to worry about that with my calipers, so I bought this set:
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT...MT4NO=35205999
Never needs batteries, but now I can't machine in the dark anymore...

I've had my share of cheap $15 dial calipers, and I always would get them full of chips, grit, etc. They did serve their purpose, but I only use them for woodworking now. I think I have one Frankenstein pair that has been assembled from parts of three different pairs of calipers, and yes, I don't trust the accuracy of that pair!

If you are looking for a hard to read set of calipers, check these out:
http://www.digitalcaliperfactoryoutl...ipers_main.htm
I'm suprised it doesn't have a mode that measures in cubits. Come to think of it, they should also make this a digital watch too. It could even show fractions of an hour...

As for a watch, I never wear one - especially in the shop. It's not because I'm overly safety conscious, it's because I don't want to know what time it is, I'm in the shop to have fun. Plus, I can't afford a watch after buying these calipers!

NEATman

[the4thseal]

to me the metric system was the answer to the non existent problem. i use both and do not really care ,but when i am having coffee and feel like Solomon i hate the metric system.

[Kiwi]

Geof

I have used the fractional Verniers and used to have all the decimal equivalents ready in my memory. Now I have to think a bit.

I thought when using fractions, the fraction number was the size and there was no need to be converted to its decimal equivalent;-)