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Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

B

Broken_Reticle

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 25, 2011
131
0
44
Philadelphia Tn
Good Morning,

I am going to start reloading for my XD 9, a Savage FP10 (.308), and a FN Fal.

I have most everything to get started.

RCBS Supreme Press and a Partner Press, I figured I could but my FL or Short Base Die(for the Fal)in the Supreme and the seater in the Partner press so save me from having to keep moving dies.

Used 505 scale.
Rcbs Case prep station.
Short base Rcbs .308 die
Hornady 9mm titanium die set.

I have a few odd and ends to get i.e. shell holders. primer pocket odds and ends.

My main question today is where to start with a dial caliper. There are analog and digital ones I know. And I have seen on here that measuring run out etc. down to .001 of an inch seems like the norm. So I am guessing I need a dial that can do .001 of an inch.

Is there anything else that I will need a set of calipers to do. I have the Horandy reloading manual but it didn't really go into depth on what you needing your calipers base units to be and or other needs.

Thanks for the Help.

Galloway
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

I have been using a 30 dollar digital one for about 3 years, it's fast and easy to use, every now then I double check it with my Starret which cost 4 times as much 15 years ago and they both read the same every time, but the one thing I don't like about the digitals is they can and do teder toder .0005, where the Starret doesn't
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

The best calipers are made by Mitutoyo & Brown & Sharpe. I don't care for the Digital style very much but, our shop has both. It's more of a personal preference. I would buy the highest grade calipers you can afford. Anything smaller than 0.001" should be measured with good quality micrometers.

Paul
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

I worked for a place that made part's for jet engine's, so everything HAD to be caliberated and certified which was done in house.
For s%^t's and giggle's I brought in a set of chinese 0-1,1-2.2-3 inch mic's and they passed the caliberation test!
Talk about stirring the pot with the old guy's!
I brought in a digital and a dial 0-12 inch vernier and they also passed!
Kinda make's you wonder.....
When I left that job I EBAY'd all the stuff that was certified and really made out like a bandit.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

Thank you pcschwenke. The company here in Knoxville I was looking at buying from sale both of those brands.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

Thanks for the info Zuke. I was thinking that the chinese stuff might be alright. The only thing I worried about was life of the caliper and how accurate it was out of the box. I don't have any way to check them. I.e. a known piece of metal to be a certain thickness, since when I am welding around the farm getting within a 1/16th of an inch on an old plow is getting it good. The caliper i have now to do my wood working with is good down to 1/64th of an inch bc that is what my planer steps down at.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

Broken_Reticle,

Our shop and Engineers all have one of the brands that I listed above. Both last for years and hold accuracy. I wouldn't expect the cheap calipers to do very well. Would I buy a cheap set for home, maybe, but I would regret it later on.

Paul
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

Granger here in town carries a 4" set of Mitutoyo with 1.75 in depth which will be fine for me to measure up to .338 lapua i believe, going by the o.a.l on handloaders.com.

So spend 100 bucks now and prob have something I can hand down to the kids and the best part is I never have to worry about batteries. It would be nice to be able to zero the calipers like a digital set, but to get started I think this will work just fine.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

I use Brown and Sharpe or Mitutoyo, although I do have a set of Starrett master series vernier calipers.

Regardless of brand or what the display says, calipers aren't good for anything better than a .001" measurement. Resolution and accuracy are two different things...most calipers lack the rigidity to be capable of more accuracy. If you need a more accurate measuring tool, buy micrometers.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

I have used every brand available. for the most part they will get you where you need to be. If you arent familiar with dial reading i recommend digital. best ofluck on your reloading adventure.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

I agree 100% with the Mitutoyo, and Brown & Sharpe. I tend to lean towards the Mitutoyo. You can get by with the cheap Chinese for reloading, but they will not be of the quality of the above names. Spend a couple years working in a machine shop, and look around. The higher end calipers get you a few things that the cheap ones won't, like being dust, and coolant proof. This is not really a need for reloading though. The cheap ones will be fine, although I doubt as durable.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Broken_Reticle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for the info Zuke. I was thinking that the chinese stuff might be alright. The only thing I worried about was life of the caliper and how accurate it was out of the box. I don't have any way to check them. I.e. a known piece of metal to be a certain thickness, since when I am welding around the farm getting within a 1/16th of an inch on an old plow is getting it good. The caliper i have now to do my wood working with is good down to 1/64th of an inch bc that is what my planer steps down at.</div></div>

Go on EBAY and get yourself a couple gauge block's.
Their all good enough for a quick zero check.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Trigger29</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I agree 100% with the Mitutoyo, and Brown & Sharpe. I tend to lean towards the Mitutoyo. You can get by with the cheap Chinese for reloading, but they will not be of the quality of the above names. Spend a couple years working in a machine shop, and look around. The higher end calipers get you a few things that the cheap ones won't, like being dust, and coolant proof. This is not really a need for reloading though. The cheap ones will be fine, although I doubt as durable.</div></div>

+1 for the Mitutoyo. Much better quality than your typical reloading shop offering. I got mine here:

http://www.penntoolco.com/catalog/products/products.cfm?categoryID=296
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

I use a 30 year old Starett.

But, I think its more important to use the same caliper all the time than to use on that is 0.00025 more accurate that another. At least when you use the same caliper all the time, the notes you took 6 years ago will still be pertinate to the reloads you are working on today.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

I'm a machinist and am pretty anal on metrology tools.
I say get a Mitutoyo, digital or dial. Top quality, and unless you drop them on the cement floor, they will last your lifetime.
E-Bay is the way to go to get a deal. Make sure there are no engravings on the tool since that affects accuracy. Also as mentioned, get a 1" 'standard' so you can test your accuracy on occasion. Used 'standards' are plentiful, and you may be able to get a caliper that comes with one.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

For a really good EBAY deal, you can look for a 70th anniversary Mitutoyo set. It will come in a wood case, velvet lined, with a digital mic, and standard block for checking accuracy. They can sometimes be found for as little as just a caliper.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

I don't use digital. I have starrett and Mitutoyo. Buy quality once and it will always be there for you and will last a lifetime if you treat it right.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

If you have the chance to obtain Venner Calipers as well as digital then you should always have a way to measure whatever you need to.

Battery powered, mechanical items can fail. The Venner are a nice backup, as long as you know how to read them.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

Can electronic calipers be killed by being left on a welding table while mig welding? That is another concern I have about going digital with a metal body. I held a plastic set. And wasn't impresed with the build quality. They were myoti even.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Broken_Reticle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Can electronic calipers be killed by being left on a welding table while mig welding? </div></div>
YES! But a fine caliper or micrometer (Digital or Vernier) should not be left on a welding table while welding. They are built for precision and not to be handled roughly. Any dent put on the jaws won't allow them to fully open or close and since you are trying to measure thousandths (& sometimes Ten-thousandths) of an inch, they can be ruined. Digital calipers use a system similar to a potentiometer. The head knows where it is on sliding body by the amount of resistance it senses from the "zero set" (Sorry that's my best explanation). High magnetic fields, such a MIG or especially a TIG, could seriously affect the reading permanently or temporary. While I routinely MIG & TIG weld within 10 feet of my metrology drawer and have never had a problem, I am not going to press my luck with some very expensive measuring tools by having them grounded on the same table while welding.
The metal bodies are also susceptible to spatter and slag that can leave pot marks on the readout and metal body preventing the parts from sliding back and forth.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That is another concern I have about going digital with a metal body. I held a plastic set. And wasn't impresed with the build quality. They were myoti even. </div></div>
The plastic digital calipers (My-Cal, My-Cal Lite EZ's) offered by many manufacturers are JUNK. They are sloppy, and wear quickly. Stay away fom them.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

I have calipers at my desk, in my reloading room, and in the shop.

Probably ~ 6 pair.

I think that most guys do not practice enough. I use gauge blocks and ping gauges to get the calipers and my technique tuned up.

It takes 3 guys to do an organized competition.
There are pin gauges that are + and those that are -.
Identifying which one you were handed requires a measurement with accuracy that is a tiny fraction of .001".

You know you are good when you can beat a machinist with his best micrometer and you are using dial calipers.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- where to start. + Newbie Stuff.

As stated these are precision tools. Baby them! Don't just toss them around and expect them to work right. The calipers with dial readouts are easy to read. You can get used to them pretty quickly. I am just not big on digital. Do what is right for you though.
 
Re: Dial Caliper- YUASA???

I have a set of Yuasa International inc. 6" Dial Caliper 100-006

Looks like is measures down to

Any info on these? Google did not help me.
 
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