Adam Savage’s Favorite Tools: Dial Caliper
Many of you have asked about the tools used in One Day Builds and seen around Adam’s workshop, so we’re starting a new series putting a spotlight on some of Adam’s favorite and most essential tools. Adam starts with his favorite calipers, and explains why it’s like having a superpower–to precisely measure!
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I was taught to use a vernier caliper at school and that’s what I’ve always used. I’ve been thinking about some day getting a digital one, but have been reluctant because of the battery issue. I never realized there’s also the accuracy issue.
Any chance you can leave a link to where we can find that caliper? 🙂
In my job as a product engineer/model maker I found myself switching between in/mm constantly so everyone in the shop uses digital calipers. Only one problem: I hate digital calipers because the batteries always die!
A few years ago I stumbled upon an incredible product: a DUAL UNIT DIAL CALIPER.
It has one needle for imperial and a second needle for metric. Absolutely changed my life because now, not only can I measure in both sets of units, but I can clearly and immediately see what standard parts were created in AND convert instantly between the two visually (eg, I can look at the dial and immediately tell that 1″ = 25.4mm)
Easily my favourite measuring instrument.
I couldn’t agree more. My caliper is probably one of the most used tools I have. Mine’s a traditional vernier scale too but that works fine (and on occasion might even mean I could measure somewhere where the dial housing would be in the way on a dial caliper). I did once buy a cheap set of digital calipers, the battery was flat within a week and the replacement died before I used them again. After that I threw them out and went back to the mechanical ones.
More videos like this please, although I’ll likely find that my tool wish list grows…
Mitutoyo has solar powered models. They’re pricy but no batteries ever.
Here are the items Adam is talking about in the video!
Dial Caliper https://amzn.to/35AQsBi
Brown & Sharpe Dial Caliper https://amzn.to/2R5QjAS
Mitutoyo Digital Caliper https://amzn.to/308uBAi
Disclaimer: Tested may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through the links here.
I agree with Adam about how you feel getting your first set of calipers.
I have a set of vernier calipers, dial calipers and Digital calipers. The dial are by far the best/most practical.
I remember how important I felt about the first project I was doing that needed a caliper. I no longer dealt in a grade school carpenters measurements, I had GRADUATED to decimals…a real man’s project. At least in my own mind.
A tip regarding digital calipers;. Cheaper calipers may have an auto shut-off feature but the circuit still draws power and will kill the battery. (I take the battery out of my cheap digitals after every use.) Higher quality digitals (Brown & Sharpe, Mitutoyo, etc) may cost over $100 but one of the benefits is a circuit that will preserve the battery when off. I’ve had quality digitals that have used the same battery for a year or more. Read reviews before buying.
I’ve got a dual unit dial caliper as well. A great tool for $35 on Amazon.
Love my calipers and use them almost every day. I bought mine for measuring the fiddling different dimensions of the artefacts I was studying but promptly stole them from my work office to use for making instead!