reading a dial caliper

[AWSubie]

Being a young mechanic back in the 1980s my main objection to metric was the cost of switching to metric hand tools.

Fast forward forty years and I have complete sets of imperial and metric!

Engineering wise the United States would have been money ahead had we just had the fortitude and common sense to go metric so many years ago.

It would still be a good decision, but we might not get as much return on investment if Putin decides to blow up the world!

 

[5030]

Being old school, I prefer a 60 division vernier caliper as well as analog mikes.

 

[alexpops]

Yeah ... in the 70's, I used to make extra money on labor as the "foreign car mechanic" because I DID have a set of metric sockets & wrenches.

 

[GeneV]

Being a young mechanic back in the 1980s my main objection to metric was the cost of switching to metric hand tools.

Fast forward forty years and I have complete sets of imperial and metric!

Engineering wise the United States would have been money ahead had we just had the fortitude and common sense to go metric so many years ago.

It would still be a good decision, but we might not get as much return on investment if Putin decides to blow up the world!

Depends who's doing the engineering, they already have. I'm in custom mfg'ing, I get my share of inquiries with specs listed in metric.

Personally, I have a mental block to it coz I think in inches/feet, but yeh my opposition here on this thread to metric is just me playing around. It's impossible to argue that imperial is a superior system to metric.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I read about tolerance and not mixing fractions and decimals earlier in the thread. I worked in a sheet metal shop for several years then ran it for about a decade. Our standard practice was mixing fractions and decimals on the prints to denote tolerances. Decimal measurements were typically +- 0.010 tolerance and fractional measurements were typically +- 1/32. Most of our prints ended up with decimals written next to the fractions to keep us from having to do the math every time.

The engineers also liked to do +0 and minus some measurement for tolerance or -0 plus some measurement

Don't even get me started on phantom lines....

 

[Tinhack]

Not a machinist, but I read that as 1.8665 inches or 47.41 mm

I was going to say 1.867 but it's hard to tell at the angle and no mention of accuracy. I do "bananas" not unviewable millihenries or whatever.

 

[bcp]

All this reminded me of the old saying.

"Measure with a micrometer, mark with a crayon, cut it with an axe"


Bruce

 

[Grumpycat]

1.866 or maybe 1.867. Digital caliper batteries dying is kinda a nuisance but the ability to transfer between metric and decimal and sometimes fractions is nice.

Before I'd say 1.866 or 1.867 I'd like to know the dial caliper was zeroed before measurement started.

A Harbor Freight digital will require a battery every month seemingly even if not used.

A Mitutoyo will go years. But cost more than the batteries the HF used.

I bought a high quality plastic dial caliper decades ago at a hamfest. Didn't know how good of quality it actually turned out to be but have used it hundreds of hours. Am not machining cylinders or anything like that, was laying out PCBs. Needed to physically see how big things were I was seeing in spec sheets. Needed to double check the spec sheet to the parts in my hands. Boss looked at me a bit funny to be sitting at a computer with dial caliper in one hand but loved my results.

 

[Grumpycat]

i remember back in my machinist days...reading a vernier scale on a mic or caliper. & probably accurate as a scale if the machinist's eye is accurate. i quickly converted to dig readout so long ago. love the old tools though

I have wanted a simple vernier caliper but SAE were marked in 1/128" and I wanted decimal. To get decimal one had to buy metric. Unless one didn't mind spending $100+, which was beyond the task intended.

 

[Grumpycat]

Being a young mechanic back in the 1980s my main objection to metric was the cost of switching to metric hand tools.

I started with a Japanese motorcycle in 1975, a used Dodge in 1976, then a Japanese automobile in 1978. The Dodge used SAE so I borrowed when I needed tools. But only bought metric.

Knew Sears was going to h in a handbasket when they quit carrying separate metric and SAE tool kits, all were combination, one had to purchase a complete set of SAE to get metric. Sadly I was right.

 

[big bubba]

I have wanted a simple vernier caliper but SAE were marked in 1/128" and I wanted decimal. To get decimal one had to buy metric. Unless one didn't mind spending $100+, which was beyond the task intended.

good point. on a good quality mic or caliper (i was using SAE in decimals) lining up the markings on the vernier could be more accurate than cheap dig equipment today. i just use the technology old or new that fits my needs.
i sure do miss my B&S Starret & Mitutoyo machinist tools.

 

[tipoblanco]

I feel almost embarrassed to ask this, but I need to confirm my numbers are correct.

in the photo is this approximately 47.62 mm?, its saddening, since I use a metric digital one a ton, but people love their old school.

Thats a 2" exhaust pipe,measure OD

 

[Greygoose]

Before I'd say 1.866 or 1.867 I'd like to know the dial caliper was zeroed before measurement started.

A Harbor Freight digital will require a battery every month seemingly even if not used.

A Mitutoyo will go years. But cost more than the batteries the HF used.

I bought a high quality plastic dial caliper decades ago at a hamfest. Didn't know how good of quality it actually turned out to be but have used it hundreds of hours. Am not machining cylinders or anything like that, was laying out PCBs. Needed to physically see how big things were I was seeing in spec sheets. Needed to double check the spec sheet to the parts in my hands. Boss looked at me a bit funny to be sitting at a computer with dial caliper in one hand but loved my results.

Remove the battery after use and it will last years too .Must be something in the design that slowly drains them when left installed.

 

[joea99]

I feel almost embarrassed to ask this, but I need to confirm my numbers are correct.

in the photo is this approximately 47.62 mm?, its saddening, since I use a metric digital one a ton, but people love their old school.

From the angle in the photo it looks like 1.668 inches, but given "parallax" it is probably 1.665 or so, if it were viewed "dead on square" to the dial, or, 42.291 mm.

It looks like a pipe for a fence post, so why is accuracy an issue?

 

[thirdroc17]

All you people who dis metric.

How big is the engine in your car? Odds are, you just used a metric measurement.

How do machinists generally measure? In fractions or decimals? Decimals of course, exactly like the metric system.

How many of you are using a vernier caliper and measuring in fractions? The majority of you said get digital, use decimals, exactly like the metric system.

Get out of the 17th century already. Or trade in your cell phones and go back to tin cans and string.

FYI, I use vernier calipers and measure in fractions, though metric is far, far easier, for the simple matter of going to the store to buy something, it's sold in fractions.

 

[Gord Baker]

Not a machinist, but I read that as 1.8665 inches or 47.41 mm

Yup, 2" Pipe. Tubing is measured on the O.D.

 

[jgmo]

1.866 in
47.3964 mm
I've had problems with digital being inaccurate because of battery state so I always keep my dial calipers handy.

Remember to always "park" the jaws with a gap, locked in place and keep them in the case.

Good luck

 

[GeneV]

1.866 in
47.3964 mm
I've had problems with digital being inaccurate because of battery state so I always keep my dial calipers handy.

Remember to always "park" the jaws with a gap, locked in place and keep them in the case.

Good luck

Why the gap thing?

 

[Rob REECE]

I’m reading the dial at 1.9665 which would convert to 49.949mm.

Look again

 

[Rob REECE]

I’m reading the dial at 1.9665 which would convert to 49.949mm.