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

This caliper is made in China and does not match the shape or finish of high quality Starrett or Mitutoyo calipers. Nevertheless, the quality more than corresponds to its purpose. Also, this is the highest quality caliper I could find (March 1, 2005). Given the low cost, it's really not difficult. The unit is rated at 1/100 inch and 1/64 inch accuracy, so I don't understand the previous reviewer who only gave it three stars and blamed it for not having a 1/1000 inch resolution (It is foolish to assume that this would be possible if the decimal scale were shifted to the outer edge.) I don't know if he ever saw a "real" machine tool caliper. At this resolution, the indicator needle should rotate at 10 revs per inch, not 1 revs per inch like that. It's either that or you need a microscope to read the graduations. The beauty of this fraction compass (and its fraction brethren) is that it doesn't replace the decimal compass to 1/1000th of an inch, it's just that when you're doing things in (and I'm stating the obvious here) fractions of inches, fractions of Measuring inches, we of course realize that things never measure accurately. If you measure something 1 1/8 inches in your decimal caliper in a sack you rarely get exactly 1.125. For example, you will most likely see 1.122 or 1.128. 1/8 inch, but what if you measure a darker size? Quickly, without looking, what is the fractional equivalent of .173"? If you said 11/64 (more precisely .171875) then you are an absolute genius and probably don't need this caliper. I think this caliper is it Best you've ever spent or spent $35 I give it a solid 5 stars I've looked around a lot and can't find anything better There are cheaper ones out there but without a doubt this one is well worth the few extra bucks you might have to spend compared to other imported items Meins came with a high quality plastic case with a *real* hinge, not a flimsy flexible plastic hinge It arrived with no functional or cosmetic defects.