Vernier Caliper - cheap!

[David G4EBT]

Silver Oxide cells needn't be expensive.

The Eunicell brand silver oxide 1.55V cells that I've used for the last few years presently cost 25 pence each - twenty for £4.95 post free. Renata on the other hand - if bought in packs of ten - are £1.50 each. I don't kid myself that the Eunicell ones will have the same capacity as Renata, but neither do think that Renata ones, at six times the price, will last six times as long. Even so, if top-branded Renata ones only lasted six months, that's 5p a week, which - even to impecunious guys like us - doesn't put much of a dent in our weekly outgoings.

'Poundmax' brand silver oxide ones cost £3.99 for ten post free - 40p each.

Sure, they're a bit dearer than pound-shop 1.5V alkalines, but not a lot.

You'll find both those offerings ('Eunicell' & 'Poundmax') today on eBay from well-established sellers with 100% positive feedback, much of which is from repeat customers such as myself.

The callipers I use the most are on my little metalworking lathe, where - if working to close tolerances - I have to keep stopping the lathe to check dimensions. I've 'kept tabs' on when I've had to replace the battery in those callipers and it's generally every 6 or 7 months, most recently in May 2021 and Jan 2022. The ones I use for my woodturning lathe, are used less often and last about a year. The pair I keep indoors and occasionally use for checking things like the gauge of wire, thickness of card last a bit longer, and I think benefit from being in a warmer environment.

Hope that's of interest.

[winston_1]

I've got two vernier callipers, both from Lidl. The first one I bought many years ago for £9-99 and uses a LR44 cell. The second one I bought more recently in their reduced to clear box for £8-99. This one uses a CR2032 cell which lasts much longer.

[wireman]

Originally Posted by fetteler

Have you ever seen a set of calipers which were not stainless?
I certainly haven't!

Steve.

The plastic ones.

[Bazz4CQJ]

I have some plastic ones that must be over 20 years old, and still working, but may not win prizes for great accuracy.

B

[jamesperrett]

I think the blue plastic ones came from Anglia Components. I found them really handy and perfectly accurate for measuring component sizes and the typical needs of an electronic engineer. Of course the mechanical engineers on our team had much better measuring instruments which I was usually allowed to borrow if I asked nicely.

[fetteler]

Originally Posted by wireman

The plastic ones.

Fair enough.

Steve.

[kalee20]

Just reading this, are we talking about the same things?

I have a pair of Mitotoyo vernier calipers, stainless steel, new from RS 20 years ago, working perfectly, never needed a new battery which is just as well because I can't seem to find the battery compartment!

I also have a pair of plastic Vernier calipers, the same applies for the battery, a freebie from Anglia Components. They look like a cheap toy, but they're dead easy to read to 0.1mm and fine for at least comparative measurements.

And I have a couple of sets of digital calipers. They're the easiest to read, these do need batteries, but (unless there's some clever wizardry in the sensing mechanism), Vernier they're not!

[Nickthedentist]

I think "Vernier" is being used in its loosest (incorrect but quite common) way here!

Like others here, my cheapie, plastic, 0.1mm resolution ones are what I reach for for day-to-day workshop tasks. Similarly, some ancient Negretti and Zambra dial calipers when the digital ones aren't to hand or have run out of juice.

I've never had much luck with the Aldi ones in spite of others finding them fine. Both pairs I bought were faulty from new, never re-setting to zero repeatably.

I have digital and dial Mitotoyos for stuff which needs more precision.

My eyes aren't good enough for vernier scales unless I've got my glasses and really good lighting, so dad's Swedish "Tuna" brand set doesn't see the light of day much any more.

[fetteler]

Originally Posted by kalee20

Just reading this, are we talking about the same things?
............Vernier they're not!

Absolutely correct.

Steve.

[Nickthedentist]

Originally Posted by wireman

The plastic ones.

And I have some 1950s "Tuna" ones which are very well made. but which tarnish very easily and need a polish to restore readability. Except they've been polished so much over the decades that the engraved lines and numbers are becoming fainter and fainter.

I think "Vernier" is being used in its loosest (incorrect but quite common) way here!

It's not as bad as that, the measurement system uses a vernier type of mechanism, electrical moiré fringes.

[fetteler]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

And I have some 1950s "Tuna" ones which are very well made. but which tarnish very easily and need a polish to restore readability. Except they've been polished so much over the decades that the engraved lines and numbers are becoming fainter and fainter.

Yet again I say "Fair enough".

To give some context, the point of the (what I now realise to be a poorly worded) post I made was to illustrate that stainless is by far and away the most prolific material for digital verniers and that being stainless was not a particularly significant attribute to pick out in considering the Aldi offer to be a bargain.
To all those who took my post literally I would say that yes, I should have taken more care to get my meaning across. I often forget how literal some folks minds are - especially those of engineering and technical types.

FWIW I just discovered that Mitutoyo themselves make a carbon fibre version of their digital caliper.

Steve.

[Nickthedentist]

Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell

It's not as bad as that, the measurement system uses a vernier type of mechanism, electrical moiré fringes.

I suppose it does, but the analogy had never occurred to me. Thank you!

[kalee20]

Originally Posted by fetteler

To all those who took my post literally I would say that yes, I should have taken more care to get my meaning across. I often forget how literal some folks minds are - especially those of engineering and technical types.

Though to be literal, you did specify 'stainless' rather than 'Stainless' (capitalised) or 'stainless steel.' On that basis, I would argue that the plastic ones are 'stainless' and are therefore encompassed in your original post!

It's Nick who's provided the counter-example.

[Paul Stenning]

As we are getting that pedantic and off-topic it's time to close this.