Mnitutoyo Instruments

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve started looking to upgrade my calipers. There seems to be several price levels for mitutoyo products. Are they all decent quality? I saw some dial indicators for around $35.00. Are they going to be decent quality?
Thanks

[Mitch]

You get what you pay for in the calipers.for years i used a set that was 15 bucks.finaly that one gave up on me.i have a Starrett at work the replacement for the loading room is Insize brand seems to be a good set.I was told at the tool supply that a few engineers from Starret stared this company.They were 60 bucks.these are 6 inch dial calipers

[GregLaROCHE]

What does it mean when they say “Absolute”?

[Guesser]

That's their favorite brand of Vodka

[6bg6ga]

I'm sure a lot here will disagree with what I have to say but here goes. I've used everything under the sun when I was a plant inspector. All of our measuring devices were constantly checked and verified. To be blunt here a Starrett isn't going to be any better than a Mitutoyo or for that matter a set from Harbor Freight. Unless you abuse or drop them they all measure fine. If your at the point where your trying to measure a bullet down to 1/2 a thousandth then I would suggest as micrometer.

[kmw1954]

I have a 4" Mit that I bought way back in 1980 which at that time I believe I paid almost $100.00 for. It now resides on my loading bench and works as good today as it did back then.

[6bg6ga]

Just about any caliper will measure correctly and check correctly if it hasn't been abused. So many times when I was an inspector I had to yell at people and instruct them NOT to use the jaws like a vice and squeeze on the parts they were checking. To be blunt most people are incapable of arriving at a proper measurement simply because of stupidity. Others catch onto the concept quite quickly. We used to check every caliper that came into our department before letting it out onto the floor. We tried various calipers and my favorite was a Mits simply because they performed well and didn't cost twice as much. Sure, I like Starrett but at the price I have to justify the need for the additional money when I could but yet another tool with the savings.

[Dale53]

I am a "Certified Old Fart", to give this perspective. My father was a top line toolmaker (Jig and Fixture man) and I was formally trained as a machinist. Mitutoyo is my favorite brand of micrometers (I have a pair of carbide face Mits that I have had for MANY years). If you want precision measurements to a tenth of a thousandth, use a micrometer. For most reloading use, a 6"dial caliper will be more useful for general use. I also have a three mic set of Starret micrometers (1", 2", and 3") and they are certainly fine instruments, but I actually prefer my Mits (they were a much better value when I bought them).

Calipers are fine for general reloading use. However, when measuring lead slugs (for checking cylinder throats, slugging barrels, etc, you NEED a micrometer).

FWIW
Dale53

[McFred]

There seems to be several price levels for mitutoyo products. Are they all decent quality?

Beware counterfeit Mitutoyo calipers. Search for how to spot the difference. Avoid the chinese auction sites and purchase through a known tool vendor. Authentic Mitutoyo 6" digital calipers will normally run you upwards of $100. If it's "too good a deal" then it probably is. Beyond that, they're good tools. The "Digimatics" were everywhere in the prototype aerospace machine shop I worked at.

[troyboy]

I have a few different ones. Dial calipers from Central tools and nsk can be had like new for a very reasonable on the auction site. Absolute is a marketing name. I've gone digital. Cheapo from Harbor Freight. Just as accurate but feels just as you'd expect. I prefer digital for ease of use, just keep spare batteries. For reloading even the plastic ones work fine. If you'd prefer a lifetime investment in quality look at where the tool is made. Japan,Usa,Swiss etc. They all measure accurately but they feel different to each person. I prefer Mitutoyo.

[country gent]

The major brands over the years have been Helios, Browne and Sharpe, Starret, and mititoyo. Dial and digitals. Helios were some earlier dials but very good. Deciding between these was a matter more of how they felt to the individual. But all were very good, accurate ad dependable. When buying measuring tools you really should go to a shop and handle them and see what feels right to you and your hand.

Calipers can have many different features. Some have a tolerance feature where plus minus and mean can be set. Some can be zeroed at a given point along the beam. Some have a push block some a tension wheel or thumb wheel. Digitals displays can have back lights different size displays, making them easier or harder to read. Some have 3 ways of measuring some 4. depth rod inside and outside. some you can also measure from edge of sliding housing to edge of fixed blade along with the others. The one big plus to digitals to me is with the push of a button they go from standard to metric.

[EDG]

I bought my first calipers in 1968 and i have been using calipers and micrometers on a daily basis since then. I really have only 2 calipers that I care for. The Chinese 6" dial calipers sold by Midway and many other companies for $20 have been excellent for the money. They are what I use in my reloading activities.
The other calipers that I like are the 8" Mitutoyo .100" per revolution dial calipers when my employer pays for them. I have had 3 of them at 3 different companies and they all were the best I ever handled. The reason for the 8" is they give you enough beam to grip even when measuring as long as a 4" long cartridge.

In the mean time I supervised the start up and daily operation of the metrology (calibration) lab at 2 companies. We junked a lot of Starrett dial calipers. They were over priced and easy to put out of commission. Many companies would not repair them and our technicians could not get the parts.

[kmw1954]

When I bought my Mitutoyo I was working for a company (Hills-McCanna) that was manufacturing ball valves, gate valves and butterfly valves that were going into nuclear reactors. These casting would come in sealed steel creates with padlocks on them. Here all other measuring devices, mic's, depth mic's, snap gauges were all issued and provided for by the tool room with each job. At the end of each shift QC would come by, lock the create and collect the measuring tools.

Reloading is nowhere near this critical. I have also used some of the new digital calipers and feel they are more than adequate to handle this task. Like anything else, treat them kindly and they should last. Abuse them and they will be toast.

[country gent]

I can remember when calipers didn't have knife edges for inside measurements but nubs on the jaws and you subtracted .200 from the reading. My one set of starret Vernier's have center points for setting dividers and or trammels also

[CastingFool]

My dad bought a Helios dial caliper back in '67 or' 68. He paid $29.95 for them. I still have them, and used them quite bit when I worked as a machinist. Shop where I worked, they kept track of personal measuring intruments and were checked by QC dept on a monthly basis. Never a problem with them.

[redhawk0]

I use Scherr Tumico micrometers. They were a Government contractors many years ago for the Military. I have two sets that both have a stamp of "Property of U.S. Gov't" on them. They are as accurate today as they were back in the 30's or 40's....I found them as US surplus on Ebay and didn't pay more than $24 for either of them. They came in a wooden box.

I have a set of Lyman Digital calipers. They are accurate enough for case length...but when I want to know the exact diameter of a component, I reach for the ST micrometer.

You do get what you pay for with tools. If you can find some ST micrometers they will serve you well even at the cheaper price....and they do make Calipers too. I just don't own one. (yet)

redhawk

[alamogunr]

I've got two Mitutoyo 6" dial calipers. I ended up with them when I retired. Everyone at work wanted digital readout(the "in" thing) so these just went into the excess box. I have a B&S micrometer and a Shure Tumico with the Property of US Gov box that I think I got off of Ebay. A couple of other mics such as a thickness mic w/the round flat faces and a blade micrometer. It doesn't take but one need to justify the odd ones.

I've been fortunate that I've never lent any to another person so they couldn't do the C clamp thing.

[Hdskip]

You can borrow many of my tools but never my measuring tools.

[JM7.7x58]

Brand of tool is not all that important. Many Chinese/harbor freight/grizzly/midway cheap calipers can give good service for the work we do. Some right out of the box, others after a disassembly, cleaning, deburring, and lubrication. I have both high dollar American calipers and imported low cost ones. I draw the line at plastic flexible calipers, no thank you, not in my shop.

Calibration is very important. As many have already stated, in government and industries that have rigid QA standards, tool calibration is a scheduled type of maintenance. Tools are tracked in databases. Calibration labs can be climate controlled, elaborate facilities or just a trailer where “Bill the QA guy” has a desk, a computer, and a set of standards.

We as hobbyist need a set of standards if we are going to calibrate our calipers and micrometers. For many of us this is going to involve getting a little creative. Gauge blocks will be easiest to procure, ring gauges are going to be a little more difficult.

Many of us will never check our tools. I’m comfortable checking my calipers against high speed tool steel cutting bits (as a gauge bock) that I have measured with my micrometer. I set my micrometer on the block and then use it to check the inside measurement function of my calipers. I check my micrometer with feeler gauges. For me this is the bare minimum.

And yes you should get a micrometer.

Here is a link to a how to video by Mitutoyo on caliper calibration. This is the real way to check your tools.
https://www.mitutoyo.com/mitutoyo-on-demand/caliper-calibration-how-to-calibrate-a-caliper/

JM

[Clark]

246297

5 of my top testing calipers are Mitutoyo.

My cousin designs digital calipers there, so I am biased.

[JeepHammer]

What does it mean when they say “Absolute”?

'Absloute' means it doesn't loose it's place once 'Zero' is set.
No matter how fast you slide the jaw, or where it stops, the reading is accurate.

It means that if the jaw isn't moved, and you turn the caliper off then back on, it gives you the same reading as when it was turned off.
It also means if the jaw gets moved, the reading will reflect the movement.

You can also 'Zero' anywhere along the scale and use the caliper as over/under gauge.

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When you use 'Standards' (specific length or thickness gauges) to Quality Check (QC) the caliper,
You will find the Mitutoyo works better/longer over the entire scale length.
The 'Zero' is a starting point, to QC you will need a minimum of three data points (three places along the scale).
That means at least 3 different lengths of standards for a proper QC.
On a 6" or 8" scale, I would say a 2" and 4" standard (just two) would do fine for a home user that wanted accurate readings.

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Discounting specialized calipers,
(Inside, Outside, Ball Anvil, etc.)

Price point will move around if it has a USB output for data entry,
Price point will move around if the 4th digit behind the decimal point is a .0000" or a .0005", rounded to the nearest 1/2 thousandth/5 ten-thousandths or it's direct read (.0001" increments, last digit being 0-9).

This is normally where machinists break out a micrometer instead of a caliper, simply more accurate with a micrometer. An absloute read on 4th digit behind decimal point isn't needed for reloaders unless they are completely OCD/anal retentive.

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You will find the ability to adjust moving jaw for square, being able to tighten the friction, and the hardening of the jaws & rail on Mitutoyo is second to none, and they last a VERY long time since they can be adjusted and are hardened against wear.

Simply close the cheap calipers and look for light between jaws...
If you want ANY accuracy the anvil/jaw must be absloute square & flat, and that takes a jaw mounted square on the rail. No light between anvil/jaw is a good start, from there on it takes standards.

[Ed K]

Beware counterfeit Mitutoyo calipers.



Saw some on eBay for $5 including shipping!

[Dale53]

Jeep;
Excellent post!

Dale53

[Slugster]

I have a 6" Mitutoyo dial caliper that I bought about 35 years ago and the only problem that I have had is the dinky little plastic locking tab sheared off the little locking nib. I still use it, but have to check and recheck to be sure that the dial has not moved and shifted zero. Have tried to find a repair part for it, but the only place that I can find is Mitutoyo in Japan. Anyone know of a stateside parts supplier for Mits?
Also have the Lyman 6" dial caliper that I have had for about 25 years and can honestly say that it will do everything the Mit will do, and just as accurately. If I recall correctly, I could have bought 4 of the Lyman calipers for what I paid for the Mit.
Have been thinking of upgrading to an electronic caliper, but am still on the fence for that.

[EDG]

I got a phone number for Mitutoyo in Chicago and ordered a missing $3 thumb nut from them for my multi-anvil mike. They shipped it to my local machine shop supply house who mailed it to me.


I have a 6" Mitutoyo dial caliper that I bought about 35 years ago and the only problem that I have had is the dinky little plastic locking tab sheared off the little locking nib. I still use it, but have to check and recheck to be sure that the dial has not moved and shifted zero. Have tried to find a repair part for it, but the only place that I can find is Mitutoyo in Japan. Anyone know of a stateside parts supplier for Mits?
Also have the Lyman 6" dial caliper that I have had for about 25 years and can honestly say that it will do everything the Mit will do, and just as accurately. If I recall correctly, I could have bought 4 of the Lyman calipers for what I paid for the Mit.
Have been thinking of upgrading to an electronic caliper, but am still on the fence for that.

[David2011]

While I've only owned about 5 calipers in my lifetime I have seen how the feel can vary greatly. My first was purchased from Dillon in '91 when I got my first 550. They were smooth as glass for years but developed a rough spot in the gears and Dillon replaced them. The replacements were from a different manufacturer and not nearly as nice of a feel as the first set. They're accurate but the force to move them is greater than any set I've ever used. I "kind of" like digitals for case trimming and COAL measurements. They're fast, convenient and easy to read but it seems like they always need fresh batteries. The feel of the two digitals I have is very good.

I have to agree with all of the comments supporting the accuracy of calipers. I have yet to have a caliper read wrong when compared to a micrometer that reads to tenths. I have seen claims on this forum that calipers are fine if you only need .002-.003 accuracy. I don't buy that. Sure, the good mike is more precise but even when machining I rarely need accuracy better than .001". An easy comparison is to measure a bullet with both. They're smooth and very consistent, almost as good as a measuring standard.

[labradigger1]

I have 2 mitutoyo calipers. One 6” and one 12”, both dial calipers. Never a problem with either. Found them in a garbage bag with about 20 other precision tools while demolishing a elevator shaft that was filled one whole floor with trash from a previous remodel. In its past it was a machine shop. Always figured someone stashed them there and never got back to get them. All serial numbers and names were ground off. I was young and ask the super if I could have what I found in the shaft. He giggled and said sure so I packed my new garbage bag to the Jeep.