What Happened To These Calipers?...

[BCB]

http://i40.tinypic.com/20pzrz6.jpg

If the pic posts, you will notice that the "zero" on it is no longer at the top of the dial...

I had to turn the dial to get the needle and zero to hit at the same place...

Can this be adjusted, by a professional, to have the zero at the top and the needle on it, when the calipers are completely closed?...

Just happened this afternoon...

Thanks...BCB

[GRUMPA]

It skipped a tooth probably from a chip while it was being used. And it can be fixed kinda simply. Just do a search in this section there have been a couple of threads on it recently.

[BCB]

It skipped a tooth probably from a chip while it was being used. And it can be fixed kinda simply. Just do a search in this section there have been a couple of threads on it recently.

That sounds like what happened...

I do remember a bit of a "crunch" or something like that when it happened...

Maybe a piece of dirt on the tooth track?...

It's been a good caliper. I hate to see it messed up...

I will attempt to find how to adjust...

Thanks...BCB

[Butler Ford]

Should have come with a small metal "leaf" to adjust it with. I'm sure I would have measured it but have no recollection of its thickness. it just goes between the gear on the dial and the teeth on the track and allows the dial to be corrected.
can cut your own out of a very thin feeler guage.

BF

[ElDorado]

It should still measure okay. I have a drawer at work that has many similar calipers. Unless it really bothers you, you could leave it as is.

ETA: It would bother me, and I would fix it.:wink:

[engineer401]

The same happened to mine when a kid dropped it on the concrete floor. It still measures well.

[w5pv]

Butler Ford has it correct easy fix.Take small paint brush and some very light air and clean them good first.Most of the time it is a small bit of trash that causes it to skip a tooth.position the needle to where you want it to read turn the dial to it and insert the little tool.You will know when it is right the whole head assembly will just skid along until it hits the stop.You can do this until you get it corrected the way you want it.The little tool is easy to make just take piece of shim/feeler gauge about .0015 to .003 and cut it about a 1/8" wide and long enough to slide it in between the gear rail and head.

[W.R.Buchanan]

My first calipers were Starrett brand and they were my first costly mistake in machine shop land. The problem with these tools is that the rack is not covered like it is with most other calipers. They came with a little leaf tool which is inserted into and under the pinion gear and then you basically mess with it until the needle is pointing in the direction you want.

This was caused by getting a chip or other piece of dirt in the works, and it is a common thing to have happen.

These were not cheap tools and the fact that they still haven't corrected the problem is annoying. I usually only buy Starrett brand layout tools like squares, scales and punches and the like. I don't care for their measuring tools anymore since I discovered Swiss Mikes and Mitutoyo calipers.

Randy

[dragonrider]

Your calipers are not messed up. And it will happen again sometime. You fixed it by rotating the bezel, that is how it is designed. Slide it open as far as possible and clean the rack.

[BCB]

I think I sort of understand how to fix the problem...

I keep reading that it should have come with that little peice of metal to make the adjustments. Mine didn't...

Maybe someone could post a pic of it so I might have some idea as to how to cut it from a feeler gauge...

I do have and old one that a blade can be sacrificed...

I did turn the bezel and it is aligned with the needle, but I would sure like it to be a bit closer to where it was at when I purchased it...

Thanks...BCB

[EDG]

The tool is not much more than a shim the width of the teeth on the rack . It is about 1 " long with the end you use for a handle curled into a loop for finger grip. It should be about .0015 to .002 thick. Brass is the best material. But you could try a steel feeler gauge.
It functions as nothing more than a thin ramp that slips between the pinion gear and the rack teeth.
You may have to try it several times to get your pinion gear to drop back in the rack with the right timing.

[jcwit]

Watch out how much air pressure you use to clean the rack, keep it away from the dial. I've seen guya blow the crystal off the dial then you really have a mess.