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Gauging Material thickness

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Al Hays

Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 42
Location: Gore, VA

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:26 am Post subject: Gauging Material thickness

Listers,

Any recommendations for the best tool for measuring the thickness of sheet aluminum?  Inexpensive is preferred if accuracy is reasonably good.

I don't trust my old eyes to tell the difference in thickness between unmarked pieces of sheet aluminum (6061-T6) without laying them on a flat piece of glass next to another piece of known thickness.  Not too hard to see a piece of .032 isn't .016 but not quite so easy with smaller pieces of .020, 025, etc. 

Sorry if this seems like a dumb question but maybe my display of ignorance can benefit some others.

Al Hays

N5892H and N701GH reserved

do not archive 

  [quote][b]

carlossa52(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:57 am Post subject: Gauging Material thickness

Years ago I bought a digital caliper on eBay. I just checked, and there are lots of them available in the $15-$25 range.

I think it's a good investment.



Carlos



2008/6/11 Al Hays <alhays(at)hickoryhillfarmsheep.com (alhays(at)hickoryhillfarmsheep.com)>:

 [quote]Listers,

 



Any recommendations for the best tool for measuring the thickness of sheet aluminum?  Inexpensive is preferred if accuracy is reasonably good.

 



I don't trust my old eyes to tell the difference in thickness between unmarked pieces of sheet aluminum (6061-T6) without laying them on a flat piece of glass next to another piece of known thickness.  Not too hard to see a piece of .032 isn't .016 but not quite so easy with smaller pieces of .020, 025, etc. 

 



Sorry if this seems like a dumb question but maybe my display of ignorance can benefit some others.

 



Al Hays

 N5892H and N701GH reserved

 

[b]

Peter Barthold

Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 25
Location: Germany

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 5:04 am Post subject: Re: Gauging Material thickness

Hi Al,

there is no such thing called "dumb question".

Some dare to ask, some don't  



The tool you want is a "digital caliper" 

I don't know about you in the States, over here in Germany they sell those for less than 15 Euros. 

Advantage of a digital caliper is, you don't have to calculate, you can interchange inch and mm and the digits are BIG.



Regards

Peter

601HDS Winkit in Progress

sky_ranger161

Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 91

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 5:08 am Post subject: Gauging Material thickness

Hey Al! 

  

Not a dumb question at all. Get yourself a dial caliper. You'll find a thousand uses for it - from measuring metal thickness to sizing bolts, measuring drill bits, etc. I wouldn't consider trying to build my airplane without one. 

  

Like anything, you can pay a little or a lot. Just remember that you get what you pay for. Mine was about $35 and works just fine. They have digital or analog (dial) ones available at any of the aircraft stores, Harbor Freight - those kinds of places. 

  

Hope this helps. 

  

Debo Cox 

Nags Head, NC 

XL/Corvair 

www.mykitlog.com/debo 

  

do not archive

 [quote][b]

bryanekholm

Joined: 16 May 2007
Posts: 25
Location: Minnesota

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 5:11 am Post subject: Re: Gauging Material thickness

Harbor Freight has a digital caliper on sale now for $19.99.  Check out their home page.



Bryan Ekholm

_________________
Bryan Ekholm

n4546v(at)mindspring.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 7:24 am Post subject: Gauging Material thickness

do not archive



I've bought a few HF digital calipers for sacrificial rough useage areas in

the plant where absolute accuracy wasn't necessay.  My experience is they

are battery hogs, however if you don't use it every day, battery life may be

acceptable.  One might consider a dial caliper.  Cheaper and haven't bought

a battery for one yet.



Regards,



Randy, Las Vegas



 	  Quote: 	
		   

<ekholmbk(at)lakedalelink.net>
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  

 Harbor Freight has a digital caliper on sale now for $19.99.  Check out

their home page.
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  

 Bryan Ekholm

raymondj(at)frontiernet.n
Guest

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 8:44 am Post subject: Gauging Material thickness

This is the tool for the job.



http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXNO=1759622&PMT4NO=44345283



Raymond Julian

Kettle River, MN



"Hope for the best,

but prepare for the worst."



---

Geoff Heap

Joined: 12 Jan 2006
Posts: 266
Location: Lindenwold, New Jersey

Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:49 am Post subject: Re: Gauging Material thickness

Hey Al. I recommend the caliper also but not the digital. The first thing that typically happens is that the battery goes dead. Buy the DIAL caliper. Even the cheapest one should last forever if you keep dirt out of the rack. 

Go to "mscdirect.com" and use the search feature for calipers. They have enough to confuse you. Cheapest I saw today is $30. They go on sale for less. Harbor freight probably has them cheaper but the quality may not be as good,,,Geoff

Geoff Heap

Joined: 12 Jan 2006
Posts: 266
Location: Lindenwold, New Jersey

Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:54 am Post subject: Re: Gauging Material thickness

Bryan suggested harbor freight. the CEN-TECH caliper that he refers to on sale now at $19. is a good buy...Geoff

FlyDad57(at)neo.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:35 am Post subject: Gauging Material thickness

I have had two of the digital calipers from HF for well over three years and 

have not replaced the battery in either of them.  They have battery saver 

functions that turn them off automatically to save the batteries.  I have 

had no troubles with either of them.  Pretty good buy.



Bob Taylor

---

sonar1@cox.net

Joined: 02 Oct 2007
Posts: 55
Location: Santa Barbara, Ca

Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:16 pm Post subject: Re: Gauging Material thickness

Get the dial caliper - not the digital that eats batteries. Only advantage is that they can read mm also. I have been using my dial caliper for ten years, for everything from aluminum thickness to drill sizes to hole sizes to   -  you name it. Use it every day, and never need to replace batteries.  You will find many many uses for it..............Fred Sanford...do not archive ....N9701

leinad

Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 283
Location: Central Virginia

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:43 am Post subject: Re: Gauging Material thickness

I have a warning about getting a cheapo dial caliper from Harbor Freight or Enco.. I bought one (I think it was from Enco) and it measures in hundredths, not thousandths of an inch.  What a piece of junk!  The brand was General.

Personally I like the digital ones.

Dan Dempsey

_________________
Scratch building XL with Corvair Engine

Al Hays

Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 42
Location: Gore, VA

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:53 am Post subject: Gauging Material thickness

After first posting the question I had to make a trip into town  

before seeing any responses.  Stopped at an Ace hardware coming back  

and picked up a cheap 6" dial caliper.   It apparently was the right  

choice according to most recommendations.  It does what I need it for  

well enough, though it is cheaply made.  It is also a General brand  

but measures in thousands (though maybe only accurate to hundreds).   

I also liked the disc style sheet and wire gage Raymond recommended  

and will probably get one.  I should have had one of these tools  

years ago when doing electrical, plumbing and even carpentry.  I  

intend to invest in a higher quality dial or digital caliper for more  

exacting jobs.

Thanks to all the listers who posted suggestions and their own  

experiences.  All good advice.



Al Hays

N5892H and N701GH reserved



Do not archive



On Jun 14, 2008, at 12:43 PM, leinad wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   



 I have a warning about getting a cheapo dial caliper from Harbor  

 Freight or Enco.. I bought one (I think it was from Enco) and it  

 measures in hundredths, not thousandths of an inch.  What a piece  

 of junk!  The brand was General.

 Personally I like the digital ones.

 Dan Dempsey

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