Lock screw: Secures the jaws into place so the object is removed without moving the caliper's jaws. There are three classifications based on how to read the caliper: 1) vernier caliper, 2) dial caliper, and 3) digital caliper. Adjust the nut to close the legs around the widest part of the object. Watch the jaws closely to make sure you are not pushing a fine adjustment screw, which opens and closes the jaws by small amounts. Adjust the lower jaws by sliding the thumbscrew on the bottom to the right to widen the jaws. Calipers will give you measurements in both imperial and metric scales. Calipers are precision measuring tools that give you the accurate measurements many home improvement projectz require. Dial Calipers get the reading of the final fraction of a millimeter or an inch on a simple dial. Dial Calipers and Vernier Calipers: Dial Caliper. These calipers are extremely precise and often used in navigation, by scientists, machinists and surveyors. Never forget this part. % of people told us that this article helped them. Tips: Calipers can also be used to measure holes of different shapes: square, rectangular, cylindrical or hexagonal. Unless you are working on a project that requires extreme precision, you can probably round this to 5.51 cm. Consider purchasing a digital caliper if you are having trouble reading a vernier or dial caliper. Before you take the measurement, close the larger jaws completely and press the. Local store prices may vary from those displayed. Using a spring caliper isn’t difficult, but you will need to have a separate ruler or micrometer to get the measurement of an object. Each scale of your caliper reads like an ordinary ruler. With jaws closed, look for a mark on the sliding scale that lines up exactly with a value on the fixed scale. The final reading is the sum of these two readings. Then use the thumb of your free hand to wipe off the mating surfaces of the jaws. Divider Calipers that are used to mark out locations. To create this article, 11 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. The object whose outer diameter is to be measured is kept between the main jaws, whereas the object whose inner diameter is to be measured is placed around the smaller jaws. How to Read a Vernier Caliper . A dial caliper makes measuring a lot easier. If your caliper has a fine adjustment screw, you can use this to make more precise adjustments. The dial is marked in one-hundredth (0.001) inch intervals and as read by identifying the graduation indicated by the hand. Although it is not as accurate as a Vernier Scale Micrometer (which can read to within .0001 of an inch), the Six-Inch Dial Caliper is more versatile. To read a dial caliper, start by closing the flat jaws of the caliper around the object you want to measure. Having trouble reading a vernier caliper? Vernier calipers have two graduated scales: a main scale similar to a ruler and an auxiliary (Vernier) scale. The upper set of jaws on the caliper is used to measure inside diameter of a hole on a piece of wood, pipe or metal. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Find the readings of the vernier calipers below. Move the thumb screw slowly until the end of the beam scale makes contact with the top of the hole. Please call us at: 1-800-HOME-DEPOT (1-800-466-3337), Please enter in your email address in the following format: you@domain.com. The reading of the main scale is taken where the patch just on the left of the vernier scale coincides with the marking on the main scale. Digital Calipers So let's read a measurement off of the caliper. Note how the lines on the Vernier scale match up with the lines on the main scale. Depth can be measured by inserting the depth rod into the hole you are measuring. Make sure that the measurement line is … For example, the fixed scale displays 5.5 and is labeled cm. Still using the end of the zero mark on the Vernier scale as the index line, find the largest .100-inch mark to the left side of this index line. First, look at the sliding jaw and note the last main scale graduation that it passed. Check for zero errors. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Your sliding scale measures 4.3 and is marked "0.01 inches," meaning it represents 0.043 inches. For example, if a part is measured 1.531, the bar would read 1.5 and the dial would read .031. Line up the inner edges of the jaws with the edges of the bore hole and take your reading. This tool has been used for thousands of years, dating back to ancient Rome and China. Dial indicator needle: Indicator needle rotates within the dial when the jaws of the caliper are opened, or the depth rod lengthened. ", Step 17: Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 114,121 times. There are two sets of graduations on a dial caliper. To learn how to read a vernier caliper, keep reading! To read a Vernier caliper: When you measure an object with a Vernier caliper, the Vernier scale will slide to the right. Vernier calipers are the most reliable measuring tools compared to dial calipers and digital calipers. Calipers are meant for measuring thicknesses and internal or external diameters inaccessible to a scale. Thumbscrew: Adjusts the measuring faces of the caliper (the jaws and the depth rod). The value of the fixed-scale mark makes no difference. Lay a measuring tool, such as a ruler, against the caliper. Spring Joint Calipers ", Step 7: You measure the bore hole just like measuring the outer width of a bead. Subtract the amount of distance moved from the value you just read. The scale should be labeled with a unit, typically cm (centimeters) or in (inches). Calipers are used in many types of disciplines, including medicine, science, mechanical engineering, woodworking, metalworking and forestry. The first one uses a vernier scale, while the second one uses a dial scale (similar to a dial indicator), while the third one uses an LCD screen. Slide the scale to open or close the jaws. Read the number on … Use of this site is subject to certain Terms Of Use. In this post I want to share with you: How to Read Millimeters on the Vernier Caliper with an accuracy of 5 hundredths of a millimeter (0.05 mm). Position the rod so that it is flat against both the bottom of the hole and an internal side of the hole. They can be used to take either inside or outside measurements. To read the value properly: If the zero mark on the sliding scale aligns with a whole number on the fixed scale, that is your measurement. ", Step 2: You can also use the upper jaws to measure the distance between two objects. The dial is divided into thousandths. and we use the decimals of millimeter. How to read a vernier caliper 1080p, Full HD. If not, do this: 1. The only difference is the measurement reader. The space between the legs is adjusted by twisting the screw and nut. Turn the adjusting nut to open the legs of the caliper. Whole numbers (1,2,3, etc.) Inside Calipers. Zero out the calipers before you take a measurement. Adjust the jaws using the thumb screw, the rod will protrude from the end of the caliper. Still using the end of the zero mark on the Vernier scale as the index line, record the whole number of .025-inch increments to the left of the index line. The rod is used for measuring the depth of holes. For example, your fixed scale measures 1.3 and is marked "inches." calipers are read in a similar fashion. Digital Calipers, as the name suggests, has the analog dial replaces with a digital one. Turn the lock screw so that the upper jaws are set. The dial records the final fraction of a millimeter or inch. caliper. Move the sliding scale until the larger jaws of the caliper are fully pressed against each other. To zero a dial The three main types of calipers are Vernier, dial and digital. This measurement is then combined with the reading given on the scale running along the beam of the caliper. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. If the two 0 marks are lined up exactly, skip ahead to reading the measurement. ", Step 15: Repeat until the sliding scale 0 is to the right of the fixed scale 0. The main scale on the caliper has graduations every 1mm (millimeter) and represents one half of a revolution of Every 10thmark is numbered in cm (centimeters). The exact measurement is 1.3 inches + 0.043 inches - 1.343 inches. Bob and Sparky explain how to read metric vernier calipers. The sliding (Vernier) scale should have a … To read the measurement of the caliper, the bar must be read first and the dial. Adjust the upper jaws by sliding the right to expand the upper jaws until they hit the walls of the hole. They are especially popular for automotive and machining applications. are followed by a decimal point and an endless number of zeros (2.000000). It is also called a compass. If it lines up with four inches and the four tenth inch marks, … Measuring Distance Slide the thumb to the left until the jaws are clamped snugly around the object. Dial Caliper Introduction A Six-Inch Dial Caliper is a precision-measuring tool that measures accurately to within .001 of an inch. For example, if a vernier caliper output a measurement reading of 2.13 cm, this means that: The main scale contributes the main number (s) and one decimal place to the reading (E.g. The numbers to the right of the decimal represent tenths, hundredths and thousandths, respectively. What is a Caliper Used For? On an electronic digital caliper, if the reading is not 0.000, press the zero button so that it does read 0.000. This is reading the 1/1000" scale which is the most common. How to Read Vernier Calipers Find the largest whole inch mark to the left side of this index line. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f8\/Read-a-Caliper-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Read-a-Caliper-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f8\/Read-a-Caliper-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid1404187-v4-728px-Read-a-Caliper-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"