You can try this URL or if you can obtain a copy of The Department of the Army Technical Manual (TM 9-243) "Use and Care of Hand Tools and Measuring Tools"

Mike

• http://www.auto-met.com/mitutoyo/how_to_read_micrometers.htm

You can get mechanical digital micrometers, you know.

Older Rent-A-Bums may not be able to accommodate enough to read a vernier scale.  Maybe you need to rent younger ones, or use fixed gages instead.

Actually, if you're measuring tenths, the measurement is presumably important; you might consider hiring actual permanent technicians.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

Rob2488,

   I have an inch/metric vernier calipre, and an inch and a metric micrometer, both with vernier scales.  They are mine, and they are always available when I need them because nobody borrows them.  I like it that way.

   Think hard before teaching people how to use vernier tools.  :)

   Why is digital not an option?  Digital is more expensive if you are a cheapskate who knows Vernier and spending his own money.  An hour of training per new bum adds up eventually.  Digital is not that expensive.  

                           JHG

Thank you for your Post....I found the info the starrett site. I am just a Humble Quality Control Rep. just following order. We Require All Employees to Use Vernier Micrometer, its just a policy that we have. We need to measure to the tenth and Rent A' Bums is all we seem to get, either do to the state I live in or the fact pay scale isn't that great.

• http://www.starrett.com/pages/1292_reading_a_micrometer.cfm?outputtype=prin

You really need to talk to management about getting digital mics that go to half-tenths. If it's a dirty environment, they make ones that arent effected by oil/coolant. Probably less errors in a full day of production just because they are looking at digits instead of lines. This is cheaper than actually paying medical benefits and 401k matching and such. By the way, "Rent A Bums"? How unprofessional. But that's what you'll ALWAYS get when your company is too short-sighted (or rather, TOO CHEAP) to invest in a trained, competent workforce.

high0nfire,

   Rob2488 did not originally use the term "rent a bum".  MikeHalloran did, and I followed up on it.

   I am trying to recall when I was taught to read a vernier scale.  You look for the line that is closest to one of the lines on the main scale.  It must have been a two minute explanation.  If someone finds this difficult, I would question the value of having them inspect anything.  

   A valid point about digital scales is that you do not have to carefully examine the scale to read it.  Even a competent worker would be more productive if they were measuring a lot of stuff.

                               JHG

Before you start trying to measure to .0001"s, have a look at the cumulative errors on a standard micrometer. Iirc, the total error (on a brand new mic.) is around .0003".

Sure, you can read to .0001, or given a known reference part having the same geometry, compare, but you cannot "measure".

The above from many years ago in a metrology laboratory before a big argument starts!!


Cheers

Harry

OMG!!! what have I started here???
1.)Yes Rent a' Bums is not a very professional way to say Temps.
2.) Yes my comapny is not hot on spending money on Digital Mic's. When temp's walk off the job with them or drop them. it's kinda hard to get replacements bought.
3.) When we are compairing to the Tenth (aka .0001) we are usally working on a Aerospace or a High Grade Automotive part.
4.) I just wanted to find a easy Reference Guide to help the temp better understand how to read a Vernier Mic when the dollar,quarter,and penny method does not work. Figured this was a good place to start. Didn't expect to start a fight.  

Hi rob

look at :
http://verniermicrometer.com

click on vernier micrometer an read how it works.

succes

Harry

• http://verniermicrometer.com