Ironically I'm now here studying, Quinn and Tony were the two tubers suggested by my instructor. I've already been subbed to both for years but now I'm turning my interest, aptitude, and all the countless hours watching into a better career and paycheck.
I'm a teacher in an unrelated discipline. Your instruction is inspiring. If this is the only signal you get today to keep up your good work, here it is.
From someone with 50 yrs experience that started on conventional machines to programming multi axis cnc machines this would have to be one the best sites for anyone starting out excellent and precise explanations will definitely recommend. Keep it up.
Same..! I was very impressed by the obvious skills she have ..to distribute knowledge/explaining how this works. There’s a ton of people who already know this..but it’s very few of them, who’s able to actually explain this in a good way, for newcomers!
Yes, the video is 3 years old and still GREAT. But, ya know, a lot of us old geezers who decided to squander our retirement vacation savings on machine tools, in addition to being self-indulgent, are half blind. So those BIG digital LCD numbers really help. Now, I have a harbor freight, and mid-range asian, and high end set of digitals and you are exactly right, but I also have gauge blocks, so I do check them. Have to be careful. HF is "accurate to a thou or two, and fairly repeatable. The mid price ($50 to 100) and the high end, ($250 and up) read within a tenth of each other. The temp variations in my shop could cause worse than that in any result I'd ever get. So...the ability to see the numbers, and the accuracy of the mid price units is something us geezers actually need.
I bought a caliper 2 months ago since I have been a 3d printing kid for 3-4 months and only a week ago I discovered I can measure depth :-) Thanks to you and This Old Tony lathe is scheduled as a Xmas gift to myself. It will be my first ever machine! And thanks for the series, I am sure I'll put all the information to good use once I get my lathe.
Those in Metric land will know the Vernier Scale as the Nonius Scale. It's really simple and absolutely brillant: Basically when you have two sliding scales, one of them is usually divided in multiples of ten. By adding another scale that divides the same length into nine units, you increase your accuracy 10:1. By the way, I learned to work with a caliper that had a Nonius scale too. None of that fancy clockwork stuff! Anyway I bet they don't teach this kind of thing in high school anymore like they did in my day...
Quinn, thanks for the great explanation. As a metric man ( Belgium) this was very interesting. Now I have a bit off an idea what the imperial men and off course women are talking about! Also have to mention that I watched you whole lathe skill series and find I the best and easy to understand on TH-cam! Greeting from Belgium.
Been using calipers for years and never knew about the shoulder method! Keep up the great work Quinn, your videos are a fountain of knowledge. You have convinced me I need a lathe! Now to re-watch your buying guide another 10 times before I pull the trigger on one 😂
I really REALLY like your presentation style! It's not only informative & clear, but has just the right touch of humor mixed into its brevity ... THANKS for all of the information !!
I’ve just bought a small lathe and I am having lots of fun learning all the things I can do, I’ve just stumbled across your channel and have found it to be the best, you explain things very well and it’s easy to understand even for us novice users and I like your wit 👍
Great video. I love it when I learn new things. I know you were being " tongue in cheek", but ironically; I have 10 measuring tapes in my shop and between the basement shop, garage and the truck, I can never find one within my reach when I need it and they are the first thing I go for when starting a job (ball parking, stock cut off , etc).
I saw this "trick" somewhere in another machinist youtube video (can't remember which one, I think I've seen it several times now). Unfortunately, my vernier calipers aren't designed to do this, so it is not universal - at least it WASN'T when I got my calipers - they probably are 40 years old, and I think they design wasn't the latest at the time I got them. Still working, so not replacing them yet... ;)
I worked as an electrician in the construction industry for 35yrs and now I am working in machining. In construction + or - a 16th of an inch was accurate. It took some getting used to to handle .001 accuracy as well as understanding the need for such extreme accuracy but I'm loving it. I can now make things I had to buy before. Combining my electrical knowledge with machining ability has enabled me to make some really cool stuff.
Great explanation of mics! Also, if you're doing a ton of round stock readings, you can get micrometers that are designed for it. Basically, the anvils have a slight v groove in them. Of course, specialist stuff is always more expensive
Another very informative video. I just want to thank you personally for sharing your knowledge with us. You and other TH-camrs have helped fuel my obsession with getting a lathe and mill, fulfilled as of last week. Now I need help identifying all the tooling that came with!
Nice. Recent sub here. Retired metrologist from Carl Zeiss IMT. Well done, well explained. Like the humor with the tape, although we often referred to calipers as “paint can openers”. Still it’s all relative, love your videos. 😎 -Mark
i used to have a plastic caliper, when i was using i notice that a piece i was machining were getting smaller and smaller.... than i noticed that my caliper has melted! hahahaha.... now i brought an old mitotoyo caliper who works great! Greetings from Brazil!
I buy most of the measuring gear used and calibrate it. Like micrometers. My 3"-4", a Starrett, had four initials scribed into it when I got it. Apparently, I'm its fifth owner. Naturally, I scribed my initials, as well. Enjoyed the video. Really, every video I've seen on this channel is very good and useful.
This is a great tutorial on using measuring devices. Its so weird that I'm American and have used the imperial system my whole life but because of 3d printing, I've become a metric convert. I love the metric system but I know that in machining, the imperial is better (opps that will cost me)....I got so confused with the tenths, thousands and so on but this has helped. I will continue to use the metric for 3d printing but for everything else.....
Omg thank you so much for explaining this for me I never really understood how to read them tipes of measurement. Thank you for that. Best teacher ever 😊
Hi Qinn! As a beginner in the machine shop, I have to say wow! What a great series of videos, I learned something new in each episode. And as a Swedish who uses the metric system and has a little trouble understanding the imperial system, I actually start to understand a little how it works after this video. You explain everything so well and clearly. Now I look forward to seeing your other videos on your channel. Keep making your nice videos // Eric
I totally agree with you on buying quality tools. I bought my Mitutoyo 6" digital caliper in 1998 and it still works perfectly and looks BRAND NEW today. Buy quality, buy once, and take care of your measuring devices and they will perform well and last you many many years.
I'm in love because you said sliderule! 🤪 Dad wouldn't let me think about a calculator until I could use them. Of course he was an ol' school calculus teacher...
These videos are extraordinary. You have taken a complex tool and made extremely understandable and relatable to the beginner. I purchased a lathe because I needed a hobby. While I am waiting on delivery; these videos are a great knowledge base. Thank you; I will be supporting your patreon site!
Great explanation! I would like to add that the best way to hold a micrometer is either thump and forefinger on the black pads on the lowest point of the arc ..or on the fixed anvil side, that way you transmit as little of your body temprature to the micrometer. Gretings from the Netherlands.
Lots of very helpful information for the beginner....like me. As I was watching this I thought that part II of this video could be properly cleaning and maintaining these instruments. Thanks
Hello , I have learned many things watching your video's. The last and only time until now was in 1968 ,and I made a hammer with center punch inclosed in the handle. Its long since gone after a friend used it for a pry- bar.. 🙄, My first project will be a machinist ,hammer,similar to one inyour video , thanks ,for all the usefull information.👍
Holy Cats! I bought a micrometer eons ago at Amble’s Surplus, not knowing at all how it’s used. Had no instructions. Decades before TH-cam. TIL that the extra lines are for 10,000ths!!
Did a little more inspecting & I think I've found 3 reasons my micrometer was so cheap. 1. Genuine Chinesium (if I remember right, the original wood box it came in was stamped "Made in China" - lost that box years ago). 2. It has finish-blemishes on the big C-part which look like it perhaps had a brand/logo on it, which was removed perhaps because it was a factory second. 3. The ten-thousanths lines only go up to 5. So to read .0006 to .0009, you have to use the shorter half-a-hundredth marks on the barrel and do even more math. Fugly, but functional. What a fun day this has been so far.
High recommendation on Mitutoyo calipers. In 2 years, of constant work, 5 days a week, no battery change needed. (Then we wrecked the caliper by accident and still reused the battery)
I like to clean the carbide faces on a 0-1 mic with a piece of paper that I pull out. Repeat until the paper is clean. It's a good idea to always buy mics with carbide faces.
Trick for cleaning the anvils of 0-1" mics: close the anvils down on a piece of paper and compress the paper a tenth or two. Then pull out the paper. Recheck zero.
To quote from the late George Thomas (do read his books, absolutely superb) a good way to judge the quality of a rule is to look at the gap between the hudredth of an inch markings. Ideally it should be twice the width of the markings themselves.
Going back to Shop-101 I was taught when checking calibration on you Micrometers in this case for example with a 1 Inch Micrometer but it really doesn’t matter if it is a 1”-2,” 2”-3,” or large micrometer. Any-who step number 1 is first with a lint free rag wipe the face of the anvil and spindle lightly and then wipe the face of the anvil and spindle with clean dry finger tip afterwards close the micrometer until the anvil and spindle touch as if you were taking a measurement. After insuring that your micrometer reads 0.000 or if did not that you have made appropriate calibration corrections you next then carefully open your micrometer to just pass 1.000” at which point you insert the 1.000 standard bar that you have cleaned the faces on just as you did cleaning the face of your micrometer’s anvil and spindle and tighten down on the standard bar as you would taking any other measurement and confirm that the reading you get on your micrometer is indeed 1.000” if it is any other measurement than 1.000” repeat the 0.000 calibration procedure and the 1.000” calibration procedure if you still get a reading error there is a chance that the frame of your micrometer is stretched or with the face of your anvil or spindle is worn. However there are other possibility’s is that need to be checked before condemning you micrometer or buying expensive parts if available to bring your micrometer back into specification. One of the simplest is to check if the spindle assembly of your micrometer is removable from the frame of the micrometer it may just be out of adjustment additionally it may have been over-torqued into the frame and some micrometers use shims to adjust frame to spindle spacing, lastly if the micrometer has not been treated as kindly as it should the mechanism possible could be filled with crud and corruption, if this is the case a good cleaning may possibly remedy the situation. Note keep Brake-Kleen and Gum-Cutter away from your micrometer. Lastly when storing your micrometer’s and calipers do not screw the micrometer shut or stick a standard in between the anvil and spindle faces overtime it is going to attract corrosion or rust and both of those are bad for precision measuring devices and tools in general. Hopefully you may find some of this useful if not that ok as well either way have a nice day and a better tomorrow.
Blondihacks Thank’s a friend of mine turned me onto your channel and I have enjoyed watching the content you are producing, it is informative and enjoyable to watch.
I remember going to homestead air force base, near Miami, for a field trip in my high school physics class. We were supposed to get to see an F-16 but they weren't available, so we got a presentation by some of the USAF machinists instead. They had a good presentation on precision measuring and metrology. I just wasn't receptive to it back then. It was so incredibly boring. Fast forward about 30 years, and here I am, engrossed in a metrology video... I'm not a machinist, but having a lathe and a mill in my work shop is a decadent dream of mine, so some day.... I guess "better late than never" is an apt sentiment now. Cheers.
The other thing I like about machinest's scale rulers is that they startvwith the zero mark right on one end. Makes measuring lengths easier and more accurate - no parallax error. Cheets. BobUK.
One quick and easy way to clean the faces of the anvil and spindle is to lightly clamp down on a sheet of clean paper then pull the paper out. Works great. ( just don't use sandpaper!! )
I love showing a lyman caliper (sold for ammunition reloaders) in this use. I've found several things that if bought from a different specialty than what you'd think - you save a ton of money and they're as good (usually the same, just different branding). FWIW, I lose the battery covers on my digital calipers and loosen the battery when they're not going to be in use for awhile, then push the battery back in when needed. Cheesy but it works (you could hot glue a small screw ,bit of tape, or a toothpick to the battery to make that easier). The normal tension in the springs of the battery holder itself keeps the battery in and connected no problem normally - The reason they go dead is they turn themselves back on, like ghosts in the middle of the night, and you can catch them at it. Static? Dunno, at least some brands are less likely to do that if you tighten the screw that keeps them from moving.
@@Blondihacks You mentioned hemostats in another video of yours. Same idea...I introduced a Vet to electronic fine tools, in this case, flush cutters so the stainless steel wires she used to to micro-osteopathy (bone surgery) didn't have sharp ends. She was aghast at the price graduation from "surgical supply" to the overpriced Jensen tools catalog, to ... various surplus outfits like Marlin Jones. Asked how to autoclave them between surgeries due to plasti-dip handles, I pointed out that for 2 bucks, you just toss them in the trash....Just wow. A useless to most tip - what reloaders pay for crushed walnut hulls for their tumblers is 5 or 10 times what they cost as lizard litter at the pet store. Same stuff...
@@highpwr Good one, thanks. You know if we all give away our special ways to avoid "friction in the market" a lot of useless middle-markup-men are going to be hurting....heh. Go!
My cheap $10 HF caliper took me about a year to replace the battery - and even included one replacement battery. I will still be picking up a Mitutoyo one, but while I'm in the "bleeding out all of my money like a stuck pig" phase of tool-acquisition early on in getting into machining, anywhere I'm able to make due with a tool costing pennies on the dollar, if even only for a little bit, I'm all for it
Consider good used Swiss tools which are the best made machinist tools, period. The smooth feel of an Etalon mic compared to Mitutoyo, Starrett, etc. speaks volumes!
The thing to remember about the cheap digital calipers is that the 'off' button only switches off the display. The rest of the electronics are still running and depleting the battery. Long ago I started to remove the battery after every use and storing it in the box (never throw the box away as it protects the unit!). Recently I forgot to remove the battery and it went flat screwing up the caliper even with a fresh battery installed. With nothing to lose, I removed the new battery and left the caliper to think about things for a few hours. With the new battery installed it sprang to life! If only that had been the case with the most expensive multimeter I ever bought. It never worked again after letting the battery go flat. Tens of pounds down the drain when £10 was *money!* (1970's). Regarding being perpendicular to the piece being measured: I've often thought that a 'left handed' caliper would be mores useful when working on pieces still in the lathe chuck. Mini lathes tend to have a back guard that gets in the way of a standard caliper. I wish I knew what happened to it, but I used to have a zero to 4" micrometer! It still worked the same (ish), but had interchangeable 'fixed' anvils of zero, 1", 2" and 3" so that the 'micro' part of the range was always 1". It was probably lost during one of our moves. I know I lost a whole circular saw petrol engine during one of them! Ps. Thanks for the tutorial.
When my wife told me there was a new Blondihacks video, I dropped the project I was helping neighbor with, pushed aside, even though he was ten feet out of the way, jumped the dog house, even though it was less than a foot high, mini pinscher and all, jumped a fence, rotted from rust, least 2 feet high, roughly did unnecessary somersault flips and rolls, a la Starsky and Hutch onto my deck, prepared an Ovaltine, grabbed my lucky decoder ring, (realizing I’m dating myself) justo watch your vid on my iPad. When my wife states, you could’ve watched it on your iPhone, on the deck. You have to forgive her, she doesn’t understand. I’ve been machining for almost 30 years, yet your video content spark a drive in me to show the neighbor kids DIY and self sufficiency. Keep up the good work.
One thing of note (not sure if it has been mentioned in the comments yet) is that each manufacturer has its own recommendations on the number of clicks you should do on the micrometer. I think (but I'm not certain as I am on the wrong side of the world right now) that Mitutoyo recommends 3 clicks.
There is one serious issue with calipers like you show: bits of metal get into the gear mechanism and cause the caliper to jam. It is the main reason for me going over to digital. The current cheap HF caliper battery seems to be lasting just fine (it is at least a year old and I don't have to take it out) and it has auto turn-on. After trying the Shars caliper at the metrology test that Kilroy was putting on, I may step up to one of those. Nice to meet you at the Good of the Land Festival.
Hi, the caliper batteries. Cheapo's just have a relative scale, they have to keep the power on in order to retain the zero, switching them off just turns the display off. A bit daft as I think everyone rests the zero every time they turn the display back on atvany rate. The quality calipers have an absolute scale and they know where the zero is so can be fully turned off when not in use. Discharged batteries areca thundering nuisance and I think Quinn is absolutely (!) right to say avoid cheap measuring tools. BobUK.
That looked very much like a metric coathanger... are you in danger of converting ? 😁 Don't forget fingers.. very precise things and can measure in both metric and imperial, handy when the old eyeballs start to fail ⚙️😺
Regarding digital calipers battery drain. I flip battery in mine when not in use. Lasts for years now. Of course, you should inspect if you can do this without potentially destroying caliper electronics.
Could you please show us how to use thread wires correctly? I need another hand or two. Thread micrometers seem to be a better choice. What say you?? Thanks, Jeff
Yes! I will be doing a video on thread wires. Thread mics are nice, but expensive and technically a little less precise (though not meaningfully so, for most use cases). Thread triangles are another nice option. There’s much disagreement on whether they are less precise than wires, but they are easier to use
Nice video. I don't see a link to the vernier 0-1" micrometer that you used. You also kept your thumb over the logo in most of the shots. What is it? And is there a secret story behind it?
Dang, thats the fastest like and heart I ever got and now I see a reply as well. Seems like you are always working I guess. I just got home from work and what do I do? Straight to watching your vids about work. Its good when you love your job isnt it?
So glad you’re continuing this series now that I actually own a lathe lol Any plans on adding more beginner projects? Love the rings and the magic tube one. Some of the best beginner projects I’ve seen so far.
The $10 cheap Chinese hardware store calipers are probably bad but there are also good Chinese calipers. I bought mine from Shahe, a Chinese measurement tools factory, they were a bit more expensive but still affordable compared to mitutoyu. After three years now the still run on their first battery.
I'm confused by the moving the tail stock so you don't lose your quill marking. Doesn't the quill marking become meaningless after you've moved the whole tail stock?
Perhaps the small unseen object/film throwing off the caliper is a fine layer of Cheeto dust? Also I'm more of a dead cellulose worker so this is one of the only times that thousandths of an inch made sense to me.
How feasible would be to have a small bubble level built onto a caliper? At least in the horizontal dimension, it would be relatively easy to see if you were square with your part? In theory, there could be a second bubble level for the vertical dimension. Or, would that be too cumbersome? As others have said, this, like all your other videos, is very informative.
Hi Quinn I bought a mick on Ebay but when it got here it different. It's a starrett no,210A don't want to send it back can you explain what it is used for and how you use it the right blonde haks way please
Hi Quinn, another great video! I always learn something new from your videos - this time flange measurement with dial calipers. Since this is a lathe skills video I have a lathe question. Do you ever wish you would have spent a few more $$ for the PM 1030 instead of the 1022? Or would it just waste valuable shop space? Upgrading my mini lathe within the next year.....
Cheap calipers work fine IF you lock them closed the problem is they turn on automatically when bumped and that’s what kills the battery after i started placing mine in an isolated separate place too the table i work on the one batter would last 6-12 months, compared too the 4-8 weeks previously they must be locked closed, either with elsastic or the lock nut on them
Ahoy Quinn. Some advice please ? If you are not too far into that whisky bottle😁. any thorts about lathe centre height from floor ? I'm figuring about elbow height
Would be a lot easier if i had one of your "Johnny carts" 😁 I think i'll aim for belly button height with adjustable legs. got an ancient edgebander the other day for $100. loads of good salvage bits and a good base that will become a lathe stand after some modification, Thx for thorts 🍺
![[#2024MAMA] ROSÉ (로제), Bruno Mars - APT. | Mnet 241122 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dgGqD28J6aQ/mqdefault.jpg)
great overview!
🤔 Collaboration.... Quinn"s voice directing Tony's hands... that might be fun 😁
A lass named Quinn.
thought,with a grin.
If he jokes 'bout my t*ts
I'll kill 'im
Ironically I'm now here studying, Quinn and Tony were the two tubers suggested by my instructor. I've already been subbed to both for years but now I'm turning my interest, aptitude, and all the countless hours watching into a better career and paycheck.
I'm a teacher in an unrelated discipline. Your instruction is inspiring. If this is the only signal you get today to keep up your good work, here it is.
From someone with 50 yrs experience that started on conventional machines to programming multi axis cnc machines this would have to be one the best sites for anyone starting out excellent and precise explanations will definitely recommend.
Keep it up.
Same..!
I was very impressed by the obvious skills she have ..to distribute knowledge/explaining how this works. There’s a ton of people who already know this..but it’s very few of them, who’s able to actually explain this in a good way, for newcomers!
Yes, the video is 3 years old and still GREAT. But, ya know, a lot of us old geezers who decided to squander our retirement vacation savings on machine tools, in addition to being self-indulgent, are half blind. So those BIG digital LCD numbers really help. Now, I have a harbor freight, and mid-range asian, and high end set of digitals and you are exactly right, but I also have gauge blocks, so I do check them. Have to be careful. HF is "accurate to a thou or two, and fairly repeatable. The mid price ($50 to 100) and the high end, ($250 and up) read within a tenth of each other. The temp variations in my shop could cause worse than that in any result I'd ever get. So...the ability to see the numbers, and the accuracy of the mid price units is something us geezers actually need.
Thank you for explaining how to read a mic so concisely. I finally get it!
Coffee and blondiehacks! No better way to start your Saturday morning. Thanks for another great video.
I bought a caliper 2 months ago since I have been a 3d printing kid for 3-4 months and only a week ago I discovered I can measure depth :-) Thanks to you and This Old Tony lathe is scheduled as a Xmas gift to myself. It will be my first ever machine! And thanks for the series, I am sure I'll put all the information to good use once I get my lathe.
Yay! That’s great news. I’m sure you will enjoy machining! 😁
Mine's on the way. Did you get your lathe?
Those in Metric land will know the Vernier Scale as the Nonius Scale. It's really simple and absolutely brillant: Basically when you have two sliding scales, one of them is usually divided in multiples of ten. By adding another scale that divides the same length into nine units, you increase your accuracy 10:1.
By the way, I learned to work with a caliper that had a Nonius scale too. None of that fancy clockwork stuff! Anyway I bet they don't teach this kind of thing in high school anymore like they did in my day...
Quinn, thanks for the great explanation. As a metric man ( Belgium) this was very interesting. Now I have a bit off an idea what the imperial men and off course women are talking about! Also have to mention that I watched you whole lathe skill series and find I the best and easy to understand on TH-cam! Greeting from Belgium.
Been using calipers for years and never knew about the shoulder method! Keep up the great work Quinn, your videos are a fountain of knowledge. You have convinced me I need a lathe! Now to re-watch your buying guide another 10 times before I pull the trigger on one 😂
I really REALLY like your presentation style! It's not only informative & clear, but has just the right touch of humor mixed into its brevity ... THANKS for all of the information !!
I’ve just bought a small lathe and I am having lots of fun learning all the things I can do, I’ve just stumbled across your channel and have found it to be the best, you explain things very well and it’s easy to understand even for us novice users and I like your wit 👍
Great video. I love it when I learn new things.
I know you were being " tongue in cheek", but ironically; I have 10 measuring tapes in my shop and between the basement shop, garage and the truck, I can never find one within my reach when I need it and they are the first thing I go for when starting a job (ball parking, stock cut off , etc).
cleanest hands ever seen for a machinist
I've been using the same Lyman dial aproximator for years and had no idea you could measure depth with the head. Thanks for that.
Same here...
I saw this "trick" somewhere in another machinist youtube video (can't remember which one, I think I've seen it several times now). Unfortunately, my vernier calipers aren't designed to do this, so it is not universal - at least it WASN'T when I got my calipers - they probably are 40 years old, and I think they design wasn't the latest at the time I got them. Still working, so not replacing them yet... ;)
I worked as an electrician in the construction industry for 35yrs and now I am working in machining. In construction + or - a 16th of an inch was accurate. It took some getting used to to handle .001 accuracy as well as understanding the need for such extreme accuracy but I'm loving it. I can now make things I had to buy before. Combining my electrical knowledge with machining ability has enabled me to make some really cool stuff.
“I can make things I had to buy before” is the joy of machining in a nutshell! Very well put. 😁
@@Blondihacks as well as being able to make things I cant buy.
Thank you, been using measuring tools for years but didn't know about the depth setting on the front of the caliper :)
Same here!
I knew there was a depth setting on the front, I just didn't know WHERE on the front.
Great explanation of mics! Also, if you're doing a ton of round stock readings, you can get micrometers that are designed for it. Basically, the anvils have a slight v groove in them. Of course, specialist stuff is always more expensive
So many tricks I didn't know about before. Knew this would be worth a watch and as always I was NOT disappointed! Thank you Quinn!
Thank you, You presented a lot of material in a short time, old guy's (like me) minds saturate quickly so I will have to watch this a few times..
This is one of those videos I skipped thinking I already knew this stuff. Wrong again. Thx for the enlightenment Quinn.
Another very informative video. I just want to thank you personally for sharing your knowledge with us. You and other TH-camrs have helped fuel my obsession with getting a lathe and mill, fulfilled as of last week. Now I need help identifying all the tooling that came with!
Nice. Recent sub here. Retired metrologist from Carl Zeiss IMT. Well done, well explained. Like the humor with the tape, although we often referred to calipers as “paint can openers”. Still it’s all relative, love your videos. 😎 -Mark
i used to have a plastic caliper, when i was using i notice that a piece i was machining were getting smaller and smaller.... than i noticed that my caliper has melted! hahahaha.... now i brought an old mitotoyo caliper who works great! Greetings from Brazil!
Plastic calipers do have a place. They are particularly handy with things that are magnetic!
I buy most of the measuring gear used and calibrate it. Like micrometers. My 3"-4", a Starrett, had four initials scribed into it when I got it. Apparently, I'm its fifth owner. Naturally, I scribed my initials, as well. Enjoyed the video. Really, every video I've seen on this channel is very good and useful.
This is a great tutorial on using measuring devices. Its so weird that I'm American and have used the imperial system my whole life but because of 3d printing, I've become a metric convert. I love the metric system but I know that in machining, the imperial is better (opps that will cost me)....I got so confused with the tenths, thousands and so on but this has helped. I will continue to use the metric for 3d printing but for everything else.....
Omg thank you so much for explaining this for me I never really understood how to read them tipes of measurement. Thank you for that. Best teacher ever 😊
Great job covering the essentials With the pros and cons and proper usage... I have to learn how to say "I have a 6-inch micrometer" in Swedish!
Hi Qinn! As a beginner in the machine shop, I have to say wow! What a great series of videos, I learned something new in each episode. And as a Swedish who uses the metric system and has a little trouble understanding the imperial system, I actually start to understand a little how it works after this video. You explain everything so well and clearly. Now I look forward to seeing your other videos on your channel. Keep making your nice videos // Eric
Awesome, thanks for watching!
I totally agree with you on buying quality tools. I bought my Mitutoyo 6" digital caliper in 1998 and it still works perfectly and looks BRAND NEW today. Buy quality, buy once, and take care of your measuring devices and they will perform well and last you many many years.
Buy once, cry once
Live by it
I'm in love because you said sliderule! 🤪 Dad wouldn't let me think about a calculator until I could use them. Of course he was an ol' school calculus teacher...
You are great, never thought that somebody like you happened on TH-cam, i wish you all the best!
These videos are extraordinary. You have taken a complex tool and made extremely understandable and relatable to the beginner. I purchased a lathe because I needed a hobby. While I am waiting on delivery; these videos are a great knowledge base. Thank you; I will be supporting your patreon site!
Awesome! Thank you for the kind words, and for the support!
Great explanation! I would like to add that the best way to hold a micrometer is either thump and forefinger on the black pads on the lowest point of the arc ..or on the fixed anvil side, that way you transmit as little of your body temprature to the micrometer. Gretings from the Netherlands.
Yes! Great point. Avoiding heat transfer is good practice.
Another excellent presentation. Very detailed but very easy to understand. Thank you.
I’ve been watching these for a while, but now that I actually own a lathe they will be studied.
Lots of very helpful information for the beginner....like me. As I was watching this I thought that part II of this video could be properly cleaning and maintaining these instruments. Thanks
Hello , I have learned many things watching your video's.
The last and only time until now was in 1968 ,and I made a hammer with center punch inclosed in the handle. Its long since gone after a friend used it for a pry- bar.. 🙄, My first project will be a machinist ,hammer,similar to one inyour video , thanks ,for all the usefull information.👍
Quinn,well done! I already know how to use the instruments you covered in this video but I looked at it as a review!
Fabulous presentation you should teach this stuff in a technical school.
Awesome, addicted to your training videos. Thanks so much for sharing
Holy Cats! I bought a micrometer eons ago at Amble’s Surplus, not knowing at all how it’s used. Had no instructions. Decades before TH-cam.
TIL that the extra lines are for 10,000ths!!
Did a little more inspecting & I think I've found 3 reasons my micrometer was so cheap.
1. Genuine Chinesium (if I remember right, the original wood box it came in was stamped "Made in China" - lost that box years ago).
2. It has finish-blemishes on the big C-part which look like it perhaps had a brand/logo on it, which was removed perhaps because it was a factory second.
3. The ten-thousanths lines only go up to 5. So to read .0006 to .0009, you have to use the shorter half-a-hundredth marks on the barrel and do even more math.
Fugly, but functional.
What a fun day this has been so far.
High recommendation on Mitutoyo calipers. In 2 years, of constant work, 5 days a week, no battery change needed. (Then we wrecked the caliper by accident and still reused the battery)
Agreed we have four of them in our shop and bear solid work horses
Excellent presentation.
I have a set of those blue "C" clamps. They don't clamp very well. Seriously I second This Old Tony, "great overview".
I like to clean the carbide faces on a 0-1 mic with a piece of paper that I pull out. Repeat until the paper is clean. It's a good idea to always buy mics with carbide faces.
Great basic presentation, Quinn.
Trick for cleaning the anvils of 0-1" mics: close the anvils down on a piece of paper and compress the paper a tenth or two. Then pull out the paper. Recheck zero.
We used eyeglass tissues
I just watched 19 videos in one day and no tools yet. Great content!
Excellent, thanks. I don't have a dial caliper but I think I will get one having watched your video.
Thanks, Quinn. More excellent information!
To quote from the late George Thomas (do read his books, absolutely superb) a good way to judge the quality of a rule is to look at the gap between the hudredth of an inch markings. Ideally it should be twice the width of the markings themselves.
Going back to Shop-101 I was taught when checking calibration on you Micrometers in this case for example with a 1 Inch Micrometer but it really doesn’t matter if it is a 1”-2,” 2”-3,” or large micrometer. Any-who step number 1 is first with a lint free rag wipe the face of the anvil and spindle lightly and then wipe the face of the anvil and spindle with clean dry finger tip afterwards close the micrometer until the anvil and spindle touch as if you were taking a measurement. After insuring that your micrometer reads 0.000 or if did not that you have made appropriate calibration corrections you next then carefully open your micrometer to just pass 1.000” at which point you insert the 1.000 standard bar that you have cleaned the faces on just as you did cleaning the face of your micrometer’s anvil and spindle and tighten down on the standard bar as you would taking any other measurement and confirm that the reading you get on your micrometer is indeed 1.000” if it is any other measurement than 1.000” repeat the 0.000 calibration procedure and the 1.000” calibration procedure if you still get a reading error there is a chance that the frame of your micrometer is stretched or with the face of your anvil or spindle is worn. However there are other possibility’s is that need to be checked before condemning you micrometer or buying expensive parts if available to bring your micrometer back into specification. One of the simplest is to check if the spindle assembly of your micrometer is removable from the frame of the micrometer it may just be out of adjustment additionally it may have been over-torqued into the frame and some micrometers use shims to adjust frame to spindle spacing, lastly if the micrometer has not been treated as kindly as it should the mechanism possible could be filled with crud and corruption, if this is the case a good cleaning may possibly remedy the situation. Note keep Brake-Kleen and Gum-Cutter away from your micrometer. Lastly when storing your micrometer’s and calipers do not screw the micrometer shut or stick a standard in between the anvil and spindle faces overtime it is going to attract corrosion or rust and both of those are bad for precision measuring devices and tools in general. Hopefully you may find some of this useful if not that ok as well either way have a nice day and a better tomorrow.
Great summary of the details. Thanks for sharing!
Blondihacks Thank’s a friend of mine turned me onto your channel and I have enjoyed watching the content you are producing, it is informative and enjoyable to watch.
Great video for those getting into machining 👍 essential stuff
I remember going to homestead air force base, near Miami, for a field trip in my high school physics class. We were supposed to get to see an F-16 but they weren't available, so we got a presentation by some of the USAF machinists instead. They had a good presentation on precision measuring and metrology. I just wasn't receptive to it back then. It was so incredibly boring. Fast forward about 30 years, and here I am, engrossed in a metrology video... I'm not a machinist, but having a lathe and a mill in my work shop is a decadent dream of mine, so some day.... I guess "better late than never" is an apt sentiment now. Cheers.
Very useful video😀
Thanks Dale! 😁
The other thing I like about machinest's scale rulers is that they startvwith the zero mark right on one end. Makes measuring lengths easier and more accurate - no parallax error. Cheets. BobUK.
One quick and easy way to clean the faces of the anvil and spindle is to lightly clamp down on a sheet of clean paper then pull the paper out. Works great. ( just don't use sandpaper!! )
Exceptionally well done.
I love showing a lyman caliper (sold for ammunition reloaders) in this use. I've found several things that if bought from a different specialty than what you'd think - you save a ton of money and they're as good (usually the same, just different branding). FWIW, I lose the battery covers on my digital calipers and loosen the battery when they're not going to be in use for awhile, then push the battery back in when needed. Cheesy but it works (you could hot glue a small screw ,bit of tape, or a toothpick to the battery to make that easier). The normal tension in the springs of the battery holder itself keeps the battery in and connected no problem normally -
The reason they go dead is they turn themselves back on, like ghosts in the middle of the night, and you can catch them at it. Static? Dunno, at least some brands are less likely to do that if you tighten the screw that keeps them from moving.
Indeed! My dad is a reloader, and I inherited that tool from him. 😁
@@Blondihacks You mentioned hemostats in another video of yours. Same idea...I introduced a Vet to electronic fine tools, in this case, flush cutters so the stainless steel wires she used to to micro-osteopathy (bone surgery) didn't have sharp ends. She was aghast at the price graduation from "surgical supply" to the overpriced Jensen tools catalog, to ... various surplus outfits like Marlin Jones. Asked how to autoclave them between surgeries due to plasti-dip handles, I pointed out that for 2 bucks, you just toss them in the trash....Just wow. A useless to most tip - what reloaders pay for crushed walnut hulls for their tumblers is 5 or 10 times what they cost as lizard litter at the pet store. Same stuff...
@@highpwr Good one, thanks. You know if we all give away our special ways to avoid "friction in the market" a lot of useless middle-markup-men are going to be hurting....heh. Go!
My cheap $10 HF caliper took me about a year to replace the battery - and even included one replacement battery. I will still be picking up a Mitutoyo one, but while I'm in the "bleeding out all of my money like a stuck pig" phase of tool-acquisition early on in getting into machining, anywhere I'm able to make due with a tool costing pennies on the dollar, if even only for a little bit, I'm all for it
Consider good used Swiss tools which are the best made machinist tools, period. The smooth feel of an Etalon mic compared to Mitutoyo, Starrett, etc. speaks volumes!
Very clear and informative video. Thank you.
Learnt something new. Again.
The thing to remember about the cheap digital calipers is that the 'off' button only switches off the display. The rest of the electronics are still running and depleting the battery. Long ago I started to remove the battery after every use and storing it in the box (never throw the box away as it protects the unit!). Recently I forgot to remove the battery and it went flat screwing up the caliper even with a fresh battery installed. With nothing to lose, I removed the new battery and left the caliper to think about things for a few hours. With the new battery installed it sprang to life!
If only that had been the case with the most expensive multimeter I ever bought. It never worked again after letting the battery go flat. Tens of pounds down the drain when £10 was *money!* (1970's).
Regarding being perpendicular to the piece being measured: I've often thought that a 'left handed' caliper would be mores useful when working on pieces still in the lathe chuck. Mini lathes tend to have a back guard that gets in the way of a standard caliper.
I wish I knew what happened to it, but I used to have a zero to 4" micrometer! It still worked the same (ish), but had interchangeable 'fixed' anvils of zero, 1", 2" and 3" so that the 'micro' part of the range was always 1". It was probably lost during one of our moves. I know I lost a whole circular saw petrol engine during one of them!
Ps. Thanks for the tutorial.
Cool tto learn about the micrometers torque dial , that cleared up some questions I had about it 😀
I love this channel
When my wife told me there was a new Blondihacks video, I dropped the project I was helping neighbor with, pushed aside, even though he was ten feet out of the way, jumped the dog house, even though it was less than a foot high, mini pinscher and all, jumped a fence, rotted from rust, least 2 feet high, roughly did unnecessary somersault flips and rolls, a la Starsky and Hutch onto my deck, prepared an Ovaltine, grabbed my lucky decoder ring, (realizing I’m dating myself) justo watch your vid on my iPad. When my wife states, you could’ve watched it on your iPhone, on the deck. You have to forgive her, she doesn’t understand. I’ve been machining for almost 30 years, yet your video content spark a drive in me to show the neighbor kids DIY and self sufficiency. Keep up the good work.
I hope the dog is okay. 😂
Oh, yeaaah, Killer, Sr. Is fine. Latched to my ankle, currently, but loving the petting of his head.
One thing of note (not sure if it has been mentioned in the comments yet) is that each manufacturer has its own recommendations on the number of clicks you should do on the micrometer. I think (but I'm not certain as I am on the wrong side of the world right now) that Mitutoyo recommends 3 clicks.
There is one serious issue with calipers like you show: bits of metal get into the gear mechanism and cause the caliper to jam. It is the main reason for me going over to digital. The current cheap HF caliper battery seems to be lasting just fine (it is at least a year old and I don't have to take it out) and it has auto turn-on. After trying the Shars caliper at the metrology test that Kilroy was putting on, I may step up to one of those.
Nice to meet you at the Good of the Land Festival.
Yes, very true. Dial calipers need to be taken apart and cleaned from time to time. That is a disadvantage of them.
A set of Mitutoyo micrometers... 😍 My dream. Would need to sell my house to by one off these here.
Hi, the caliper batteries. Cheapo's just have a relative scale, they have to keep the power on in order to retain the zero, switching them off just turns the display off. A bit daft as I think everyone rests the zero every time they turn the display back on atvany rate. The quality calipers have an absolute scale and they know where the zero is so can be fully turned off when not in use. Discharged batteries areca thundering nuisance and I think Quinn is absolutely (!) right to say avoid cheap measuring tools. BobUK.
That looked very much like a metric coathanger... are you in danger of converting ? 😁
Don't forget fingers.. very precise things and can measure in both metric and imperial, handy when the old eyeballs start to fail ⚙️😺
I have harbor freight digital for crude measurement have good caliper with dual scale great presentation
Thanks Quinn
Regarding digital calipers battery drain. I flip battery in mine when not in use. Lasts for years now. Of course, you should inspect if you can do this without potentially destroying caliper electronics.
Could you please show us how to use thread wires correctly?
I need another hand or two.
Thread micrometers seem to be a better choice.
What say you??
Thanks, Jeff
Yes! I will be doing a video on thread wires. Thread mics are nice, but expensive and technically a little less precise (though not meaningfully so, for most use cases). Thread triangles are another nice option. There’s much disagreement on whether they are less precise than wires, but they are easier to use
Quinn...ratchet or friction thimble? which do you prefer?
Ratchet for me, but definitely to each their own!
Nice video. I don't see a link to the vernier 0-1" micrometer that you used. You also kept your thumb over the logo in most of the shots. What is it? And is there a secret story behind it?
As usual a stellar vid ! Do you reload or did you "inherit" that Lyman ?
Have you considered being a narrator for 'books to disc' ,etc. ?
I inherited that from my dad, who is an avid reloader. It’s funny how all the reloaders notice that immediately. 😀
Dang, thats the fastest like and heart I ever got and now I see a reply as well. Seems like you are always working I guess. I just got home from work and what do I do? Straight to watching your vids about work. Its good when you love your job isnt it?
So glad you’re continuing this series now that I actually own a lathe lol
Any plans on adding more beginner projects? Love the rings and the magic tube one. Some of the best beginner projects I’ve seen so far.
You bet! I have a whole list of fun beginner projects coming up.
Blondihacks Awesome! Keep at it. with quality content like this your channel is bound to blow up
Could you show a video as to how to cut a flat along the entire horizontal surface of cylindrical stock using a lathe?
Hope ok to share Episode 19 with others on my channel. You are a top instructor / teacher👍👍
i love tools 💞
The $10 cheap Chinese hardware store calipers are probably bad but there are also good Chinese calipers. I bought mine from Shahe, a Chinese measurement tools factory, they were a bit more expensive but still affordable compared to mitutoyu. After three years now the still run on their first battery.
Now your in precision town, population you. Lol I am totally going to use that in conversation with machinists that take themselves too seriously
I think dial calipers are really good for displaying measurement changes on TH-cam. BobUK
I'm confused by the moving the tail stock so you don't lose your quill marking. Doesn't the quill marking become meaningless after you've moved the whole tail stock?
Perhaps the small unseen object/film throwing off the caliper is a fine layer of Cheeto dust?
Also I'm more of a dead cellulose worker so this is one of the only times that thousandths of an inch made sense to me.
How feasible would be to have a small bubble level built onto a caliper? At least in the horizontal dimension, it would be relatively easy to see if you were square with your part? In theory, there could be a second bubble level for the vertical dimension. Or, would that be too cumbersome? As others have said, this, like all your other videos, is very informative.
Quinn you are very likely the answer to the question, what if Bob Ross took shop class instead?
Happy little calipers!
Jim, she needs to work on the fro...
Hi Quinn I bought a mick on Ebay but when it got here it different. It's a starrett no,210A don't want to send it back can you explain what it is used for and how you use it the right blonde haks way please
Hi Quinn, another great video! I always learn something new from your videos - this time flange measurement with dial calipers. Since this is a lathe skills video I have a lathe question. Do you ever wish you would have spent a few more $$ for the PM 1030 instead of the 1022? Or would it just waste valuable shop space? Upgrading my mini lathe within the next year.....
For me it was down to space. I really don’t have space for the larger machine. This one just barely fit! 😁
Great vid.
Also further poof that inches are still dumb: machinsts decimalised inches ;)
Cheap calipers work fine IF you lock them closed
the problem is they turn on automatically when bumped and that’s what kills the battery
after i started placing mine in an isolated separate place too the table i work on the one batter would last 6-12 months, compared too the 4-8 weeks previously
they must be locked closed, either with elsastic or the lock nut on them
I knew there was a use for a tape measure!
Damn! Quin is no joke.
Ahoy Quinn. Some advice please ? If you are not too far into that whisky bottle😁. any thorts about lathe centre height from floor ? I'm figuring about elbow height
Good question! I’d say you want the hand wheels at a comfortable working height, so around waist height or a little higher.
Would be a lot easier if i had one of your "Johnny carts" 😁 I think i'll aim for belly button height with adjustable legs. got an ancient edgebander the other day for $100. loads of good salvage bits and a good base that will become a lathe stand after some modification, Thx for thorts 🍺
Batteries!
Agreed!