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@@joeprestera2239 they always work no flat batteries to worry about. If you don't need to compare back and forth between metric and imperial and don't need to use an absolute zero/ zeroing function they're great. But in my honest opinion, the best feature is the display: comparison of parts or measurements before and after a machining process are very easy to interpret as instead of numbers on a readout, the angle of the needle is very easy to read the measurement, especially in comparison to graduated verniers. It's the same reason why people are drawn to analogue watches instead of digital. How much is 15 minutes in a digital display? It's much easier to visually interpret time with an analogue watch. In the same way, dial vernier calipers are fantastic for visual interpretation of measurement. When I was an apprentice, I was taught to hand file a specific part to an accuracy of 0.003" and I used dial calipers to check. It was great to file and check and see just how many file strokes it took to take the material away. I have dial, 100mm/4" and 150mm/6" calipers and use them all depending on what work I'm doing.
I absolutely like that part where you talk about a string and b string. 21 year old machinist and I bought used tools to start and have slowly be getting ne tools, but I still use the old ones the most because I don't care about the way they get treated compared to new ones, if you use it, it goes back in the box right after use
Adam has also said in the past that when purchasing a new tool you're interested in; get the best that you can afford, but it doesn't need to be the best quality tool out there. Then if it fits into your regular rotation after use and you learn more about it and use it more, you can spend the extra money on the nicer tool. I've adopted both of these ideas recently within the last 5 years and its a fantastic way to become more self-sufficient.
@@jungle_jim42 I have personally tweaked it slightly to "buy the best you can afford to ruin" in the same way most people's first car should be a beater.
Absolutely. Brown and Sharpe led the way in the late 70s with their calipers. Holding it and moving the slide.... You could feel the quality. But this design was bought by ???, I cant remember......Only the surprise I felt when I saw the logo.
Your loving handling of the new calipers reminds me of a young cellist I knew who was so respectful of his cello that he would always wash his hands before handling it.
Repointing your calipers can be done on a horizontal precision grinder if you know someone with one. Or you can carefully point them on fresh new lapping stones.
I suppose it's possible. But there are problems keeping the 4 measuring faces in sync as well as the dial moving off the 12 o'clock position. But when you can buy new for $140 why bother.
@@scooterbum4288you would just take a little off of one or two angled faces of the caliper, as they are not used for reference. If you’d rather buy new ones, send me your old ones!
Generations of my family have worked at Starrett Tools - love seeing that logo in the video! Grew up knowing all about calipers, micrometers, indicators, and machinist rules. They make good stuff - great choice!!
@@jncn1490 No, what I wrote is entirely true. Sorry. My great aunt, dad, mom, brother, and sister all have worked or do work there. I grew up measuring my toys with Starrett mics and calipers. Drove by the Athol plant two weeks ago when visiting my mom. I don't know which models of which products are currently made at Mount Airy, Scotland, China, or Athol (or elsewhere), aside from the indicators that my sister works with in Athol, but we don't really spend a lot of time talking about that sort of thing at the dinner table. Maybe we should spend more time with the product catalog at family events - you have me rethinking our Thanksgiving plans right now. To quote Sgt. Hulka, lighten up, Francis ....
@@jasonb2180 Maybe you can feed some info back up the chain, then. I purchased two spring calipers recently. The calipers arrived with arms out of plane and in twist. Both sets. When I asked Starrett about remedying this since this was the as-received condition, they said I could mail them back at my expense for repair. I didn't think that was acceptable, swore off Starrett andmoved on. Admittedly, I am a woodworker not a machinist. Maybe I am wrong in my expectations and one is expected to routinely align spring calipers, but I've never had to do so with my cheap ones and, if so, Starrett could have said so. Brw, when I say feed info back to Starrett, I just mean I think they should get the feedback that some customers are giving up on them for the reasons I gave. Trying to be constructive.
@@SergeantExtreme They were 79A calipers ordered about a year ago. The current web page claims they are US made, but I do not recall what it said a year ago. It took 3 months for the order to arrive. Looks like Starrett has increased the price by 30% since a year ago.
I have an entry level digital caliper, and it has made different projects so much easier and a better outcome than I would have gotten with just a ruler. I was installing a switch to the side of a plastic electronics box, and I use my caliper to measure and mark the cutlines. This past Christmas, I got my girlfriend a pendant, and made a presentation box with velvet lining and made extensive use of my caliper to mark everything out to make sure that it all fit (and it turned out great). Calipers are a surprisingly useful tool for so many things.
I recently purchased a home not far from Starrett Tools I suggest visiting the facility sometime it's very impressive! Good quality American made tools
I have to hold them in a special place at a certain distance from my eyes to read them, so I bought digital ones. But you’re right, verniers are the OG calipers.
Thx for sharing this moment and the love. Every two years I get a new mitutoyo and I love the moment when you pick up a high quality caliper out of its Box.
I just got a new pair of Fowler 4” dial calipers for my bench. I really like that size for model work, and you can get them with different dial colors; I find white on black a tad easier to read.
I bought a pair (w/the faux leather case) while I was still working as a machinist 15 or so years ago. Although that is no longer my career, those calipers remain with me (well, in the Gerstner tool chest in my home shop)!
I know how you feel about the process of slowly upgrading your tools over time. Years ago I got my first "dremel" rotary tool, it was actually a craftsman. Not bad, it worked well and did what I needed it to do. Then I got a digital Dremel brand dremel and I couldn't got back to the craftsman. More Recently I bought a Proxxon rotary tool switching from the Dremel's speed based motors to torque based motors and once again I just can't go back. The journey continues.
I remember my first Dremel! My (now ex) wife actually tried to hide it and send it back because, "I didn't ask for her permission". I sh*t you not when I tell you that my cat went to where she hid it and ratted her out. I took it and locked it in my workshop 🤣😂😁
My favorite set of calipers are iGaging dial 6" fractional inch (also read 1/100s). Having the ability to measure down to 1/128th is very nice for woodworking and no battery to mess with. Plenty good resolution for working with wood. ;) I also have a set of digital standard/metric decimal for non-woodworking tasks (1/1000s resolution).
I worked several years as a machinist and all my precision tools are Starrett. They are American made in Athol, Massachusetts and are simply the best out there
Love to see this, as salesperson that sells both mitutoyo and tesa(the european leg of brown and sharpe) it is very interesting to see someone talk about these in depth.
I only just bought my first pair of cheapo calipers last year for scratchbuilding, and wow what a godsend they are. Can't believe I waited so long to try them. Lol
I got a digital Mitutoyo Caliper and they are just amazing, would never want to not just have a digital, so convenient for lots of things, like zeroing on a different measurement and then checking something from there, doing it all the time. At work we basically only have good new digital calipers all calibrated once a year, we can't use something that isn't in calibration. oh and with digital you can do imperial and metric with the same thing ;)
Same here I have switched from dials to digital, I still have 4 different dial calipers that I hardly ever pick up. I use Mitutoyo coolant proof 6” digital and they are awesome for the reasons you already mentioned. Dials have their place, but in oily or less than clean environments the dial caliper aways get crap in the rack and screws up the dial…lol. I would recommend the Mitutoyo’s 💯✅
@@tmurray1972 I have ever only seen two disks in my shop ever, and the satay in the drawer for ever… For the trainees at firs they get a vernier one and after some time it’s only digital, now mostly Mitutoyo Absolut 150mm (6”) round depth stick, some Tesa tools also floating around
@@tmurray1972 in some instances the square one is good, it stays more staring if you go long, other that that round all the way especially for smaller parts, can also fis in smaller holes
I am currently a calibration technician, only two years in and so much to learn! It is not hard to find regularly used calipers that have become damaged just enough to give bad readings. A little like preparing food, if you are doing stuff for yourself, a bad caliper is not a big problem, but if you are making something for someone else, regular calibration is essential. Your tool may still feel good, but how do you know if it is truthful?
I still have my Starrett and Mitutoyo vernier calipers. Declining vision pushed me towards digital and dial calipers, but I still love my old vernier ones! A maker you didn't mention is the Moore and Wright company of England - revered for their high-end micrometers and calipers. Perhaps better known in Britain and British Commonwealth countries.
We have dozens of B&S, Mitutoyo, and Starrett calipers at my work and the analog versions can take a beating and keep their calibration! If you can help it never get the digital unless you plan on someone using it who cannot read or learn to read the analog dial. I can crack an analog on open and fix a missing dial or change the crystal but the digital ones mean i have to send it in.
I'm not a fan of digital tools in general. I had a bunch of digital calipers and mics early in my career. Over time I've gotten rid of most of them the mechanical/dial tools are just better made in my opinion.
It’s a good idea to start with cheaper tools and find what suits you. I started with just sliding callipers and then went to an expensive set of digital callipers before settling on dial callipers. Sliding callipers weren’t accurate enough and digital callipers were very good but I got sick of needing to replace batteries when I went to use them. Dial callipers are a perfect fit for me so I recently pulled the trigger on a set of Mitutoyo and I was as excited with mine as you were with yours. They live in their case and at the end of the day the case goes back in the cardboard cover. I just can’t bring myself to throw the box away……yet. Great video 👍👍👍
I’ve been using the Starret for the past few years and it’s been a great tool. I’ve only had to adjust the dial once when I got it, it’s consistent and well-built.
I have a vintage Scherr-Tumico 6" that I love. All the original paperwork and inspection certificates as well as the cardboard sleeve the case came in.
I reckon: get calipers first, they're accurate enough for quick measurements but not as accurate as micrometers. Don't buy budget unless you don't care or don't need reliable accuracy, buy mid-range and buy better later. With my plain vernier (Mitutoyo US$50-ish) it's really tricky to see .01mm measures but I just don't need that - a dial caliper would make that much easier. If I needed fine measuring more than a few times a year I'd get a digital - handles Imperial and Metric both (and can add/subtract measures) and stores the measurement, but needs a battery and the cheapies use all the battery when not in use (the good calipers draw just a trickle) meaning readings could become dubious when the battery was at or near end-of-life. My last workplace was budget with all their tool purchases - my digital couldn't repeat-measure, couldn't even repeat zero, but I seldom needed it for more than checking drill/bolt/hole sizes and .5mm was accurate enough. A comment on one of my subs from a German tool maker mentioned he and his fellow apprentices called their calipers "guessing irons". Keith Fenner has a similar name for his.... If final dimension matters to you, you WILL need a micrometer. There are lots of vids on YT from skilled machinists discussing the two, and comparing plain/digital calipers. Just value what you do enough to stay away from budget buys. Cheers. Afterthought: found 1 vid where the guy bought 4 or 5 $20 cheapies, compared them on gauge blocks, and found a good one with the rest all over the place.
Unless most of your work needs +/-0.001" or +/-0.02mm precision, You don't really need micrometers. It does take some practice to get good at doing accurate measurements with calipers, but it is doable, at least to the above-mentioned tolerances. The downside to micrometers is you need lots of them to cover the same range as a caliper, and they are slow to adjust between different measurements. My micrometers mostly stay in the drawers, but of course that is mostly a reflection of the kind of work that I do
I have an old Craftsman dual dial model, imperial and metric. I’m not in need of super-precision so these do the job for me. (Mostly used to compare neck pockets to necks on guitars and basses.)
HA !! I too started with a Craftsman I bought a Sears in 1978. Wow !!! Ive upgraded and replaced many times as I became a lab inspector for many years and all that time until even today that Craftsman has been in my tool box rattling around with wrenches and dirt. I am constantly surprised when I pick it up for a quick and dirty measurement that it's still quite accurate to within .001 or .002. BTW This is the one I stuff in my back pocket when I go to the hardware store.
Thank you so much for mentioning the step that is built into Calipers. I immediately ran over to my 25 year old Draper brand Calipers and checked to see if they had the step as well. Yes, all present and correct. How could I have not noticed this ? In my defence, I only recently dug out my old calipers when I got interested in Tinkercad and started modelling stuff.
I have an old pair for bluepoint dial calipers given to me circa 2005. They're neat cuz they have both sae and metric scales. The dial has two needles and they spin at different speeds. I don't know how "good" they are but I still have em and love using them
I just got a new caliper, Brown & Sharpe 12" model. I got it pretty cheap, and I had to do some maintenance on the dial bezel and pointer hand. Once I had it just right, they're awesome. Nice new acquisition for my little shop.
I have an old pair of Midway dial calipers that I use for scribing. When they get dull, I just carefully sharpen them with my DMT diamond stones, and as long as you’re careful when deburring, it won’t affect your measurements.
It's interesting that they make two versions of this Caliper. One is the "Global Model" which is made in China and the U.S. Model the 120A which goes for close to 200.00 USD more than the "Global" version. Both are good Calipers but you can tell the difference in the feel between the two.
If you ever machine with the intention of marrying parts with another machinist, I would recommend having your instruments sent away to be calibrated. Also it would make a great video if you went along to see a dimensional lab do this and show the audience how they keep their equipment traceable to national standards. I've been waiting for a NIST video ever since you've been interested in measurement uncertainties!
Tbh you can save yourself great expense by keeping a set of machined gauge blocks for checking your tools. a block of steel wont change size over time so its useful to use them to makesure your tools are still in spec
@@user-super-user Former Air Force calibration technician - absolutely get a gauge block set. Absolute constants, and you can perform your calibrations on your own forever. The manuals are readily available.
@@user-super-user He had a great video on gauge blocks... and how a block of steel TOTALLY changes over time depending on ambient temperature, which is why you use the less precise steel gauge blocks to measure steel, rather than the more precise ceramic gauge blocks, because the steel blocks change size with temperature exactly the same as your steel piece being measured.
lol. Just zero it off and go from there. I was churningg out parts with zero taper cause the damn tools ... you can just feel it all by hand. Hands are way more sensitive than eyes.. What's that calibrator gonna do? Check it against something... they aren't used to working with the tools and making it perform. If you can't get your tool to work then a calibration ain't gonna help. of course then we get into the digital ones. absolutely inaccurate unreliable pieces of shit :P
@@agnidas5816 Depending on the mechanics of the tool, zeroing it out will not always be enough. Many calipers (as well as most mechanical precision equipment) have non-linear scaling across their span. This means that a small adjustment at the bottom of their range equates to a large error at the top end, if the adjustment is not made properly. Most calibrations happen not just at the zero mark, but at set points across their span, this could be at 25, 50, 75 and 90% of their ranges. Torque wrenches for example are typically checked at their 40, 60, and 100% points. Neither your hands nor your eyes are remotely as accurate as a professional gauge block set. You will never in your life be able to perceive the difference in 1/1000th of an inch, but that accurately calibrated caliper will. ;)
My daughter is a flute player in a Marching Band ... she has her marching flute which, by the end of the season, is disgusting with sweat and sun screen and saliva baked in to it from the Texas sun, but when she wants to play for the music of it she goes to "her" flute which is really her 4th flute of 5 but it's THE flute. It is treated with special care, it is cleaned, it is polished, it is kept in it's special custom hardwood case. It's important to have the tool to do the job that doesn't slow you down with the maintenance for the tool, but it's also maybe just as important to have the tool to do the finer, maybe more important work, and that tool deserves the special place. On a side note to my side note ... I had no idea Marching Band was as big of a deal as it is. Texas High School marching bands have several hundred players and they work harder than the famous Texas High School football players do. It's absolutely insane how big these operations get with 17 charter busses and 4 18 wheelers moving instruments and props for a single band.
Nice choice! I prefer the Starrett 6" over other brands. But i prefer my Brown and Sharpe 12" over the Starrett 12". It all comes down to that wonderful thumb wheel. I am so glad that you didn't go digital (or should i say electronic so as not to confuse it with mechanical digital measuring tools). The digital versions just don't have near the same feel. I have moved on from being a machinist to a CNC programmer and i still hold on to my beloved measuring tools at home even though they rarely see use. When i started in the industry everyone was expected to buy their own measuring tools. The last handful of places that i worked supply all the measuring tools. Many people today will never know the joy of owning such a precise set of tools.
"I'm sorry I forgot to talking about the step last time. Everyone can be happy now that I've talked about it." 😂 This comment is both funny because of his delivery and the implication that the internet is full of trolls but that also means Adam felt the need to address this. Let's remember to be kind with our words.
Your new starrett is the same pare as my first higher quality dial caliper a couple of year ago, they have served me very well as I am just a hobbyist. They are also stored in my section of tools that nobody touches.
I'm slowly upgrading my woodworking tools. I have some B string tools. And some in a box to be given away to fellow makers. I remember Adam said he had a box of things to give away.. a tour of the box would be a good video 👍
I have a hand-me-down set of Starrett calipers and they are quite nice; I’m amazed by the quality declining of the case compared to my old Starrett which is in a beautiful suede lined folding box which is covered in leather. The box is so nice you almost don’t want to take the calipers out to actually use them.
Oh yeah, A-string and B-string tools. Totally do that. For me what gets A tools or B tools depends upon the use of the workspace. Upstairs (electronics, 3D printing, some small mechanical) gets A-string soldering iron but very much B-string (or really frankly C-string lol) clamps. It has the A-string precision screwdriver set but no chisels at all, with the A-string chisels and A-string clamps and most of the A-string cutting tools all being at the basement workspace. (But not all of them! I have a snazzier-than-standard xacto knife, nice grippy handle, it lives upstairs, as do most of the xacto-style/scale cutters.) And so on. Of course stuff moves between the two all the time, but the various tools do all have their consistent proper "home" spaces.
As a tig welder I would use old or even slightly broken dial calipers to scribe metal, even if the dial was broken as long as I could set and lock them that was good enough for what I was doing.
That's precisely what I do! At work, I have my master metrology tools. When I open the case, it's just as Adam said: -- Attention everyone, precise calipers, mics, whatever, is out. They are all tagged as " NOT FOR SHOP USE". Last year, we spent over $60k on Calipers and Engineering Squares alone.
After my digital caliper battery running out recently when I needed it for some very rough measurements (tape measure level precision) and having to use the ruler on it, I have been tempted to get a dial caliper. Something that doesn't need batteries and feels a bit old school. This video has increased that desire. Seems satisfying to measure with, too. I might have to get one.
As a woodworker/ cabinetmaker and tool fan I have two tool chests, one for me and other one with the old lendable tools… my sharpen chisels, handsaw and planers are mine
I got the same calipers for myself at Christmas, BUT I gave up on the damn dials and got the digital version. SO much better, easier and can switch from metric to archaic measurements in a heartbeat.
I used to know a machinist for whom even Starratt wasn’t a high enough quality level all the time, so what he would do if he wanted to buy something like that would be order 10 of them… And then test them out to see which out of those 10 was the most accurate by measuring some standards and doing some different tests with them and then pack up the other nine and return them for credit. I saw him do that with calipers, micrometers, sets of parallels… All types of things. He told me that you just couldn’t count on buying one example and being guaranteed that it was the best it could be unless you had something else to compare it to. So he would buy a bunch and make sure that they all matched and if they didn’t match then he would pick the absolute best most precise one.
Ditto, remembered the box it came in and had to go check. Probably a lower end model since I probably wouldn't have paid that much for it for my measly needs.
@@zengargoyle I paid $80 in 2015, seems like they're more now. They still zero when closed, and are perfect when checking with a calibration block. These are my workhorse.
Starett makes the highest quality calipers and center punches around. Very expensive for what it is, but worth the money in the long run. The fab guys at my work constantly want me to order their stuff.
I have a pair of those abd they are wonderful. I believe there is a nice box that you can buy to store them. They really deserve a special place to rest when they are not in use.
I started with a £3 $5 brass set, upgraded to a digital £5 $7 plastic set, then again to a £12 $15 digital metal set. Each time my precision has improved. I'd love to have a real 'good' set but for what I do, it wouldn't be worth the upgrade cost.
I don't get why someone would use a dial caliper. It's a lot easier to use digital and you can get a lot more precise. I just don't see why they even still exist in the world of digital. There are times where I'm measuring something down to the .01", which I'd guess would be hard via a dial caliper.
@@colt5189 No, dial calipers are just as precise - down to .001". And of course the other advantage is that you won’t need batteries: they never run out of juice.
Sometimes it’s just more fun to work with a really nice tool. Don’t squander your money, but don’t think you don’t “deserve” it, either. I don’t use calipers all the time, so I just bought decent digital ones when they were on sale, but for tools I use all the time, I like to go with things that are perhaps better than strictly necessary. Within reason.
@@mm9773 Oh, okay. It seemed like they'd be less accurate compared to digital. My batteries last at least 5 years. So I have no reason to go dial. I've even thought of upgrading to the digital calipers that are backlit, just waiting for the one I have to die.
I recently purchased a 150mm Mitutoyo vernier caliper and although I have a lot of respect for that company, I was a bit disappointed in the design and build quality of the product-- nothing really major, but just a half-dozen aspects of the tool that were not extraordinary. In contrast, a simple 150mm ruler I got from Starrett was a true object of beauty. I'm thinking of getting a pair of Starrett dial calipers for the 2x extra precision (compared to the vernier), and for that "extra wow" feel. YMMV.
Ha! I’m the same way with my kitchen knives. There’s the ones the public gets to see and use, and then there’s my personal set that have only known my hands. The two never mix.
I work in engineering for a motorsport company in England, I spend all day with a Mitutoyo digital vernier in my hand. I couldn't live without it but they're not that accurate, ok if you're working within .1mm You can't beat a micrometer when dialing things in within a tolerance of .02mm like I have to most days.
I do it the same way. I only use metric in my workshop but i have 1 dial caliper i got as a gift where i learned my cnc machining skills its old but fine for most things. And i have my good calipers they are locked in my special drawer and only come out on special ocasions. Sry for pozential bad grammar, not my native language
I recently made a solid brass one inch 6 sided die and I used a cheap pair of calipers to lay out the dots. it looks like a factory made dice as far as the dots go. lol.
Starrett 6" Dial Caliper: amzn.to/3Ebvxb5
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You may have said this already but why not use digital calipers?
You may have paid too much. That amazon link you posted says $95 right now, not $130.
@@joeprestera2239 Possibly because changing batteries would take too long (remember "I don't have all second, you know!" :-).
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@@joeprestera2239 they always work no flat batteries to worry about. If you don't need to compare back and forth between metric and imperial and don't need to use an absolute zero/ zeroing function they're great.
But in my honest opinion, the best feature is the display: comparison of parts or measurements before and after a machining process are very easy to interpret as instead of numbers on a readout, the angle of the needle is very easy to read the measurement, especially in comparison to graduated verniers.
It's the same reason why people are drawn to analogue watches instead of digital. How much is 15 minutes in a digital display? It's much easier to visually interpret time with an analogue watch. In the same way, dial vernier calipers are fantastic for visual interpretation of measurement.
When I was an apprentice, I was taught to hand file a specific part to an accuracy of 0.003" and I used dial calipers to check. It was great to file and check and see just how many file strokes it took to take the material away. I have dial, 100mm/4" and 150mm/6" calipers and use them all depending on what work I'm doing.
"Stand back, I'm about to bring out the good stuff!" is such a funny but relatable feeling about tools.
I absolutely like that part where you talk about a string and b string. 21 year old machinist and I bought used tools to start and have slowly be getting ne tools, but I still use the old ones the most because I don't care about the way they get treated compared to new ones, if you use it, it goes back in the box right after use
Adam has also said in the past that when purchasing a new tool you're interested in; get the best that you can afford, but it doesn't need to be the best quality tool out there. Then if it fits into your regular rotation after use and you learn more about it and use it more, you can spend the extra money on the nicer tool.
I've adopted both of these ideas recently within the last 5 years and its a fantastic way to become more self-sufficient.
@@jungle_jim42 I have personally tweaked it slightly to "buy the best you can afford to ruin" in the same way most people's first car should be a beater.
@@cabe_bedlam yep. I’ve beaten up a TON of tools. But that kinda goes with being mobile
@@jungle_jim42 And if you're not sure if you need the tool, get the cheapest one first. Use it til it breaks or isn't doing what you need!
@@michaeldixon8817 I bought them all. I just wasn’t very careful.
Edit: I beat them up using them for their purpose, I just have no patience
quality tools have what I call a “mechanical umami” … they just feel good your hands and in their use
Please don't lick your tools! 😂
Expensive but true.
I just bought a mitutoyo outside micrometer... and "mechanical umami" is a perfect way to describe the way it feels to use it. thank you for that.
@@SystemX1983 so….not a rust protectant?
@@EricMichalsen you might cut your tongue on sharp edges 😉
I've used Mitutoyo and Starrett calipers for the last 26 years working in the QA department for an engineering company. Both make wonderful products.
Absolutely. Brown and Sharpe led the way in the late 70s with their calipers. Holding it and moving the slide.... You could feel the quality. But this design was bought by ???, I cant remember......Only the surprise I felt when I saw the logo.
Your loving handling of the new calipers reminds me of a young cellist I knew who was so respectful of his cello that he would always wash his hands before handling it.
Cellist
@@NoName-zn1sb , ah! I can’t believe I did that! I’m one of the grammar/spelling police on Facebook.
Repointing your calipers can be done on a horizontal precision grinder if you know someone with one. Or you can carefully point them on fresh new lapping stones.
Next week’s episode, I’m in!
Most calibration labs can repoint calipers.
I suppose it's possible. But there are problems keeping the 4 measuring faces in sync as well as the dial moving off the 12 o'clock position. But when you can buy new for $140 why bother.
@@scooterbum4288you would just take a little off of one or two angled faces of the caliper, as they are not used for reference.
If you’d rather buy new ones, send me your old ones!
I have my late father’s Mitutoyo calipers he had used as a machinist since the late 70’s. Use them almost daily.
Generations of my family have worked at Starrett Tools - love seeing that logo in the video! Grew up knowing all about calipers, micrometers, indicators, and machinist rules. They make good stuff - great choice!!
If that was true you’d know those are made in China , only the 120 series is made in the USA
@@jncn1490 No, what I wrote is entirely true. Sorry. My great aunt, dad, mom, brother, and sister all have worked or do work there. I grew up measuring my toys with Starrett mics and calipers. Drove by the Athol plant two weeks ago when visiting my mom. I don't know which models of which products are currently made at Mount Airy, Scotland, China, or Athol (or elsewhere), aside from the indicators that my sister works with in Athol, but we don't really spend a lot of time talking about that sort of thing at the dinner table. Maybe we should spend more time with the product catalog at family events - you have me rethinking our Thanksgiving plans right now. To quote Sgt. Hulka, lighten up, Francis ....
@@jasonb2180 Maybe you can feed some info back up the chain, then. I purchased two spring calipers recently. The calipers arrived with arms out of plane and in twist. Both sets. When I asked Starrett about remedying this since this was the as-received condition, they said I could mail them back at my expense for repair. I didn't think that was acceptable, swore off Starrett andmoved on. Admittedly, I am a woodworker not a machinist. Maybe I am wrong in my expectations and one is expected to routinely align spring calipers, but I've never had to do so with my cheap ones and, if so, Starrett could have said so. Brw, when I say feed info back to Starrett, I just mean I think they should get the feedback that some customers are giving up on them for the reasons I gave. Trying to be constructive.
@@ef2b Let me guess, you bought the made in China versions? I've never had a bad American made one yet.
@@SergeantExtreme They were 79A calipers ordered about a year ago. The current web page claims they are US made, but I do not recall what it said a year ago. It took 3 months for the order to arrive. Looks like Starrett has increased the price by 30% since a year ago.
I have an entry level digital caliper, and it has made different projects so much easier and a better outcome than I would have gotten with just a ruler. I was installing a switch to the side of a plastic electronics box, and I use my caliper to measure and mark the cutlines. This past Christmas, I got my girlfriend a pendant, and made a presentation box with velvet lining and made extensive use of my caliper to mark everything out to make sure that it all fit (and it turned out great). Calipers are a surprisingly useful tool for so many things.
First time I knew about that my digital caliper can measure a step, after using it for 25+ years.
God bless.
I recently purchased a home not far from Starrett Tools I suggest visiting the facility sometime it's very impressive! Good quality American made tools
I was just at the Mitutoyo HQ in Chicago last month and that is another place i suggest visiting! Their calibration lab is out of this world!
Except this model is made in China.
I’m happy to see you are staying with the dial and not going digital! ✨ Reading a measurement on a dial gives a greater understanding of metrology! 🙌
The plain old vernier scale calipers will always hold a special place in my heart.
Very Near Calipers?
I have to hold them in a special place at a certain distance from my eyes to read them, so I bought digital ones. But you’re right, verniers are the OG calipers.
I just love the enthusiasm for a well-made tool. Completely relatable.
You are leading a charmed life, when Browne and Sharpe are your dispensable tools. I consider them in the same class as Starrett and Mitutoyo.
A great New England pedigree as well. 👌
Thx for sharing this moment and the love.
Every two years I get a new mitutoyo
and I love the moment when you pick up a high quality caliper out of its Box.
I just got a new pair of Fowler 4” dial calipers for my bench. I really like that size for model work, and you can get them with different dial colors; I find white on black a tad easier to read.
THANK YOU for talking about the step
I bought a pair (w/the faux leather case) while I was still working as a machinist 15 or so years ago. Although that is no longer my career, those calipers remain with me (well, in the Gerstner tool chest in my home shop)!
Oh can I relate, Starrett tools are and have been my everything for so many years. Thank you for all your time and effort.
Lovely! I love calipers. Only have the regular "slide rule" style, but use them a lot.
I know how you feel about the process of slowly upgrading your tools over time. Years ago I got my first "dremel" rotary tool, it was actually a craftsman. Not bad, it worked well and did what I needed it to do. Then I got a digital Dremel brand dremel and I couldn't got back to the craftsman. More Recently I bought a Proxxon rotary tool switching from the Dremel's speed based motors to torque based motors and once again I just can't go back. The journey continues.
I remember my first Dremel! My (now ex) wife actually tried to hide it and send it back because, "I didn't ask for her permission". I sh*t you not when I tell you that my cat went to where she hid it and ratted her out. I took it and locked it in my workshop 🤣😂😁
@@kurtkyre I hope you gave the cat a treat 😁 for being loyal to you 🐱
@@SystemX1983 Oh, indeed! I gave her a whole can of tuna! The look on my wifes face was was worth it.
@@kurtkyre nice! 👍
@@kurtkyre 👍👍
My favorite set of calipers are iGaging dial 6" fractional inch (also read 1/100s). Having the ability to measure down to 1/128th is very nice for woodworking and no battery to mess with. Plenty good resolution for working with wood. ;) I also have a set of digital standard/metric decimal for non-woodworking tasks (1/1000s resolution).
I also have these, and I like that they also display decimal values along with fractions.
I worked several years as a machinist and all my precision tools are Starrett. They are American made in Athol, Massachusetts and are simply the best out there
Love to see this, as salesperson that sells both mitutoyo and tesa(the european leg of brown and sharpe) it is very interesting to see someone talk about these in depth.
I only just bought my first pair of cheapo calipers last year for scratchbuilding, and wow what a godsend they are. Can't believe I waited so long to try them. Lol
I got a digital Mitutoyo Caliper and they are just amazing, would never want to not just have a digital, so convenient for lots of things, like zeroing on a different measurement and then checking something from there, doing it all the time.
At work we basically only have good new digital calipers all calibrated once a year, we can't use something that isn't in calibration.
oh and with digital you can do imperial and metric with the same thing ;)
Same here I have switched from dials to digital, I still have 4 different dial calipers that I hardly ever pick up. I use Mitutoyo
coolant proof 6” digital and they are awesome for the reasons you already mentioned. Dials have their place, but in oily or less than clean environments the dial caliper aways get crap in the rack and screws up the dial…lol. I would recommend the Mitutoyo’s 💯✅
@@tmurray1972 I have ever only seen two disks in my shop ever, and the satay in the drawer for ever…
For the trainees at firs they get a vernier one and after some time it’s only digital, now mostly Mitutoyo Absolut 150mm (6”) round depth stick, some Tesa tools also floating around
Oh yea and we have one in every machine and some spare in QC
@@kaeptenxy3569 Yes I ordered the round depth stick as well it works so much better than the flat stick.👌🏻
@@tmurray1972 in some instances the square one is good, it stays more staring if you go long, other that that round all the way especially for smaller parts, can also fis in smaller holes
I used to Calibrate all of those when I worked as a Calibration Tech for Northrop Grumman
A noble profession that is under appreciated.
I am currently a calibration technician, only two years in and so much to learn! It is not hard to find regularly used calipers that have become damaged just enough to give bad readings. A little like preparing food, if you are doing stuff for yourself, a bad caliper is not a big problem, but if you are making something for someone else, regular calibration is essential. Your tool may still feel good, but how do you know if it is truthful?
I've got the SPI 6" digital and a Fowler 12" digital that I use all the time in my design lab. They are invaluable.
Calipers changed my making game like no other tool has.
I still use a polish VIS caliper made in the '70s for the USA market. Nicest simple thing i've ever seen. No play and it slides like a dream.
I still have my Starrett and Mitutoyo vernier calipers. Declining vision pushed me towards digital and dial calipers, but I still love my old vernier ones! A maker you didn't mention is the Moore and Wright company of England - revered for their high-end micrometers and calipers. Perhaps better known in Britain and British Commonwealth countries.
We have dozens of B&S, Mitutoyo, and Starrett calipers at my work and the analog versions can take a beating and keep their calibration! If you can help it never get the digital unless you plan on someone using it who cannot read or learn to read the analog dial. I can crack an analog on open and fix a missing dial or change the crystal but the digital ones mean i have to send it in.
I'm not a fan of digital tools in general. I had a bunch of digital calipers and mics early in my career. Over time I've gotten rid of most of them the mechanical/dial tools are just better made in my opinion.
When I learned how to be a machinist, we used a height gauge with a carbide scribe to do layout lines on parts.
It’s a good idea to start with cheaper tools and find what suits you. I started with just sliding callipers and then went to an expensive set of digital callipers before settling on dial callipers. Sliding callipers weren’t accurate enough and digital callipers were very good but I got sick of needing to replace batteries when I went to use them. Dial callipers are a perfect fit for me so I recently pulled the trigger on a set of Mitutoyo and I was as excited with mine as you were with yours. They live in their case and at the end of the day the case goes back in the cardboard cover. I just can’t bring myself to throw the box away……yet. Great video 👍👍👍
I’ve been using the Starret for the past few years and it’s been a great tool. I’ve only had to adjust the dial once when I got it, it’s consistent and well-built.
I have a vintage Scherr-Tumico 6" that I love. All the original paperwork and inspection certificates as well as the cardboard sleeve the case came in.
Always love hearing Adam's take on tools. I'd love to see something on Calipers vs. Micrometer. Which to get first? When to use each?
I reckon: get calipers first, they're accurate enough for quick measurements but not as accurate as micrometers. Don't buy budget unless you don't care or don't need reliable accuracy, buy mid-range and buy better later. With my plain vernier (Mitutoyo US$50-ish) it's really tricky to see .01mm measures but I just don't need that - a dial caliper would make that much easier. If I needed fine measuring more than a few times a year I'd get a digital - handles Imperial and Metric both (and can add/subtract measures) and stores the measurement, but needs a battery and the cheapies use all the battery when not in use (the good calipers draw just a trickle) meaning readings could become dubious when the battery was at or near end-of-life. My last workplace was budget with all their tool purchases - my digital couldn't repeat-measure, couldn't even repeat zero, but I seldom needed it for more than checking drill/bolt/hole sizes and .5mm was accurate enough.
A comment on one of my subs from a German tool maker mentioned he and his fellow apprentices called their calipers "guessing irons". Keith Fenner has a similar name for his....
If final dimension matters to you, you WILL need a micrometer.
There are lots of vids on YT from skilled machinists discussing the two, and comparing plain/digital calipers. Just value what you do enough to stay away from budget buys. Cheers.
Afterthought: found 1 vid where the guy bought 4 or 5 $20 cheapies, compared them on gauge blocks, and found a good one with the rest all over the place.
Unless most of your work needs +/-0.001" or +/-0.02mm precision, You don't really need micrometers. It does take some practice to get good at doing accurate measurements with calipers, but it is doable, at least to the above-mentioned tolerances. The downside to micrometers is you need lots of them to cover the same range as a caliper, and they are slow to adjust between different measurements. My micrometers mostly stay in the drawers, but of course that is mostly a reflection of the kind of work that I do
I have an old Craftsman dual dial model, imperial and metric. I’m not in need of super-precision so these do the job for me. (Mostly used to compare neck pockets to necks on guitars and basses.)
HA !! I too started with a Craftsman I bought a Sears in 1978. Wow !!!
Ive upgraded and replaced many times as I became a lab inspector for many years and all that time until even today that Craftsman has been in my tool box rattling around with wrenches and dirt. I am constantly surprised when I pick it up for a quick and dirty measurement that it's still quite accurate to within .001 or .002. BTW This is the one I stuff in my back pocket when I go to the hardware store.
I use calipers like these at work and you can be surprised how accurate they can be. Working in metalworking industry as CNC programmer/operator.
Thank you so much for mentioning the step that is built into Calipers. I immediately ran over to my 25 year old Draper brand Calipers and checked to see if they had the step as well. Yes, all present and correct. How could I have not noticed this ? In my defence, I only recently dug out my old calipers when I got interested in Tinkercad and started modelling stuff.
I have an old pair for bluepoint dial calipers given to me circa 2005. They're neat cuz they have both sae and metric scales. The dial has two needles and they spin at different speeds. I don't know how "good" they are but I still have em and love using them
I just got a new caliper, Brown & Sharpe 12" model. I got it pretty cheap, and I had to do some maintenance on the dial bezel and pointer hand. Once I had it just right, they're awesome. Nice new acquisition for my little shop.
I have an old pair of Midway dial calipers that I use for scribing. When they get dull, I just carefully sharpen them with my DMT diamond stones, and as long as you’re careful when deburring, it won’t affect your measurements.
It's interesting that they make two versions of this Caliper. One is the "Global Model" which is made in China and the U.S. Model the 120A which goes for close to 200.00 USD more than the "Global" version. Both are good Calipers but you can tell the difference in the feel between the two.
Thank you again for sharing your work!
We have our B&S 6" Dial framed. It reminds us of our roots back in the day.
If you ever machine with the intention of marrying parts with another machinist, I would recommend having your instruments sent away to be calibrated. Also it would make a great video if you went along to see a dimensional lab do this and show the audience how they keep their equipment traceable to national standards. I've been waiting for a NIST video ever since you've been interested in measurement uncertainties!
Tbh you can save yourself great expense by keeping a set of machined gauge blocks for checking your tools.
a block of steel wont change size over time so its useful to use them to makesure your tools are still in spec
@@user-super-user Former Air Force calibration technician - absolutely get a gauge block set. Absolute constants, and you can perform your calibrations on your own forever. The manuals are readily available.
@@user-super-user He had a great video on gauge blocks... and how a block of steel TOTALLY changes over time depending on ambient temperature, which is why you use the less precise steel gauge blocks to measure steel, rather than the more precise ceramic gauge blocks, because the steel blocks change size with temperature exactly the same as your steel piece being measured.
lol. Just zero it off and go from there. I was churningg out parts with zero taper cause the damn tools ... you can just feel it all by hand. Hands are way more sensitive than eyes..
What's that calibrator gonna do? Check it against something... they aren't used to working with the tools and making it perform. If you can't get your tool to work then a calibration ain't gonna help.
of course then we get into the digital ones. absolutely inaccurate unreliable pieces of shit :P
@@agnidas5816 Depending on the mechanics of the tool, zeroing it out will not always be enough. Many calipers (as well as most mechanical precision equipment) have non-linear scaling across their span. This means that a small adjustment at the bottom of their range equates to a large error at the top end, if the adjustment is not made properly. Most calibrations happen not just at the zero mark, but at set points across their span, this could be at 25, 50, 75 and 90% of their ranges. Torque wrenches for example are typically checked at their 40, 60, and 100% points.
Neither your hands nor your eyes are remotely as accurate as a professional gauge block set. You will never in your life be able to perceive the difference in 1/1000th of an inch, but that accurately calibrated caliper will. ;)
My daughter is a flute player in a Marching Band ... she has her marching flute which, by the end of the season, is disgusting with sweat and sun screen and saliva baked in to it from the Texas sun, but when she wants to play for the music of it she goes to "her" flute which is really her 4th flute of 5 but it's THE flute. It is treated with special care, it is cleaned, it is polished, it is kept in it's special custom hardwood case. It's important to have the tool to do the job that doesn't slow you down with the maintenance for the tool, but it's also maybe just as important to have the tool to do the finer, maybe more important work, and that tool deserves the special place.
On a side note to my side note ... I had no idea Marching Band was as big of a deal as it is. Texas High School marching bands have several hundred players and they work harder than the famous Texas High School football players do. It's absolutely insane how big these operations get with 17 charter busses and 4 18 wheelers moving instruments and props for a single band.
Nice choice! I prefer the Starrett 6" over other brands. But i prefer my Brown and Sharpe 12" over the Starrett 12". It all comes down to that wonderful thumb wheel. I am so glad that you didn't go digital (or should i say electronic so as not to confuse it with mechanical digital measuring tools). The digital versions just don't have near the same feel. I have moved on from being a machinist to a CNC programmer and i still hold on to my beloved measuring tools at home even though they rarely see use. When i started in the industry everyone was expected to buy their own measuring tools. The last handful of places that i worked supply all the measuring tools. Many people today will never know the joy of owning such a precise set of tools.
"I'm sorry I forgot to talking about the step last time. Everyone can be happy now that I've talked about it." 😂
This comment is both funny because of his delivery and the implication that the internet is full of trolls but that also means Adam felt the need to address this. Let's remember to be kind with our words.
Why is it a "pair" of calipers?
@@NoName-zn1sb because it refers to the in and out jaws years ago.
Why are people who point out an unmentioned feature "trolls"?
@@NoName-zn1sb You are quite correct, it's a caliper, singular.
@@Voirreydirector A micrometer has two jaws, but you wouldn't call one a pair of micrometers.
Your new starrett is the same pare as my first higher quality dial caliper a couple of year ago, they have served me very well as I am just a hobbyist. They are also stored in my section of tools that nobody touches.
Starrett addict here. Own stock in them. Love the new hotness!
I'm slowly upgrading my woodworking tools. I have some B string tools. And some in a box to be given away to fellow makers.
I remember Adam said he had a box of things to give away.. a tour of the box would be a good video 👍
I have a hand-me-down set of Starrett calipers and they are quite nice; I’m amazed by the quality declining of the case compared to my old Starrett which is in a beautiful suede lined folding box which is covered in leather. The box is so nice you almost don’t want to take the calipers out to actually use them.
A custom-fit caliper case seems like a great opportunity for a One Day Build video!
Oh yeah, A-string and B-string tools. Totally do that.
For me what gets A tools or B tools depends upon the use of the workspace. Upstairs (electronics, 3D printing, some small mechanical) gets A-string soldering iron but very much B-string (or really frankly C-string lol) clamps. It has the A-string precision screwdriver set but no chisels at all, with the A-string chisels and A-string clamps and most of the A-string cutting tools all being at the basement workspace. (But not all of them! I have a snazzier-than-standard xacto knife, nice grippy handle, it lives upstairs, as do most of the xacto-style/scale cutters.) And so on.
Of course stuff moves between the two all the time, but the various tools do all have their consistent proper "home" spaces.
As a tig welder I would use old or even slightly broken dial calipers to scribe metal, even if the dial was broken as long as I could set and lock them that was good enough for what I was doing.
I literally just got this very set of calipers. Love them.
That's precisely what I do! At work, I have my master metrology tools. When I open the case, it's just as Adam said: -- Attention everyone, precise calipers, mics, whatever, is out. They are all tagged as " NOT FOR SHOP USE". Last year, we spent over $60k on Calipers and Engineering Squares alone.
After my digital caliper battery running out recently when I needed it for some very rough measurements (tape measure level precision) and having to use the ruler on it, I have been tempted to get a dial caliper. Something that doesn't need batteries and feels a bit old school. This video has increased that desire. Seems satisfying to measure with, too. I might have to get one.
As a woodworker/ cabinetmaker and tool fan I have two tool chests, one for me and other one with the old lendable tools… my sharpen chisels, handsaw and planers are mine
Another 20 years for your new Caliper 😊
I got the same calipers for myself at Christmas, BUT I gave up on the damn dials and got the digital version. SO much better, easier and can switch from metric to archaic measurements in a heartbeat.
I used to know a machinist for whom even Starratt wasn’t a high enough quality level all the time, so what he would do if he wanted to buy something like that would be order 10 of them… And then test them out to see which out of those 10 was the most accurate by measuring some standards and doing some different tests with them and then pack up the other nine and return them for credit. I saw him do that with calipers, micrometers, sets of parallels… All types of things. He told me that you just couldn’t count on buying one example and being guaranteed that it was the best it could be unless you had something else to compare it to. So he would buy a bunch and make sure that they all matched and if they didn’t match then he would pick the absolute best most precise one.
Adam!! the price dropped to 94.66 on Amazon! Great video.
I've been using this same model for about 7 years, they work very well.
Ditto, remembered the box it came in and had to go check. Probably a lower end model since I probably wouldn't have paid that much for it for my measly needs.
@@zengargoyle I paid $80 in 2015, seems like they're more now. They still zero when closed, and are perfect when checking with a calibration block. These are my workhorse.
A video on when its more appropriate to use calipers vs when to use a micrometer would be great.
Starett makes the highest quality calipers and center punches around. Very expensive for what it is, but worth the money in the long run. The fab guys at my work constantly want me to order their stuff.
I have used starlets and mitutoyo micrometers and calipers, you can also use calipers as a height gage.
I have a pair of those abd they are wonderful. I believe there is a nice box that you can buy to store them. They really deserve a special place to rest when they are not in use.
There was something Ollivanderesque about the way you tucked that caliper in the shelf after telling it's story.
Adam, I’d like to see a video on shop safety & fire protection. I think safety is too often overlooked!
The nice thing about dial calipers is you never need to worry about the battery being dead!
I started with a £3 $5 brass set, upgraded to a digital £5 $7 plastic set, then again to a £12 $15 digital metal set. Each time my precision has improved. I'd love to have a real 'good' set but for what I do, it wouldn't be worth the upgrade cost.
I don't get why someone would use a dial caliper. It's a lot easier to use digital and you can get a lot more precise. I just don't see why they even still exist in the world of digital. There are times where I'm measuring something down to the .01", which I'd guess would be hard via a dial caliper.
@@colt5189 No, dial calipers are just as precise - down to .001". And of course the other advantage is that you won’t need batteries: they never run out of juice.
Sometimes it’s just more fun to work with a really nice tool. Don’t squander your money, but don’t think you don’t “deserve” it, either. I don’t use calipers all the time, so I just bought decent digital ones when they were on sale, but for tools I use all the time, I like to go with things that are perhaps better than strictly necessary. Within reason.
@@mm9773 My thoughts exactly. Well said.
@@mm9773 Oh, okay. It seemed like they'd be less accurate compared to digital. My batteries last at least 5 years. So I have no reason to go dial. I've even thought of upgrading to the digital calipers that are backlit, just waiting for the one I have to die.
I recently purchased a 150mm Mitutoyo vernier caliper and although I have a lot of respect for that company, I was a bit disappointed in the design and build quality of the product-- nothing really major, but just a half-dozen aspects of the tool that were not extraordinary. In contrast, a simple 150mm ruler I got from Starrett was a true object of beauty. I'm thinking of getting a pair of Starrett dial calipers for the 2x extra precision (compared to the vernier), and for that "extra wow" feel. YMMV.
Digital Calipers are my most used tool I own.
I'm surprised you didn't get the model with the carbide inserts! Perfect for scribing!
a true machinist would SAVE THE STARRETT BOX
Ooo, those are perdy! Congrats on the new tool!
Got the 12" version and love the quality.. also if u want a great digital caliper go with a coolant proof mitutoyo caliper!
I had never known about the 'step measure' part of the caliper.
Not that I use a caliper often at work yet this is useful to know. :)
Agree, Thank you!
Ha! I’m the same way with my kitchen knives. There’s the ones the public gets to see and use, and then there’s my personal set that have only known my hands. The two never mix.
My machinist teacher always said the caliper is your micrometers best friend.
Best dial calipers made, Starrett.
Mitutoyo for digital calipers.
I work in engineering for a motorsport company in England, I spend all day with a Mitutoyo digital vernier in my hand. I couldn't live without it but they're not that accurate, ok if you're working within .1mm
You can't beat a micrometer when dialing things in within a tolerance of .02mm like I have to most days.
oOh BABY! That's a NICE pair...
4:28 I get choked up handling high end measurement equipment too😋
We tool aficionados can be very protective of our precious tools
That's hilarious, I just got the exact same calipers delivered today.
how funny that this vid comes out exactly a week after i bought a pair of vernier calipers
Those brown and Sharpe six inch are the best in my opinion.
I never knew the step measure. That's real cool!
I prefer the balanced feeling of an 8" caliper to 6" they are only marginally more expensive, but feel great in hand
I do it the same way.
I only use metric in my workshop but i have 1 dial caliper i got as a gift where i learned my cnc machining skills its old but fine for most things. And i have my good calipers they are locked in my special drawer and only come out on special ocasions.
Sry for pozential bad grammar, not my native language
They also make fantastic splinter pullers
I recently made a solid brass one inch 6 sided die and I used a cheap pair of calipers to lay out the dots. it looks like a factory made dice as far as the dots go. lol.
Myfordboy has a fairly informative video that he uploaded last year about marking out lines, with some advice about using your calipers for the job.
Having gotten my first mitutoyo vernier calipers earlier in the week I'm exactly like Adam, no one touches them but me 😂