PSA: Not all tape measures are created equal. (1 Viewer)

[Hoh]

This may be common knowledge, so apologies. But as an experiment I measured a board with 4 different tape measures, and got 3 different answers. It turns out the culprit is the metal hook at the end. When I measured from the 1 inch mark instead, all 4 were dead on balls accurate.

I hope this changes your life for the better.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

I was doing a small project in my garage last summer with a friend who is a contractor. He seriously wanted to throw all my tape measures directly in the garbage bins when he saw them. I’ve only ever bought the cheap ones and he was visibly disgusted with me over this.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I was doing a small project in my garage last summer with a friend who is a contractor. He seriously wanted to throw all my tape measures directly in the garbage bins when he saw them. I’ve only ever bought the cheap ones and he was visibly disgusted with me over this.

Nothing worse than a Tape Measure Snob. You should buy him a tape measure for Christmas this year, preferably one from the dollar store.

 

[The Z Machine]

As someone that designs and develops hand and power tools, yes not all tapes are equal. The hook at the end should be loose on the rivets so it gives proper readings when hooked over the end as well as when it is pushed against a surface.

The biggest difference is the quality of the steel used in the tape and how likely it is to twist or kink after repeated use.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I was doing a small project in my garage last summer with a friend who is a contractor. He seriously wanted to throw all my tape measures directly in the garbage bins when he saw them. I’ve only ever bought the cheap ones and he was visibly disgusted with me over this.

Back in my 20s, my father had come to my house to help me with some project or another. He was going back out to his truck to get whatever tools we needed and I told him I had tools already in the house. So, I went and got my little all-in-one tool kit (I think I paid like $3 for it at Hechinger's). My father looked at it like he was going to vomit and told me "I ought to whip your *** for buying this". I don't think I had ever disappointed him as much as I did that day

 

[El Floppo]

I was on a job site doing some field surveying with my cool looking "ceremonial for architects" tape.... The site super (who became a friend), asked to see the tape and immediately and angrily threw it in the garbage- gave me one of his.

I've been using the laser variety for a while for surveying larger spaces. Use the tape only for objects.. and yeah, try to start at the 1" mark for accuracy

 

[Hoh]

I was doing a small project in my garage last summer with a friend who is a contractor. He seriously wanted to throw all my tape measures directly in the garbage bins when he saw them. I’ve only ever bought the cheap ones and he was visibly disgusted with me over this.

My Stanley and Milwaukee seem to be perfect. The one I grabbed from Harbor Freight for $2 is realllly close and can probably be “calibrated” by bending the hook a little. The 4th one is off by at least 1/16 of an inch and caused momentary panic yesterday.

 

[FarFromHome]

I was doing a small project in my garage last summer with a friend who is a contractor. He seriously wanted to throw all my tape measures directly in the garbage bins when he saw them. I’ve only ever bought the cheap ones and he was visibly disgusted with me over this.

Nothing worse than a Tape Measure Snob. You should buy him a tape measure for Christmas this year, preferably one from the dollar store.

Ha ha. A Hello Kitty one.

 

[Hoh]

Man, making tape measures that were completely but imperceptibly off would be a great gag gift