Caliper and would-be caliper users,

A half dozen years ago, when we were nearer to starting the use of digital
calipers after using dial versions for several years, I was enamored enough
to buy a couple of them. They were overproduced for a couple of years, at
least, and consequently in that period, it was a buyers' market. Digitals
could be purchased in 4, 6 and 8 inch versions under $30. All were
originally battery-powered.

It wasn't long until I was greatly annoyed when it seemed that the battery
was always dead when I wanted to use it. Keeping good batteries on hand
isn't easy either because new ones lose power just as ones in use, except
maybe slower. Like a lot of you, I have lots of other things to do, travels
to make, etc., and consequently, can't be at my workbench consistently. So,
it seemed like often, when I got back to my modelling affairs, I found
myself confronted with a battery problem.

One day, I came across a solar powered digital caliper!! For sale!! All in
one unit, no wires, no separate power unit, all nicely integrated, no
different in appearance or application. So, I grabbed it. I probably said
'Whoopee' at that moment.

Since that day, my mood has been lighter. (Or, it could be old age getting
closer!) The caliper has worked perfectly ever since it and I entered into
matrimony. The solar cell works just as well in the winter as when the sun
is high. It even works in a room with only an incandescent bulb for light,
or fluorescent.

The caliper I have is a Mitutoyo CD-S8"-CP, serial no. 0000422, Code number
500-492, 8" length.

Soon after I began to use the self-powered caliper, I enjoyed it so much
that I wanted another to use at work. Do you think I could find one? It
looked to me like Mitutoyo stopped making them. That may not be the truth,
but something got in the way. We who use spare time to model could use a lot
of these 'Magic Bunny plus' calipers. Time--the thing most of have so little
of--would be saved, not just in changing batteries, but in chasing after
them. Spirits would lighten; discourse on this list might even shift more
towards the humorous side; darkness would disappear to be replaced by sunny
comments. Textbooks on personality will describe that watershed moment in
2011 when modellers, at least, drastically changed from outright moodiness
to behavioral role models.

I, myself, may be somewhat delayed in joining the new sunnier modelling
group because I still haven't found my second solar-powered digital caliper.
Can any of you tool demons help? What happened to Mitutoyo? Where am I not
looking to find my new little machine, which will put me in CALIPER BIGAMY?

The would-be sunnier modeller,

JP

Google is your friend...a quick search for solar powered caliper turned up:

http://www.longislandindicator.com/p127.html

...while searching for Mitutoyo 500-492 led to Mitutoyo's own site:

http://www.auto-met.com/mitutoyo/caliper/mitutoyo_caliper_O-05-06.pdf

Even Sears has them available (for a dollar cheaper than Amazon). But $280
is stiff for even a tool freak like me. I'll have to think about it...


Jack Burgess
www.yosemitevalleyrr.com

<
<Caliper and would-be caliper users,
<
<A half dozen years ago, when we were nearer to starting the use of
<digital
<calipers after using dial versions for several years, I was enamored
<enough
<to buy a couple of them. They were overproduced for a couple of years,
<at
<least, and consequently in that period, it was a buyers' market.
<Digitals
<could be purchased in 4, 6 and 8 inch versions under $30. All were
<originally battery-powered.
<
<It wasn't long until I was greatly annoyed when it seemed that the
<battery
<was always dead when I wanted to use it. Keeping good batteries on hand
<isn't easy either because new ones lose power just as ones in use,
<except
<maybe slower. Like a lot of you, I have lots of other things to do,
<travels
<to make, etc., and consequently, can't be at my workbench consistently.
<So,
<it seemed like often, when I got back to my modelling affairs, I found
<myself confronted with a battery problem.
<
<One day, I came across a solar powered digital caliper!! For sale!! All
<in
<one unit, no wires, no separate power unit, all nicely integrated, no
<different in appearance or application. So, I grabbed it. I probably
<said
<'Whoopee' at that moment.
<
<Since that day, my mood has been lighter. (Or, it could be old age
<getting
<closer!) The caliper has worked perfectly ever since it and I entered
<into
<matrimony. The solar cell works just as well in the winter as when the
<sun
<is high. It even works in a room with only an incandescent bulb for
<light,
<or fluorescent.
<
<The caliper I have is a Mitutoyo CD-S8"-CP, serial no. 0000422, Code
<number
<500-492, 8" length.
<
<Soon after I began to use the self-powered caliper, I enjoyed it so much
<that I wanted another to use at work. Do you think I could find one? It
<looked to me like Mitutoyo stopped making them. That may not be the
<truth,
<but something got in the way. We who use spare time to model could use a
<lot
<of these 'Magic Bunny plus' calipers. Time--the thing most of have so
<little
<of--would be saved, not just in changing batteries, but in chasing after
<them. Spirits would lighten; discourse on this list might even shift
<more
<towards the humorous side; darkness would disappear to be replaced by
<sunny
<comments. Textbooks on personality will describe that watershed moment
<in
<2011 when modellers, at least, drastically changed from outright
<moodiness
<to behavioral role models.
<
<I, myself, may be somewhat delayed in joining the new sunnier modelling
<group because I still haven't found my second solar-powered digital
<caliper.
<Can any of you tool demons help? What happened to Mitutoyo? Where am I
<not
<looking to find my new little machine, which will put me in CALIPER
<BIGAMY?
<
<The would-be sunnier modeller,
<
<JP
<
<
<
<------------------------------------
<
<Yahoo! Groups Links
<
<
<

On 4/28/2011 8:26 AM, JP Barger wrote:

I still haven't found my second solar-powered digital caliper.
Can any of you tool demons help

JP, the internet is your friend (grin). A quick Google found this;

Mitutoyo 500-464 solar caliper 6 @ $245 [problem is it's 6"]
Mitutoyo 500-785 xxxxxxx 8 @ $230 [I assume this is 8" but text doesn't say]

and if those are to pricy try this;

Solar-Power Digital Caliper 6" Carbon Fiber SAE/Metric @ $14.95

Actually bringing up that last one showed a lot of other Mitutoyo
calipers;
500-774, 500-787, 500-777 These all appear to be available.


--
Jon Miller
For me time stopped in 1941
Digitrax--Chief/Zephyr systems, JMRI User
NMRA Life member #2623
Member SFRH&MS

JP...

A question on your calipers. Reading an online review of them, it appears
that, while the calipers work even in relatively low light, the solar
doesn't charge an internal battery connected to the solar "panel" and
therefore the calipers solar panel must be pointed toward a light source
when using it. Is this ever a problem in modeling?


Jack Burgess
www.yosemitevalleyrr.com

--- In STMFC@..., Jon Miller <atsf@...> wrote:

On 4/28/2011 8:26 AM, JP Barger wrote:

I still haven't found my second solar-powered digital caliper.
Can any of you tool demons help

JP, the internet is your friend (grin). A quick Google found this;

I always get a kick out of people complaining that the battery is always dead in their cheap Chicom calipers; with equipment like this, you truly do get what you pay for.

Enco has the Mititoyo 8" solar version for a shade under two hundred:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=610-0047&PMPXNO=952913&PARTPG=INLMK3

These occasionally go on sale, although it's more common to see the run of the mill 6" Mit on sale.

Dennis

So.... for $200 I save the trouble of going to the local Radio Shack
every other year to buy a $6 battery??? I know folks pay a premium for
alleged convenience (e.g. fast food, bottled water) but that's getting
kinda ridiculous.

An 8" caliper would be nice, though. Mine (Harbor Freight) is only 6".

Tim

This thread has been very interesting. My modeling lives and dies by my calipers, and it has been so ever since my good wife presented me with a set of Mitotoyo PFM vernier calipers with an HO scale in about 1959. What an instrument! 50 years later, it remains a total pleasure to use, and its measurements can be taken to the bank.

Well, eyes being what they are I looked around for good more easy-to-read dial calipers, being super-suspicious of the plethora of cheap stuff hitting the market. I purchased a fine German-made dial caliper whose dial read in both English and metric. It complemented my PFM stalwart perfectly, and I admired the fine finish, accuracy, and craftsmanship of this fine instrument. Then came the day that it fell on the floor (rug), which jarred the dial so that it would no longer read accurately (by a steady error). I attempted everything known to man to figure out to get it serviced, but the cost to do so was prohibitive in extreme. I did visit a fine instrument repairman in the Bay Area, and I made contact with others as far away as Long Island by phone. The universal messaqe from all to me was:

1) Presume that all calipers but the verniers will be eventual throw-aways, the digital calipers more so than the dials (regardless of expense).

2) If you want a fine instrument that will be accurate and will last, stick with the best verniers that you an afford. They are bullet proof and will only fail from the heaviest use and/or poor maintenance. Your grandchildren stand a good chance of greatly prizing them.

3) With that, I gave up on calipers with readouts -dial or digital- , purchased on eBay a gorgeous new/old stock Helios (German) vernier caliper that measures dual-ly in both metric and English, and I am now back to verniers only (with an Optivisor to read them glued to my forehead).

Denny

Denny S. Anspach MD
Sacramento

At 04:12 PM 4/28/2011 -0400, you wrote:

So.... for $200 I save the trouble of going to the local Radio Shack
every other year to buy a $6 battery??? I know folks pay a premium for
alleged convenience (e.g. fast food, bottled water) but that's getting
kinda ridiculous.

You guys make me glad I have a dial caliper. It's stainless, made in China, and I doubt if it cost more than $30 although I don't really remember. I can't really think why I'd want a digital - solar, battery or otherwise.

I bought a digital stop watch at Walmart a couple weeks ago. It's absolutely worthless. I can't even begin to go into how useless it is. A good analog stop watch will cost me $60 to $75 but worth it.

Andy