I got in my micrometer today. The accuracy is supposed to be to 0.001". However, the graduations on the micrometer are 0.005". Are you supposed to estimate the numbers in between? I have used a lot of micrometers in my day, and usually if the number is not directly read there is a second scale, but there is none on this. I checked other manufacturers and they all seem the same. What am I missing, other than being a moron

 

Are there numbers going around the outside of the rotating part? If so, those are probably borken up into five segments, giving you your .001" divisions.

You would read it like a torque wrench. If the .005" is between .005 and .010" and the out ring is on 3 (.003" then you would read .008" (.005 +.003")

 

As far as I can see, they are broken into 0.005 segments with no delineation between them.

 

You're right, that DOES look like it is broken into .005" dviisions, not .001".

 

Is it a vernier scale? Doesn't look like it but there might be another scale on the back.

 

Nope, checked that too. Tried to figure out a way to read the lines, but that doesn't work either. I think you have to estimate, or I am really missing the boat here. Usually, with a micrometer that goes to 0.0001 inches, there are two scales one for the 0.001 position and then a second for the 10 thousanths position. Nothing on this one for the 0.001. I'm stumped at this point.

 

You are missing the boat, the thinest standard shim is .015", so the closest you can shim a spring is + or - .005" So just round it off to the nearest .005" and shim accordingly.

 

Thanks Brian, that makes perfect sense. What is aggravating is the packaging and the advertising all say "Accurate to within 0.001" so here I am trying to figure out how the heck to read it, duh