The more accurate the starting measurements, the less you'll need to correct for tolerances later. A ruler is enough for rough dimensions, but for end caps, adapters, holes and fits a caliper is far better suited. It's especially important not to measure at just one spot. Tubes, profiles and older parts can easily be oval, warped or uneven.
For profile width, outer tube diameter, material thickness and existing pins, use the outer measuring jaws of the caliper. Tip: Don't squeeze so hard that soft material gets deformed.
For inner tube diameter, openings, sockets and recesses, use the inside measuring jaws. With small holes, the geometry of the jaws can make measuring harder.
The depth rod of a typical caliper is suited for:
With two screw holes, don't just roughly estimate "center to center." More accurate in practice:
For a tube, measure at the top, at the bottom, and rotated by 90°. A nominally 30 mm tube may not actually measure exactly the same everywhere.
A caliper can display very fine increments. That doesn't automatically mean the printer, the part and the measuring method reproduce the same accuracy. For construction, a realistic accuracy is what counts.
Example: a measured outer size of 24.8 mm is not automatically the inner size of the printed cap. The fit decision comes only after that.
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For precisely fitting 3D-printed parts, a digital caliper with inside, outside, depth and step measurement is a very useful tool.
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