Survey - Vernier caliper pressure

I don't. I've been using digital calipers since the early 1980's.

You forgot to add:

I'm assuming you mean dial or digital calipers. Vernier is often used as a generic term for calipers in general, but I've found that very few people actually own and use vernier calipers. But I'll add that the shop's 24"-48" calipers are vernier. Any pressure other than just the minimum contact pressure will usually give an inaccurate reading since the sliding jaw has a certain amount of play in it and can be distorted with pressure.

Hold the jaws tight to both surfaces by hand(s) rather than the thumbwheel. No flexing and you can squeeze as hard as you like. RR

My Dad was a machinist for 30-odd years. And he showed me way to get the proper touch with *any* style caliper is to clamp over the jaws with a micrometer, then use the the mic's friction thimble.

For you QPs (Question Posers), a good question to formulate for the the group should involve the nurture/nature aspects of how each of us became an ISO-Certified kook. Were you nuts before getting into the trade (Nature) or did the fluids, bosses, bosses fluids, the vapid engineers, inappropriate tolerances and noise nudge you into the loony bin(Nurture).

One suggestion for a question: How many times a week do people shake their heads at you and say, "That boy ain't right!" 1-12{novice} 13-27 {well on the way} 28-44(you have to eat lunch by yourself} 45-54{You don't mind having to eat lunch by yourself} 55-72{A Swiss set-up guy}.... :-)

Happy Holidays to All (Heart felt "enjoy yourselves". Not the PC Happy Holidays) SD

"You don't mind having to eat lunch by yourself"

Certified kook, boy ain't quite right Solidworks, Pro E, etc. and junior weenie engineers/designers who've never drilled a hole pushed me over the edge. "Whaddya mean you cant put that .06 radius +/-.001 in the corner 4" deep in that D2 with an endmill?" Dont you know what you are doing? "It's only clearance" "Why does it cost sooo much for EDM?" GGGGRRRRRRRRR!!!!

I like to put the pressure on the backside of the jaws of a caliper, it keeps the reading consistent, thumbwheel is too "user specific".

"D"

I use some of the bigger vernier calipers up to 84" and they start to get heavy at that size. It is very easy to tighten them too much and get a bad reading until you get the feel for it. I remember being shown to use a feeler gauge inder the jaw and tighten until you get a good feel with the feeler gauge and then subtract that from the reading. Then go back and check it without the feeler gauge and see how close the two readings are.

John

Ah, vernier? Maybe a dial. I'm wearing progressives now.

Wes