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How to Use and Read Dial Vernier Caliper Download ArticleExplore this Article Steps Steps Other Sections Related Articles References Reviewed by Jason Shackelford
Last Updated: February 19, 2026
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This article was reviewed by Jason Shackelford. Jason Shackelford is the Owner of Stingray Auto Repair, a family owned and operated auto repair shop with locations in Seattle and Redmond, Washington. He has over 24 years of experience in auto repair and services, and every single technician on Jason’s team has more than 10 years of experience. This article has been viewed 131,887 times.
The Dial Vernier Caliper is a very easy and reliable precision tool. This will show how to properly measure parts and how to read to the thousandths. This tool is usually used for machining and automotive applications.
Steps
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1 Close the caliper all the way to make sure no light can be seen through the jaws. If there is this means the caliper needs to be clean thoroughly or there is a metal burr on the jaws that needs to be filed off.
2 With the clamp still closed, loosen the bezel nut and twist the outside of the dial until the needle is set to zero and tighten the bezel nut. Advertisement
3 Clean the part that is being measured because this can greatly affect the precision of the measurement.[1]XResearch source
4 Determine which side of the jaw to use (inside or outside) based on what is being measured. The inside is used for gaps and holes and outside is used for thickness, length, width.[2]XResearch source
5 Open up the jaws and measure the part. Make sure that there is a snug feel when closing the jaws but that the part can slide in and out of the jaws without complication. Tighten the lock screw to hold the position on the caliper.[3]XResearch source
6 Before determining the measurement, know what the marks mean: Every mark equals 1/10 or .1 and every 10 marks equal 1 inch (2.5 cm) and on the dial indicator, the number that the needle rest on needs to be expressed in thousandths so whatever number you receive should be multiplied by .001.[4]XResearch source
7 When looking at the caliper there is a straight edge to the left of the dial indicator. First find how many inches the straight edge went past and then see how many tenths the straight edge went past and write this down. Now look at the dial indicator take the number under the needle and multiply it by .001 and write it down.[5]XResearch source
8 Add all the numbers making sure the decimal places are correct.
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References
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcOMLpjDa9c
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNjiX-OKiWQ
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcOMLpjDa9c
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNjiX-OKiWQ
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAev56PoNts
About This Article
Reviewed by: Jason Shackelford Auto Technician This article was reviewed by Jason Shackelford. Jason Shackelford is the Owner of Stingray Auto Repair, a family owned and operated auto repair shop with locations in Seattle and Redmond, Washington. He has over 24 years of experience in auto repair and services, and every single technician on Jason’s team has more than 10 years of experience. This article has been viewed 131,887 times. 5 votes - 100% Co-authors: 6Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 131,887 Categories: Measuring and Marking Tools In other languagesJapanese
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Reviewed by: Jason Shackelford Auto Technician Co-authors: 6Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 131,887100% of readers found this article helpful. 5 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote
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Download Article Explore this Article Steps Steps Other Sections Related Articles References Reviewed by Jason Shackelford 
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Reviewed by: Jason Shackelford Auto Technician This article was reviewed by Jason Shackelford. Jason Shackelford is the Owner of Stingray Auto Repair, a family owned and operated auto repair shop with locations in Seattle and Redmond, Washington. He has over 24 years of experience in auto repair and services, and every single technician on Jason’s team has more than 10 years of experience. This article has been viewed 131,887 times. 5 votes - 100% Co-authors: 6 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 131,887 Categories: Measuring and Marking Tools In other languagesJapanese 
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1 Close the caliper all the way to make sure no light can be seen through the jaws. If there is this means the caliper needs to be clean thoroughly or there is a metal burr on the jaws that needs to be filed off. 
2 With the clamp still closed, loosen the bezel nut and twist the outside of the dial until the needle is set to zero and tighten the bezel nut. Advertisement 
3 Clean the part that is being measured because this can greatly affect the precision of the measurement.[1] 
4 Determine which side of the jaw to use (inside or outside) based on what is being measured. The inside is used for gaps and holes and outside is used for thickness, length, width.[2] 
5 Open up the jaws and measure the part. Make sure that there is a snug feel when closing the jaws but that the part can slide in and out of the jaws without complication. Tighten the lock screw to hold the position on the caliper.[3] 
6 Before determining the measurement, know what the marks mean: Every mark equals 1/10 or .1 and every 10 marks equal 1 inch (2.5 cm) and on the dial indicator, the number that the needle rest on needs to be expressed in thousandths so whatever number you receive should be multiplied by .001.[4] 
7 When looking at the caliper there is a straight edge to the left of the dial indicator. First find how many inches the straight edge went past and then see how many tenths the straight edge went past and write this down. Now look at the dial indicator take the number under the needle and multiply it by .001 and write it down.[5] 
8 Add all the numbers making sure the decimal places are correct. Advertisement 
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