Must have tools for calibrating your tools?

[zze86]

What must have tools do you have that are must haves for calibrating your tools? What tool do you use them with and for what function? I.e. squares, machinist blocks, dial calipers, etc

 

[vanapplebomb]

I have a set of 0-12” micrometers, and a box of standard bars that are 1-11” long. You use the bars at 68 deg F to zero out the micrometers so that you can be accurate to the 10 thousandth of an inch.

I use the micrometers to set my 1.4-6” dial bore gauge, which reads to the 10 thousandth and is repeatable to 0.00015 inches. Makes measuring cylinders a breeze. You can measure diameter, taper, and out of round with it. Very nice for press fit bearings, or engine work.

 

[larry_g]

Do Tools Really Need Calibration?

Expert guide to calibration of tools & standards [NIST traceability] Learn what your calibration records should include from ISO 17025 certified lab

allometrics.com

Calibration Standards​

Calibration is the process of testing an instrument’s accuracy against known standards.
There are three types of standards used in tool calibration and control systems, namely:

• Primary Standards: High quality and stability units or instruments that are regularly calibrated by the US governing agency National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) or by third-party accredited calibration services that have direct traceability to NIST. Primary Standards must be used in a controlled environment.
• Transfer Standards: Instruments or tools with proven stability are calibrated internally by transfer standards from primary standards. Usually, calibration happens in external laboratories under controlled environment conditions. The internal calibration procedures are documented and validated within the quality control system.
• Working Standards: Instruments or equipment with proven stability that are calibrated from transfer standards.

The standards work in sequence. Working standards serve to measure product and process quality, while transfer standards help to calibrate the working standards. Primary standards, on the other hand, are kept at NIST or calibration labs that hold a NIST certification. However, all standards must be traceable to NIST.

The above quote is from the link . There is a whole industry around calibration of tools. To answer your question one must know to what level of calibration you must meet? Go to the link and educate yourself a bit on what calibration is and to what level of calibration you need to achieve.

What are you doing that requires calibrated tools? Job requirements or just bragging rights?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[GoToGuy_Ron]

In my occupation all measurment, torque, multimeter-ohmeter device's must be calibrated annually and or semi annuually. By regulation and law.

 

[MushCreek]

My 1-12" set of micrometers have standards to check them. I have a set of gauge blocks for checking various things. I have a granite surface plate and a squareness checker to check various tooling for squareness. I use a big (8 inch) bearing race and a dial test indicator to check tram on my milling machine. I'm a retired tool maker, and use to use this stuff all day, every day. Most of it I'll never use again, but I'm not ready to part with it yet.

 

[Ign]

I actually like having a basic standard made from round stock and just verified with calipers, say 2", 3" or 4" long.

Then I use that on a tape to understand if the measurement is at the beginning, middle, or end of the line/mark/indicator.

Granted, none of this tells you if the printing drifted at the 20' mark, but very few people know where within the thickness of the line a given measurement was intended to fall -- hint: it's typically at the start or far left edge of the line

Also if it's noticeably off I'll question the condition of the hook at the end. You can theoretically bend the hook to calibrate but I'm not a fan of doing so.

 

[zze86]

Do Tools Really Need Calibration?

Expert guide to calibration of tools & standards [NIST traceability] Learn what your calibration records should include from ISO 17025 certified lab

allometrics.com

The above quote is from the link . There is a whole industry around calibration of tools. To answer your question one must know to what level of calibration you must meet? Go to the link and educate yourself a bit on what calibration is and to what level of calibration you need to achieve.

What are you doing that requires calibrated tools? Job requirements or just bragging rights?

lg
no neat sig line

Great link! And I'm not really looking at anything in particular at the moment, just wondering what people do. There's the book way which can take a whole lot of time and then there are easy shortcuts which gets most people close enough for everyday work. Just wanted to hear what people use.

 

[theoldwizard1]

If you are doing work that requires you use calibrated tools then it is worth sending them out a a shop that specializes in doing that type of calibration.