Extend the life of your digital caliper with proper care

Digital calipers are a must for measuring outer diameter (O.D.), inner diameter (I.D.) and depth in a modern machine shop. They’re the tool of choice for home hobbyists and professional workers alike. Accurate, precise digital calipers used correctly help you produce consistent, high quality work. An inaccurate caliper creates costly waste and errors.

High-end digital calipers from brands like Starrett or Mitutoyo calipers are a serious investment and expense, but with proper care and maintenance, you can significantly extend their life and accuracy. Here are a few tips to keep your digital caliper accurate and working correctly:

Avoid dropping or bumping the digital caliper

A digital caliper is a precision instrument - treat it gently. Don’t put significant pressure on the jaws when measuring.

Unlike a vernier or dial caliper, a digital caliper uses a small LCD screen to display the measurement - that screen can be damaged from impact. Avoid dropping your digital caliper, and don’t pile other tools on top of it.

Don’t lay the caliper on a workbench

There are really only two places for the caliper - in your hand, taking a measurement or in a hard-sided case. It’s too easy for a caliper to fall from a workbench, or for something to be placed on top of the caliper.

Only use the caliper for measuring

Your digital caliper isn’t intended for prying, tapping, or pushing; only use it for measurement purposes. Another common mis-use of calipers is “scribing” material with the jaw. Don’t use the edge of the jaw to scratch or mark material.

Don’t expose the digital caliper to debris

Dust, metal shavings, dirt, or other debris can jam the rack in a digital caliper, affecting accuracy. Take care to keep debris away.

If you notice that your digital caliper can’t be zeroed consistently, check carefully that dirt hasn’t fouled the jaws or rack. A simple way to clean your caliper jaws is to close the jaws on a CLEAN piece of paper, and then slide the paper out.

Keep it clean

Water and moisture can damage your digital caliper. Wipe the tool clean after use, before you store it in a hard case. Take special care to ensure that liquid doesn’t get on the digital caliper, and clean it promptly if it does.

Caring for the battery in a digital caliper

Batteries left in a digital caliper for a very long period of time can corrode, damaging your tool. Because most digital calipers use inexpensive coin-style batteries, changing them regularly is cheap insurance.

Some digital calipers have an auto-off feature to preserve battery life, but you should always turn the tool off when you’re done using it just to be sure. If you plan to store your digital caliper for a long period of time without using it, remove the battery and store the caliper with no battery installed.

Storing your digital caliper

You should store your digital caliper in a hard case to protect it. A case can prevent the LCD screen from breaking from impact, and also protects the jaws from contact with objects or debris.

When you’re done using the digital caliper, get in the habit of storing it with the jaws slightly open to prevent damage. The jaws on a caliper can corrode when stored for a long period of time. If you expect this based on conditions, use a thin coat of oil on the jaws to prevent corrosion. A silica gel pack can be added to the storage area to absorb moisture that could lead to rust, if needed.

Store your digital caliper at room temperature. Extreme cold or heat can damage the caliper and affect accuracy of future measurements.

Zero the caliper before use

Digital calipers have a “zero” button. Before use, gently close the jaws completely and double check that the reading is zero. If not, use the zero button to reset. An inability to zero consistently could indicate dirt or debris fouling the rack; clean and check again.

Need help?

If you have questions about which digital caliper to buy, or how to get the most out of the caliper you already own, contact one of our experts at All Industrial Tool Supply for help.