Caliper Guage Recommendations

[endoftheroad]

I need to buy a good one that'll hold up well in our marine environment.
Can anyone recommend a good one to buy?
Is it called a Caliper Guage? If not please correct me.
I need to measure Bronze bolt diameters etc.
Thanks

[Cheechako]

For bolts etc probably a hardware store plastic one is fine. For close work to thousanths of an inch Starrett or Mitutoyo are great.
Most get digital now. Dial are good too. Verniers not used much anymore.

[bobofthenorth]

I'd get one of the cheap plastic Chinese ones off eBay or from Harbor Freight. The really cheap ones are only good to 10 thou but I doubt we need anything better than that on a boat.

R.J.(Bob) Evans
www.travellingwithgeorge.blogspot.com

[sharpey]

I've got a pair made out of plastic... with only a metal rod connecting the two plastic pieces. Working well so far

[belizesailor]

For most typical boat tasks you dont need micrometer like accuracy, so any decent set of calipers will do. I have a plastic one I keep handy for quick measurements and a bit nicer metal one (vernier) in my tool box.

Both are relatively inexpensive ones and have held up fine for many years.

I like the simplicity of the vernier...all that fancy stuff like digital LED readout is just more stuff to break.

You want both imperial and metric scales regardless.

[US1Fountain]

Most your brand names, Starrett, Mits and B&S are made from SS. I'd go dial over digital so no need to worry about battery, though mine does last several yrs between replacement. Vernier are old school. Easier to misread. But for measuring bolts or about anything A DIY'r needs, a cheap plastic dial caliper will be more than adequate.

[endoftheroad]

Thanks guys,
I know so little about this instrument, these 6 posts helped alot.
I'll be checking home depot and ace hardware tomorrow, if I can't find a decent one there then I'll take to amazon or whatever.

[Orion Jim]

Harbor Freight $2.99.

[belizesailor]

A handy related tool to have around is one to determine standard sizes and thread counts on nuts and bolts.

http://www.amazon.com/DrillSpot-Bolt...rds=bolt+sizer

[noelex 77]

Digiital callipers are a very useful piece of equipment.

I have a very well worn and old set of Mitutoyo digital callipers. They frequently get used.

Was gifted a no name equivelent. I thought they be useful as a spare. In practice the readings of the copy are erratic and the battery life is short .

Backups of commonly used equipment is a good idea, but a good name brand is perhaps worth the extra cost.

My experience may have been bad luck. It is only a very small sample size, but a good name brand maybe worth the additional cost. I can guarantee you find plenty of uses for digital callipers on board.

[endoftheroad]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

A handy related tool to have around is one to determine standard sizes and thread counts on nuts and bolts.

http://www.amazon.com/DrillSpot-Bolt...rds=bolt+sizer

Thanks, I added this item to my Amazon wish list.

[endoftheroad]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Digiital callipers are a very useful piece of equipment.

I have a very well worn and old set of Mitutoyo digital callipers. They frequently get used.

Was gifted a no name equivelent. I thought they be useful as a spare. In practice the readings of the copy are erratic and the battery life is short .

Backups of commonly used equipment is a good idea, but a good name brand is perhaps worth the extra cost.

My experience may have been bad luck. It is only a very small sample size, but a good name brand maybe worth the additional cost. I can guarantee you find plenty of uses for digital callipers on board.

Thanks,
Why would digital be the way to go?
Forgive my ignorance.
Are the readings more accurate or is it just easier to determine the measurements?

[Pauls]

Digital is electronic. For a boat you do not want digital. The dial type is just as accurate and is immune to the things which threaten electronics in the marine environment. Quality ranges from plastic to high grade hardened stainless. Spend as much as fits your budget. If you want to read to .001 or less reliably buy a high end brand. If you don't care about that level of precision then cheaper will be OK.