Using calipers

[gwyneth]

In some recent thread, somebody suggested that digital calipers were useful for something.

I don't remember who it was, or what it was about, but I'm hoping he and others can provide some general advice, information, and useful applications for them.

I've got a set, the standard 6" measure inside, measure outside, probe at end, fractional inches and mm (I've also got a teeny non-digital outside only set that's useful mostly for board thickness.)

But as usual, forum members could help it become much more useful.

Thanks for any input.

[LCHIEN]

In some recent thread, somebody suggested that digital calipers were useful for something.

I don't remember who it was, or what it was about, but I'm hoping he and others can provide some general advice, information, and useful applications for them.

I've got a set, the standard 6" measure inside, measure outside, probe at end, fractional inches and mm (I've also got a teeny non-digital outside only set that's useful mostly for board thickness.)

But as usual, forum members could help it become much more useful.

Thanks for any input.

I suggested it to the guy who was having collet-bit fit problems.
He could easily have found out which was outsized.

And I wrote this: https://www.sawdustzone.org/articles...or-woodworking

I use them all the time to check planer thickness, cut widths, rabbet and dado depths, hole spacing, hole diameter, hole depth, check bit diameters and dowel diameters (dowel diameters are frequently not only off but not round). Also mortises, tenons, and other joint parts. Check router bit and dado cut widths before actually cutting. Check height of the blade or bit above the table.

Using fully digital calipers I admit you need to be good at converting fractions and you can't be mesmerized by the resolution - When I check cuts on the saw I round off the last digit- a cut to .010 is better than 1/64th and that's generally where I shoot for.

I have three or four sets lying around - the originals I bought were plastic and around $50 and they had come down from $120 before that, later stainless ones cost me $30 and I think the last couple were like $16. The cheap models from HF work absolutely great IMO.

[Bruce Cohen]

As I age and my eyes are not what they used to be and I'm too vain to wear reading glasses, the 6" digital / fractional calipers I got from "the craftsman gallery" saves me from throwing numerious feet of wood across the shop along with the obligatiory 4, 5 and 6 letter words, shouted loud enough to be heard in the next state.

Not only do I use them to check machine settings, I find they're perfect for checking the thickness of stock run through the thickness planer, dado stack width and the dados themselves. They are also great for measuring the depth of mortices and tenons.

That should hold you for a while.

Bruce

[LinuxRandal]

Like the others said, you will find more uses for these, once you have them, you will wonder how you got along without them.

HF also has some with a larger LCD, so they are easier on the eyes as we get older. Now if they just started carrying the ones that read in fractions.....

Some of the ones in fractions (the reason I haven't bought one yet), will show common sizes in non common ways (3/4 as 96/128).

[wardprobst]

Lee Valley has a Chinese made digital caliper that reads inches/mm and fractions. Having spent some time in a machine shop I tend to use decimal inch measurements but the fractional is handy and I'm slowly converting to the metric system....I think the LV unit is about 25 dollars and it seems to be as accurate as the Mitatoyu that cost many times that.
DP

[drumpriest]

I agree, mine are seriously useful. Setting up router bit heights, for instance, dial it in, and use the caliper to measure the height for next time. Or testing the fit of a mortise and tenon joint. When drum sanding veneer that I've resawn on the band saw, I use them to know when I've hit 1/16".

Many uses...

[leehljp]

I use mine often, especially in pen turning. Can't do without them.

[jackellis]

I have an inexpensive plastic set made with plastic gears that works just fine for wood. However, I have also found a 6" or 12" steel rule measured in 32nds and 64ths to be equally valuable. My 6" rules (Starrett) cost something like 3 for a dollar at a garage sale. The only problem, of course, is that small graduations are hard for older eyes to see.

[eezlock]

calipers

I have a set of digital calipers that measure in fractions, mm's and decimal
increments. I use them all the time, for measuring dado stacks, depths of
cuts (dados and rabbets), drill bit sizes, board thickness, and other uses as well...a lot faster and simpler than converting from a dial type caliper which
I was using. I bought mine from WT Tool South about $26.00 I think a few months ago.I really like them best because of the fractional measurements
better than anything else. eezlock

[scorrpio]

For the time being, I got one dial caliper that's 0.001 - 10 dial turns per inch. And another dial from HF I think that's fractional/0.01 combo. (1 turn/inch). Both serve me well, I have no problem reading either. I like my calipers to be made of hardened steel, with etched markings, a microadjusting wheel, and a good position lock.

[cwsmith]

I have a 7-inch vernier caliper that I purchase when I was a machinist inspector (way back in in 1964). Starrett's were too expensive at the time, and this set was made in Japan; stainless, with a satin-chrome bar and a fine-adjustable thumb wheel. The scales are 1/128 and 1/1000. I still use them today, but the eyes are beginning to find them difficult to read (at least in the 1000th scale). The digital sounds like a good move.

I highly recommend calipers for anyone's shop. A great and very versatile tool.

CWS

[TheRic]

I have a HF digital I got at a special Xmas price a couple of years ago. Not only can you us it for wood working, but other things. I have noticed it spends more time in my home office (fix / work on small things and computers here) than it does in the workshop. Thinking of getting another one (or more) to have in each place. At times I have grabbed it before I went for a ruler.

[LCHIEN]

https://www.sawdustzone.org/articles/tutorials-how-to/824953-how-to-use-digital-calipers-for-woodworking

might be helpful for those wanting to know how digital calipers can help their woodworking.

[durango dude]

I have a decent IGuaging caliper - and use it a bit when making pens.

I have gobs of pen parts ----- most without instructions.

So - to figure out which bushing I need - I get out the digital calipers.

They help with everything - from determining drill size to figuring out bushings.

I wouldn't want to be missing my pair.

[durango dude]

P.S. ------- get a tool that can show you metric, ASE, and fractional. The fractional is very helpful.