Slimy38
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posted on 17/4/18 at 08:54 PM |
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Bad vernier calipers?
I bought a set of vernier calipers from Ebay, I thought I'd gone for cheap but serviceable. It doesn't seem like that though;
Unless I've misunderstood how these work, when they're closed the two zero's should line up.
First off, is that expected? If so, is there a way I can manually calibrate them? I'm thinking some light application of a file perhaps? Or am I
asking for trouble?
I could just return them, but I do wonder whether I'm asking a bit much for a silverline tool?
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02GF74
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posted on 17/4/18 at 09:07 PM |
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Yeah, that's bad.
I'm wondering if the 3 crosshead screws hold the scales in position so adjustment is possible?
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Slimy38
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posted on 17/4/18 at 09:13 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by 02GF74
Yeah, that's bad.
I'm wondering if the 3 crosshead screws hold the scales in position so adjustment is possible?
The heads are quite tight in the holes though, there's no movement available. But I like the idea, perhaps I could elongate the holes to make
them adjustable.
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gremlin1234
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posted on 17/4/18 at 09:34 PM |
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whilst that is on their minimum reading, the actual measuring edges do also have gaps, you can see light though the tips, and the internal measurement
jaws overlap.
try measuring a known size, and see what it says.
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steve m
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posted on 17/4/18 at 09:38 PM |
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I have some similar, there not perfect, but within a millimetre in calculating
Not bad for £7.50
steve
Thats was probably spelt wrong, or had some grammer, that the "grammer police have to have a moan at
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bi22le
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posted on 17/4/18 at 09:39 PM |
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You are fighting for a 10th of a mm on manual calipers?
If you are working to less than that ( which you would be if 0.1mm is not accurate enough) then you have the wrong tool in my eyes.
You would be better of with digital calipers or a micrometer.
I would just leave it, and if you are working that small consider it in the measurements you make.
Track days ARE the best thing since sliced bread, until I get a supercharger that is!
Please read my ring story:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/13/viewthread.php?tid=139152&page=1
Me doing a sub 56sec lap around Brands Indy. I need a geo set up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHksfvIGB3I
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perksy
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posted on 17/4/18 at 09:41 PM |
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To be fair it might be better to buy a good secondhand pair made by Moore and Wright or Mitutoyo if you want to do some accurate measuring?
Just depends on what your using them for and how accurate you want them to be
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Andy B
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posted on 17/4/18 at 10:17 PM |
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It’s not a mechanical fault, it’s a difference in the two printed scales
It’s out at 0 but catches up by 2 and then runs out the other way
Bearing in mind it’s supposed to be a precision tool imho it’s not fit for purpose
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ReMan
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posted on 17/4/18 at 10:18 PM |
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im on my 3rd pair of digital verniers, £10-20 and they been great, only failed due to my hamfistery
www.plusnine.co.uk
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gremlin1234
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posted on 17/4/18 at 11:47 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by Andy B
It’s not a mechanical fault, it’s a difference in the two printed scales
It’s out at 0 but catches up by 2 and then runs out the other way
Bearing in mind it’s supposed to be a precision tool imho it’s not fit for purpose
its a vernier scale, the offset gives more than 10 times the precision, when you know how to read it.
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Andy B
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posted on 18/4/18 at 03:28 AM |
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Well you learn something every day - always used digital
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nick205
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posted on 18/4/18 at 08:03 AM |
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Doesn't look great to me.
I've had various Silverline tools through the years. Whilst they're at the budget end of price they're not usually the best of
quality.
http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/hand-too
ls/laser-digital-vernier-caliper-150mm
I've got a £20 digital vernier calipers from Halfords. Cheap enough and they're bang on accurate when checked with more expensive and
calibrated Mitutoyo digital vernier calipers we use at work.
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nick205
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posted on 18/4/18 at 08:12 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by Andy B
Well you learn something every day - always used digital
Same here at work and at home!
My 70 year old Dad talks to me about using "slide rules" back in his day - another mystery to me!
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nick205
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posted on 18/4/18 at 08:45 AM |
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Looking again at the photo I'd ask for a refund and send them back.
Always good to use signed for delivery when returning things so you get some evidence it's actually got there.
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Bigboystoys
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posted on 18/4/18 at 11:43 AM |
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Can't go wrong with a set of mitutoyo buy once and they last a lifetime
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907
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posted on 18/4/18 at 11:59 AM |
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You get what you pay for ..........
except on eBay, where you get rejects of what you payed for.
There's remarks on some posts that Moore & Wright or Mittatoyo will last a lifetime.
My set came from a gentleman that died at the age of 84, eight years ago.
He worked for Marconi on military guidance systems.
They have thread info on the back for BSW.
Paul G
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nick205
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posted on 18/4/18 at 02:45 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by 907
You get what you pay for ..........
except on eBay, where you get rejects of what you payed for.
There's remarks on some posts that Moore & Wright or Mittatoyo will last a lifetime.
My set came from a gentleman that died at the age of 84, eight years ago.
He worked for Marconi on military guidance systems.
They have thread info on the back for BSW.
Paul G
"BSW"
Not heard of that for a while!
Machine shop I worked in 20 years ago had a dusty set of BSW taps and dies.
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02GF74
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posted on 18/4/18 at 03:27 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by bi22le
You are fighting for a 10th of a mm on manual calipers?
If you are working to less than that ( which you would be if 0.1mm is not accurate enough) then you have the wrong tool in my eyes
They are capable of resolving 0.02mm.
OK, so an overkill for most tasks but sometimes you need that.
Send them back and try again or different brand.
Digital vernier calliper are for those who can't use or understand vernier gauge, and are fine until the battery runs out, and trust me, unless
you use them every week thus keeping on top of the battery condition, the time you come to use them, they are definitely = useless.
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StrikerChris
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posted on 18/4/18 at 03:32 PM |
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That looks about 0.2 when it should be 0. if youve got a known say 100mm parralel or something and its still 0.2 over then atleast you can use it
roughly! If the scales out tho its completely useless. I'd just buy a decent one,its something you'll use forever,and at some point
you'll make a cockup because of it!
Chris
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snapper
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posted on 18/4/18 at 05:15 PM |
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I bought a pack of 3 set squares from Lidl only to find after cutting some panels the big one was out, Doh
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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Slimy38
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posted on 18/4/18 at 09:41 PM |
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They were bought to replace a digital set, unfortunately as mentioned by the time I came to use them the buttons had worn away and the display panel
was shot. They were from Aldi, and the same price as these silverline. It almost seemed like they just weren't suitable for life in an average
home garage.
I think I'll try and tweak them, I was after 0.1mm resolution so they should suffice if I can get the zero's to match. I'm not
measuring engine tolerances with it, but I do want better than the 0.5mm resolution that I can get from a rule.
Thanks all for the replies.
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907
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posted on 19/4/18 at 06:58 AM |
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At least with non digital if they are 0.2 out they will always be 0.2 out, and you can make allowances.
I bought an Aldi set of digital for use in photographs as they show up nicely.
However, when used on the lathe if slid back and forth a few times when returned to zero they can read anything.
Then there's the times when they time out and switch off so you start all over.
I still wouldn't return them as I bought them knowing they were cheap crap, and they do what I bought them for.
I just hate digital. Must be an age thing. I dread the day when my analogue multimeter goes wrong. (30 years old now)
Paul G
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owelly
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posted on 19/4/18 at 11:28 AM |
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Slimy, what you've bought, is a flimsy chipping-hammer. Name and shame them on Twitter to make you feel better and they may send you some
equally crap free stuff....
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk
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Slimy38
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posted on 19/4/18 at 12:00 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by 907
At least with non digital if they are 0.2 out they will always be 0.2 out, and you can make allowances.
I bought an Aldi set of digital for use in photographs as they show up nicely.
However, when used on the lathe if slid back and forth a few times when returned to zero they can read anything.
Then there's the times when they time out and switch off so you start all over.
I still wouldn't return them as I bought them knowing they were cheap crap, and they do what I bought them for.
I just hate digital. Must be an age thing. I dread the day when my analogue multimeter goes wrong. (30 years old now)
Paul G
That's the same I had with my Aldi ones. I'd set it to zero then measure something, but when I set it back to zero it was usually out. And
don't even get me started on that damned time out, I swear it was set to reset at exactly the wrong time.
Hence me going for something 'old fashioned', at least if it is wrong it's always wrong by the same amount.
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JonBowden
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posted on 19/4/18 at 06:13 PM |
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for my use, I have now banned anything that says Silverline on it.
I have wasted too much time on their stuff that is not good enough to do what I need
I do sometimes buy cheap tools and sometimes they are ok, just no more Silverline
Jon
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