Measuring set opinion please

Both

It's much easier to have several sets of calipers set for different measurements than to keep changing one set. I've got about 6.

Look on ebay. Lots of them there.

Walt C

Unless you are turning matching bowls I can't see a need for calipers for bowls. And, unless you are turning architectural columns and such you wouldn't need anything larger than 6" calipers. Most spindle work is

3" or so and under; the capacity of the 6"-ers would be just fine.

I second the recommendation to look on ebay. The old Starrett, Brown & Sharpe, and Goodell & Pratt calipers are superior to the Groz, General and other cheapies today (even the Lee Valley offerings don't have the same "feel" as the true machinist company models). You could spring for new Starrett, Fowler etc. if that's in your budget. Also look for the models with the "quick nut" feature - take my word for it, I'd have the quick nut on every one of my calipers if I had known about it before buying them.

(Though these don't appear to have the quick nut they're looking pretty inexpensive at the moment.)

Onward... I'd say to start out with 2 or 3 outside calipers, 1 or 2 dividers and 1 (if any) inside calipers. (I hardly ever use my inside calipers.)

If you want to measure the wall thickness of bowls and such, I really like my Veritas calipers. There are much less expensive options, like using 3/16" steel rod, armature wire or a coat hanger, but I really like these:

Also consider getting a dial caliper. When you need a precise measurement these are quite versatile: I probably use my dial calipers more than any other measuring tool - 'cept my little 6" metal rule.

Well, it's one way to get an even thickness.

Well, maybe I'm missing something but for woodturning just go and buy anything that doesn't look like it will fall apart in 2 days and is easy to set/adjust. You aren't looking for 0.001" in this application. I have a Sorby dual-caliper which shows an opening on the rear jaws equal to the opening on the front jaws doing the measuring; these I use all the time for bowls. Billh

I only use calipers in bowl turning to make sure that my hand/eye measurement is right... you're not machining stainless steel for NASA, right? *g*

This works well for me, they're available all over:

Almost as accurate and easier to store are your thumb and fingers... you'd be surprised how sensitive they are to variations in wall thickness when you run them down the side of a bowl.. (most folks have thumb inside bowl, finger (s) outside)

The only 2 things you need to concentrate on, IMHO, are to be safe and have fun..

mac

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Lots of bowl and vessel turners use wire calipers, bent from coat hangers or other stiff wire. I like to make mine from copper tubing which is stiff enough but easily bendable to any shape:

Ken Grunke