Calipers for Scribing Lines..Good or Bad?

Always have used my calipers to scribe lines when applicable . I don't scribe the material but only the dykem . Why not take advantage of their accuracy ? ( I don't practice this with any quality tools though , only older tools that I'm no longer connected to )
 
Why not buy a height gage? I've had one since the 1960s, a Starrett 12" with 50 division vernier and use it frequently, mostly on a surface plate; it goes beyond scribing the Dykem and will leave a scratch that a nicely sharpened prick punch can fall into. I have been using Dykem less as time passes, especially for small work; a black felt tip pen works even better, dries quicker and does not flake off like Dykem sometimes does.
 
Why not buy a height gage? I've had one since the 1960s, a Starrett 12" with 50 division vernier and use it frequently, mostly on a surface plate; it goes beyond scribing the Dykem and will leave a scratch that a nicely sharpened prick punch can fall into. I have been using Dykem less as time passes, especially for small work; a black felt tip pen works even better, dries quicker and does not flake off like Dykem sometimes does.
A height gage works great -- on a surface plate. Not so well on the welding bench or marking long stock for cutoffs or holes. Calipers can reach into pretty tight and awkward places to mark something. They are also really easy to preset and lock. I use my $8.00 (after discounts), five year old HF digital calipers all the time to mark things. I bought another at the same time at that price, still new in the box, the old one is still on its original battery, and it came with a spare. It is still totally useful and accurate enough for the things I use it on. I hope I outlive it...
 
A height gage works great -- on a surface plate. Not so well on the welding bench or marking long stock for cutoffs or holes. Calipers can reach into pretty tight and awkward places to mark something. They are also really easy to preset and lock. I use my $8.00 (after discounts), five year old HF digital calipers all the time to mark things. I bought another at the same time at that price, still new in the box, the old one is still on its original battery, and it came with a spare. It is still totally useful and accurate enough for the things I use it on. I hope I outlive it...
Why would we want to use calipers on the welding bench? For inexact layout, a steel rule and combination square!
 
Why would we want to use calipers on the welding bench? For inexact layout, a steel rule and combination square!
One of the best things about calipers is that they can be used one handed. Steel rule and combination square are also good, and traditional.
 
Here is another wrinkle; sooner or later, dial calipers will not repeat or the rack or pinion/ gearing gets messed up and not repairable; I had two that fell into that category and were near useless for any purposes. I repurposed them by removing the dials and gearing and on one, cut off the jaws and left the I.D. nibs, on the other I removed the nibs and cut the jaws shorter; I had a job where I needed to measure an internal recess in a hole, and another that needed a external measurement in a confined space; I set the calipers, or what remained of them to the job dimensions, locked them then removed them and measured the settings with other instruments.
 
I repurposed them by removing the dials and gearing and on one, cut off the jaws and left the I.D. nibs, on the other I removed the nibs and cut the jaws shorter; I had a job where I needed to measure an internal recess in a hole, and another that needed a external measurement in a confined space; I set the calipers, or what remained of them to the job dimensions, locked them then removed them and measured the settings with other instruments.

i like your thinking John! ;)
 
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