How Do You Read A Metric Micrometer?
When measuring things like the inside radius of a tube or the diameter of a sphere, a micrometer will give you a very accurate result. The most common type of micrometer, the screw gauge, has precisely machined threads in the handle that are used to advance and retract a shaft, or spindle. When the spindle is advanced, the number of turns or partial turns on the threads is measured using a gauge stamped into the handle. This gauge can be in either English or metric units. Set the micrometer on the object to be measured. For inside micrometers, this means it is stretched across the inner diameter of the tube or pipe, and for a depth micrometer, it means it is resting on the rim of the bowl or channel and the spindle is resting on the bottom. For an outside micrometer, the object being measured should be lightly held between the spindle and the anvil. Use the micrometer’s locking mechanism to hold the shaft in place. This will most likely be a thumb lever or thumb wheel located near the
