Aldi - Cheap 6" Digital Vernier Caliper

[chrrris]

Just picked up this very cheap digital vernier caliper from Aldi for the princely sum of £7.99. I wasn't expecting too much at that price, but I'm pleasantly surprised...

It's supplied with 1 battery and one spare battery, a moulded plastic case with foam insert, and is made of hardened stainless steel. It does both mm and inches, claims an accuracy of +/- 0.02mm up to 100mm, and +/- 0.03mm from 100mm to 150mm. I've tested it on a number of items and have no reason to doubt those figures. Has the usual setup for measuring inside, outside and depth, and can do step measurements (i.e. you can set any measurement as a "zero" reference, then measure the difference between that and another measurement), locking screw, and fine adjustment wheel.

If, like me, this isn't something you're going to use on a daily basis, but you'd find useful for occasional use, then it seems like a steal at £7.99.

[Rorschach]

I have been using cheap calipers like this for years, as you say they are a bargain.

[kellys_eye]

Got my workzone calipers back in 2005(?) from Aldi and they are still going strong (one battery change since then) and as accurate as I can tell. I'd be happy to buy another for 'spares'

[Ktuludays]

I picked up a set recently too. As good as any set I've ever used.

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[adonis]

I got a set a while back to measure for new chair casters, if you don't use it very often it is worth taking the batteries out although I haven't seen button batteries leak unlike normal alkaline ones.

[chrrris]

Cheers gents... it's good to know that it's probably going to last a while too.

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks for posting Chrrris.

I too have used similar digital vernier calipers for years. I'm now on my second set. Mine reads 2 thou out (0.002") but it doesn't matter much even if I'm using the lathe; I can measure a bearing bore then turn the shaft to the same measurement plus a thou as long as I use the same caliper for both measurements. For accurate work I use my Imperial micrometers which read to a tenth of a thou (0.0001").

These cheap digital vernier calipers though are excellent value and every workshop should have at least one of them.

Kind regards, Col.

[AAA.Handy.Man]

For part of my career in Further Ed teaching, many of my classes with day release and 'Night school' apprentices were right next to Benson Verniers (Bradford)

Benson Verniers.1.jpg (109.65 KiB) Viewed 6255 times

in the original purpose built college:

Bfd College.1.jpg (48.14 KiB) Viewed 6255 times

I got to know Mr Clough (The owner) very well and he was generous with illustrations of the 'mechanical' Verniers and how the rather clever system worked.
When I started up a Gourmet Club in Bradford College, in partnership with the college's superb Hotel and Catering Dept, Mr & Mrs Clough were always amongst the 1st with their booking for a table of 8 and happiness and laughter emanated from their group without fail.
B V's original building was knocked down a few years back and on the site now stands a multi-storey, international students' Hall of Residence (Privately owned and run).
Mr & Mrs Clough haven't lost touch with Bradford's Industrial Heritage as they live not far from Bradford Industrial Museum.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Bradf ... PmzbY5iiM:

[WhoDaresWins]

Are these still available at Aldi?

[elecengineer]

Are these still available at Aldi?

Aldi isnt doing them at the moment but lidl had them available last week so if your lucky they might have a few left

[kellys_eye]

IIRC Lidl were doing a version last week - theirs is much the same.

[Dave54]

Yes they were at Lidl. I'd looked at them, and then decided I could manage without. I had one before, and I don't know if it was the wood dust or the damp down here that killed it, but it stopped working after a while. Anyway Mrs Dave54 saw me looking at them, and came back from shopping with one for me last week.
It'll stay in the house except when needed.
That must be around ten days ago though, and she said there weren't many left then.
Worth looking in the biggest store local to you if you want something that has already "gone" as the bigger stores seem to keep the stuff out longer.

[PONU]

Yes they were at Lidl. I'd looked at them, and then decided I could manage without. I had one before, and I don't know if it was the wood dust or the damp down here that killed it, but it stopped working after a while. Anyway Mrs Dave54 saw me looking at them, and came back from shopping with one for me last week.
It'll stay in the house except when needed.
That must be around ten days ago though, and she said there weren't many left then.
Worth looking in the biggest store local to you if you want something that has already "gone" as the bigger stores seem to keep the stuff out longer.

Uve got a gem there Dave my mrs would go to lidl and not bring me back any food let alone a vernier


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[Cannyfixit]

Bought mine from Woolworths late 90's still working lol

[AAA.Handy.Man]

A couple of hints which I've picked up about both Lidl & Aldi
1) Both are organized on a relatively small regional basis. I've often found that whilst one region has sold out +/ had a very low stock input an adjacent region has piles of that item.
2) Many of those regions have an end of line store, where all bits and pieces of stock are sent. Some of it will be in badly bent boxes, other with parts missing - sometimes the instruction book or a 'special' spanner.
3) Head Office used to do a Search and re-locate service.