Manual Measuring Tools

[Birdhunter]

I've had an electronic Starrett micrometer and a Starrett electronic slide caliper for a while, but wanted to learn how to "really" read these measuring tools after watching the ABOM79 machining videos.

I had an el cheapo slide caliper and ordered a Starrett manual micrometer. I watched some videos and read the manual.

Surprisingly, I can get to a 10th of a mil with the micrometer and to a mil with the slide caliper. The manual readings jive with ones from the electronic tools.

I seldom use these tools in woodworking, but it's fun learning something new.

 

[Cheese]

When I first started to use machinist tools the only ones available were vernier style. So my micrometers, caliper and height gage are all manual vernier style.

It was only many years later that dial calipers & dial micrometers first became available. Then sometime after that the battery powered electronic gages first appeared.

Interestingly enough, I noticed on the Starrett website the other day that the old school 24" Vernier Height Gage lists for $2885 while the much easier to read 24" Dial Height Gage lists for $780.  [blink]

 

[bertv]

This Japanese fibreglass caliper is the one I use all the time. It is precise enough for most woodworking tasks, I find.

View attachment 1

(I do own three other types…)

 

[FestitaMakool]

This Japanese fibreglass caliper is the one I use all the time. It is precise enough for most woodworking tasks, I find.

View attachment 1

(I do own three other types…)

Oh, that looked nice.. I’m looking for one in high quality plastic/fibreglass or in a composite material. I like my old (cheap in plastic) since it’s precise enough for woodworking and some other uses. The steel ones are terribly sharp and it’s easy to scratch whatever you bump into, and for some things that’s no good. Ant the composite/plastic ones is easier on my clothing as well  [embarassed]

Would you please share where you find these?

 

[Birdhunter]

One advantage of the non-electronic units is that you don't have to go find a battery when you pull the tool out of the drawer. Most of my electronic tools use a 2032 battery that seems to have a relatively short life once activated.

Also, to me, using a manual tool like a plane, chisel, or micrometer is more satisfying than powering up a big power tool. 

 

[Jerry Ostashevskyi]

One advantage of the non-electronic units is that you don't have to go find a battery when you pull the tool out of the drawer. Most of my electronic tools use a 2032 battery that seems to have a relatively short life once activated.

Also, to me, using a manual tool like a plane, chisel, or micrometer is more satisfying than powering up a big power tool.

From my experience, manual calipers are nice, but when it comes to making a lot of measurements, my eyes are getting tired looking at the scale when reading while electronic one usually have a nice display with large readout numbers.
As to battery life on calipers, it depends on the manufacturer. My Mitutoyo caliper lasts anywhere from 3-5 years on one battery( and I use it constantly during a day, and every working day). At the same time, I have some cheap electronic one without battery that I a pre set with Mitutoyo and use a depth gauge for checking slots while machining for I don't care if they will get coolant on them. If I will insert battery in them, it will be completely drained in about 6-8 weeks.

Jerry

 

[jeffinsgf]

I've got a couple pairs of vernier calipers that I use for turning...where it's more about matching than measuring. At work I have a digital read-out Mitutoyo...since all the manufacturing guys want to talk in thousandths. At home I have a dial caliper that is calibrated in fractions on the dial...that's my favorite for woodworking. I bought it from Highland in Atlanta years ago. I've seen a few others and have a General plastic one, but none I've seen are as easy to read as the no-name one I got from Highland.

 

[bertv]

>>>Would you please share where you find these?

Sure, bought it from Fine-tools.com (Dieter Schmid, Berlin, Germany). Shinwa brand, so probb available at more shops.

 

[FestitaMakool]

Thanks [member=5467]Bert Vanderveen[/member]

Bokmarked.. They had not only the caliper, but many many other nice tools [scared]
- I did find that Wiha (Naturally, for electricians) have three types as well available. Analog dial, std. with magnifying lens and a digital one - all in fibreglass.
(Good thing that there’s no shop like Fine-Tools nearby me, I would have gone there regularly [eek])

I stumbled over a section worthwhile seeing as well: (Scroll down to: “Workbenches made by our Customers:”)https://www.fine-tools.com/werkstatt.html

 

[mike_aa]

...As to battery life on calipers, it depends on the manufacturer. My Mitutoyo caliper lasts anywhere from 3-5 years on one battery( and I use it constantly during a day, and every working day). At the same time, I have some cheap electronic one without battery that I a pre set with Mitutoyo and use a depth gauge for checking slots while machining for I don't care if they will get coolant on them. If I will insert battery in them, it will be completely drained in about 6-8 weeks.

Jerry

Good to know about the Mitutoyo and the battery life.  I have one of those cheap digital ones for woodworking and I found the only way I could ensure the thing would power up next time is to take the batteries out after each use.  I guess I'll be on the lookout for the Mitutoyo!

Mike A.

 

[Bob D.]

This Japanese fibreglass caliper is the one I use all the time. It is precise enough for most woodworking tasks, I find.

View attachment 1

(I do own three other types…)

And being fiberglass you don't have to worry about ESD zapping your wood !

 

[PreferrablyWood]

This Japanese fibreglass caliper is the one I use all the time. It is precise enough for most woodworking tasks, I find.

View attachment 1

(I do own three other types…)

I got this Japanese calliper recently and really like it. I have an electronic one but often the battery is depleted when I want to use it. Besides accurate  the dial is easy to read. Should make sheath for it as it seems delicate and likely break easily if stressed.

 

[PreferrablyWood]

I have three Starrett measuring tools the 100mm sliding T square, The 150mm combination square and the 300mm combination square. After waiting a couple years I finally have ordered the protractor reversible head and the 600mm rule compatible with it.

I love Starrett squares and that they work equally well for metal work and woodwork is a bonus.

They are accurate and easy to read in satin finish, my eyeglasses are top end so they are indispensable as part of the equation.

 

[Oldwood]

I have gone to all digital mostly because my eyesight is not good enough any more. I find some of the cheap stuff that I only use occasionally I need to pull the battery or when I go to use it they are dead.

Digital angle, depth gauges and measuring tools are incredibly handy and surprisingly inexpensive these days.

 

[ChuckM]

In my shop, the majority of measurements are done manually. The combination squares and precision squares (5 or 6 of them in total) are among the most important precision tools for my work.

I have only two digital measuring tools: the (plastic) digital calipers and the tilt box (https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/hand-tools/marking-and-measuring/67350-tilt-box-ii-digital-inclinometer-for-tool-setting?item=88N9050).

I use the tilt box whenever I change the blade angle on the table saw. The box can also be used to set odd angles for sharpening plane blades.

The last time I used the calipers was when I tuned the Kapex with the 5-cut calibration method -- 5 or 6 years ago.

 

[PreferrablyWood]

Yes I have the digital kaliper and a CMT digital bevel/angle finder, but feel the Starrett gear is more solid and good for laying out cuts and mortises.

The tilt box looks like a handy device for sure.

 

[mino]

I have gone to all digital mostly because my eyesight is not good enough any more. I find some of the cheap stuff that I only use occasionally I need to pull the battery or when I go to use it they are dead.

Digital angle, depth gauges and measuring tools are incredibly handy and surprisingly inexpensive these days.

Just make sure to keep in mind that accuracy and precision are different things.

With the manual tools, often the precision was worse than accuracy - so it did not matter.

With the digital tools, it is common to have precision (digits on display) much higher than accuracy. Sometimes by 2 orders of magnitude in case of the cheap tools.

A digital caliper with 0.001 inch precision but +/- 0.01 or worse accuracy is no stranger on the market ...

 

[PreferrablyWood]

[member=61254]mino[/member] and [member=7143]Oldwood[/member]. I don't personally think the ultimate precision of the digital based compared to high end none electric tools is really the main point. The tactile feel of the old Starrett tools encourage me to work carefully handle the tools well and focus. The likely hood of accurate work increases the more focused and confident you are with good hand eye coordination a steady hand the  accuracy of my cuts have always been adequate with non electric tools. The ergonomics of drawing a line with tool with some mass and a good straight heavy ruler like the Starrett combi squares have means there's no shifting when drawing the line either with knife or pencil.

 

[mino]

The ergonomics of drawing a line with tool with some mass and a good straight heavy ruler like the Starrett combi squares have means there's no shifting when drawing the line either with knife or pencil.

Absolutely agree.
Just wanted to point that a digital tool at-same-general-price-as mechanical will invariably be of worse accuracy.

The digital measures are no "be all" in practice as the cheap ones are often complete garbage on the accuracy side - which may be fine still for woodworking ..

The reason is that the digital tool needs to be made to the same machining accuracy as the manual one, with the digital readout component added making it more expensive at same accuracy. As long as one is aware of this aspect, and how it is often miss-advertised, all is fine.
[cool]

 

[Oldwood]

I have gone to all digital mostly because my eyesight is not good enough any more. I find some of the cheap stuff that I only use occasionally I need to pull the battery or when I go to use it they are dead.

Digital angle, depth gauges and measuring tools are incredibly handy and surprisingly inexpensive these days.

Just make sure to keep in mind that accuracy and precision are different things.

With the manual tools, often the precision was worse than accuracy - so it did not matter.

With the digital tools, it is common to have precision (digits on display) much higher than accuracy. Sometimes by 2 orders of magnitude in case of the cheap tools.

A digital caliper with 0.001 inch precision but +/- 0.01 or worse accuracy is no stranger on the market ...

Yes I found that out the hard way. When I bought my first digital calipers they were Mitutoyo, and at that time the cheap versions were not very common. I have bought quite a few of the cheaper sets for knocking around in the wood shop since but keep the Mitutoyos for work that is critical. Some of the cheap sets are good, but some are not to be trusted.

Your point is well take, just because it reads out to 4 decimal points does not mean they are that accurate.