Welding Tips and Tricks

So yesterday I got myself into a jam that required a micrometer.

I got one, did the job and all is well.

The only question I have is about re-zeoring the unit in the event that it becomes necessary.
How do I do it, when do I know I need to do it, and why did I put myself in a position where a 1 / 32nd steel rule isn't accurate enough for me to live my life?


Being that the device is of the utmost imported quality there's no instruction sheet of any kind.

Here's a pic of the unit and the spanner. I've found the holes that correspond the pins on the spanner, but have no idea what to do if'n the time comes.


Thanks in advance.

They very rarely need to be adjusted if used correctly & looked after especially if they are a good brand ( Moore & Wright over here - possibly Mitutoyo ) the only time you would need to adjust a micrometer is when it does'nt zero at normal clutch pressure - but you would have to be using it thousands of times to create enough wear for this to happen or someone has used it instead of a "G" clamp ! as a general rule when checking zero clean the anvils & inspect for any unusual marks - get a clean piece of lint free cloth & gently grip it with light pressure then pull it through to almost polish the measuring surfaces - remove the cloth & gently screw the thimble in using the clutch - continue till it slips - hopefully you are reading zero - if not then you will need the spanner to adjust the relative position of the spindle in the frame to achieve zero - can be fiddly though not rocket science ! - try to keep measuring equipment clean & away from welding / abrasives etc & it's unlikely you will need to worry about adjustment.

You can also purchase "standards". Slugs of metal certified to an exact length within .0005", .0001", .00005", etc. (at a certain temperature!!!), sized to your micrometer's range. For a two-inch micrometer, for example, you may wish to check zero, as suggested above, and check again with a 1" standard and a two-inch standard, if your measurements are truly critical.

I've never actually had to adjust one...

Steve S

Yes - seeing the picture appeared to be a 1" I never thought about reading other than zero ! - often though the larger ones will come with a test piece for checking zero as they only travel an inch & don't shut but if you have a set of gauge blocks they are certainly useful for this - I admit to almost never using mine - I have the middle grade set in imperial & metric & they sit around at the back of a cupboard.

Hey thanks guys.

Glad to hear it. Sounds like if I take care of this like I do all of my sensitive tools I won't have to worry about it.

For the sake of discussion, it is a 1" unit.

Thanks again