Centuar Ultra-t-shift sstem

On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 8:03:54 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 7:56:48 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
On 5/24/2021 9:31 AM, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 2:43:33 PM UTC+2, AMuzi wrote:
On 5/23/2021 10:32 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 7:44:17 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Sun, 23 May 2021 21:41:41 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

I don't have a digital caliper.
They're cheap enough these days that it wouldn't hurt to have one
handy. Carbon fiber prices start at about $7:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=digital+caliper&LH_PrefLoc=1&rt=nc&LH_ BIN=1
while stainless jaws and body start at about $15:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=digital+stainless+caliper&LH_PrefLoc=1 &rt=nc&LH_BIN=1

Note that the body is allegedly carbon fiber, making it politically
correct for most of the performance tasks mentioned in this newsgroup.
It also weighs less than the stainless steel version. However, the
big advantage is that the stainless version was typically very crudely
machined. Everything outside and visible to user is clean, but inside
is some of the sloppiest finish work I've ever seen. I thought I had
bought a oddity, so I ordered a similar model from a different vendor.
It was just as bad inside.

One problem you might have is that the on/off switch doesn't really
turn off the calipers causing the battery to discharge prematurely..
You can measure the "phantom load" will the multimeter in series with
the battery. Silver Oxide cells last longer, but cost more. My
solution is to simply remove the battery when it's not in use.
I remember the first one we bought for
one of our labs at school, when they were very new technology. It was
used so little (much less than our dial models) that the battery failed
and corroded the contacts. That would probably happen here too, if I
bought one. But I have given them as gifts.
If the cell leaked, it was probably an alkaline LR44. Try an SR44 or
357 (zinc and silver oxide) cell next time. They last longer and leak
less. There's a list of silver oxide cells in this article:
http://www.davehylands.com/Machinist/Caliper-Batteries/
10 cells for about $6.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=sr44+357+cells

I'm not sure why you didn't use the digital calipers. I use them for
most everything. I have a pair of vernier calipers, which I've never
used since I bought the digital calipers. I would give you one of my
calipers, but it's cheaper for you to order one on eBay, than the $9
it would cost me to mail it to your via USPS flat rate priority mail.

A micrometer for the usual measurements on a bike is like using a scalpel to cut cake. Since everything follows standard dimension conventions (sing it), you don't even have to be that exact. Just throw a caliper on it and get close.
-- Jay Beattie.

+1
Micrometer on seatposts for example shows crazy variance but
since they are nominally even tenths, it's either "27.0" or
it's "27.2" nothing closer matters. Ditto for 9/16" or 14mm
pedals (another area where Friday afternoon work is
different from 'spec'.)


But, but, but if you also have an application were you need a micrometer would you buy both?
We have several calipers (including one dial model but no
electric ones), sets of micrometers, sets of go-no gauges,
etc. For general mechanical work, a caliper is sufficient
for reasons noted above.

A cloth dressmaker's tape is not sufficient and a micrometer
is overly precise to a mechanic's purposes.
I agree with you unless you're curious about the exact fit that someone used.

Sure, its fun for curiosity, but its a pretty short menu list of dimensions on a bike. The most interesting dimension for that FSA crank is the over-all BB/bearing width since, like the Campy crank, there is no adjustability except with a wavy washer. SRAM has a long-ish spindle and pre-load collar, and Shimano has a preload cap and pinch bolts -- but the FSA uses one wavy washer (IIRC) with narrower cups, and if you substitute in the Shimano cups, which are wider, you can get binding that cannot be adjusted out, so you're stuck with the FSA BB. I suppose you could face the BB shell to narrow it down a bit (if you didn't want to get stuck buying FSA BBs), but personally, I'd dump the crank first and go with Shimano.

-- Jay Beattie.

On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 8:34:35 AM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 5/24/2021 10:50 AM, Tom Kunich wrote:

It never occurred to me in a million years that Frank was going to invent an argument for no reason whatsoever.
Tom, I spent decades spotting and correcting student mistakes. It was
part of my job. It helped them learn how to avoid mistakes in their work.

You posted a mistake. John and I corrected it. Many people have done
that for you, time and time again, on dozens of topics. You should learn
from this.

If you don't like to be corrected, check your work.

--
- Frank Krygowski
I will ask you again - tell everyone here what conversion error I made since I correctly converted the shaft diameter to 24mm? I never even MENTIONED the metric equivalent of 1".That came directly out of John's psychological need to attack me and your psychological need to agree with anything that might attack me.

The truth is that you're a loser, a real big time loser and it really bothers you that my hard work brought more fame and fortune to me than you ever had or will ever have. Ta-ta for now, the world is watching your make arguments about things that never existed.

On 5/24/2021 10:40 AM, Tom Kunich wrote:
On Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 4:08:29 PM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 5/23/2021 3:33 PM, Tom Kunich wrote:

Before bolts and nuts that they attached to were made of soft materials, torque wrenches were NOT USED to make sure you didn't overtighten things but to allow you to tighten things evenly.
Wrong.
But why don't you tell us again what the metric equivalent of 1" is when that also had nothing at all to do with the conversation?
Tom, nobody would have brought that up if you hadn't gotten it wrong.

I don't know how you manage to do it, but you seem to more mistakes than
correct statements.

Perhaps you can explain exactly how you botched such a common
conversion? It might be interesting to observe your mental processes.

--
- Frank Krygowski
Why do you find it necessary to not make a complete explanation so that you hide the fact that I got NOTHING wrong? I was talking about a shaft diameter and I was in fact completely correct that unlike what was being stated about the diameter of FSA shaft diameters was misleading. That this shaft IS 24 mm in diameter and your bull**** about the metric equivalence of one inch wasn't even discussed since I never used that. Instead to forestall any mistakes I simply used the Metric - English converter on the net.

You said, and I quote:
"What I think is strange about this FSA SL crank is that it is 24 mm
unless I'm making a conversion error - 0.9521 (two lowest digits i may
not be remembering accurately)"

Please show us a Metric to English converter that claims 24mm is 0.9521
inches. Give us the URL. Maybe we can get it fixed.

--
- Frank Krygowski

On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 8:47:06 AM UTC-7, jbeattie wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 8:03:54 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 7:56:48 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
On 5/24/2021 9:31 AM, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 2:43:33 PM UTC+2, AMuzi wrote:
On 5/23/2021 10:32 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 7:44:17 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Sun, 23 May 2021 21:41:41 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

I don't have a digital caliper.
They're cheap enough these days that it wouldn't hurt to have one
handy. Carbon fiber prices start at about $7:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=digital+caliper&LH_PrefLoc=1&rt=nc&LH_ BIN=1
while stainless jaws and body start at about $15:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=digital+stainless+caliper&LH_PrefLoc=1 &rt=nc&LH_BIN=1

Note that the body is allegedly carbon fiber, making it politically
correct for most of the performance tasks mentioned in this newsgroup.
It also weighs less than the stainless steel version. However, the
big advantage is that the stainless version was typically very crudely
machined. Everything outside and visible to user is clean, but inside
is some of the sloppiest finish work I've ever seen. I thought I had
bought a oddity, so I ordered a similar model from a different vendor.
It was just as bad inside.

One problem you might have is that the on/off switch doesn't really
turn off the calipers causing the battery to discharge prematurely.
You can measure the "phantom load" will the multimeter in series with
the battery. Silver Oxide cells last longer, but cost more. My
solution is to simply remove the battery when it's not in use.
I remember the first one we bought for
one of our labs at school, when they were very new technology. It was
used so little (much less than our dial models) that the battery failed
and corroded the contacts. That would probably happen here too, if I
bought one. But I have given them as gifts.
If the cell leaked, it was probably an alkaline LR44. Try an SR44 or
357 (zinc and silver oxide) cell next time. They last longer and leak
less. There's a list of silver oxide cells in this article:
http://www.davehylands.com/Machinist/Caliper-Batteries/
10 cells for about $6.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=sr44+357+cells

I'm not sure why you didn't use the digital calipers. I use them for
most everything. I have a pair of vernier calipers, which I've never
used since I bought the digital calipers. I would give you one of my
calipers, but it's cheaper for you to order one on eBay, than the $9
it would cost me to mail it to your via USPS flat rate priority mail.

A micrometer for the usual measurements on a bike is like using a scalpel to cut cake. Since everything follows standard dimension conventions (sing it), you don't even have to be that exact. Just throw a caliper on it and get close.
-- Jay Beattie.

+1
Micrometer on seatposts for example shows crazy variance but
since they are nominally even tenths, it's either "27.0" or
it's "27.2" nothing closer matters. Ditto for 9/16" or 14mm
pedals (another area where Friday afternoon work is
different from 'spec'.)


But, but, but if you also have an application were you need a micrometer would you buy both?
We have several calipers (including one dial model but no
electric ones), sets of micrometers, sets of go-no gauges,
etc. For general mechanical work, a caliper is sufficient
for reasons noted above.

A cloth dressmaker's tape is not sufficient and a micrometer
is overly precise to a mechanic's purposes.
I agree with you unless you're curious about the exact fit that someone used.
Sure, its fun for curiosity, but its a pretty short menu list of dimensions on a bike. The most interesting dimension for that FSA crank is the over-all BB/bearing width since, like the Campy crank, there is no adjustability except with a wavy washer. SRAM has a long-ish spindle and pre-load collar, and Shimano has a preload cap and pinch bolts -- but the FSA uses one wavy washer (IIRC) with narrower cups, and if you substitute in the Shimano cups, which are wider, you can get binding that cannot be adjusted out, so you're stuck with the FSA BB. I suppose you could face the BB shell to narrow it down a bit (if you didn't want to get stuck buying FSA BBs), but personally, I'd dump the crank first and go with Shimano.

Somehow I ordered a BBright FSA crankset. I don't know how or why that happened. I don't have a Cervelo and no desire for one. Anyway. It does contain a packet of not just the wavy washer but spacers in he way of flat washers to sett clearances.

On 5/24/2021 11:49 AM, Tom Kunich wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 8:34:35 AM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 5/24/2021 10:50 AM, Tom Kunich wrote:

It never occurred to me in a million years that Frank was going to invent an argument for no reason whatsoever.
Tom, I spent decades spotting and correcting student mistakes. It was
part of my job. It helped them learn how to avoid mistakes in their work.

You posted a mistake. John and I corrected it. Many people have done
that for you, time and time again, on dozens of topics. You should learn
from this.

If you don't like to be corrected, check your work.

--
- Frank Krygowski
I will ask you again - tell everyone here what conversion error I made since I correctly converted the shaft diameter to 24mm? I never even MENTIONED the metric equivalent of 1".


You said, and I quote:
"What I think is strange about this FSA SL crank is that it is 24 mm
unless I'm making a conversion error - 0.9521 (two lowest digits i may
not be remembering accurately)"


--
- Frank Krygowski

On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 8:53:01 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 8:47:06 AM UTC-7, jbeattie wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 8:03:54 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 7:56:48 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
On 5/24/2021 9:31 AM, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 2:43:33 PM UTC+2, AMuzi wrote:
On 5/23/2021 10:32 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 7:44:17 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Sun, 23 May 2021 21:41:41 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

I don't have a digital caliper.
They're cheap enough these days that it wouldn't hurt to have one
handy. Carbon fiber prices start at about $7:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=digital+caliper&LH_PrefLoc=1&rt=nc&LH_ BIN=1
while stainless jaws and body start at about $15:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=digital+stainless+caliper&LH_PrefLoc=1 &rt=nc&LH_BIN=1

Note that the body is allegedly carbon fiber, making it politically
correct for most of the performance tasks mentioned in this newsgroup.
It also weighs less than the stainless steel version. However, the
big advantage is that the stainless version was typically very crudely
machined. Everything outside and visible to user is clean, but inside
is some of the sloppiest finish work I've ever seen. I thought I had
bought a oddity, so I ordered a similar model from a different vendor.
It was just as bad inside.

One problem you might have is that the on/off switch doesn't really
turn off the calipers causing the battery to discharge prematurely.
You can measure the "phantom load" will the multimeter in series with
the battery. Silver Oxide cells last longer, but cost more. My
solution is to simply remove the battery when it's not in use.
I remember the first one we bought for
one of our labs at school, when they were very new technology.. It was
used so little (much less than our dial models) that the battery failed
and corroded the contacts. That would probably happen here too, if I
bought one. But I have given them as gifts.
If the cell leaked, it was probably an alkaline LR44. Try an SR44 or
357 (zinc and silver oxide) cell next time. They last longer and leak
less. There's a list of silver oxide cells in this article:
http://www.davehylands.com/Machinist/Caliper-Batteries/
10 cells for about $6.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=sr44+357+cells

I'm not sure why you didn't use the digital calipers. I use them for
most everything. I have a pair of vernier calipers, which I've never
used since I bought the digital calipers. I would give you one of my
calipers, but it's cheaper for you to order one on eBay, than the $9
it would cost me to mail it to your via USPS flat rate priority mail.

A micrometer for the usual measurements on a bike is like using a scalpel to cut cake. Since everything follows standard dimension conventions (sing it), you don't even have to be that exact. Just throw a caliper on it and get close.
-- Jay Beattie.

+1
Micrometer on seatposts for example shows crazy variance but
since they are nominally even tenths, it's either "27.0" or
it's "27.2" nothing closer matters. Ditto for 9/16" or 14mm
pedals (another area where Friday afternoon work is
different from 'spec'.)


But, but, but if you also have an application were you need a micrometer would you buy both?
We have several calipers (including one dial model but no
electric ones), sets of micrometers, sets of go-no gauges,
etc. For general mechanical work, a caliper is sufficient
for reasons noted above.

A cloth dressmaker's tape is not sufficient and a micrometer
is overly precise to a mechanic's purposes.
I agree with you unless you're curious about the exact fit that someone used.
Sure, its fun for curiosity, but its a pretty short menu list of dimensions on a bike. The most interesting dimension for that FSA crank is the over-all BB/bearing width since, like the Campy crank, there is no adjustability except with a wavy washer. SRAM has a long-ish spindle and pre-load collar, and Shimano has a preload cap and pinch bolts -- but the FSA uses one wavy washer (IIRC) with narrower cups, and if you substitute in the Shimano cups, which are wider, you can get binding that cannot be adjusted out, so you're stuck with the FSA BB. I suppose you could face the BB shell to narrow it down a bit (if you didn't want to get stuck buying FSA BBs), but personally, I'd dump the crank first and go with Shimano.
Somehow I ordered a BBright FSA crankset. I don't know how or why that happened. I don't have a Cervelo and no desire for one. Anyway. It does contain a packet of not just the wavy washer but spacers in he way of flat washers to sett clearances.

I have no idea what sort of washers, etc., FSA is using on their BB30 press-in bearing format cranks.

You need to improve your ordering skills. I've never, ever ordered Italian when I needed ISO or gotten a BB30 crank for 24mm format BB. I don't know how you end up with all these mismatches, but if it is because of your source, you need to change sources.

-- Jay Beattie.

On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 9:51:54 AM UTC-7, jbeattie wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 8:53:01 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 8:47:06 AM UTC-7, jbeattie wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 8:03:54 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 7:56:48 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
On 5/24/2021 9:31 AM, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 2:43:33 PM UTC+2, AMuzi wrote:
On 5/23/2021 10:32 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 7:44:17 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Sun, 23 May 2021 21:41:41 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

I don't have a digital caliper.
They're cheap enough these days that it wouldn't hurt to have one
handy. Carbon fiber prices start at about $7:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=digital+caliper&LH_PrefLoc=1&rt=nc&LH_ BIN=1
while stainless jaws and body start at about $15:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=digital+stainless+caliper&LH_PrefLoc=1 &rt=nc&LH_BIN=1

Note that the body is allegedly carbon fiber, making it politically
correct for most of the performance tasks mentioned in this newsgroup.
It also weighs less than the stainless steel version. However, the
big advantage is that the stainless version was typically very crudely
machined. Everything outside and visible to user is clean, but inside
is some of the sloppiest finish work I've ever seen. I thought I had
bought a oddity, so I ordered a similar model from a different vendor.
It was just as bad inside.

One problem you might have is that the on/off switch doesn't really
turn off the calipers causing the battery to discharge prematurely.
You can measure the "phantom load" will the multimeter in series with
the battery. Silver Oxide cells last longer, but cost more. My
solution is to simply remove the battery when it's not in use.
I remember the first one we bought for
one of our labs at school, when they were very new technology. It was
used so little (much less than our dial models) that the battery failed
and corroded the contacts. That would probably happen here too, if I
bought one. But I have given them as gifts.
If the cell leaked, it was probably an alkaline LR44. Try an SR44 or
357 (zinc and silver oxide) cell next time. They last longer and leak
less. There's a list of silver oxide cells in this article:
http://www.davehylands.com/Machinist/Caliper-Batteries/
10 cells for about $6.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=sr44+357+cells

I'm not sure why you didn't use the digital calipers. I use them for
most everything. I have a pair of vernier calipers, which I've never
used since I bought the digital calipers. I would give you one of my
calipers, but it's cheaper for you to order one on eBay, than the $9
it would cost me to mail it to your via USPS flat rate priority mail.

A micrometer for the usual measurements on a bike is like using a scalpel to cut cake. Since everything follows standard dimension conventions (sing it), you don't even have to be that exact. Just throw a caliper on it and get close.
-- Jay Beattie.

+1
Micrometer on seatposts for example shows crazy variance but
since they are nominally even tenths, it's either "27.0" or
it's "27.2" nothing closer matters. Ditto for 9/16" or 14mm
pedals (another area where Friday afternoon work is
different from 'spec'.)


But, but, but if you also have an application were you need a micrometer would you buy both?
We have several calipers (including one dial model but no
electric ones), sets of micrometers, sets of go-no gauges,
etc. For general mechanical work, a caliper is sufficient
for reasons noted above.

A cloth dressmaker's tape is not sufficient and a micrometer
is overly precise to a mechanic's purposes.
I agree with you unless you're curious about the exact fit that someone used.
Sure, its fun for curiosity, but its a pretty short menu list of dimensions on a bike. The most interesting dimension for that FSA crank is the over-all BB/bearing width since, like the Campy crank, there is no adjustability except with a wavy washer. SRAM has a long-ish spindle and pre-load collar, and Shimano has a preload cap and pinch bolts -- but the FSA uses one wavy washer (IIRC) with narrower cups, and if you substitute in the Shimano cups, which are wider, you can get binding that cannot be adjusted out, so you're stuck with the FSA BB. I suppose you could face the BB shell to narrow it down a bit (if you didn't want to get stuck buying FSA BBs), but personally, I'd dump the crank first and go with Shimano.
Somehow I ordered a BBright FSA crankset. I don't know how or why that happened. I don't have a Cervelo and no desire for one. Anyway. It does contain a packet of not just the wavy washer but spacers in he way of flat washers to sett clearances.
I have no idea what sort of washers, etc., FSA is using on their BB30 press-in bearing format cranks.

You need to improve your ordering skills. I've never, ever ordered Italian when I needed ISO or gotten a BB30 crank for 24mm format BB. I don't know how you end up with all these mismatches, but if it is because of your source, you need to change sources.
I was ordering ultra-torque and power-torque cups at the same time and I got the threads reverses. But I had a set of old Italian Ultra-torque cups laying around and so I could put the cranks on the Eddy Merckx. When the Power Torque cups came in I didn't even think that I might have reversed the orders.

As a passing comment. I used to order from Amazon because I would get parts in a day or two. When I ordered the new Power Torque cups they now tell me (after I order but not before) that it is a two week delivery. I might just as well have gotten them off of eBay.

On Mon, 24 May 2021 11:25:39 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 5/23/2021 10:44 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

I'm not sure why you didn't use the digital calipers. I use them for
most everything. I have a pair of vernier calipers, which I've never
used since I bought the digital calipers. I would give you one of my
calipers, but it's cheaper for you to order one on eBay, than the $9
it would cost me to mail it to your via USPS flat rate priority mail.

I admire your generosity (really!) but please don't send me digital
calipers. I certainly don't need them. Besides, I have an electronic
poltergeist. I don't want yet another item she can infect.

Vaguely related: A young woman I know recently bought a house of her own
with a small yard. She asked my advice about whether an electric lawn
mower would be right for her. I said yes, because less noise, no
gasoline to run out of or to go bad, no oil changes, no diagnosis
problems when it won't start, etc. It's just a battery, charger, motor
and start button. (Well, plus a wire bail or lever. Push the start
button then squeeze the bail.)

Or so I thought.

It's a brand new Ryobi 40V mower. The handle telescopes for storage,
fastened by two plastic levers. But the mower won't run unless the
handles are comletely extended. (Not so good for short people, as it
turns out.)

And during mowing, her son briefly stopped then tried to restart. Pushed
the button, squeezed the bail and ... nothing. Check to see the handle
clamps are OK. Nothing. Take the battery out and re-insert. Nothing.
Repeat all those steps. Nothing. Try one more time and it came to life.

Obviously, it's not just a battery, switch and motor. It's a battery,
switch, a collection of sensors, some incomprehensible micro-electronics
and a motor.

So instead of the familiar IC engine diagnostics when it won't start,
this one requires sacrifices to some electronic god.

But Frank, all those gizmos make it safe to use. Why, without them who
know what havoc might be caused.
--
Cheers,

John B.

On Mon, 24 May 2021 11:27:44 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 5/24/2021 10:31 AM, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 2:43:33 PM UTC+2, AMuzi wrote:
On 5/23/2021 10:32 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 7:44:17 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Sun, 23 May 2021 21:41:41 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

I don't have a digital caliper.
They're cheap enough these days that it wouldn't hurt to have one
handy. Carbon fiber prices start at about $7:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=digital+caliper&LH_PrefLoc=1&rt=nc&LH_ BIN=1
while stainless jaws and body start at about $15:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=digital+stainless+caliper&LH_PrefLoc=1 &rt=nc&LH_BIN=1

Note that the body is allegedly carbon fiber, making it politically
correct for most of the performance tasks mentioned in this newsgroup.
It also weighs less than the stainless steel version. However, the
big advantage is that the stainless version was typically very crudely
machined. Everything outside and visible to user is clean, but inside
is some of the sloppiest finish work I've ever seen. I thought I had
bought a oddity, so I ordered a similar model from a different vendor.
It was just as bad inside.

One problem you might have is that the on/off switch doesn't really
turn off the calipers causing the battery to discharge prematurely.
You can measure the "phantom load" will the multimeter in series with
the battery. Silver Oxide cells last longer, but cost more. My
solution is to simply remove the battery when it's not in use.
I remember the first one we bought for
one of our labs at school, when they were very new technology. It was
used so little (much less than our dial models) that the battery failed
and corroded the contacts. That would probably happen here too, if I
bought one. But I have given them as gifts.
If the cell leaked, it was probably an alkaline LR44. Try an SR44 or
357 (zinc and silver oxide) cell next time. They last longer and leak
less. There's a list of silver oxide cells in this article:
http://www.davehylands.com/Machinist/Caliper-Batteries/
10 cells for about $6.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=sr44+357+cells

I'm not sure why you didn't use the digital calipers. I use them for
most everything. I have a pair of vernier calipers, which I've never
used since I bought the digital calipers. I would give you one of my
calipers, but it's cheaper for you to order one on eBay, than the $9
it would cost me to mail it to your via USPS flat rate priority mail.

A micrometer for the usual measurements on a bike is like using a scalpel to cut cake. Since everything follows standard dimension conventions (sing it), you don't even have to be that exact. Just throw a caliper on it and get close.
-- Jay Beattie.

+1
Micrometer on seatposts for example shows crazy variance but
since they are nominally even tenths, it's either "27.0" or
it's "27.2" nothing closer matters. Ditto for 9/16" or 14mm
pedals (another area where Friday afternoon work is
different from 'spec'.)


But, but, but if you also have an application were you need a micrometer would you buy both?


Or likewise, if you had both but the micrometer was closer at hand, why
not use it?

Back when I was working in the trade Machinists were required to
furnish their own 1 and 2 inch micrometers and thus one had "their"
measuring device handy in their tool box if someone wanted to measure
something.

If a bloke came in with a seat post and wanted to know "how big is it"
I'm sure that whoever measured it would have used a mike... and I
doubt if anyone in the shop would have commented on it :-)
--
Cheers,

John B.