Woodpecker Big Calipers

[rmwarren]

These look like a winner and budget friendly enough to justify.
https://www.woodpeck.com/big-cal.html

I'm moving away from measure to using gage blocks/story stick wherever possible..

RMW

 

[rvieceli]

[member=8712]Richard/RMW[/member]
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...ng/32585-veritas-bar-gauge-heads?item=05N3101

Ron

 

[smorgasbord]

Um, graduated in 1/32" and 1mm for well over $100 doesn't excite me at all. Not even a vernier capability.

 

[squall_line]

Um, graduated in 1/32" and 1mm for well over $100 doesn't excite me at all. Not even a vernier capability.

Which unit is well over $100?  The larger one is $109 (on sale for $99) and the smaller is $89 (on sale for $79).

 

[smorgasbord]

Which unit is well over $100?  The larger one is $109 (on sale for $99) and the smaller is $89 (on sale for $79).

My mistake - saw the combo price and just went with that. They still seem pricey for what are essentially rulers with large, convenient, hook ends and slider stops.

 

[jeffinsgf]

.... are essentially rulers with large, convenient, hook ends and slider stops.

EXACTLY! They aren't tools to measure to thousandths. There's no vernier because, let's face it, there's only a few old-timers that would even know how to read it. Their greatest use, in my personal opinion, doesn't rely on the engraved scale at all. I'll use them as an adjustable story stick with a handy inside/outside conversion. The heads are larger than a typical caliper to facilitate that use.

 

[Packard]

Budget friendly in a large story-stick sort of way.  It is nothing like a measuring tool.

I use stair stops on an aluminum yard stick as a story stick.  It is probably as accurate as that device. ($6.00 for a pair of stair stops and about $8.00 for the aluminum yard stick.)

The 40” vernier caliper (Starrett) that we had where I used to work cost—I believe—about $2,000.00.

Mitutoyo has a version for about $600.00. 

Calling it a “caliper” does not make it so—even if it kinda looks like one.
https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/06411326

 

[guybo]

how are these then better than the old story sticks,that were offered in various lenghts? Are the new not less functional?

 

[Michael Kellough]

Caliper is a broad category and this fits comfortably.

The benefit over traditional story sticks and similar combinations is that the business end is cantilevered and tapered so you can see exactly what is being found/engaged/measured.

I have made story sticks with the Lee Valley fittings but in most cases it is more convenient to use a folding rule on the inside or a tape measure on the outside.

 

[Peter Kelly]

https://www.shars.com/24-heavy-duty-vernier-caliper-1

24", measures in 0.001"/0.02mm increments, $83.55. 

 

[rmwarren]

[member=8712]Richard/RMW[/member]
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...ng/32585-veritas-bar-gauge-heads?item=05N3101

Ron

Already sitting unused in a cabinet in my office/workroom in the house for around 20 years. They are great for inside measurements so long as whatever you are measuring is bigger than whatever length the wood strips are. I misplaced the little brass pins...

I've also got the old WP story sticks and use them. The new gadget is basically a story stick in caliper form, more functional in terms of what you can measure with it. For instance the old story sticks used clear plastic slide gizmos that worked OK for outside measurements, but being 1" wide only worked for inside measurements on more than 2".

I see these as more useful to transfer measurements to my setups that already use gage blocks or the Paolini rules. And also longer stuff.

RMW

 

[Holzhacker]

I got the woodpecker email about these as well.
Funny enough I also thought they were reasonably priced. Usually I'm complaining about their pricing. I have a bunch of WP items but I generally don't buy WP stuff anymore. The price point has just gotten to be a bit too much.
I would like to buy more WP items because I like their quality, good design and the ones I have I really like using. Just because its red painted aluminum doesn't mean I'll pay whatever.
What was it the other day, the 4" bevel is like $70 or $80. I'd have to be crazy; and I buy Festool.

 

[Birdhunter]

I use a Modular Bar Gauge set I bought as a WP one time tool. It is basically an adjustable story stick. If necessary, I can pull a measurement off the gauge. I tend to use something physical instead of a measurement if possible.

 

[box185]

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/woodriver-24-aluminum-vernier-caliper

 

[Michael Kellough]

That big  Woodcraft caliper is a great price, but it doesn’t do inside measurements.  [tongue]

 

[guybo]

This is what is great about the 24 in story stick,both inside and outside plus a story pole for about 50 bucks till they did not make them,plus a t square.plus....

 

[Cheese]

Sometimes I like to measure but other times I need to use a gauge block...I prefer the gauge block approach.  [smile]

The gauge block will always get me within .003-.005" of where I need to be...the measurement thing not so much.

The measurement is interesting for general knowledge and just to generally gauge the physical size, but the gauge block is interesting to accurately gauge the fit...and that's what counts.

 

[rmwarren]

This is what is great about the 24 in story stick,both inside and outside plus a story pole for about 50 bucks till they did not make them,plus a t square.plus....

This is what I was referring to, have had it for years and use it after rediscovering last year. Except I either never bought or thoroughly misplaced the inside/outside caliper arms and can't get myself to buy replacements for $22 bucks. Instead, I'll pay $180 bucks for Bigcal...

The story sticks are really best at transferring layout lines to flat stock. And the story stick arms are too wide to make really small inside small gaps.

RMW

 

[Steve1]

There's no vernier because, let's face it, there's only a few old-timers that would even know how to read it.

...and us old-timers that know how to read a vernier scale -- our eyes aren't good enough to see the lines anymore.

 

[Packard]

There's no vernier because, let's face it, there's only a few old-timers that would even know how to read it.

...and us old-timers that know how to read a vernier scale -- our eyes aren't good enough to see the lines anymore.

And what do I do with my slide rule (a “Pickett” which I still have since 1965).