Tape measure

[Anonymous]

I tend to use the good quality generic tape measures that people like timber merchents and tool suppliers have badged up with their own names. £3.00 gets a good tape this way.

Thing is, I very rarely use a tape measure for anything precise. I prefer to use stops on saws for repetitive cuts, and if I need to cut a componant to length I will mark the length I need on a piece of scrap, and then transfer this directly to the stock.

When measuring a room for fitted furniture, it is far more accurate to use rods or 'story sticks' as the American writer Jim Tolpin calls them. Read any of his excellent books on woodworking and you'll seldom use a tape measure again.

Cheers
Brad

 

[DomValente]

Fisco for me as I have found them to be the most accurate,yes they are a little dearer but then I have found Stanley inaccurate.

 

[Shivers]

It's not possible to have a single tapemeasure that follows the job,when theres 10 guys all working on various aspects of a large commercial fabrication/fitout,the closest thing you can do is at least all use the same tape brand & model& cross reference.

 

[Anonymous]

I saw one of these on line video's of home building tip's. The very first thing the bloke said was to ensure all tapes used by the carpenter's on site, were synchronised to the same measure. He used a pliers to do minute alterations to the lip (sometimes they get bent outta shape) so that both tapes were perfectly in tune. However I like Brads comments. I concurr about marking rather than measuring, transferring the measurement as it is instead of getting an abstarct aproximation in fractiuons of inche's or mini meters. I use a pair of sticks to get width's etc. Full size rod's for componenets and assemblies eliminate the need to measure, I was told again and again, refer to your rod for your sizes for marking the components dont rely on the ruler-if the rod's right, the job will come out tight.

When I worked in the window factory the company was abominable in many respects (even though the boss was a forbes 400 man who put lotsa dollars into Golf tournaments :roll: :roll BUT they were good on monitoring tapes and other measuring kit. They issued a new stanley tape every 6 months, and they checked them against a special test thing every month.

PS to answer Alfies question, I too use the 8 meter Stanley power lock pictured in a previous post for those large ocasions when I need to use a "normal" measure. It has a plastic body, are chrome steel ones still available? :?: For doing rod's I prefer a regular folding boxwood rule, I like to be able to rest it on its edge and transfer the dimension down when I draw out a rod. I dislike the upwards curve on the steel tape's, theres margin for error with that. I also have a 12 inch steel rule for very delicate ocasion's.
cheers Jonathan

 

[Paul Chapman]

are chrome steel ones still available? :?:

My "chrome" Powerlock seems to be made from plastic

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Alf]

Yeah, so's my defunct one. Does anyone do a metal case anymore? That'd be nice. Or just plastic that isn't quite so, you know - plasticky.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Nick W]

The black bits on the Wealden ones are rubbery, if thats any good.

 

[Routermonster]

Hi Alf

Guess what - Stanley gets my vote too. I've got several dotted round the house and workshop, including one with a proper chromed metal case, which I've had for at least 25 years! I've just checked it against a nearly new one across a 48" desk top, and the measurements are spot on. If looked after they seem to last for ever. They're reasonably priced, and the scales are easy to read.

Hope this helps.

Les

 

[Quetech]

Alf

I have several stanleys and a couple of Fisco Big T tapes and the
Fisco ones are the best.

Mike

 

[martlewis]

I've had my stanley 10m for about 8 years, metal body type. Unfortunately the other half borrowed it for a non wood based task -- sinfull -- and it got stood on whilst the tape was out. It now has a handy crease at about 1.8m which makes it flop at just the worst possible times.

A few choice words later and she's coming to buy me a new one today, Stanley of course.

Saw one with a built in laser measure too, anyone ever used laser measures? Are they anywhere near accurate?

 

[scooby]

Saw one with a built in laser measure too, anyone ever used laser measures? Are they anywhere near accurate?

I've got a strait-line laser measure. Think my dad got it free from somewhere and I borrowed it. The only time I use (rarely) is for getting rough measurements for things like skirting boards, flooring etc. It does on occasion throw up some weird measurements, which are obviously wrong. I'd never it use it for any precise measurements

 

[Nick W]

Fisco Big T

Nastiest tape I ever had. Thin blade that snapped after a couple of months. Blech

 

[Alf]

Chaps, will you kill me if I confess it occurred to me to actually use one of the numerous folding rules I've acquired over the years...? #-o Don't throw things! Could well be I still end up getting a tape, but this is a good excuse to make the effort to learn to do things the old fashioned way without the temptation. Sorry... Still good info though - ta muchly.

Cheers, Alf

 

[engineer one]

so what you are saying alf is that you only use metre lengths of wood now #-o :-k

does this mean we are likely to see more small boxes :twisted: :lol:

paul who also has more than one new and vintage folder :wink:

 

[Paul Chapman]

this is a good excuse to make the effort to learn to do things the old fashioned way without the temptation.

I reckon that's well-worth trying, Alf. I find myself increasingly these days making up a rod and marking directly from that - far more accurate and less prone to errors.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

PS The lynch mob left 5 minutes ago :lol:

 

[Alf]

so what you are saying alf is that you only use metre lengths of wood now #-o :-k

Nope, I'm saying I have a 2m metric/imperial folding rule, as new - which I happened to get for 50p...

She shoots, she scores! :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[DomValente]

Many years ago I was working at The Ashmolean with a gentleman who I later found out was 87 years old.
He died smiling with a folding rule in his hands.
Two weeks after his death his daughter sought me out and gave me a beautiful 6" folding rule made of Ivory and brass.
It's one of my most treasured possesions.

 

[mailee]

Has anyone on here used one of those right handed tape measures? I have seen them advertised in the mags and thought it was a good idea but never bought one yet. Anyone got any comments on them? :?: