As part of my jewelry making projects, I determined I needed a digital calipers to help in the sizing of items. A trip to the Lowe's was almost a bust, until the floor clerk “remembered” they carried a line of precision tools. Thus, I was introduced to the General® UltraTech™ Fraction+ model #1433 3-inch digital caliper (UPC 0-38728-01433-7), paying $18 plus tax. They also have a 6-inch model, but I chose the 3 inch because my measurements should all be rather small. The measurements display digitally in either fractions of an inch, decimals of an inch, or decimals of millimeters.
The tool comes in one of those impossible-to-open sealed plastic containers. In fact, the container was so well sealed that I tore the manual upon removing it. Opening the package released a paint-like smell, which I found unpleasant. The tool comes with a plastic case that has a shaped foam insert in which to place the tool. It is this foam that is giving off the smell. The case has a pressure-release clasp and clear plastic hinges. Even the caliper jaws are plastic; this could cause problems in the future due to wear and erosion one would not experience with an all-metal tool.
The manual itself is only four pages. As always, I performed a scan of the manual so I couldn't lose it and uploaded it to my shared Google Drive, which you can click here to view. The first page is just the front cover art. The two inside pages consist of a diagram of the device with lettered arrows and the names of those parts, although some of those parts are mislabeled. There is very little explanation of how to actually use the device. They do not even say what kind of battery it requires, only that one is to “puch cover upward to access battery”. It should be noted, though, that the battery has an expected life of 3 years under “normal on/off conditions”. Also, there is no stated warranty.&nbps; If the device fails, I guess I lose my $18 with no recourse.
At this point, I would have to say I am disappointed with the tool It feels cheap and is not properly documented, and it literally stinks. There are three buttons to control the digital display but nothing to control the movement of the caliper or lock the caliper in place, in the event I wish to do the measurement first. I am hoping I get good life out of this device, but I am not counting on it. I will blog more posts as I actually use the tool.
As always, I welcome your comments. Click on the Comment link below; it may say "No" or have a number in front of it.
References:
The tool comes in one of those impossible-to-open sealed plastic containers. In fact, the container was so well sealed that I tore the manual upon removing it. Opening the package released a paint-like smell, which I found unpleasant. The tool comes with a plastic case that has a shaped foam insert in which to place the tool. It is this foam that is giving off the smell. The case has a pressure-release clasp and clear plastic hinges. Even the caliper jaws are plastic; this could cause problems in the future due to wear and erosion one would not experience with an all-metal tool.
The manual itself is only four pages. As always, I performed a scan of the manual so I couldn't lose it and uploaded it to my shared Google Drive, which you can click here to view. The first page is just the front cover art. The two inside pages consist of a diagram of the device with lettered arrows and the names of those parts, although some of those parts are mislabeled. There is very little explanation of how to actually use the device. They do not even say what kind of battery it requires, only that one is to “puch cover upward to access battery”. It should be noted, though, that the battery has an expected life of 3 years under “normal on/off conditions”. Also, there is no stated warranty.&nbps; If the device fails, I guess I lose my $18 with no recourse.
At this point, I would have to say I am disappointed with the tool It feels cheap and is not properly documented, and it literally stinks. There are three buttons to control the digital display but nothing to control the movement of the caliper or lock the caliper in place, in the event I wish to do the measurement first. I am hoping I get good life out of this device, but I am not counting on it. I will blog more posts as I actually use the tool.
As always, I welcome your comments. Click on the Comment link below; it may say "No" or have a number in front of it.
References:
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