I was turning a vase last weekend carefully checking the wall thickness
with my calipers when I discovered that the calipers were bent throwing
of the measurement by maybe 1/4 of an inch.

I need a caliper that can measure inside a vase with an opening not much
more than an inch wide with a width of the inside about 6 inches. I
looked at what the local rocklers and woodcraft had and did not like
their design (I did not particularly like my sorby calipers but they
were cheap).

Are there any other options out there?

"william kossack" wrote in message
...
I was turning a vase last weekend carefully checking the wall thickness
with my calipers when I discovered that the calipers were bent throwing
of the measurement by maybe 1/4 of an inch.

I need a caliper that can measure inside a vase with an opening not much
more than an inch wide with a width of the inside about 6 inches. I
looked at what the local rocklers and woodcraft had and did not like
their design (I did not particularly like my sorby calipers but they
were cheap).

Are there any other options out there?

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...330,49237&ap=1

Though I imagine you've seen them at Woodcraft, too. Not direct readers,
but mine work for as little as I do.

William,

I have both small and large Lee Valley Veritas calipers. They are my
favorites. You can make your own, however, by bending up a stiff coat
hanger or 1/4" copper tubing. With these, you can get into any shape
you need by rebending the wire/tube.

- Bend the wire into the desired shape but leave a xx" gap between the
points. I typically have mine set to 1/2".
- Move the caliper into the vessel. Touch the inside point to the
inside surface.
- Measure (or visually measure) the resulting gap between the outside
point and the outer vessel wall. If the wire gap is 1/2" and yo see
1/8" on the outside, the wall thickness at that point is 3/8". As the
wall thickness gets thinner, the visible gap gets larger.
- Always use a calipers (homemade or store bought) such that the points
measure perpendicular to the vessel wall at the measurement point. If
you measure at a diagonal, you will get a false reading that will cause
you to think the wall is thicker than it really is.
Joe Fleming - San Diego

"william kossack" wrote: (clip) Are there any other options out there?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I assume you're talking about the "figure 8" type calipers. Why not bend
them back into calibration?

Joe Fleming wrote:
William,

I have both small and large Lee Valley Veritas calipers. They are my
favorites. You can make your own, however, by bending up a stiff coat
hanger or 1/4" copper tubing. With these, you can get into any shape
you need by rebending the wire/tube.

I've been using the copper tubing idea for years, and it works
great--better than wire. I use the smallest tubing commonly available, I
think it's 1/8" ID.

You can form it into any shape you need for the particular job, and the
copper tubing holds it's shape well.

Nip off the ends at an angle with tinsnips or wirecutters, and round the
points over a bit with a file to avoid scratching the wood--which copper
is less likely to do than steel wire because it's softer.

Ken Grunke



--
take da "ma" offa dot com fer eemayl

I looked at these in the lee valley calipers in the catalog. They might
do the ticket.

I may have to hold off because my cash on hand took a beating during
christmas

Joe Fleming wrote:
William,

I have both small and large Lee Valley Veritas calipers. They are my
favorites. You can make your own, however, by bending up a stiff coat
hanger or 1/4" copper tubing. With these, you can get into any shape
you need by rebending the wire/tube.

- Bend the wire into the desired shape but leave a xx" gap between the
points. I typically have mine set to 1/2".
- Move the caliper into the vessel. Touch the inside point to the
inside surface.
- Measure (or visually measure) the resulting gap between the outside
point and the outer vessel wall. If the wire gap is 1/2" and yo see
1/8" on the outside, the wall thickness at that point is 3/8". As the
wall thickness gets thinner, the visible gap gets larger.
- Always use a calipers (homemade or store bought) such that the points
measure perpendicular to the vessel wall at the measurement point. If
you measure at a diagonal, you will get a false reading that will cause
you to think the wall is thicker than it really is.
Joe Fleming - San Diego

I was turning a vase last weekend carefully checking the wall thickness
with my calipers when I discovered that the calipers were bent throwing
of the measurement by maybe 1/4 of an inch.

I need a caliper that can measure inside a vase with an opening not much
more than an inch wide with a width of the inside about 6 inches. I
looked at what the local rocklers and woodcraft had and did not like
their design (I did not particularly like my sorby calipers but they
were cheap).

Are there any other options out there?


Starrett makes lock joint transfer calipers, inside and outside, in several
different sizes. Expensive, but they will do the job.

John Martin