Repairing Calipers ... Picture warning

[Sander]

Digitals are nice for checking production on the fly but when you need to be 100% sure you go ask one of the Cranky Old Men In The Corner to check it with a dial caliper.

Oh I can do it myself but I'm too cheap to get a set for myself, besides I love hearing the "Dang Kids And Your ______" stories. :p

 

[metaltech]

Cleaned everything very well with a little WD-40 and a clean cloth. No luck ... still rough and clicky movement.

When I was a young-pup machinist, I used some WD-40 to free up a sticky OD mic. Worked great! For about two days. I finally learned that the WD in WD-40 is for water-displacing, or getting under a water film to separate the water from the metal, or whatever. The solvent in it certainly loosens things nicely, but when it evaporates out, it leaves a sticky film, which happens to be real good for coating metal to protect it, but crappy at making a mic work smoothly.

WD-40 is a super product for a lot of uses, but I won't use it for cleaning measuring tools. There are other aerosol penetrants or solvents that don't leave the film. My preference is CRC PowerLube, which replaced my former favorite, CRC 5-56. I'm sure there are satisfied users of other brands and formulae, too.

Nice work on the calipers. They look just like my Mits I bought over 30 years ago. They still work just fine. Wish I had held up so well...

mt