Tape Measures: Your go-to?

[DCarr]

I have a few Tape Measures placed througout my Shop. All are 25' and from various makers. I use Steel Rules very often and have those from 12" to 60".

 

[joebachor]

I carry my zippo tape measure in a zippo lighter case. its small, light, and high quality. im a mechanic not a builder so its all I need.

 

[Hobbit]

Keson 25' stainless tape in tenths of foot only. Buy them ten at a time. Keson 100' fiberglass tape in tenths only buy them three at a time. I break some but leave most on job sites. I like the little metal Keson because it fits in my front pocket. Anything clipped on my side will get brushed off by shrubs.

 

[oldestof11]

I like my Husky. Double sided marks on the tape make it easy.

 

[Fizbin]

For woodworking I prefer one that is flat: Flatback.

I always wanted to try one of those out, but never knew if they function like a normal tape measure (i.e. standout) or they just flop around like a wet noodle.

 

[A**holes Garage]

Starrett

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

Re: Tape Measures: Your go to?

This. Love it.

I knew a guy that bought a 16' and a 25'.
He cut the 25' down to 17' with a dremel.
17' went in the 16' and the 16' went in the 25'.
The 25' went back to the store as broken...stuck at 16'.



He never had anymore trouble measuring those 16' boards.

That guy is a thief.

 

[spotco2]

I'm still old school

 

[jeffmoss26]

All of my tape measures are Stanley. Mostly older US made ones.

 

[mobiledynamics]

Old Skool Stanley Leverlocks - the green ones.

I bought about a dozen 25's and four 16 footers throughout scouring old hardware stores.
It's standout as not as nice as the modern fatmax, but it's very *natural* to my hand.

When I'm doing construction/renovation.....constantly using it, it's important for it to feel *good* in the hand.

 

[T_Hed]

Re: Tape Measures: Your go to?

I like the Komelon auto-lockers. I haven't tried a ton of brands but they have been trouble-free, I find myself REALLY liking the auto-locking feature 99.99% of the time, and none have failed me.

I don't have a workshop but many project areas, and I misplace stuff all the time, so I have a bunch of them.

I like these too.
When I'm in the shop I use an old one I got from Tractor Supply that is marked in decimal equivalents.
Old machinist habits I guess

T

 

[Toolfool]

Ever since my detached retina problems, the Starrett tapes seem like the easiest to read. Just the right contrast between the yellow tape and the black lines. And they're cheap (the ones with the recycled plastic case).

 

[ihredo4]

I don't really have a preference in the tape. Mainly whatever is on sale. As it is I have more tapes than I really need. One in each vehicle, trailer, by each door in the garage and multiple in the house. Forgot one in nearly every toolbox also. Always one handy.

 

[RKA]

I always wanted to try one of those out, but never knew if they function like a normal tape measure (i.e. standout) or they just flop around like a wet noodle.

You're not going to impress anyone with it. But for woodworkers or anyone doing precise layout work, it solves the problem of bending the edge of the tape over to make your mark. I just bought it 2 weeks ago after seeing it for the first time. Love it.

I have a few, Komelon, Lufkin, Kobalt, older Stanley, Fastcap (above), and finally a Leica laser for anything beyond 20 ft. The handiest one is the one within arm's reach. I keep a metric and imperial in the basement along with the flat back and laser. Another imperial in the garage, and another imperial somewhere in the house (forget where I left it).

 

[bobemmerich]

I have several things I use. These days, with the house done, I rarely have to measure anything long, so my go-to guy is the 6' Lufkin Collapsible Rule. I also have a couple small 3 footers hanging around, 30 and 35 Stanley, a 12 and 16' Ace, Ace yardstick, and for those long jobs, an MIT 100' roll.

 

[Punchwood]

Got used to Starrett when I was a fabricator. Still my go-to.

 

[dolfans]

I have a few Starretts wife has a Stanley and i have some no name ones.

 

[Barnuba]

Fat Max 35' or LDM - depending on situation.

 

[shannonw]

the brakes kept wearing out on the ones i was using for just around the house stuff, i couldn't get more than a year out of them....i guess it's the way i use and retract them, maybe the small plastic brakes wear or something. As an experiment i picked up that big bostich one lowes carries, dang thing is expensive for a tape measure! But i'll say it's been a few years so far with no sign of wearing so i'm break even on the cost. Maybe it's due to the size of the thing or something

 

[TOOL_MONGER]

Re: Tape Measures: Your go to?

The one I can find. They seem to hide.

^^^ this right here^^^ I recently picked up several spares... because they are always tucked into some hidden spot that will take me at least a week to find...

 

[ajchien]

Another for the HF freebies. They have all the 1/8ths listed clearly which I like.

I keep meaning to do this to one of my tapes, as it would be usefull to me.....

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-to-Make-Precision-Tape-Measure/

I love this idea too. I'm trying to figure out what's the easiest way to do it. Drill press? Handheld drill? Leather punch?

Actually might be too much of a pain to do all at once. I might just consider doing it as an as needed basis on the same tape.

 

[roche]

Stanley Powerlock 25'

 

[Beowulf]

Anyone have experience with the Snap-on Aluminum housing units?

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools.asp?tool=all&Group_ID=682878&store=snapon-store

 

[dmw319]

Re: Tape Measures: Your go to?

hf freebees

these are the best!

 

[TwoInch]

i have used fatmax and other USA made stanleys for years. the last two years i have been using a komelon magnetic model that i like better than any of the other tapes i have.

 

[AndyA]

Starret 24 rule for small stuff
Lufkin 25' for medium stuff
Lufkin 100' manual rollup for large stuff.

I'd like to have a 300' steel manual rollup. The fiberglass ones have way too much stretch to be accurate. I might have to troll ebay for old surveyor equipment.

 

[scarpozzi]

I go through more tapes....the last 2 feet always end up getting a crease in them and I can never measure long boards without fighting them to stay put.

Stanley is what I usually buy because they're at least a decent tape thickness, but I just had another one break on me and it was only 2 months old. I have a kobalt I'm using now until I can find my other Stanley tape.

 

[The Frisco Kid]

The new Milwaukee 16' will be the replacement for my 16' Fat Stanley when it's needed... Love that 16' size for 95% of what I do. Smaller, lighter, less space on my belt or cart!

 

[darwyn]

I love this idea too. I'm trying to figure out what's the easiest way to do it. Drill press? Handheld drill? Leather punch?

Actually might be too much of a pain to do all at once. I might just consider doing it as an as needed basis on the same tape.

I think the flat woodworking tapes I linked to earlier would be an easier solution. For accurate marking they work great!

 

[sdguy55]

Anyone have experience with the Snap-on Aluminum housing units?

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools.asp?tool=all&Group_ID=682878&store=snapon-store

I have one. For the very rare occasion that I use it its seems pretty nice. It also goes down to very small measurements for the first 12 in. 1/32 I believe is what it goes down to.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 4

 

[A_Pmech]

Some guys have a Skoal ring on their back pocket. I have a Pi-Tape ring:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7TajqQ_d0xo#t=106

 

[Vvmvbb]

Been using the Stabila lately.
Feels good in the hand, a little rubberized, and has markings on both sides of the blade for some reason. Not sure it's any better than a Stanley, but I like it.

 

[ShaneMSnyder]

Basic Stanley 33-425 is what I've always had.

 

[Jackfre]

My favorite is a 12' Metal bodied Stanley. I have a 16' long extend that is becoming a serious challenger to the 12', but we are doing a total home remodel so my needs are different. Today, I finished a bunch of structural steel work at the house. A lot of work with the plasma and welder. For that, while I used the tape for long runs, my go to was Lufkin X46L folding rule with the hook and slide.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Some guys have a Skoal ring on their back pocket. I have a Pi-Tape ring:

My Pi tape broke many years ago and I miss it.

 

[lotsoftools]

I mostly use my 12' Husky or my 25' Lufkin self-centering, like this: http://www.fastenal.com/web/product...pcode=&filterByStore=&filterByVendingMachine=

That Snap-on a few posts above looks nice. I'd really like to find a tape with a real metal case, not chrome plated plastic.