Thickness Calipers

[garrycs69]

Hi All

I am thinking of making a thickness calipers, I have seen a dial guage for sale and also a picture of a homemade calipers using a guage and timber structure. Has anyone got any experience of making a thickness calipers. Photos would be appreciated or web links.

Thanks

Garry

[Mattia]

I made this thing:

It's works OK. Going to rebuild the frame (make it a bit sturdier), since I sort of threw that one together from scrap in about 15 minutes, and that's what it looks like. Basically just some scrap bits of MDF screwed together, drilled a hole, done. It does work, though (ie, repeatable measurements that are virtually indistinguishable from each other.) Got the dial guage from Axminster in the UK, but there should be plenty of US options as well. Pretty cheap, too, and it does the trick.

Axminster:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/name/gauge/sfil...Gauge-21170.htm

[M_A_T_T]

Here is one I made:

http://files.photojerk.com/mmaatt/misc/newcaliper.jpg

It started out with a wooden frame a dial caliper, but I found these cool digital indicators at Lee Valley, and was able to weld up a sturdy steel frame at my work.

[soapbarstrat]

Matt, that's probably the nicest looking one I've seen. Gives me some ideas too. I could probably rig up something like that with metal round tubes, and bolts (because I have that stuff on hand). Won't look as nice as yours, but yours inspires me to be "industrial" about it, instead of all those others that look quite fragile and "girly".

[M_A_T_T]

Thanks. I also sandblasted it and painted it with an aluminum spray paint to get an anodized aluminum look (my original material of choice), then added some black square end cappers I found at homedepot. I have since added some rubbery feet to the ends of the legs so it doesn't slide around on my melamine topped workbench.