What kind of accuracy can one expect from older Starrett tools?

I use my 24" calipers almost never, once every couple years. Mine is a dial type, but vernier would be every bit as good for how often I use it. My 6" calipers are used multiple times just about every day. They are electronic, and I would have no other type for that length. Still, you do want accuracy. R.J.'s post is right on...
 
Bob Korves said:
My 6" calipers are used multiple times just about every day
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yep the 6" are definitely the one that gets used the most, like 99% of the time. The Mitutoyo Solar powered calipers are great because I never have to worry about the batteries and because they are electronic, I can move back and forth between Imperial and Metric with a button push.
 
I have the old no122 12" length. I love it, but don't use it much. Think I paid maybe $50 delivered. My go to is a 6" dial caliper. I also have an 8" digital that rarely gets used. I like the dial.

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Brockwood, either you have the long jaws or I have the short ones. On second thought, if yours is only 12 inches long....

I have 5 of the 6" HF $10 digital calipers, use them daily, scattered about the shop so I don't have to hunt. I also have a 10 in Federal vernier caliper. I used the 24" when I built my pseudo-Gerstner box. For measuring among other things, the front panel. It has about .015 clearance.

Mine was priced at $25, but my employer had a policy of paying half the cost of our tools. They also gave me $230,000 upon retirement, accumulated bonuses and interest.
 
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[U]T Bredehoft[/U] the Op's find is on screen in the background of my pic. You are right, there is apparently a short & a long jaw version. This no122 seems to apply to several variations. I keep mechanical pencils in the office, music room, woodshed & machine shop & calipers in 3 of those places as well!
 
Made me laugh - we are an old bunch that still uses mechanical pencils and vernier calipers, aren't we? Remember when our arms were enough to hold and read a book or when you could write your name in the snow? I remember climbing mountains and now I'm doing well just to climb the stairs to go take a nap. Time has passed but man, it's been an awesome ride!
 
Since you put it like that mikey .... I too had to laugh. We are productive regardless of the means though. So we plan for our trips up the stairs to maximize our efficiency & run everything we can on the rotary table before lifting up a heavy vise to finish those parts. Just working smarter right???
 
That's what I keep telling myself, and anyone else who will listen ... I'm working smarter, not harder. I used to lift my Tru-Cut mower over the wall of my yard and put it in the back of my truck to go get it sharpened. Now I use a hydraulic lift table to do it and I say it's just to make it easier but the truth is that I can't risk injury anymore. It's sad but if I didn't laugh at myself for this sort of thing, I would be depressed!
 
We must be able to laugh at ourselves, out loud, looking at ourselves in the mirror, straight in the eyes. We laugh for fun, laugh for success, laugh for making it through another day. It is quite a ride, and the longer it gets, the more fascinating it gets. Even the sad and disappointing bits. Can't win a race any more, but also don't need to any more...
 
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