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adamsgirl May 27, 2005

Hello Everyone!!
I want to share a great tool I just can't live without when making my bears!  Its a wonderful handheld tool called a caliper.  Calipers are used for dimensional measuring and I used it initially when I was employed as a Quality Assurance Technicion at a medical manufacturing company.  This tool is AWESOME for bear designing, setting the eyes on your bears evenly, insuring an accurate seam allowance,  sewing an even nose, ... I could go on and on.  I purchased mine on eBay and they have lots listed there for pretty good prices!  If anyone out uses these, you know how great they are!!
Lotas Bear Huggies!!
Darleen

Dilu May 27, 2005

Hey there Darleen!  Welcome!  So glad you came.

My honey was a quality assurance engineer in the aerospace field in Santa Barbara for years and has this stuff coming out his ears. 

DUH!

I never ever ever thought of using them like you suggest.

Thank you , You sweetie pie you,    I always struggle with the eyes.

Huggies back at ya

Dilu 

gotobedbears May 27, 2005

Hello Darleen.
It sounds great but you're going to have to explain how exactly to use them as i have'nt got a clue! Sorry, i'm a bit thick!

Penny

adamsgirl May 27, 2005

Hi Penny!!
I will get back to you with pics!!  Gimme a little, but I will definately be back!!
Darleen

gotobedbears May 27, 2005

Thanks Darleen - can't wait to try this out.
Anything that helps with drawing up patterns is going to be a God-send!

Penny

Marion May 27, 2005

Oh ! Thank you very much ! I will try to get one as soon as I can:).
Hugs,
Marion

adamsgirl May 27, 2005

Hello Again Penny and All!
Well, I have 2 pics to show you!  The first is a full length view of what a caliper looks like.  This one is a 6" vernier caliper.  Basically, the handle contains increments in inches and centimeters.  The large "jaws" is what you use to measure.  Anything between the "jaws" is what is being measured.  In the second pic, (sorry its not too clear) you can kind of see the increments.  I am measuring one of the flowers on the fabric.  So I look at the increments on the handle and it measures 1 1/2" or 1.3cm.  My suggestion:  Get a digital caliper!  It's on my wish list right now.  With a digital caliper (which is battery operated), you will get a clear measurement in LCD (which eliminates the guesswork)!  Digital calipers measure in inches and millimeters  and a resolution of 0.0005" or 0.01mm (which means make REALLY TINY measurements...great for ultra minibears!).  Calipers also come in length up to 24" I think.
If anyone needs a lesson in measuring with calipers, just give me an email...glad to help out!!

[imghttp://www.theoleatticchest.com/fpdb/images/caliper2.jpg][/img]

Bear Huggies Everybody!!
Darleen

adamsgirl May 27, 2005

OOPPS!!!

adamsgirl May 27, 2005

Hey...just noticed I made a boo boo on my caliper measurements above ...1.3cm = 1/2", not  1 1/2"...another oopppsy!!! 

yosemitebearworks May 27, 2005

Great idea!  I always love to find a new tool for my bearmaking.  I have been using a compass to measure eye distances, and for ear placement -- but it looks like I may have to get a set of calipers, too. 

I can see that these would be super to measure eye size.  I always have a hard time deciding if I have an exact match in eyes and hate it when one ends up slightly larger than the other.  Thanks for the tip!

Donna

Winney May 27, 2005

Ooooo, I have a great tool I use ! !!!

I don't know what its called, but I got it at an office supply store in the drafting tools dept. It is a green  square plastic templete sheet...at the top section is small holes with their  measurements beside it in mm's and inches ...then below are the larger holes way up to 3" I think.
Let me tell you this thing I use all the time ...the smaller holes I can fit glass eyes  by placing it right thru  the hole ..will give me thier exact size which is great especially if you have  a spare eye floating around your area.

I use the larger holes to check disc sizes that age lost around my sewing area.......and what is very useful is after you have dreafted you bear pattern you can choose your disc /joint size and place the circle right onto you pattern ..trace inside the hole ....so accurate and fuss free !LOVE IT !....Winney

Listing Service May 28, 2005

Harbor freight (http://www.harborfreight.com) offers several calipers. 

They currently have a digital one on sale for $15.99.  Item 47257 

They offer polymer calipers (great for passing thru metal detectors at airports) for $1.99.  Item 7914.

Sorry for the large image.  I "borrowed" it from their web site.

Dale