Fowler dial caliper quality ?

Tozguy

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How do you rate the quality of Fowler measurement tools?

I bought a 4'' dial caliber for measuring work mounted on the lathe. It is supposed to be 'Shockproof' but the first time I dropped it into the chip pan (not violently) it would not repeat measurement nor return to zero. So I am sitting here wondering if I should buy another one or avoid Fowler stuff in the future.
 
Imho, Fowler still makes a good product. But, they are starting to bring down quality to save manufacturing costs. Like so many other companies, like Milwaukie Tools, Bosch etc. Milwaukee Tools only made industrial quality power tools until about ten years ago, now you can buy them anywhere. Fowler hasn't reached this point yet.
Martin
 
I've been under the impression that most of Fowler's stuff is made in China but their prices are pretty high for what they offer. A dial caliper is probably one of the most used tools in the shop - might be good idea to spring for a good one. Lots of Mitutoyo's out there on ebay. Their digitals have a good rep, as do their dial calipers. I have two of the dial calipers and they are just fine. However, you can get a new Brown & Sharpe for nearly the same cost and they are Swiss made - hard to do better.
 
Bite the bullet and buy yourself the best dial caliper you can find. And get it from a reputable source too. There are a lot of fake calipers out there. Mitutoyo comes to mind…Dave.
 
Threads like these make me so glad I am not needing to buy that many tools/instruments any more. I used to have a lot of respect for Fowler, and I hope their upper end equipment, like the Trimos-Sylvac system is still Swiss or German made and top shelf, but it is beginning to sound as though they are caving to economic pressure like many other companies on their hand tools. That's sad. I have some Fowler stuff, and a little of just about every common "standard" tool, and they are all pretty good. It seems that quality used to be the drive behind the market. If you produced a precision tool, it better be good or you couldn't sell it. That doesn't appear to be as true as it once was. Plus you could count on certain name brands to be good no matter what, and that has apparently changed too. It's not just in precision tools either, as Martin says. I have lots of older tools before the decline began, and they will probably last my lifetime. I need to replace some power cords and strain reliefs, but that's about all. They all function as good as they need to. What's also a pity is that new ideas that materialize on the tool shelves never had a chance to be manufactured the "old way", so they exist only in a throw away design. It kind of makes a case for buying the cheapest one you can find, since the difference between that and the name brands isn't so great any more. Now, as it's often said, you're buying the name.

I guess that's my rant for the day. I'll get off the soapbox now.
 
Thanks for the replies. The Fowler is not my only caliper. I bought the 4'' Fowler to use in tight spots when working on the lathe. My old Mitu 6'' dial caliber, which has given 35 years of service and is still like new...smooth as butter and repeatable, perhaps has set the bar high.
The 4'' Fowler was not the cheapest I have ever bought, although it is not as smooth it seemed to be built solid. I have decided to replace the Fowler with a IGAGING caliper (absolute origin model) as it seems to get good reviews.
 
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Before you give up on the Fowler, check the rack for any debris. A small speck will make the pinon jump a tooth and you have inconsistent readings.They can be difficult to remove, especially if you have run over them a few times, forcing them into the root of the rack.
 
I don't think Fowler ever MADE anything. They buy tools from tool manufacturers with their name stamped on the tools. Decades ago, Fowler sold very nice tools, mostly made in Europe. I have a very nice 0-1" micrometer, bought in the 1970's new, badged with the Fowler name and was made in Poland. It is at least as good as any of the other top name mics I have in my box, and has been my "go to" mic for 40+ years. Over time, the Fowler name seems to have been placed on lower and lower quality tools. One newer "Fowler" DTI I have, Chinese, is not very special. All in all, I find Chinese tools re-branded to other name brands to be about the same as ones with no name on them, and the quality is just as variable, a crap shoot. There are pretty good ones and bad ones, and in my experience the brand name on the tool, and the price, have little or nothing to do with the quality of what you end up with. There may be some exceptions on really high priced Chinese tools, but I have been too wary to try any of them. I find that good vintage American, European, and Japanese tools that have been lightly used and well maintained are the best bang for the buck...
 
My Fowler caliper has become a learning experience. I have taken it apart completely for cleaning and inspection. It still does not return to zero every time.

Re the Fowler name, they have probably had their stuff made in different countries by different factories at different times. They probably had/have a range of qualities to fill different price points. I do not fault Fowler for that. They market what sells and cheap disposable stuff is in demand.
 
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