TUTORIAL
here is a reason why ‘measure
twice, cut once’ is a golden rule of
making. Getting accurate
measurements is critical to the
success of many projects. While the
measuring abilities of a common
imperial/metric ruler are sufficient for many
measuring situations, sometimes you need much
higher precision (like when measuring parts to feed
into a computer design for 3D printing). That’s the
time that you need a set of digital callipers.
You might think that getting a set of digital callipers
in your toolbox is an expensive proposition, and not
worth it for the few times most of us might need
such an instrument. Not exactly. For under US$10, at
online stores and discount tool markets, you can get a
worthy set of callipers that can reliably measure at a
0.0005”/0.01 mm resolution. Many of these cheap
callipers work just fine, once you learn to work around
their eccentricities. If you want higher confidence inHow to use
digital callipers
Learn to get a grip on your project and make your workshop a safer place
your tool, for under US$40 you can get a surprisingly
high-quality set. We recommend the iGaging
Absolute Origins. They deliver everything you need in
such a tool at a really reasonable price. They even
have a data-out port. With an additional special cable,
you can send your measurements directly into a CAD
program. Unfortunately, the cable will cost you twice
as much as the callipers (but you can sometimes find
them cheaper on eBay).
So, what can digital callipers do for you? All models
of such callipers are designed to provide four basic
types of measurement:Outside Diameter The main jaws of the callipers
(called the ‘outside measuring faces’) are designed to
measure the outside diameter of objects (usually up
to 6”/150 mm). Many models of callipers have a
zeroing function. To do a measurement, you close the
jaws, press the Zero button, and then spread the jaws
to take your measurement.TUTORIAL
How to use digital callipers
T
Gareth Branwyn
@garethb2Gareth has been a
lifelong practitioner
(and chronicler) of
DIY tech, media, and
culture. He is the author
of ten books, including
Tips and Tales from
the Workshop, and
is a former editor for
Boing Boing, Wired,
and Make:.