My Six Inch Calculator
Don't try this with a vernier!
Like much of what I write about, this is pretty simple stuff; I hope it's interesting and fun.
Seems like years ago I was much better at simple calculations in my head, but half a lifetime surrounded by pocket calculators changed all that. (I'm guessing age may not be helping, either.) Now, I find myself reaching for a calculator all the time in my shop. When it's not handy for simple addition and subtraction, I sometimes do the calculation using my digital caliper, like this -
Here, I've made a measurement, and I'd like to subtract 0.125" from it:
Without moving the slide, I zero the reading.
Now, I close the slide to indicate negative 0.125"
Zero again:
When I slam the jaws shut, I have my calculated result:
Hey, it works for me. . .