There are more measuring tools at my disposal than I know what to do with – short rulers, long rulers, tape measures, t-squares, combination squares, framing squares, and a bunch of specialty tools – but one stands above the rest as my all-time favorite: my Mitutoyo vernier caliper (model 530-312).
Don’t get me wrong, although I prefer to use vernier calipers as much as I can, I will still reach for a digital caliper when I need a quick and effortless measurement. It’s all about using the best tool for the job.
Calipers are available in a range of sizes, and I opted for Mitutoyo’s 6-inch model, the smallest typically available, because of its affordable price and the understanding that it could handle most of my precision measurement needs. There’s no need for something larger, at least not given the size of the parts I usually work with.
Calipers typically have jaws for making outside measurements.
