Ever since I read a few weeks ago about building a router sled, I thought
that a caliper (digital?) might be a useful tool to have around. For
instance, in the article I read, they used a caliper to measure the distance
between steel rods emanating from the router base.

In looking at them online, I've noticed quite a range. Some are over $100.
Inexpensive stainless-steel ones are available for about $14.00. HB has a
different one on sale this week for $9.99. Junk? Accurate enough for
woodworking? At this point I don't even have a workspace, but I have been
collecting a few tools. I can imagine using such a tool also to help
measure the width of a guitar neck that I intend to carve (rasp). Seems
like it might be useful to calculate a nut's size too, so that you would
choose the right wrench or socket the first time.

Please educate me a little...what do you think? Do the "old fashioned"
plain metal calipers, the ones that look sort of like a compass used for
circle-drawing, have any advantages? I think in high school I used one of
those and then held it up to a ruler (for some turning work).

Thanks
Bill

Bill wrote:
Ever since I read a few weeks ago about building a router sled, I thought
that a caliper (digital?) might be a useful tool to have around. For
instance, in the article I read, they used a caliper to measure the distance
between steel rods emanating from the router base.

In looking at them online, I've noticed quite a range. Some are over $100.
Inexpensive stainless-steel ones are available for about $14.00. HB has a
different one on sale this week for $9.99. Junk? Accurate enough for
woodworking?

I have two dial calipers left over from a previous life. One is a
stainless steel version that reads in fractions, the other is a 6"
Starrett. They usually gather dust, as the more woodworking I do, the
more ways I find to direct mark without measuring at all.

The most useful caliper in my shop is this:
http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/11869

I can carry it in the apron, and measure inside and outside with plenty
of accuracy.

As a newbie, there's going to be plenty to spend money on that's much
more useful than a dial caliper.

"Bill" wrote in
:


Ever since I read a few weeks ago about building a router sled, I
thought that a caliper (digital?) might be a useful tool to have
around. For instance, in the article I read, they used a caliper to
measure the distance between steel rods emanating from the router
base.

In looking at them online, I've noticed quite a range. Some are over
$100. Inexpensive stainless-steel ones are available for about $14.00.
HB has a different one on sale this week for $9.99. Junk? Accurate
enough for woodworking? At this point I don't even have a workspace,
but I have been collecting a few tools. I can imagine using such a
tool also to help measure the width of a guitar neck that I intend to
carve (rasp). Seems like it might be useful to calculate a nut's
size too, so that you would choose the right wrench or socket the
first time.

Please educate me a little...what do you think? Do the "old
fashioned" plain metal calipers, the ones that look sort of like a
compass used for circle-drawing, have any advantages? I think in high
school I used one of those and then held it up to a ruler (for some
turning work).

Thanks
Bill



My calipers ran about $10 from Menards. They're Vernier calipers and I
find them useful for measuring here and there. What's really useful is
the ability to take an inside measurement, lock the calipers, then verify
that something I'm working on will fit.

I almost never use them in my straight woodworking projects. The
tolerances and sizes are more flexible and larger than the calipers.

Puckdropper
--
Marching to the beat of a different drum is great... unless you're in
marching band.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

"Bill" wrote in message
. ..

Ever since I read a few weeks ago about building a router sled, I thought
that a caliper (digital?) might be a useful tool to have around. For
instance, in the article I read, they used a caliper to measure the
distance between steel rods emanating from the router base.

In looking at them online, I've noticed quite a range. Some are over
$100. Inexpensive stainless-steel ones are available for about $14.00.
HB has a different one on sale this week for $9.99. Junk? Accurate
enough for woodworking? At this point I don't even have a workspace, but
I have been collecting a few tools. I can imagine using such a tool also
to help measure the width of a guitar neck that I intend to carve (rasp).
Seems like it might be useful to calculate a nut's size too, so that you
would choose the right wrench or socket the first time.

Please educate me a little...what do you think? Do the "old fashioned"
plain metal calipers, the ones that look sort of like a compass used for
circle-drawing, have any advantages? I think in high school I used one of
those and then held it up to a ruler (for some turning work).

Thanks
Bill

I have used the plain slide caliper, a cheap dial caliper, a more expensive
stainless steel dial caliper that measured in 64th's and several months ago
I bought a Lee Valley digital display to .0005", fraction to 1/128, and
metric stainless steel caliper. The longer I have it the more I use it. I
thought I would never use the metric mode but it comes in real handy when
using my Festool Domino. I pretty much use it daily. I bought it at the
introductory price of $29.99, IIRC it is now about $40.

"Leon" wrote

metric stainless steel caliper. The longer I have it the more I use it.
I
thought I would never use the metric mode but it comes in real handy when
using my Festool Domino. I pretty much use it daily.

Have you seen all those "jigs" for the Domino in the latest Woodhaven
catalog?


--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 12/14/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Wed, Jan 16, 2008, 7:07am (B*A*R*R*Y)
doth sayeth:
snip The most useful caliper in my shop is this:
http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/11869 snip

Yep. Except mine's a el cheapo plastic model.



JOAT
10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President
- Bumper Sticker
I don't have a problem with a woman president - just not Hillary.

On Jan 15, 10:40*pm, "Bill" wrote:
Ever since I read a few weeks ago about building a router sled, I thought
that a caliper (digital?) might be a useful tool to have around. * For
instance, in the article I read, they used a caliper to measure the distance
between steel rods emanating from the router base.

In looking at them online, I've noticed quite a range. *Some are over $100.

"Swingman" wrote in message
...

"Leon" wrote

metric stainless steel caliper. The longer I have it the more I use it.
I
thought I would never use the metric mode but it comes in real handy when
using my Festool Domino. I pretty much use it daily.

Have you seen all those "jigs" for the Domino in the latest Woodhaven
catalog?


Geez no! soooo, it went to the site just now and only see the Domino Kit
966D which is a version similar to what I already have. Are there more in
the catalog? Would that be the Fall 2007 catalog?

"Leon" wrote in message

"Swingman" wrote in message


"Leon" wrote

metric stainless steel caliper. The longer I have it the more I use
it.
I
thought I would never use the metric mode but it comes in real handy
when
using my Festool Domino. I pretty much use it daily.

Have you seen all those "jigs" for the Domino in the latest Woodhaven
catalog?


Geez no! soooo, it went to the site just now and only see the Domino Kit
966D which is a version similar to what I already have. Are there more
in
the catalog? Would that be the Fall 2007 catalog?

It may have been the Fall, although I think I just got in December 07.

Looks like they may have modified one of their multiple part, "biscuit
cutter" jigs for the Domino. IIRC, all the paraphernalia for the Domino took
up a couple of pages.

I'll see if I still have it and save it for you.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 12/14/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)

"Swingman" wrote in message
...
Looks like they may have modified one of their multiple part, "biscuit
cutter" jigs for the Domino. IIRC, all the paraphernalia for the Domino
took
up a couple of pages.

I'll see if I still have it and save it for you.


I'd appreciate that.



--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 12/14/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Bill wrote:
Ever since I read a few weeks ago about building a router sled, I thought
that a caliper (digital?) might be a useful tool to have around. For
instance, in the article I read, they used a caliper to measure the distance
between steel rods emanating from the router base.

In looking at them online, I've noticed quite a range. Some are over $100.
Inexpensive stainless-steel ones are available for about $14.00. HB has a
different one on sale this week for $9.99. Junk? Accurate enough for
woodworking?

Likely accurate enough for woodworking.

I bought the Lee Valley digital calipers. Some of the things I've used
them for:

--checking mortise depth (combination square also works)
--checking drill hole depths (hard to fit a combo square in there)
--checking tenons to make sure they're the same width and thickness at
various points (big bed frame members, awkward to test-fit)
--checking plywood thickness to set up dado stack with fewer test cuts
--checking plane shaving thicknesses (for bragging rights)

Chris

Go with the HF one, other places sell the same on for 30.00 plus, all the do
is add some nice stickers. Accuracy is plus/minus 0.01mm/0.0005". More
accuracy than you will ever need.

Jim Simmons


"Bill" wrote in message
. ..

Ever since I read a few weeks ago about building a router sled, I thought
that a caliper (digital?) might be a useful tool to have around. For
instance, in the article I read, they used a caliper to measure the
distance between steel rods emanating from the router base.

In looking at them online, I've noticed quite a range. Some are over
$100. Inexpensive stainless-steel ones are available for about $14.00.
HB has a different one on sale this week for $9.99. Junk? Accurate
enough for woodworking? At this point I don't even have a workspace, but
I have been collecting a few tools. I can imagine using such a tool also
to help measure the width of a guitar neck that I intend to carve (rasp).
Seems like it might be useful to calculate a nut's size too, so that you
would choose the right wrench or socket the first time.

Please educate me a little...what do you think? Do the "old fashioned"
plain metal calipers, the ones that look sort of like a compass used for
circle-drawing, have any advantages? I think in high school I used one of
those and then held it up to a ruler (for some turning work).

Thanks
Bill

Thank you for all of the thoughtful replies to my question!

Bill

HF has a coupon this week for their 6" digital steel caliper. A great buy
IMO.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47257

On the web it's 15.99, but they sent out a coupon for 9.99.

I think I have the same one.. and it's plenty accurate enough for all ww
tasks.

For $10 I'd get one. In fact I may get another


"Bill" wrote in message
. ..

Ever since I read a few weeks ago about building a router sled, I thought
that a caliper (digital?) might be a useful tool to have around. For
instance, in the article I read, they used a caliper to measure the
distance between steel rods emanating from the router base.

In looking at them online, I've noticed quite a range. Some are over
$100. Inexpensive stainless-steel ones are available for about $14.00.
HB has a different one on sale this week for $9.99. Junk? Accurate
enough for woodworking? At this point I don't even have a workspace, but
I have been collecting a few tools. I can imagine using such a tool also
to help measure the width of a guitar neck that I intend to carve (rasp).
Seems like it might be useful to calculate a nut's size too, so that you
would choose the right wrench or socket the first time.

Please educate me a little...what do you think? Do the "old fashioned"
plain metal calipers, the ones that look sort of like a compass used for
circle-drawing, have any advantages? I think in high school I used one of
those and then held it up to a ruler (for some turning work).

Thanks
Bill

"Kevin" writes:
HF has a coupon this week for their 6" digital steel caliper. A great buy
IMO.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47257

On the web it's 15.99, but they sent out a coupon for 9.99.

I think I have the same one.. and it's plenty accurate enough for all ww
tasks.

For $10 I'd get one. In fact I may get another

What is the coupon code? Usually with HF if you know the magic 3
alphanumeric final characters then you get the right price

"Kevin" writes:
HF has a coupon this week for their 6" digital steel caliper. A great buy
IMO.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47257

On the web it's 15.99, but they sent out a coupon for 9.99.

I think I have the same one.. and it's plenty accurate enough for all ww
tasks.

For $10 I'd get one. In fact I may get another


I have had the same one for about 2 years. It works well for me and
even if it is not accurate to 0.001" as claimed -- even if it is 10
times less acurate -- it is still good enough for me.

I often use it for measuring screw and drill bit diameters.

I have not been as pleased with the even cheaper all-plastic
version. I belive it has resolution down to only .01" which is a lot
when ur measuring drill bits in 64ths.

"Kevin" wrote in message
...
HF has a coupon this week for their 6" digital steel caliper. A great buy
IMO.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47257

On the web it's 15.99, but they sent out a coupon for 9.99.


I picked one up today and am very impressed with the apparent quality. I
feel like I got a bargain.

While I was there I noticed they had a "marking gauge" (for marking mortises
and such) for $11.99. I wasn't sure whether that was a bargain or not.
What do you think?

Bill

I'm going tomorrow.. I'll have a look. Honestly, though, I don't do enough
of that to warrant any credibility on it's value.

A coworker put me onto the calipers. Seems like mostly stainless.. the jaws
seem to close flat.. and repeat measures come out consistently.


"Bill" wrote in message
...

"Kevin" wrote in message
...
HF has a coupon this week for their 6" digital steel caliper. A great
buy IMO.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47257

On the web it's 15.99, but they sent out a coupon for 9.99.


I picked one up today and am very impressed with the apparent quality. I
feel like I got a bargain.

While I was there I noticed they had a "marking gauge" (for marking
mortises and such) for $11.99. I wasn't sure whether that was a bargain
or not. What do you think?

Bill