Quote: Both the callipers have large metric and imperial LCD displays, which can be switched at the press of a button, while pressing a hold button secures the data. The jaws have spring-loaded travel and can easily and quickly be held in place by tightening the head of a small fastening. The callipers have been constructed to a very high engineering standard, with alloy jaws and matt chrome finishing. The outside callipers have a span in excess of 239 mm and the inside callipers in excess of 257 mm, with what we are assured an accuracy of 0.01mm. The moulded knife shaped handles are ribbed for grip and the callipers manipulated by the use of a finger trigger.

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Our thoughts: on the positive points first. When working with them over a period,we found them to be on the whole not too heavy, or over large, and they were extremely useful for getting the dimensions of relatively large and complete pots, and other artefacts. Being able to lock the instrument as well as retaining the measurement while adjusting the callipers is a real plus, as is being able to set the display either to imperial or metric, although most British archaeological illustrators wouldn't have much cause to use the imperial setting.

Negatively, we suspect that the thumb levers would not last that long given prolonged use and would probably snap around the areas of the attaching screws, which did unfortunately start to work loose after only a few uses. If these levers were in metal instead of plastic that would almost certainly benefit the use and longevity of the instrument. The handle being moulded plastic gave us no problems, although there is no real need for it to be cast for any particular hand. We experienced occasions when it was necessary to use it in either hand depending on the part or complexity of the pot being illustrated.


For the future, as an added extra, if, especially with the internal diameter callipers there was some additional sliding mechanism, or other means of establishing the distance within the pot being illustrated, other than where the actual internal measurement is being taken, then that would make these instruments just about perfect for use by all archaeological illustrators. Meantime as they come, these instruments are extremely useful additions to an illustrating 'toolkit' and will see extensive future in ours. If at some time, larger versions of them come on the market we would also certainly invest in them as well, mainly to deal with the very occasional extremely large pot which comes our way.



George & Alan

Quote:"mine have certainly been put to v good use already!"