Which vernier callipers?

clanton
clanton Posts: 1,289
edited April 2010 in MTB workshop & tech
I'm looking to get a reasonable set of vernier callipers for home workshop use. Prices seem to vary from £9.99 to £60.00+ for the digital versions.

Anyone know is this is any good?

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=26470

Or can you recommend a decent, reasonably priced option?

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    If you know how to read one, I'd get a standard set ;-)
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    clanton wrote:
    I'm looking to get a reasonable set of vernier callipers for home workshop use. Prices seem to vary from £9.99 to £60.00+ for the digital versions.

    Anyone know is this is any good?

    http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=26470

    Or can you recommend a decent, reasonably priced option?
    Mine were identical to those and cost £7.99 (Lidl). They seem to work fine, accurate enough for bike use. Don't know how they would look to an engineer!
  • stu8975
    stu8975 Posts: 1,334
    Sealey stuff is good, have torque wrenches, got my calipers from fleabay..£6.50..never had a prob with them.
  • Bikehawk
    Bikehawk Posts: 102
    Lidl has a digital one coming soon. Once they a a zero feature they should be ok.
  • clanton
    clanton Posts: 1,289
    supersonic wrote:
    If you know how to read one, I'd get a standard set ;-)

    rules me out then ;-)
  • Deputy Dawg
    Deputy Dawg Posts: 428
    edited March 2010
    Digi ones are just a waste of batteries IMO. The manual ones are simple to use once you know how they work & my dial one is accurate to 0.01mm if I read between lines. ;)

    Linky to instructions if you need them

    Dawg
    Statistically, Six Out Of Seven Dwarves Aren't Happy
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    My 99p cr2032 battery has lasted 2 years so far :? I'm not overly concerned with the costs.
  • neilr4
    neilr4 Posts: 161
    I've a mitutoyo digital one that does both metric and imperial but I use it for work. If it's just for measuring bike stuff a cheap one fron lidl would do the job just fine. I wouldn't bother with an original one with a vernier scale as they're tricky to read if you haven't learned how.

    Neil.
    'REMEMBER SOME PEOPLE ARE ALIVE
    SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL TO SHOOT THEM'
  • -liam-
    -liam- Posts: 1,831
    Cheap calipers are fine.

    I have a mitutoyo ones at work but I also use some cheapo digital ones for tatting around the machine shop. They work fine, I've used them for years and they get battered and soaked in oil everyday lol.

    I also have a couple of scaled ones at home which are fine to use.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    clanton

    what are you planning on using it for?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • clanton
    clanton Posts: 1,289
    Hi Nick. General use really - such as measuring bearing size, seat post sizing, chainline etc. So need to be accurate in range up to 55mm I would think. leaning towards a cheap one based on feedback so far.
  • cee
    cee Posts: 4,553
    I have never actually needed a vernier caliper.

    verynear is often near enough.
    Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I believe in the future of the human race.

    H.G. Wells.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    I would not bother a steel rule is as accurate as you need.

    for the bearings it would be easier just to take them to the bearing shop if you cant read the numbers or find the info on line.

    Seat posts say what they are. seat tubes are not easy to measure with calipers, well by not easy almost impossible.

    chain line easier with a steel rule.

    but if you want one. a cheap plastic one will do.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • pealy
    pealy Posts: 107
    I'm forever wishing I had one of these things so I ordered a cheap metal (non-digital) one from ebay this week, £3 delivered, I'll let you know if it's any use.. I'm sure I'll be able to find the instructions for reading the scale on t'internet somewhere..

    N.
  • pealy
    pealy Posts: 107
    pealy wrote:
    I'll let you know if it's any use..

    ..it arrived, pretty much as expected. The 'vernier' bit to measure tenths of millimetres is rubbish so accuracy is probably around .25mm by sight. does what I need though, slightly superior to a metal rule as it means I can measure frame tubes, bearings etc.

    N.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    pealy wrote:
    pealy wrote:
    I'll let you know if it's any use..

    ..it arrived, pretty much as expected. The 'vernier' bit to measure tenths of millimetres is rubbish so accuracy is probably around .25mm by sight. does what I need though, slightly superior to a metal rule as it means I can measure frame tubes, bearings etc.

    N.

    why would you want to measure a frame?

    bearings just lay them on a steel rule.

    most things in the bike world have measurements defined already. you only need to see what it is closest to.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • maclark
    maclark Posts: 10
    I bought one for about £9 on eBay - arrived from China within a couple of weeks but was 1/2 the price and identical to one Halfords were selling for £20.
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    Got a digital one from Aldi about 2 years ago for £9.99 it does internal and external and its as accurate as I need for working on bikes, boats and motor bikes. They get them in about 3 times a year.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • snotty badger
    snotty badger Posts: 1,593
    I've had a cheap set from Aldi for nearly 4 years- they do the job. Onky invest in expensive ones if you're working to a real close tolerence eg machining parts etc..
    08 Pitch Pro
    14 Kona Unit
    Kona Kula SS
    Trailstar SS
    94 Univega Alpina 5.3
  • pealy
    pealy Posts: 107
    nicklouse wrote:
    why would you want to measure a frame?
    bearings just lay them on a steel rule.
    most things in the bike world have measurements defined already. you only need to see what it is closest to.

    I wanted to measure the tube to see what size front mech I needed. Using a ruler to measure anything cylindrical/spherical etc is fraught with inaccuracy as it depends greatly on the angle of view etc. A caliper - however cheap - does a much better job.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Lidl have these for £8.99 from next Monday. These work fine, my son (studying for MEng) was happy with them too.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    pealy wrote:
    nicklouse wrote:
    why would you want to measure a frame?
    bearings just lay them on a steel rule.
    most things in the bike world have measurements defined already. you only need to see what it is closest to.

    I wanted to measure the tube to see what size front mech I needed. Using a ruler to measure anything cylindrical/spherical etc is fraught with inaccuracy as it depends greatly on the angle of view etc. A caliper - however cheap - does a much better job.

    except that there are only 3 possible sizes which are all easy enough to measure with a ruler. But any cheap vernier will also do the job. But as i said there is very little that a Verier helps with on a bike as the sizes are all predetermined.

    here is the one we use most often
    img0444dz.jpg
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    alfablue wrote:
    Lidl have these for £8.99 from next Monday. These work fine, my son (studying for MEng) was happy with them too.

    That looks exactly like the one I got from Aldi for £9
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap