Caliper

[Ken Higginbotham]

I bought one of these a couple weeks ago and really like using it. I do things like setting saw height on my table saw with it, etc. I can't imagine a more accurate, user friendly gizmo. I've abandoned every thing else like my tape measure and ruler for anything under 4-5 inches. Is this kinda what you pros use? I bought the $29 model but now that it has become so valuable I've considered buying a nicer one (if one exists)...



Link

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Ken, I use a Mitutoyu digital which is nice since I'm slowly switching to metric in the shop. (It converts at the touch of a button).

I've stopped using it for planing though, my new planer is accurate to 0.07mm which is far more accuracy than I need.

Regards, Rod.

P.S. I often think however that we're too obsessed with accuracy when it come to wood. If you plane all the pieces at once, does it matter if your door rail and stiles are 20.0mm or 20.1mm? Especially when we then destroy all semblance of accuracy with a hand held random orbital sander.

[Ken Higginbotham]

I have a cheap digital version but I like the visual dial thing. And the green decimal scale makes head math a little easier...

[Brad Patch]

Ken

My cheap caliper is the best $30.00 I ever spent. They have many uses and make a great layout tool. You can spend well over $100.00 for a name brand, but for woodworking purposes I'm not convinced its necessary. I have a dial type graduated in thousands/inch. I'm familiar with decimal equivalents so its not a problem. However with just a little memorization one can learn the decimal equivalents down to sixteenths, beyond that I get out my equivalent chart . With the fractional version it seems to me that there maybe interpolation issues.

They are fragile and do not tolerate dust or trips to a cement floor.

[David G Baker]

I use metal gage blocks that are specific heights. Much easier for the lazy guys like me. The height is stamped on each one so no guessing involved. I frequently use a very cheap General Tool caliper that I don't worry about getting abused from excessive use. My good measureing tools I keep in their cases and in a tool cabinet and use them for metal working only.
I tend to agree with Brad about how much precision is needed in most woodworking but I am occasionally laughed at by carpenter friends when I work in 1/16 th's when measuring studs.

[Tom Esh]

I've been using them for over 30yrs. Indispensable IMO. My first was a Swiss - made fiberplastic job from Brookstone that did decimal, fractional, and metric - still in the toolbox. I guess the digitals are nice for conversion and and incremental, but I've really no use for yet another battery that needs to be replaced. I recently replaced a half dozen of the inexpensive (HF and others - all with various flaws) with a Starrett. Probably made in the same Asian factory as the others, but with much higher QC standards. Well worth the $70 or so.

[Thomas Canfield]

Ken,

Where did you buy the caliper? I noticed that it has the locking screw to set the dimension where my cheap caliper does not. The locking screw is a good feature for locking in a dimension for turning that I am looking for in the next cheap caliper.

[Ken Higginbotham]

Highland Hardware - I think the link below the picture will take you right to it.

Edit: Per the diagram below, I probably use the 'depth rod' more than the 'measuring contacts':

[Lee Schierer]

I had a dial caliper in my shop for a while. Saw dusat go into the gearing and made it jumpy and hard to work with. I bought a digital caliper from Harbor Freight for $12 and it has worked fine despite being dropped and covered in sawdust for several years now. Battery life is pretty good as long as you remember to turn it off when you lay it down and don't rely on the self timer to turn it off.

[Ed Labadie]

Many years ago I bought (for work) a Mitutoyo solar powered digital caliper. It's now in my shop & I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's so nice NEVER having to mess with batteries or issues related to them.

Ed

[John Thompson]

I bought my calipher like yours at Highland WW (then Hardware) years ago and use it daily to dimension lumber off the jointer and planer. I do use small brass blocks ground to tolerance by my BIL in his machine shop to set TS blade heights.

But.. I find the caliphers very valuable and they are quite accurate so I would not pay any extra for one as.... if it ain't broke.. don't try to fix it.

Ya neighbor on the other side of town...

Sarge..

[Bruce Page]

I wouldn't be without my pro-grade Brown & Sharp calipers. They're a bit more $$ but they are the best ones out there, bar none.
IMHO

[Ken Higginbotham]

Hi John,

Off Topic: Did you see the bs's on CL? what'd you think?

[Lance Norris]

I bought the $29 model but now that it has become so valuable I've considered buying a nicer one (if one exists)...

Starrett makes a fractional Caliper that is very nice. I have one and use it everytime i build something. It is invaluable when running the planer, even with a Wixey Digital Planer Gauge installed on my planer.

http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/12017

[Ken Higginbotham]

Starrett makes a fractional Caliper that is very nice. I have one and use it everytime i build something. It is invaluable when running the planer, even with a Wixey Digital Planer Gauge installed on my planer.

http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/12017

Thanks Lance - I've put that on my wish list.