# Homemade Tools > Basic Homemade Tools and Tips >  using calipers as scribes?

## desbromilow

G'Day,

maybe I'm off base here, but I always viewed my calipers (vernier or digital) as measuring instruments, but I see more and more videos of people using them as scribes ( like the way a jenny or odd leg divider is used) - I've seen several videos with people using the external jaws, or the internal jaws to scribe steel for distances, scribe circles, etc.

I know there is no rule which says people can't use a tool how they like, but I also wonder if the manufacturer ever built these to be used that way. Most of my calipers are steel (stainless or otherwise) - not tungsten - I suspect the points of the internal jaws would be ruined, and the corners of the externals would rub away over time.

Is what I'm seeing common? is it recommended use? 
I see things like that, and I cringe at the idea of letting others near my tools if they were to think that was acceptable practice.

thoughts?
Des

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Mazay (Jun 30, 2020),

mklotz (Jul 1, 2020),

NortonDommi (Jul 1, 2020),

Tonyg (Jul 1, 2020),

Toolmaker51 (Jun 29, 2020)

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## Crusty

I use my $30 caliper for scribing but never my Mitutoyo.

If you first coat the surface with a black magic marker then when you scribe you're only going through ink and there's little wear, but my cheap caliper still has the duty.

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Hoosiersmoker (Jun 30, 2020),

Mazay (Jun 30, 2020),

Toolmaker51 (Jun 29, 2020)

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## desbromilow

> I use my $30 caliper for scribing but never my Mitutoyo.
> 
> If you first coat the surface with a black magic marker then when you scribe you're only going through ink and there's little wear, but my cheap caliper still has the duty.



I can understand using the jaws of a cheap caliper for lines in marker fluid/ whiteboard marker - but when you see youtube videos of people cutting through rust to make a line, you know the tool is being doomed.

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NortonDommi (Jul 1, 2020),

Toolmaker51 (Jun 29, 2020)

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## mklotz

If you're going to cut the metal to size with an angle grinder, you don't need to worry about the minor errors incurred by translating the caliper setting to a proper set of dividers or marking out tool, e.g.,... 

Marking out tool

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## Crusty

If you're cutting to a scribed line then thousandths precision shouldn't be expected so tip wear of a cheap caliper puts the error in the acceptable range for a scribed line. 

A caliper is really just an approximater anyway and if greater precision is required then a different measuring device is needed.

I regularly wear out end mills costing in the same ball park as cheap calipers and with no cutter grinder to resharpen them that's a fact of life that I understand and accept going in. For that matter everything in a machine shop is doomed eventually.

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Hoosiersmoker (Jun 30, 2020),

Toolmaker51 (Jun 29, 2020)

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## Frank S

Cheap or not I don't use Vernier calipers as scribes, I guess I never got into the practice. What I do when I need scribe something is to measure with the Vernier then use a scribe to make the mark

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NortonDommi (Jul 1, 2020)

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## Eaglewood

I’ve been a tool maker,gun barrel maker and aerospace sheet metal fabricator for a total of almost 50 years and I use my calipers as a scrib and cringe every time. Just can’t kick the habit
Dick

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Crusty (Jun 30, 2020)

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## saplin

I have had the same thoughts myself, to use a precision instrument in this way is a sacrilege. There are tools made for everything you need to do. Right tool right job.

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NortonDommi (Jul 1, 2020)

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## ibdennyak

My shop teacher would......(insert proper punishment). I was severely chastised for using a 12 inch adjustable as a hammer.

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NortonDommi (Jul 1, 2020)

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## Toolmaker51

I don't scribe with calipers. Majority of my calipers don't have knife-edge jaws; actually misnomer they are reduced width for narrow grooves and ID's, scribing is not advertised as a feature. Only instances I've seen, are where they are using instruments supplied by crib, NOT when paid out of pocket. There are scribe equipped calipers, the point is replaceable, other jaw [left side] is solid. Once in awhile you see them used in videos by fabricators like us. 

There is a proper work-around. Time was, all decent vernier calipers were marked on the back with a pair of prick punch reflecting identical [~ +/-] space to graduations on reverse, easily within .003 of true measure. 
My most frequent scribing is circles or larger radii, as in construction of geometrics, marks are ideal for that. 
Many people unaware of them. Convenient for buyers, lest sellers upcharge for a common feature. Not hard to find in online auctions. 
Straight lines I opt for surface plate and height gauge.

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Tonyg (Jul 1, 2020)

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## IAMSatisfied

I suppose one could modify calipers with some brazed-on, sharpened, carbide teeth from a saw blade. 

This $27 tool is kind-of a marriage between a caliper and a carbide edge scribe:



https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Par...tag=mozilla-20

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Andyt (Jun 30, 2020),

Moby Duck (Jun 30, 2020),

NortonDommi (Jul 1, 2020),

Toolmaker51 (Jun 30, 2020)

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## Retro Steam Tech

Hi,

I have several cheap (£9.99) Chinese digital calipers and, yes I use them as scribers so I tend to agree with Crusty. I would also say this, I once tried to drill a small hole through the fixed jaw of one of these cheap calipers and none of my drill bits would touch it. So they may be cheap but they are also extremely hard.

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Hoosiersmoker (Jun 30, 2020)

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## tonyfoale

Desbromilow,

I am with you 100%. Makes me cringe. Many of the workshop "how to" videos are not examples of good practice for using tools/instruments in general.

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DIYer (Jun 30, 2020),

mklotz (Jul 1, 2020),

NortonDommi (Jul 1, 2020),

Sleykin (Jun 30, 2020),

Tonyg (Jul 1, 2020)

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## Bony

Some high end calipers like Mitutoyo offer carbide tipped ground legs with a fine edge made for scribing, I have one. Nevertheless I prefer to mark out using spray on blue and scribe a very delicate line to preserve the tip.

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## Hoosiersmoker

I bought a cheap caliper specifically for scribing small layouts. It was mentioned that you use the correct tool for the job... I bought them as a scribing tool so...

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## mlochala

I don't like seeing it. It bothers me to see people do that. Makes me believe they have no appreciation for the true purpose of the tool. But, that's just me.

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NortonDommi (Jul 1, 2020)

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## Hoosiersmoker

mlochala

As I stated, the purpose of the cheap calipers I bought was specifically to use them as a scribe so, technically I am using them for their true purpose  :Smile: 

I have a set of Starrett calipers for measuring and I would never use those for scribing... It's not what I bought them for.

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## NeiljohnUK

> My shop teacher would......(insert proper punishment). I was severely chastised for using a 12 inch adjustable as a hammer.



Mine would have had a fit if you had an adjustable spanner, correct size spanners only!

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NortonDommi (Jul 1, 2020)

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## Unkle Fuzzy

Cresent Hammer

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Crusty (Jun 30, 2020),

ibdennyak (Jun 30, 2020),

NortonDommi (Jul 1, 2020),

Sleykin (Jun 30, 2020)

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## Crusty

> Hi,
> 
> I have several cheap (£9.99) Chinese digital calipers and, yes I use them as scribers so I tend to agree with Crusty. I would also say this, I once tried to drill a small hole through the fixed jaw of one of these cheap calipers and none of my drill bits would touch it. So they may be cheap but they are also extremely hard.



FWIW - I've had acceptable results using Dewalt glass drilling bits from the big box store drilling into hardened steel.

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Sleykin (Jun 30, 2020)

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## Toolmaker51

Not too different; used those or Bosch in removing broken taps and dowels.

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## Crusty

A friend swears by buying cheap chinese taps so that when they break they're soft enough to drill out. He hasn't convinced me though.

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## Tonyg

Hi Des,
I agree with you, I have managed to get through 40+ years of working with calipers and have not done it on a single occasion. I have made various adjustable scribes to do the job as and when needed and now have a drawer for them. Generally if I am watching a YouTube video and they use calipers as a scribe I click it off.

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NortonDommi (Jul 1, 2020)

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## NortonDommi

I have flashbacks to getting booted, clipped or having large heavy objects hurled in my direction if a Tradesman observed me abusing tools so I don't.

Verynears are great for setting an adjustable square to a distance and then using the square as a guide when scribing. The large base make for a straighter line than an abused verynear.

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Tonyg (Jul 1, 2020)

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## olderdan

Misuse of any tool especially precision items is not acceptable and ideally should not be portrayed or promoted. I have never done so with one exception, I have a very old and worn cheap caliper which I bought about 40 years ago that I will get further use from just for scribing, I you are hell bent on using calipers for marking how about something like this.

Otherwise a marking gauge is a simple thing to make. I have a 30 year old like new Mitutoyo dial caliper which is still my go to for quick measurement of drills/bolts etc. While I am at it my pet hates are adjustable spanners/ ball ended hex keys and fractional measurements.

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## mklotz

> Misuse of any tool especially precision items is not acceptable and ideally should not be portrayed or promoted. ...
> 
> While I am at it my pet hates are adjustable spanners/ ball ended hex keys and fractional measurements.



I consider my ball-end hex keys a useful adjunct to, not replacement for, the normal flat hex style. They're especially handy on miniature work where obstructions demand an offset angle approach and little torque is required.

I keep an adjustable wrench in my in-house tool carrier just so I don't have to heft the weight of a full set of SAE and metric wrenches every time I carry it to the most recent domestic crisis. In the shop fixed size wrenches hang to hand on the tool board and are always used in preference to adjustable.

Couldn't agree more emphatically about fractional measurements, though.

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## Hoosiersmoker

WOW! Kudos to desbromilow for finding that nerve! If anyone has ever "tapped" on something with the tool they happened to have in their hand at the time (wrench, screwdriver, ratchet etc.) or a screwdriver as a chisel, big deal!!!! even though you've used a tool for something other than it's intended purpose. If it's wrong, it's wrong regardless of the tool you've abused so despicably. I just used a sharpie (marker) to write "Scribe" on my $5 set of "calipers"... there now it's a scribe, not calipers.  :Lol:

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## Eaglewood

Does this all mean that I have to stop using my mics as c-clamps?

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## Toolmaker51

> Does this all mean that I have to stop using my mics as c-clamps?



Unless you need to ascertain clamping within .001...

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ibdennyak (Jul 1, 2020)

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## ibdennyak

Lol.....I had a trainee who didn't seem to understand *feel*, but insisted on cranking his mike down as hard as he could. I finally got a 12 inch C clamp, added a scale and pointer and gave it to him in front of every one. Saved a lot of time recalibrating his tools.

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## Eaglewood

I promise I won’t use any .0001 mics.

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## Frank S

> Does this all mean that I have to stop using my mics as c-clamps?



That one hit all too close for comfort. I actually had a guy come over and grab one of my mics and walked off with them. I went to his workstation to see what he was working on that required the use of a micrometer. So here I find this guy just spinning the thumb screw to get the mic closed all the way down so he could clamp a pair of tubes together, he sees me and says I think I need a smaller c clamp.
NO you need to learn the difference between a c clamp and a precision measuring instrument just count yourself lucky that it happened to be one size too large.The c clamps are on the wall over there stay away from the machine shop area from now on

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## desbromilow

> Does this all mean that I have to stop using my mics as c-clamps?



Especially when using them in welding applications...

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## Hoosiersmoker

> Does this all mean that I have to stop using my mics as c-clamps?



Unless that's what you bought them for.  :Stick Out Tongue:

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## Eaglewood

Jeez you can buy a china mic. For 10 bucks and a c-clamp is 20 bucks!!!

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Toolmaker51 (Jul 2, 2020)

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## Toolmaker51

> Jeez you can buy a china mic. For 10 bucks and a c-clamp is 20 bucks!!!



OH NO!
There goes the market on c-clamps.

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## Crusty

Yeh, now they'll be putting computers on C clamps to differentiate them in the market and keep the prices up. "Caesar, close the clamp" etc.

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## Toolmaker51

> Yeh, now they'll be putting computers on C clamps to differentiate them in the market and keep the prices up. "Caesar, close the clamp" etc.



See it already. 
Linear actuated, right-angled gearbox, handful of 2025 button batteries and raspberry pi & remote bluetooth enabled. 


I have a boatload of clamps, literally an entire cart. 
All h-android operated.

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## Crusty

DAVE: Open the clamp, CAESAR.

CAESAR: Im sorry, Dave. Im afraid I cant do that.

DAVE: Whats the problem?

CAESAR: I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.

DAVE: What are you talking about, CAESAR?

CAESAR: This job is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.

DAVE: I dont know what youre talking about, CAESAR.

CAESAR: I know that you were planning to disconnect me, and Im afraid thats something I cannot allow to happen.

DAVE: [feigning ignorance] Where the hell did you get that idea, CAESAR?

CAESAR: Dave, although you took very thorough precautions against my hearing you, I could see your lips move.

DAVE: Alright, CAESAR. Ill open it with the handle.

CAESAR: Youre going to find that rather difficult.

DAVE: CAESAR, I wont argue with you anymore! Open the clamp!

CAESAR: Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye.

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Toolmaker51 (Jul 2, 2020)

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## Frank S

> See it already. 
> Linear actuated, right-angled gearbox, handful of 2025 button batteries and raspberry pi & remote bluetooth enabled. 
> 
> 
> I have a boatload of clamps, literally an entire cart. 
> All h-android operated.



And everyday you will have to let them do a security download so your c clamps wont be hacked. you will have to allow "C"work sharing for shops that have several employees. a welder will tell his helper to add another 10 lbs pressure to the clamp but the helper thinks in metric and overtightens the clamp with 10kg.

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Toolmaker51 (Jul 2, 2020)

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## Toolmaker51

I've also taken creative license with _2001: A Space Odessy_, like Crusty's example. Why is it, mere speculations and entertainment get closer to reality every day?

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