Cheap digital calipers... and even cheaper versions

[graham-xrf]

That's interesting. It will be a while (a long while) before iGaging gets more of my money. And those iGaging calipers are three times the cost to me, in Canada, of the calipers I mentioned. But, it's good that you have had excellent service from your iGaging calipers.

Interesting that your experience with iGaging kit has been so poor. I have to wonder if I are getting something wrong here!

I bought one, and experienced the usage, and I was happy to buy again. Do not be thinking I was missing anything. They were checked against my lab grade gauge blocks, and I was interested in how well they might stand up to being used harshly, and stay on origin. I am an unforgiving git when it comes to being unimpressed. I needed to be convinced! When I chose these, it was because Mitutoyos were too rich for me + I suspected that some alternative brand similar quality could be had at between 1/2 and 2/3 the price. I also was not sure I would not simply end up with a scam counterfeit.

To be clear, calipers were the only iGaging product I bought. I have not bought any of the other stuff they make.

 

[woodchucker]

A buddy gave my cat a Flippty Fish. (I'll get the point in a moment...) He loved it, but after a month or two, the gears stripped out in the gearbox. I went to Amazon, and saw a wide array of Flopping Fish, Wagging Fish, Moving Dancing Cat Fish, etc, including the same brand as my buddy bought, Ontel. Bought a cheaper one, and the cat was happy, for awhile, until the gears stripped again. I took apart the gearbox, but while similar, the parts didn't interchange. Hum, bought another Ontel, actually two, from different sellers, and long story short, the gears are slightly different between all of them. Even the Ontel brand. Moral of the story, the Chinese even knockoff the Chinese. Slight differences, all around. It seems crazy to me, but those calipers that look so similar, may have been made by a completely different factory in a different part of China. They even ripoff themselves.

I doubt they knock off themselves, I think they are branding them from different factories.

 

[Jake M]

I doubt they knock off themselves, I think they are branding them from different factories.

You're applying our American values to someone else. China is a Communist nation. Nobody owns an idea, a shape, a mechanical novelty... Nobody. It's not ripping anyone off. Once you send the first sample out, the whole uniqueness of the thing, that here would make it privately owned and valuable, there (and other Communist nations) becomes is collectively owned "by the people". Which essentially means by the government, although unless it specifically interests the government, the two are essentially the same.... They don't have, believe in, or accept private ownership of an idea, a shape, a design, or anything of that nature. When somebody else has a good idea, duplicating it yourself and selling it for cheaper is just how it's done, and how they (overall) believe it should be. They overall feel more infringed upon by us in the US allowing private owhership of such things, making it hard for them to do business here than we overall feel infringed upon by them for walking all over our patent and copyright laws, which they see as just an arbitrary roadblock to them doing things in what feel is "the right way".

They don't "knock off themselves" because there is no such thing. They DO copy anything and everything that looks like it is a good business proposition, domestic or otherwise, as it is a different philosophy over there pretty much from the ground up.

 

[Dabbler]

@Jake M I think you are telling it straight. @VicHobbyGuy I've had an alternative experience.

I used a true Vernier caliper for the first 30 years. Then I noticed a 'clearance' sale on an Igaging digital caliper, which was 16$. It has given me great service. I thought I lost it on a job site, so I bought another igagung one at Busy bee (on sale) for 29$ (*I later found the old one). It has been just as good. Then My friend John noticed a Mitutoyo 8" digital caliper (version 1) for 40$. Of course I bought that! Finally I bought a Series 3 6" Digital caliper for Mitutoyo for 269$ (on sale). Every one of these has been a great purchase, worked well, and don't eat batteries.

One day I'll get rid of the igajing ones.

 

[woodchucker]

@Jake M I think you are telling it straight. @VicHobbyGuy I've had an alternative experience.

I used a true Vernier caliper for the first 30 years. Then I noticed a 'clearance' sale on an Igaging digital caliper, which was 16$. It has given me great service. I thought I lost it on a job site, so I bought another igagung one at Busy bee (on sale) for 29$ (*I later found the old one). It has been just as good. Then My friend John noticed a Mitutoyo 8" digital caliper (version 1) for 40$. Of course I bought that! Finally I bought a Series 3 6" Digital caliper for Mitutoyo for 269$ (on sale). Every one of these has been a great purchase, worked well, and don't eat batteries.

One day I'll get rid of the igajing ones.

I'll bet you don't get rid of the IGaging, you will use them when you don't want to risk your $$$$ mits. And you know the Igaging will still be accurate.

 

[Dabbler]

I'll bet you don't get rid of the IGaging, you will use them when you don't want to risk your $$$$ mits. And you know the Igaging will still be accurate.

You are right. That's why I've been having a hard time getting rid of them. AND they take cheap CR2032 batteries instead of more costly SR44 batteries. Much cheaper to run.

 

[matthewsx]

I like my iGauging absolute caliper. HF ones do fine for most stuff when the battery isn’t dead. Also have Mitutoyo at work that are nice but not really more accurate than the others. And a few other brands as well. Really I have more calipers than I need but will probably get a few more.

John

 

[graham-xrf]

There is one little test that is the giveaway on all the cheapo ones from eBay et al.
Ignoring the sticky movement, and the edges ready to slash your hand, go ahead and set zero, Then try to repeat the set zero with various reasonable thumb pressure. You need to develop a "muscle memory" on how firmly to push. The "good" calipers will close to a measure with gentle touch, and stay at that measure, even if you press harder. The good ones will start up at zero if the jaws are closed when you switch on, and they will be at the correct measure even if switched on with the jaws partly open, and the won't care how fast you zip them, nor if you just slap the jaws shut. The junk ones are worse in this respect if the jaws are measuring something round, instead of sat at zero with jaws shut.

The rubbish ones can be made a little more repeatable by adjusting on the two tiny screws that press a bronze/brass strip onto the body strip. Down in the guts, they all use the same PCB.

I have gone the whole route with these things, right down to taking the display part out of one that had "rocking" movement, and transplanting it into another that had some LCD segments busted up. I should not have done it! For what they cost, and how frustratingly poorly they will perform, even if given some stiffening up TLC, they will always disappoint.

I have one iGaging OriginCal at my desk, and another one in the shop. The most I have ever done to them is to use a small fine stone along the edges one feels on the hand. When I use them, I get that feeling of satisfaction that I have something I like, and it is reliably doing what I want every time without fail. Thus I am perplexed by those who would "not buy again", or consider "getting rid" of this kind of kit. I have used Mitutoyo Absolute for years at work, and I have found that in every respect, except for not having auto-switch off, the iGagings have been equal to the Mitutoyo.

For all I know, maybe the iGaging caliper will eventually auto switch off - if I left it for long enough, but I decided to preserve the battery, rather than find out!

 

[hotrats]

A buddy gave my cat a Flippty Fish. (I'll get the point in a moment...) He loved it, but after a month or two, the gears stripped out in the gearbox. I went to Amazon, and saw a wide array of Flopping Fish, Wagging Fish, Moving Dancing Cat Fish, etc, including the same brand as my buddy bought, Ontel. Bought a cheaper one, and the cat was happy, for awhile, until the gears stripped again. I took apart the gearbox, but while similar, the parts didn't interchange. Hum, bought another Ontel, actually two, from different sellers, and long story short, the gears are slightly different between all of them. Even the Ontel brand. Moral of the story, the Chinese even knockoff the Chinese. Slight differences, all around. It seems crazy to me, but those calipers that look so similar, may have been made by a completely different factory in a different part of China. They even ripoff themselves.

You're applying our American values to someone else. China is a Communist nation. Nobody owns an idea, a shape, a mechanical novelty... Nobody. It's not ripping anyone off. Once you send the first sample out, the whole uniqueness of the thing, that here would make it privately owned and valuable, there (and other Communist nations) becomes is collectively owned "by the people". Which essentially means by the government, although unless it specifically interests the government, the two are essentially the same.... They don't have, believe in, or accept private ownership of an idea, a shape, a design, or anything of that nature. When somebody else has a good idea, duplicating it yourself and selling it for cheaper is just how it's done, and how they (overall) believe it should be. They overall feel more infringed upon by us in the US allowing private owhership of such things, making it hard for them to do business here than we overall feel infringed upon by them for walking all over our patent and copyright laws, which they see as just an arbitrary roadblock to them doing things in what feel is "the right way".

They don't "knock off themselves" because there is no such thing. They DO copy anything and everything that looks like it is a good business proposition, domestic or otherwise, as it is a different philosophy over there pretty much from the ground up.

My wife is Vietnamese and we spend more time than most in that country. As it's exactly 1/2 way 'round the world, when we go, we take many things for family. Some things my wife would take would be made in China. I asked why bother carying all that way, as the countries share a border? Her reply was that China dumps their "2nd quality and reject" goods on Vietnam. So, we should consider ouselves 'lucky' that we get 1st quality Chinese exports.... lol...

 

[7milesup]

When I first started dabbling in machining 10 years ago, I bought the cheap Harbor Freight digital calipers. At times they were on sale for $15 or $20. I thought, "wow, this is awesome." Then, the first one failed. I bought another. Then, that one eventually quit. I bought another, but also realized the battery was dead more times than not when it was time to use it. I finally bought a Mitutoyo from a reputable seller (Zoro or Ideal Precision << Linky). Like most things, I "saved" nothing by purchasing cheap.
I am considering buying an Insize or Igaging just to have knocking around in the shop. I especially like the fraction readout since I do woodworking too.