How to Use and Read a Vernier Caliper

Prepare by J.D Williams T.A

To help you understand how to read and use a Vernier Caliper we will start by
understanding caliper. See figure below
Vernier Scale

Main Scale

Fig.1

• The Vernier scale that moves around is in thousandth of an inch

• Begin from the second calibration we have 0.001, 0.002, 0.003,

0.004….0.01(10/1000) inch up to 25/1000 inch

• The middle scales are 10th of an inch. That is 1/10 inch

• So that we 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.9, 1, 1.1, 1.2… etc.
 • The middle 3 lines are 25,000th of an inch i.e. 25/1000 = 0.025. the reading will
be 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, 0.100,0.125, 0.150, etc.

How to read it

Let’s say you have a reading below:

0.0015 inch

0.100 inch
•
• Use the ‘0’on the Vernier scale as the initial ruler, and take the initial reading on
the main scale
• The first reading as indicated on the main scale using the 0 on the Vernier scale
as the ruler is: 0.100
• Now, we need to find a point where a line on the Vernier scale aligns with the line
on the main scale. Avoid parallax error

• We can see from the figure above that it is 0.0015

Adding the readings we have 0.100 + 0.0015 = 0.1015 inch

Other things to note are there are the major jaws and the small jaws.
Small Jaws

Major Jaws
How use and read the Micrometer screw gauge
Micrometers are used to take very precise measurements. See figure below

• We have the barrel scale as shown below; you read the barrel by looking at the
part that turns which is called the Timble.

• The marks above the line are calibrated in millimeters, the marks below the line
are calibrated in half-millimeters
• So it is read as 0,(top) 0.5, (bottom), 1, (top), 1.5(bottom), 2(top),
2.5(bottom),……..up till it reads 12 mm.

•
• The one above reads 11.5 mm – be sure. We now record the measurement on
the Barrel, and move to measure the reading on the TIMBLE.
• Now each calibrations on the Timble is 0.01mm apart

•
• So according to the figure above reading is 12 + 0.33 = 12.33mm
 •
• The reading of the one above should be 11.72 mm – be sure.

For inch Micrometer

• The upper marks reads 10th of an inch i.e. 1/10, so reading will be 0.1, 0.2, 0.3
etc. But between each tiny marks is 25 thousandth of an inch , that is 0.025

•
• The lower mark reads 25/1000 of an inch, i.e. 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, 0.100,
0.125,0.115 …
• The thimble is 0.001 graduations apart

•
• The Vernier scale is the last which is 0.001 apart. You find the where the lines on
the thimble and Vernier scale aligns
•