Or maybe someone can tell me how to use the two I have. The hook atthe end of the tape on both of mine (and every new one I picked up atLowes) has about a 1/16th inch of play. In other words, measuring aboard would be 1/16th longer than measuring the hole the board fitsinto.I have just recently got into woodworking and am building some built-inbookshelves and facing in the shelves has been a pain due to this1/16th. I doubt I've made a flush cut yet on the first try (not tomention my miter saw fence needs to be adjusted. Anyways, the projectis proceeding, but for the drawers, I need to build them to fit each ofthe holes I framed fairly accurately. I do my scribing and markingwith an exacto knife instead of a pencil, and for those cuts where Imark the piece against the project, the cuts turn out fine.So far, the most frusterating parts of this project have been:1) Ripping plywood on my small table saw (no telling how many safetyviolations I committed doing this).2) Measuring for 1/16th inch accuracy.3) Routering dados in opposing pieces of wood (i.e. for the shelves) asmy router, even with a guide on the workpieces, wants to jump away fromthe guide.Otherwise, I'm really enjoying woodworking and would like to getbetter, and I think maybe a decent tape would be a start.

It's supposed to. The play in the hook should exactly match thethickness of the hook, so that outside and inside measurements areboth accurate.To check a tape measure, Find a straightedge that starts measuring atthe edge (2/3 of my rulers do this; the other 1/3 starts 1/8" from theend). Hook the tape measure over the end of it, and ensure all theinch marks line up. Now, push the tape measure against something andput the straightedge NEXT to it (i.e. not touching the hook), againverifying that the marks line up.Alternately, you can use the 10" mark as a "zero" to measure against,and ignore the hook completely (don't use 1", it's too easy to forgetto subtract the 1" but it's hard to ignore the extra 10" if you forgetthat)Nope, doesn't work that way.Clamp another piece of plywood to it as a guide for a circular saw orrouter.Learn to use your rulers correctly.The guide is on the wrong side of the router, then, or your routing inthe wrong direction. The cutting action of the bit should...

> Great point! > > There's the old saying "burn an inch" to avoid using the hook. It's > very easy to cut parts one inch short when burning an inch. > > Burning 10 makes the errors very apparent before the cut!Keeps the math simple, I don't have a problem doing a mental calculation that involves adding "10".Lew

Where to get accurate tape measure?

Jan 04, 2007 42 Replies

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Mark Blum 19 years ago

Been there, done that.

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Mark Jerde 19 years ago

I have a bunch of tapes, but always use just *one* for each project. It's usually the orange one, but not always. No problems. Am I missing something?

-- Mark

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Lew Hodgett 19 years ago

Keeps the math simple, I don't have a problem doing a mental calculation that involves adding "10".

Lew

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