vernier calipers scare me

[kd0afk]

I couldn't wait till the end of the month. I ordered a set of six outside micrometers, a vernier and dial caliper and a set of telescopic bore gages.
The next things on my list are: depth micrometer set, a protractor, set of squares, set of calipers (dividers), starrett small bore gages and a eventually a grainy surface plate and a height gage. And before too long I'm going to need to recheck the level on my lathe. The person that helped me no longer has their level but grizzly has one for less than $100 and I haven't seen any outraged YouTube videos about them. Maybe one of secret Santa's elves will loan one to me for Christmas.
Looking forward to the mail in the next two weeks. I'll do an update on my haul as it comes in. I might even do a cheezy haul video on YT.
Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Swifty]

The next best thing to buying new tools for my own use, is to see someone else buying theirs and enjoying them. The purchase price is soon forgotten and you will have many years to enjoy your purchases.

Paul.

 

[kd0afk]

The next best thing to buying new tools for my own use, is to see someone else buying theirs and enjoying them. The purchase price is soon forgotten and you will have many years to enjoy your purchases.

Paul.

Might not eat every day next month but it will be worth it. I found out that shars has both calipers; the regular one and the one with fine tuning. I emailed them to see if they wouldn't send me the other one. I ordered off eBay but the fine adjust is in the catalog and not on eBay.

 

[Wizard69]

Might not eat every day next month but it will be worth it. I found out that shars has both calipers; the regular one and the one with fine tuning. I emailed them to see if they wouldn't send me the other one. I ordered off eBay but the fine adjust is in the catalog and not on eBay.

You asked at the beginning will they serve you well? There is a simple answer to that question, how's your eye sight and what's your expectation for your eyesight ten years from now. That might not be the selection parameter you have in mind, but let me tell you squinting or looking for a magnifier gets old too. Now some are blessed with better eye sight than others in old age maybe this isn't an issue for you. I'm personally taking a two pronged approach to instruments. I buy used tools when the opportunity arises of any type and have my eyes on the purchase of a couple of digital micrometers when I can. I already have digital calipers and wouldn't give them up for anything.

As far as batteries go you can get solar powered calipers that don't need batteries. I have a pair at work that are very old and never had a problem with them. The cheaper calipers are a problem quality wise so avoid those known to be an issue.

As far as accuracy goes I think there is a lot of BS on the forums; an old style vernier isn't likely to be anymore accurate than a digital unit overall. The accuracy issues come from the design of the devices more than anything else. Comparing calipers to Micrometers though, the Micrometers win hands down.

Too tired to continue!

 

[kd0afk]

You asked at the beginning will they serve you well? There is a simple answer to that question, how's your eye sight and what's your expectation for your eyesight ten years from now. That might not be the selection parameter you have in mind, but let me tell you squinting or looking for a magnifier gets old too. Now some are blessed with better eye sight than others in old age maybe this isn't an issue for you. I'm personally taking a two pronged approach to instruments. I buy used tools when the opportunity arises of any type and have my eyes on the purchase of a couple of digital micrometers when I can. I already have digital calipers and wouldn't give them up for anything.

As far as batteries go you can get solar powered calipers that don't need batteries. I have a pair at work that are very old and never had a problem with them. The cheaper calipers are a problem quality wise so avoid those known to be an issue.

As far as accuracy goes I think there is a lot of BS on the forums; an old style vernier isn't likely to be anymore accurate than a digital unit overall. The accuracy issues come from the design of the devices more than anything else. Comparing calipers to Micrometers though, the Micrometers win hands down.

Too tired to continue!

I agree completely, but here are few points. They.are a magnetic magnifire for the verniers also I wear bifocals so that's not an issue. As for electronic calipers, I didn't know that they came in solar but I am very hesitant to use them again. At least when a dial caliper breaks, I can open it up and troubleshoot it.
Anyway, thanks for all the great advise and opinion. I think I made the right choice on this.

 

[barnesrickw]

I heard someone once say "measuring is the enemy of accuracy". I know it is impractical to never measure, but it allows the introduction of error regardless of how precision the instrument is.

 

[kd0afk]

I got the vernier today.
This measurement is 2.762 correct?

 

[Mechanicboy]

2.769" if i am correct to read from the photo. But i hate the 1:1000" caliper, prefer the caliper with imperial fractions.

 

[kd0afk]

2.769" if i am correct to read from the photo.

How do you get that number?

 

[Woodster]

2.762" is correct.

 

[kd0afk]

Just like reading a mic.
How would one establish a measurement in the vernier? In otherwords, if I have a measurement and I want to set the caliper to that measurement, what is the process for that?

 

[Mechanicboy]

How do you get that number?

It is difficult to read correct, now i can see there is 2.762" and compared with millimeter in same photo: 25,4 x 2,762 = 70,15millimeter.

 

[barnesrickw]

How do you get the last two numbers? I can see the 2.7 and just past the 5. Is there a mark to indicate the last two digits are 62? I would like to use these if I could read them properly. They look like they would handle my level of care better.

 

[barnesrickw]

I googled it. Now all is clear.

 

[ruzzie]

On the top scale you go along until you see two line that are inline which happens to be .012
So you add 2 + .7 + .05 + .012 = 2.762

 

[kd0afk]

How do you get the last two numbers? I can see the 2.7 and just past the 5. Is there a mark to indicate the last two digits are 62? I would like to use these if I could read them properly. They look like they would handle my level of care better.

It's just like reading a micrometer.
The main scale is inches, tenths and hundreds. The vernier scale takes care of hundredths and thousandths.

I like this little thing. It seems to me just as accurate as a dial caliper. I will compare it to the micrometers when I get them.

 

[Mechanicboy]

Here is the clearly explained http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Vernier-Caliper

 

[Wizard69]

I agree completely, but here are few points. They.are a magnetic magnifire for the verniers also I wear bifocals so that's not an issue. As for electronic calipers, I didn't know that they came in solar but I am very hesitant to use them again. At least when a dial caliper breaks, I can open it up and troubleshoot it. Anyway, thanks for all the great advise and opinion. I think I made the right choice on this.

I understand your point about repair ability as I have a broken pair of digital calipers that I need to get fixed right now. Still for me the convenience of digital out weighs the distraction if I'm buying new. Well at least for something I use frequently.

 

[Mechanicboy]

I like this little thing. It seems to me just as accurate as a dial caliper. I will compare it to the micrometers when I get them.

A vernier caliper is used to take measurements that are accurate to within .001 of an inch or .02 of a millimeter, depending whether the vernier is imperial or metric.

This is a bit coarse measure compared with the micrometers if you want to take precision measuring of the work. The precision measure you can get is gauge block. They are used as a reference for the calibration of measuring equipment used in machine shops, such as micrometers, sine bars, calipers, and dial indicators.

 

[Wizard69]

I got the vernier today. This measurement is 2.762 correct?

I'd say so though it is close to 2.761 for me.