Looking for a reel tape-measure in several hundred feet. Examples:
Pittsburgh(HF) 330': $17
Lufkin 300': $50
Milwaukee 100': $30
1. Is there really going to be a difference in accuracy between the brands?
2. Anybody had one fail, and if so how?
3. Anything I should consider when purchasing one?
Thank you.
I presume there are accuracy standards to which US “made” or sold tapes have to be made, but I’ve rarely seen US manufacturers mention what thise accuracy standards are in their literature or on their websites.
Some Starrett tapes used to come in versions with ceryified accuracy, but these were soecialty models.
The only manufacturers I’ve usually seen list accuracy standards for tapes and folding rules are European manufacturers like BMI from Germany, and Hultafirs/Talmeter from Sweden and Fisco from the UK.
Typically these come with acurracy standards such as class II or class III, which are marked in the tape or rule, and which specify maximum deviation from standards between individual marks on the rule, as well as the total lengths, or at set distances.
The Euro made tapes seem to be somewhat thinner than brands made for the USA though, so I’m not sure whether they would be better for heavy use.
For best accuracy you would really want a laser measuring device, such as a Hilti or Leica laser distance measurer. The ones made for longer distances are probably good for 1/10 of an inch or less over hundreds of feet.
If you don’t need massively accurate measurements, your better off trying to figure out which manufacturer makes the long **** with the more functional housing. The way the tape stores and reals back in, or locks, as well as the durability of the tape and markings will likely be more important for use than a tape being out of measurement by an inch over 100 feet.
If an inch over a 100 feet is crucial, you’re going to need to invest more in measuring devices, probably including a decent transit si you can use geometry to help verify measurements.
