# Digital Calipers



## Greg in Maryland (Jan 6, 2011)

My wife asked me what I would like for Father's Day and instead of answering "my bachelorhood back", I said "digital calipers" and told her to look on Amazon.com for some.

10 minutes she came back to me and asked if I had completely lost my mind or if I am severely delusional. Often her idea of a price range for a gift is a bit different from mine, and I thought she was reacting to a $100 dollar tool. Oh Jeez I thought, here she goes again, a $2.50 gift from the dollar store.

After sauntering over to the computer, I saw this on the screen: Starrett 123Z-72 Vernier Caliper, Steel, Nib Style Jaw, 0-72" Range, +/-0.0005" Accuracy, 0.001" Resolution: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific. I kindly pointed out that they have free shipping and she could save 10%, and get it by Friday if she were to purchase it right now. At that point she snidely pointed out that I was indeed loosing my mind.

Women


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## lilman (Nov 22, 2012)

Wives are so cheap....just don't understand quality


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

I hope this is a typo.

If you do want to get digital calipers, just be aware - they are accurate only if you work in decimal inches.

If you change the display to fractions, you will loose accuracy, due to the range of decimals which equates to the same fraction.

I have a digital ruler on my table saw. I like to work in imperial fractions. I can move the fence to either side of a line on the cursor and the digital fractional display does not change. It is the nature of the conversion to the "nearest" fraction.

I still have the digital ruler installed, but I do not turn it on.


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

OK, someone help me......why would anyone need a 72 inch digital caliper with that accuracy? The only thing i can think of is if you want to reverse engineer something...like a stolen brand new secret MiG from Russia:blink:


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

Try Sears!!!!
http://www.sears.com/starrett-123z-72-vernier-caliper-steel-nib-style/p-SPM6733750208P

$20602.00


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## Greg in Maryland (Jan 6, 2011)

Mengtian you are a showoff.

Greg


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## Greg in Maryland (Jan 6, 2011)

Dave Paine said:


> I hope this is a typo.
> 
> If you do want to get digital calipers, just be aware - they are accurate only if you work in decimal inches.
> 
> ...



It was not a typo in the sense of I want a digital caliper. I am aware of the inherent error with a digital caliper that only displays fractions . I plan on getting/using a digital caliper that goes out at least four decimal places if not more. I don't need or want a fractional digital caliper.


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## kinghong1970 (Jul 28, 2011)

mengtian said:


> ok, someone help me......why would anyone need a 72 inch digital caliper with that accuracy? The only thing i can think of is if you want to reverse engineer something...like a stolen brand new secret mig from russia:blink:


lol!


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## SawdusttillSunset (Mar 15, 2012)

Ok, I have one question, just one... WHY WOULD ANYONE SPEND THAT MUCH ON A CALIPER!?!?:thumbdown:
And if I were to add a followup question, it would be: WHO on earth would SELL a caliper for that much?!!?:no:
I mean I understand paying a little more for qualities sake, but isn't that going a little to far?
Man, if I had that kind of money to spend, I would atleast invest in something with a motor in it!:laughing:


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

Calipers are cool if you need to check the thickness of the FIRST board BEFORE you plane down the entire lot and discover they are all screwed up...

You could also plane down 4 boards and then put them together and measure the thickness to see just how 'close' you are to what you want...

Many different ways to skin a cat... With calipers, I only 'need' to run ONE board and make ONE adjustment to get them ALL the same. 

I don't buy 'china' tools if I can avoid it. You get what you pay for.


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## MrElliott1982 (May 8, 2013)

Anyone that works on turbines needs these. Boeing, GE and such those are for metal working not woodworking.


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## against_the_grain (Aug 15, 2010)

At 78 lbs it would take one or two people to hold it, and another to turn the thumb screw.


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