Inexpensive Precision

Hi All,


Have you had the problem of whether the metal is thick enough to
engrave. You could of course use a jeweller's leverage gage if you
happen to have one. This is not always an option for beginning engraver.
Tooling is expensive and if you can do it cheaper, you should.

I bought a couple of digital calipers not knowing what I was going to do with them.
You can't go to far wrong to $9.99 First, they will not scratch
anything, except wax. Second they can be altered to any shape easily.

The depth gage was made out of a standard caliper but just cutting out
sections with a jewellers saw, filed, and then sanded.
Now that you have a depth gage you will be able to tell if you need to
re enforce the back of hart pendant so you don't dent it, by using
chaser's cement, or shellac.

If I'm not using transparences then I like to lay out lettering using transfer wax.
Using a plastic caliper you can lay out grid lines without scratch silver or
gold. Some pencils will scratch silver, creating a clean up problem.

I bought the caliper from Harbor Freight, but I sure you can get them
else where.

Jim

I don't have a digital model, but my Starrett dial caliper is one of my most used tools.

They are quick and effective for my uses.

Peter

Hi Peter,
Plastic or steel caliper? I use both just for different things. I would be interested to
know how you use either one.
Jim

Great tip Jim
I got a digital caliper fairly recently after using a leverage gouge forever. I haven't pick it up since the digital except for inside measuring now you solved that. The digital is so much more accurate and quick. That's really cheap you're right you can't go wrong there.
Mike

great tip thanks.

Gentlemen, I use both ,dial calipers & 1" mike, both mine are Starrett as I used to set up screw machines. I like the mike for a better feel although it has the ratchet which I never used. I also have a plastic one made by for General in Switzerland, for the price they are tough to beat.
Kent

Thanks for another great idea, Jimster. Hey, weren't you and I in Blaine Lewis' class together? Isn't that where we met? / Sam

I have several sets of these digital calipers just because they are inexpensive and easy for a dummy like me to use! Most of them have decimal or metric buttons and they are fast and easy to read. If you are a machinist, a dial caliper might be easy for you but for some hacker like me its just easy to get a fast readout. I tend to use them for a lot of measuring. I have both plastic and metal ones and while not Starrett quality, they seem to hold up fine. I love fine quality tools but these are cheap enough to just have around the house and shop for all kinds of uses.

Jim,
The caliper I use most is a Starrett 120. It is steel. I like it better than micrometers because they are much quicker. For ultimate precision (which I generally don't need to go to .0001) mics are more precise).

I am talking about general measuring in different applications other than engraving.

I find mechanical machinist hand tools literally for pennies on the dollar since the industrial tools have all gone digital.

Not sure if I answered your question.

Peter

The Rule of Steel

Hi all,
I also certainly like a good Sterrit tool. I cut my teeth on Minatoya, but
ya know they both have there simple type digital parts made in China.
The Chinese never shot off the lines that make these parts, so they get sold
to no name tool supplier also know as Harbour Freight Tools in the USA.
So your actually getting some great stuff there.

Here are a Few tips about callipers.

1.To clean you tool so that you get the same read out every time. Close the jaw on a piece of paper and then pull out the paper. You will be amazed at the grime left on the paper.
2.On steel calliper you can score parallel lines with the jaw, accurately. You can also use it to scribe circles. This is more accurate than using dividers because there is no movement with more metal for support. Even the best divider will flex.
3.To sharpen calliper jaws file the nose top and bottom but never the measuring surface. If it get that bad just by a new set for $16.00
4.Keep the old ones for rough work.
5.You can measure repeat number by zeroing out the display.
6.Lightly oil once in a while.

I will gone in further post.

Ya Sam, that's where I did the bench test for your advanced class. Both
classes, Blains and yours were totally worth it for every extra tip that you both gave me.
Thanks for Corel Draw. It is way cool. The balino stuff was a bonus
that I wasn't prepared for, but use now for a lot of jobs . Have a look at the
money clip in the "Pics of Unusual Engraving" Thread. That car is because
of your class. Thanks. I have more topic to hit on in the future about the
mechanics of engraving. Stuff that's made my life easier.
Jim

The better quality dial verniers have the rack on top,when held in your right hand,
the less expensive ones have the rack on the bottom.

The nicer quality units use a steel rack and pinion,the cheap ones use a brass rack.

With the rack on top,metal chips will naturally fall out of the teeth.
With the rack on the bottom it's more likely that a chip will get jammed into the pinion,ruining the rack.
Steel chips are usually harder than the brass rack.


I prefer .100" per revolution,easier to read.
.200" per revolution is frequently less expensive,but I find them confusing,since I am used to .100".

I like the rack and pinion as a tool. The thing about them is they get worn at the small end of the
scale. Just by using the tool you wear down the teeth. After a while they're not quite as accurate.

The digitals have no teeth to get worn down. They work on another principal.
This was explained to me in rather raw detail by old tool and die maker who still used slide veneer calipers.
My ears are still ringing.
Jim

The plain Vernier Calipers are fine,when you can see the lines.

My Starrett Dial Caliper is still in excellent shape,bought it in new '88.
Used almost every day since.
Wouldn't expect that life from a no-name brand.


Some people can destroy a set in a couple years.
They could also break a crowbar in a sand box.