(09-02-2012, 10:30 AM)Sunset Machine Wrote: Spring calipers, verniers, surface gauges anyone? Although I was a bit surprised at the price of a surface gauge these days: fat part of $200 for a Starret. Ouch.
The only spring caliper I own is a 4" Starrett #79A-4 that I picked up for $5 at a flea market and have never used. I do have one gem of a caliper that I use now & then because it's so versatile. It's a rare Starrett that is double-jointed, allowing it to be used as inside, outside, and hermaphodite calipers, I simply must get a photo of that tool and show you because it's so cool.
The only "vernier" I have is the scale on a Brown & Sharpe 24" height gauge I bought for $65 (in it's hardwood case) from a PracticalMachinist.com seller. As for surface gauges, I have two. I've got the little No.56 Starrett and the machined steel No.257 Starrett. That's the one now close to $200. I got both for $40 from a guy retiring out of Starrett.
That something you can find all over Ebay for about the same money, or less.