Tape Measures for woodworking

[JayPique]

I've owned quite a few different tape measures, but haven't found what I deem to be "the one" for woodworking. My favorite thus far seems to be the Stanley 33-116. I love the size of it, which is probably why I keep buying them. If I could change it though, I would get rid of the

32nd marks over the first 12 inches of the tape. Maybe it's my eyes, but those little lines just all sort of blur together. And who is going to use a tape measure at all if they are shooting for 64th of an inch accuracy? The only other thing that I might do is put in the eighth-inch labels. But overall, it's my favorite. So far...

JP

[Max]

Lufkin QR 1312. Haven't let me down.....yet.

Max

[Lew Hodgett]

RE: Subject

A 25-30 ft fat Stanley.

Lew

[Roy]

I very rarely need a 25 foot tape for cabinet work. I use this one every day in the shop:

with your off hand, write with the dominant. What a brilliant idea. Also a version for southpaws. This little LV tape is small and light. Price has gone up $2 since I first tried one of these.

OTOH, for carpentry, my old standby is a 25 foot Stanley leverlock. I don't use anything this big very often.

[m II]

Must have a self locking pull-out and both sides of tape the same system for left and right measurements.

Most will do if they meet that criteria.

I am not sure I will buy Stanley again. The last two units haven't lasted more than a few months even though I paid $20 for each. The $3.95 units at the surplus stores last over a few years, usually.

I've owned quite a few different tape measures, but haven't found what I deem to be "the one" for woodworking. My favorite thus far seems to be the Stanley 33-116. I love the size of it, which is probably why I keep buying them. If I could change it though, I would get rid of the

32nd marks over the first 12 inches of the tape. Maybe it's my eyes, but those little lines just all sort of blur together. And who is going to use a tape measure at all if they are shooting for 64th of an inch accuracy? The only other thing that I might do is put in the eighth-inch labels. But overall, it's my favorite. So far...

JP

[Swingman]

The most important characteristic of any tape measure for me: One that perfectly matches my table saw fence tape!

In this case:

A 12' Stanley 33-212.

Small, fits nicely in the apron; the hook is accurate and doesn't slip; consistent/same reading accuracy from one tape measure to another; therefore I keep four on hand all the time - one in the truck, one in the tool bag, one in the shop apron, one in the shop drawer.

It's like measuring with the same tape measure, time after time. Can't get any better than that.

YMMV ...

[Swingman]

I have two of those, but from day one kept having problems with the hook slipping off any edge. Basically, both of mine are useless for my purposes, so they gather dust in a drawer.

AAMOF, I even wrote to Rob about the problem years ago, so sounds they might have fixed it by now?

[-MIKE-]

I have one "master" tape measure. It goes to the store as a reference any time I'm shopping for an linear measuring device. Especially if that store happens to sell a lot of Freight that come into Harbor. :-) You can take one of each off their walls, tape, stick, square, etc., and none of them will match up after 16 inches.

[Gramp's shop]

My favorite is the one I can find at the moment I need it, which I guess says something about my shopkeeping habits. I have about six tape measures, and most of them came with an undocumented feature -- tiny legs that emerge when I set it down and a high speed motor that takes zips it to an entirely different location.

Larry

[Doug Miller]

Damn, you buy the same brand I do!

[JayPique]

You must have the "Dixon Ticonderoga" brand tape measures... JP

[Nova]

The next time I'm at my neighbor's I'll look for your tape. That's where mine always go.

[clare]

You REALLY need to see and use the "acuratape" Lighted magnified "vernier". A bit of a rare item in Canada in that it is "imperial only" Has a pencil clip for accurate marking - as well as a retractable marking "pin". Also has magnetic tab.

see:

[Swingman]

... looks like it could run apps like an iPhone! ;)

Won't be long before Siri is incorporated into tape measures.

[Doug Miller]

SWMBO and the kids all have the bad habit of walking off with my pencils. Finally, I bought another box and hid them. I'm 5" taller than SWMBO; additionally, my arms are unusually long, and hers unusually short, so it's not too hard to put things where I can reach them and she can't. In this case, she can't even *see* them... The kids can, but after I turned them on to turning pens and pencils on the lathe, they kinda prefer using their own. Which is just fine with me.

[Dave]

I'll go you one better to that. My favourite tape measure is finding the same tape measure I just used to take the previous measurement. ~ Eliminates subtle variations in the wood I'm marking.

[J. Clarke]

triumph of Canadian technology? Fortunately there's no Diefanbaker to kill it.

[Josepi]

Somebody had to set policy for the Liberal party.

Trudeau was the only one that could make the Diefenbuck real.

[m II]

Maybe need to take a thermometer to insure the same tape metal expansion....LOL

Are you serious? How much are they off?

[Dave]

And again as usual, with remarkable clarity you demonstrate your ignorance.

There can be a disparity among tape mesures and a visually noticeable one too. When you're fitting some type of joint or assembling cabinets, a disparity of 1/64" can make the construction more difficult. Most of the woodworkers here have likely noticed it on occasion. You? You wouldn't be able to discern a 2x4 if it clocked you on the side of the head.

PS. I left one typo in this message just so your feeble mind would have something to stimulate it.