Recommendation Needed: Outside Calipers for Measuring Bowl Wall Thickness

buroak · Feb 5, 2016

I am looking for calipers to measure bowl wall thickness. They will need to allow me to take measurements from the bowl rim on down into the chamber. My search was precipitated by the acquisition of an unsmoked Taylor-era Ashton. It is a lovely pipe, but the seemingly thin walls have me wondering whether I should smoke it or, if that is unwise, sell it to a collector who wants an unsmoked specimen rather than a pipe for smoking.

cosmicfolklore · Feb 5, 2016

To be found here

shutterbugg · Feb 5, 2016

Or the same one for about 10 bucks less To be found here

ericusrex · Feb 5, 2016

A better choice for rounded bowls:
http://www.micromark.com/digital-thickness-gauge,9760.html

cosmicfolklore · Feb 5, 2016

The butt end of the slide calipers measures the depth of the bowl also.

buroak · Feb 5, 2016

My apologies to you gents. I had not meant to leave your recommendations languishing. I am torn between the cosmic/shutterbug recommendation and that of ericusrex. Looking at the prices, though, I could probably swing one of each version.
Ericusrex hit on my concern about bowls without straight walls. I wonder how well they would fit farther down in the bowl. Ericusrex, have you used those calipers?

misterlowercase · Feb 5, 2016

I've always wanted to make a "bowl cast" of my pipe collection,

by that I mean to use a putty or clay to make a physical model of the bowl,

and then photograph them on an inch grid,

just to get a sense of the differing chamber shapes beyond simply looking down into the hole,

also to demonstrate what a true conical bowl looks like,

I have a great Preben 2nd, a IIS that is like a perfect cylinder,

the idea may sound dumb,

but I am primarily a visual person and would enjoy seeing molds of all my pipe bowls.
I was thinking maybe a kind of neutral clay would be best?
Any suggestions on what material to use?
Preferably something that can be used over and over without drying to a hardness.
Apologies for the offtopic tangent Buroak...

buroak · Feb 5, 2016

Actually, casting bowls is not that far off topic. The bowl that sparked my interest in taking precise measurements is a pretty squirrely bowl that would be a good candidate for casting. The pipe is handmade in a way not dissimilar from the way handmade is understood in reference to some British luxury and sports cars. At the rim, one wall is less than 3/32" thick.

misterlowercase · Feb 6, 2016

At the rim, one wall is less than 3/32" thick.

How many millimeters is that?

:wink:
I hear you on the thin walls though,

especially on an unsmoked pipe.
What year is the Ashton from?
edit:

0.09375" = 2.38mm
this is an actual size ruler:

...holding my thumb up against the screen on 2 of the small mm lines with a little over,

wow,

that really is thin!
.

buroak · Feb 6, 2016

wow,

that really is thin!

Indeed! The pipe, a 1989, is probably best described as a panel Brandy. The thickness at the rim varies across the four panels, with the corners being significantly thicker. The shape combined with the blast makes judging wall thickness farther down tricky at best. I typically smoke slow and cool, but this pipe may be shrinkage/burnout waiting to happen.

lonestar · Feb 6, 2016

Ericusrex link would be the best choice, I need one of those ! For the panel pipe either will do since the side wall is straight, but most pipes will be wider in the middle or top so the straight calipers are impossible to get a reading at the bottom of the bowl.

buroak · Feb 6, 2016

For the panel pipe either will do since the side wall is straight, but most pipes will be wider in the middle or top so the straight calipers are impossible to get a reading at the bottom of the bowl.

The panels are at least slightly thicker towards the heel of the bowl, so it sounds like what Ericusrex suggested is the hot ticket. I should have taken some photos, but I can't even get a good sense of the bowl walls with the pipe in my hands. The pipe is mesmerizing and frustrating at the same time.

lonestar · Feb 6, 2016

I couldn't find anything to say how deep the jaws of the caliper were. If the bowl is particularly deep they look like they might not make it to the very bottom of the bowl. But at least get you close so you have an educated guess.

buroak · Feb 6, 2016

Lonestar, The pipe is not large, and the calipers Ericusrex suggests look much smaller than the typical 4" and 6" designs. I think he has hit upon my best option. Thanks for adding a pipe maker's perspective.

ericusrex · Feb 6, 2016

Hi Buroak,
I have a pair of these at work but haven't used them on pipes. I think you'd have no problems with them on chambers down to about 2 inches. The points can be removed (and the caliper re-zeroed) for tighter spaces but I doubt you'd ever need to do that.
I'd get both styles. You'll be amazed how often you use them around the house.

cosmicfolklore · Feb 6, 2016

I picked up one from Harbor Frieght, years ago, because there is one down the street, it was cheap, and I needed one quickly. I had misplaced my old one. It lasted a few weeks, needed a new battery. Changed the battery, then it blinked constantly, driving me crazy, and was unreliable. So, for saving myself 50% on cost, I had a tool that I had to replace again the next month. That's not much of a savings if you have to turn around and buy a new one the next month. Maybe some things are OK to buy at HF, but sometimes saving money will cost you more in the long run. It just depends on whether it is something you can live without in the long run. But, I have to use so much geometry in what I do every day, that it was worth the price.
I also do not recommend the Harbor Frieght torque wrench. I broke my hand with it, and had to buy a new one again right away.
But, things like shop rags and pliers, I have no hesitation picking up at HF.

jackswilling · Feb 6, 2016

Calipers and micrometers are standard fare for reloaders. I have expensive mechanicals calipers and micrometers from Mitutoyo, which are quite accurate, but for a good digital caliper this represents a good compromise between spending a bundle and getting the Harbor Freight dreck. The inexpensive ones all look like they come from the same manufacturer in China, but this unit has some upgrades that make sense for $28. For example, most have plastic heads, which are a joke.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003119EDE?colid=27UO44IFJYUFC&coliid=I2TFTQKZWP78E2&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

mso489 · Feb 6, 2016

Not in the market, but if it were me, I'd look for calipers that read right off the scale in printed numbers rather than the digital read-out, despite the squinting and magnification sometimes needed in low light. Why must everything be digitalized? The day you really need it is the day it goes down. I like the principle known as Occums (sp?) Razor -- the simple explanation (or application) is nearly always the best.

cosmicfolklore · Feb 6, 2016

I have one Mso. But, for me, I have to swap between inches and millimeters because my field isn't consolidated into one denomination. Stone sellers all use whatever they are most comfortable with. But, yeh, for pipes... well, even in pipes you have Americans who might want inches and the rest of the world, ha ha. Having both units at the touch of a button could be a plus. But, yeh, there's' nothing as reliable as a great as an analog caliper. But, I find that for even the better analog ones, they can run for an even higher price. But, I haven't scowered the market to see for myself if that is universal.

ssjones · Feb 6, 2016

For pipe measurements, I'm millimeter guy. I have a mechanical one like Cosmic shows, the stick on the far right will measure down into any bowl to the equivalent of the jaw opening. So, it would work with any style bowl drilling. We're not doing machine work here, so any cheap one will do. I can see an advantage for the digital display, with the exception of replacing batteries at inopportune times (my multimeter is always dead when I need it).

Recommendation Needed: Outside Calipers for Measuring Bowl Wall Thickness

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