Review on 📏 Precision Measuring Made Easy: Explore the Shop Fox D3208 Fractional Caliper by Jay Lee

I was looking for a second woodworking caliper to complement my Starrett caliper and it fitted. I use a Starrett caliper in my workshop for accurate measurements when measuring lumber for projects or measuring parts for assembly or other workshop tasks. The problem was I needed something for the outside of the carport where I store firewood and do the rougher cutting jobs. I didn't want to take my $100 Starrett outside for these "grosser" measuring jobs, and you know what it's like - once you take the caliper somewhere else you forget to return it, making it very inconvenient when you need him. in the shop. Also, the outside was more likely to drop the caliper, and the $100+ Starrett wasn't the right tool. When I saw this Shop Fox caliper at Revain, I bought it primarily because of the price. I didn't want to buy a caliper that was too cheap to be inaccurate and the reviews here helped me make that decision. I also need the caliper to have fractional values as this is very important in woodworking. The big surprise was how good this caliper turned out to be - a very good buy. For carpenters on a budget, this may be all you need. It's well built, sturdy, accurate and comes with a nice storage case that works well. It has all the locking mechanisms to keep the measurement and it stays on well. It has basically all the features of the $100 Starrett caliper I own, but for $70 less. I'd like to say that the Starrett is more accurate and reliable to justify why it costs so much more, but I'm not 100% sure. This caliper is well made and I don't think it's going to break any time soon. Look closely at the pictures of the $100 Starrett caliper and the $30 Shop Fox caliper. We live in an era where products sold under different brand names at different prices are actually made in the same overseas factory. If you compare these two calipers side-by-side, it's clear that they're VERY similar in design/manufacture, right down to the bolts. Of course, knurled pens have different textures, the face has a different color/appearance, and other touches that make their products stand out end up being preserved. And the kicker - look at the weight of the two calipers - is almost the same. The one gram difference is negligible and may be related to the type of knurled grips used. For me, as I stand here, holding, comparing, using these two calipers - I would conclude that they were made in the same place. Maybe Starrett uses higher quality stainless steel, maybe they have a higher standard of accuracy/tolerance, maybe there are differences that aren't visible to the eye. But I'm having a hard time seeing these differences in measurement and use. And the fact that they're the same weight indicates they're made of the same composite/metal. Am I saying that these two calipers, which differ in price by $70, may actually have the same origin? Well, that's me. The bottom line is that with what I know now, I'm not sure I would spend $100 on a Starrett. What I love about this caliper: - It has fractional dimensions on the front that are graduated to 1/64" - which is good for woodworking. - It returns exactly to zero every time - at least mine is stable. - It is made of stainless steel and has a good weight in use - Plastic "feels" not accurate. - It comes with a nice storage box to protect it when not in use - The locking mechanisms and reel work very well - It's only $30 and looks/feels/functions the same as the $100 -Starrett. I would easily recommend this caliper as a primary or backup caliper - not sure about the quality control on these but the one I received is accurate and has been working well for over a year. Thank you for reading!