# Do you have an "odd leg" caliper?



## HMF (Jul 28, 2011)

Do you find this tool useful to own?

What types of things do you use it for?


Thanks,



Nelson


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## george wilson (Jul 29, 2011)

Sometimes the old timers called them "morphy" calipers. I have a few. If you notice,most old machinist's dividers have 1 leg longer than the other,to enable them to also do what morphy calipers do.


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## ariscats (Apr 28, 2013)

*Re: Do you have an "odd leg" caliper?*

Some times they are called "Jenny" calipers usually in England.Of course i hope we are talking about
the same item.I use mine for marking distances from an edge,especially for sheet metal work.
 I also have seen them described as "hermaphrodite calipers". Another use is to find the center
of a round piece by the three,or four,arcs method
Having  only one comment to the thread for two years,looks like the tool is relatively unknown,
or otherwise unpopular.
Ariscats


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## 4GSR (Apr 28, 2013)

*Re: Do you have an "odd leg" caliper?*

Most machinists now days do very little "layout work" as they used to do many years ago. 

Same thing with using surface gages.  Most don't know what one is, just like the "odd leg" caliper.

We gotten used to modern conveniences of today that don't use tools of the past!


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## Bill Gruby (Apr 28, 2013)

*Re: Do you have an "odd leg" caliper?*

You mean these?? I use them all the time. These are Starrett, they can be used both ways. The odd leg can be rotated 180 degrees to get two straight legs. Very versatile tool.

 "Billy G"


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## onecut jimmy (Apr 28, 2013)

*Re: Do you have an "odd leg" caliper?*



george wilson said:


> Sometimes the old timers called them "morphy" calipers. I have a few. If you notice,most old machinist's dividers have 1 leg longer than the other,to enable them to also do what morphy calipers do.


I can absolutely tell you what the "OLD TIME" Machinist called them 
They are hermaphrodites we call them morphadites. 
They are half caliper and half scriber for marking the distance from an edge in. When I say *we *call them it's because I am an old time machinist 
having over 70 years experience


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## twstoerzinger (Apr 28, 2013)

*Re: Do you have an "odd leg" caliper?*

Here's another Starrett version from my wife's grandfather's toolbox.
This one has an adjustable length scribe.
It also has a "fine tuning" knob to adjust the distance - just a conical thumbscrew running against a small cone on the arm.
The patent date is 1895.






Terry S.


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## Ray C (Apr 28, 2013)

*Re: Do you have an "odd leg" caliper?*

Well, I guess I'm an old geezer too because my 2-3 sets of "Old-time" calipers are used on a daily basis.  I'm 53... Uh oh, what's going to happen when I get more experience .





onecut jimmy said:


> I can absolutely tell you what the "OLD TIME" Machinist called them
> They are hermaphrodites we call them morphadites.
> They are half caliper and half scriber for marking the distance from an edge in. When I say *we *call them it's because I am an old time machinist
> having over 70 years experience


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## ariscats (Apr 29, 2013)

*Re: Do you have an "odd leg" caliper?*



Ray C said:


> Well, I guess I'm an old geezer too because my 2-3 sets of "Old-time" calipers are used on a daily basis.  I'm 53... Uh oh, what's going to happen when I get more experience .



I know what is going to happen because i am 67 but i will not tell you.It is a
secret between us old timers. LOL.

To all that responded: It looks like my post stirred something about "morphs".
Thank you all especially for the fine photos.
Ariscats


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## ariscats (Apr 30, 2013)

*Re: Do you have an "odd leg" caliper?*

If the word"Hermaphrodite" sounds Greek to you you are absolutely right.
The word comes from the name Hermes (Mercury in Latin and English) and the name Aphrodite
(Venus). It is an attempt to point that this calipers is not a pair but something of
a mixed genre,male and female at the same time,besides representing two of the
most beautiful Gods in mythology.

Ariscats


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## toolman49 (May 1, 2013)

*Re: Do you have an "odd leg" caliper?*

G'Day Fellas,
For layout lines I use a modified (some would say mutilated) $10.00 Chinese caliper
	

		
			
		

		
	



Regards,
Martin


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## Codered741 (May 7, 2013)

*Re: Do you have an "odd leg" caliper?*

I find them very useful for making scribe marks on lathe pieces.  Primarily for making lots of the same parted off piece.  

-Cody


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