Elementary carpentry question

In news: snipped-for-privacy@k15g2000prk.googlegroups.com, Larry Fishel typed: : On Mar 3, 1:26 am, David Nebenzahl : wrote: :: On 3/2/2011 10:16 PM Mike Paulsen spake thus: ::: But why are you concerned with running sheeting all the ::: way to the floor? You _want_ to leave it shy of the floor ::: a bit, and baseboard will cover the gap. : : This is largely because walls tend to be neither square nor : straight, so trying to cut paneling or drywall precisely : will just drive you crazy. : :: Just an example. A better example would have been cutting :: studs to fit tightly betwixt floor and ceiling. Point is :: that it's good to know the actual height instead of just :: guesstimating it. : : Use the technique others described in this case. Or if you : want to be even more precise, measure and mark 12" from : either end with a metal ruler or square (because the metal : hook on the ends of most tapes is designed to measure : outside) and measure between the marks with your tape. Of : course, this is probably more precise than you can cut : anyway...

Or get at least a 20th century tape where the metal hook on the end slips in for inside measurements and slips out for outside measurements, all by itself. I've never seen a current tape what didn't work that way unless some dumbo didn't know why the end was loose and beat it tight with a hammer, which I HAVE seen some dummies do!

Reply to
Twayne
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Yes, but the holes in the ruler get elongated by repeated snap closings. ===========================================

Ouch! Who in the world with at least half a brain would let a tape snap? Anyone who abuses a tape measure, doesn't deserve to have such a tool.

Reply to
ralph

Excuse me, but the metal hook is designed to measure inside AND outside. The rivets holding the hook to the blade are intentionally loose to permit the hook slide back and forth in the slots the amount equal to the thickness of the hook. Therefore, the hook can automatically compensate for it's thickness.

Not only that, but you will achieve accurate measurements if you are INSIDE your garage or OUTSIDE at your neighbors. :-)

Reply to
Gordon Shumway

Since my vision never was that great in dark small spaces, and reading the inside of a curved tape is a skill I never quite mastered anyway, I usually just cheated by making a witness mark on the wall at some nice round number, say 50 inches off the floor, and then measuring up from the mark. Just add 50 to whatever number you get from the top down, and there ya go.

Reply to
aemeijers

In the bad old days, I'd use my trusty Stanley Power-Lock and just extend it floor to ceiling, read off the distance and add the case offset. In the good new days I just use my Stanley laser measure and point and shoot.

Reply to
Pete C.

Um, won't that blow a hole through the wall? :-)

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

Gotta use the LOW power setting.

Reply to
aemeijers

measurements.http://www.listoftools.com/images/measuring_inside_dimensions_with_a_... Agreed. Folding rule for any inside measurements (closets, drawers, etc.) Doug D

Reply to
Doug D

I didn't know the things had a stun setting. ^_^

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

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Reply to
woodworker plans

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bump your tape into one corner or the other and measure out 10 inches and make a mark, then measure from the other corner to the mark and add 10 inches. There you go no more trying to read the roll of the tape.

Reply to
woodworker plans

On 3/4/2011 6:59 PM woodworker plans spake thus:

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I think we got essentially the same answer about 10 replies up there. Which you would have known had you read this on Usenet, which is where I posted it, instead of the god-damned Homeowner's Hub web-scraping service. (Wonder if they'll post this reply there?)

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

So why are you trying to measure it that accurately? Carpenters know the bottom is going to be covered by baseboard. and molding. It could be a couple of inches short and not matter. On the other hand if you really need this kind of accuracy get a folding measure. They have a little extension that slides out for measuring that last little bit.

Jimmie

Reply to
JIMMIE

Use a GOOD tape measure andput the end of the tape case against one surgace, and the end of the tape against the other surface. Take measurement, ading the perscribed amount for the tape case.

Then put the "tab" of the tape over the end of the stock to be measured and mark the stock at the total length. It will be accurate because of the way the "tab" or "shoe" at the end of the tape is slotted - it moves EXACTLY the thickness of the "shoe" or "tab".

Gotta love my "accuratape" - add 4 inched to the measured distance - which has a lighted and magnified hairline like on a precision slierule allowing very accurate measurement, even in restricted light with old eyes.. It also has both a retractable "pin prick" marker and a socket for a pencil for accurate marking of length on the stock to be cut.

Reply to
clare

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