Favorite 4” Verniers???

OCJohn

OCJohn

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I’m having trouble finding a 4” vernier caliper I like. It’s rare I need more than 3” and my 6”/150mm calipers are too clumsy in an apron pocket.

My current go-tos are analog, non-dial type with imperial and metric scales. They’re just 2” too long….

Any suggestions? Not really looking for heirloom quality, but that’s not a dealbreaker if that’s my only option.
 
OCJohn said:
I’m having trouble finding a 4” vernier caliper I like. It’s rare I need more than 3” and my 6”/150mm calipers are too clumsy in an apron pocket.

My current go-tos are analog, non-dial type with imperial and metric scales. They’re just 2” too long….

Any suggestions? Not really looking for heirloom quality, but that’s not a dealbreaker if that’s my only option.
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I'm completely new here. In fact, this is my first post.


I have not seen a caliper shorter than 6 inches.

But, if you like analog without a dial, I think that means vernier. If so, you could just cut it down and regrind the end, and remount the bracket. Of course, you could do that with a dial Caliper too.
 
I have a Mitutoyo 4" analog, check in reloading catalogs for one.
 
I use a 4 inch Mitutoyo dial type. Works fine for rough work. Closer work I switch over to a tenths mic.
 
OCJohn said:
I’m having trouble finding a 4” vernier caliper I like. It’s rare I need more than 3” and my 6”/150mm calipers are too clumsy in an apron pocket.

My current go-tos are analog, non-dial type with imperial and metric scales. They’re just 2” too long….

Any suggestions? Not really looking for heirloom quality, but that’s not a dealbreaker if that’s my only option.
Click to expand...



EDIT .............................wrong John ! John O is heading this way .
 
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I picked up a 4” digital at HF a few years ago - I had to go through 4 boxes before I found one that slid reasonably smoothly, and once I cleaned it up it’s ad good as my 6” Shars (but not my 6” Mitutoyo).
 
Fowler & General both offer 4" vernier calipers. Both are probably made in China though if that matters to you. The Fowlers are $32 on Amazon.


Sounds like you want to avoid digital (due to bulk & battery?). I have a 4" Mitutoyo digital, battery lasts for years. These don't get used in the shop though, they live in the house/my room.

I also have an older 4" HF digital, of course the cheap China ones are battery eaters. I keep it around if I need to take em to the store or somewhere away from home so I don't have to take my good calipers.

Mitutoyo 4" digital calipers are full size, meaning the jaws & read head are the same size as 6" just shorter in length. They also have the thumb wheel. Cheap China 4" digital calipers are not full size, jaws are smaller, & no thumb wheel, so they're more compact.
 
Most Mitutoyo digital calipers shut down completely and call for SR- rather than LR batteries (eithrr work, but Japanese SR’s hold voltage longer). The cheaper versions hold the last reading, I think because they use a little power for memory even when “off.”
 
Mitutoyos also draw power when off to keep track of location but they draw very little when off. Cheap ones don't actually turn off, all they do is turn off the display with almost no change in power draw than with the display on. They also draw a lot more power compared to Mitutoyos.

If you run a silver oxide in a cheapie it'll still eat it. I run silver oxide in my HF 4" cause I don't use/buy alkalines in that size but I leave the battery out when not in use, it rarely gets used anyway.
 
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