tape measure's

[lightning02]

i need to buy 1 or 2 new tape measures since my old stanleys from the 80s that i love and are built like a tank seem to be growing feet and walking off. iv had 3 for the last 30 years and now in the last 2 or 3 years 2 have gone missing so im left with 1.

what are some good ones that will last?

i tried a HF bc it was free and even tho it broke after the 4th use i did like it had the measurements at every slash if im not mistaken so id like one with that feature.

 

[Thumper68]

I'm partial to the Stanley Lever lock they seem to hold up well and I really like the lever lock function.

 

[nine4gmc]

I probably have 25 of the free HF floating around and use the **** out of them, as long as you use the same one for the entire job they are great! My all time favorite is a 25' metal case Stanley and I have a couple of those for clean work.

 

[lightning02]

I probably have 25 of the free HF floating around and use the **** out of them, as long as you use the same one for the entire job they are great! My all time favorite is a 25' metal case Stanley and I have a couple of those for clean work.

i have had maybe a total of 4 or 5 of the HF and the spring on the inside stops working and stops retracting. all 4 did the same thing. junked them.

and yes the metal case stanleys are what i use to have and are now gone

 

[tr0n]

lufkin 725. i've had 10 or so over the course of my life, none of them have stopped working.

melted, covered in spatter, dropped out of windows...they work.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41W2EFK7AZL.jpg

 

[ADSR]

I have a couple of the stanley fat max's. They hold up well to sand and dirt.

 

[Finky198]

I have a fat max 30 on my cart they are great tapes, size wise it should really go on my carpentry belt. I'd put a 20ft back on the cart. they are heavy and kinda big for my hands, it makes them easier to handle with gloves which is a big plus. they also stand up to alot of dirt and debris. I deal with wood chips, saw dust, concrete, dirt, sand, and metal shavings ect, I have hosed the tapes off on occasion they keep on keeping on...

I've used Stanley std, CMan, husky, HF. In the end The only 2 the seem to outlast the others are the Fat Max and the Lufkin. I am partial to the black and yellow color scheme.

 

[Shredwagon]

Definitely Lufkin for metric. Anything for imperial - Stanley tapes with the hi-viz background are nice. Fat max are for framers. GL

 

[lightning02]

seems like the the fat max doesnt have the fractional markings? i only looked at one pic and didnt see them but the Lever lock does.

anyone else use the lever lock? i have read the locking system fails overtime.

 

[gdocktor3]

I like the fat Stanley's, but Milwaukee makes decent tape measures also. Those tapes that Ryan the administrator posted a few months back were pretty sweet as well, but I can't remember the name of them.

I found the thread. Fastcap http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=356489

 

[CTyankee]

Been using Faxmax for years. Most of the time I'm carrying a 16 footer...less bulky and easier to handle....unless we're framing then I'll switch to a 25' or 30'. They take a lot of abuse..although I do find their standout claims to be an exaggeration.

 

[dr_clyde]

12' Stanley with the metal case on my hip if I'm awake and dressed. In my box I keep a 25' and a 35' FatMax for the rare times I need more than a couple feet.

 

[Roobaix]

I've got a few FatMax and a 16' Milwaukee that I really like.

 

[WildwoodChuck]

I have been using a 30' yellow plastic case Starrett for a year or so it is pretty nice. I don't like 1" wide tapes at all.

 

[cheechi]

At any given time I may have
old standby Stanley 25 ft metal case, less often 30ft the one
fatmax in 16 or 25
older grey komelon 16ft with magnet tongue
plastic case Stanley 12 or 16ft (the neon green & orange)
HF freebie

I can recommend any of them for general around the house/shop/jobsite use but if I had to carry one all day every day it would probably be between the Komelon & fatmax 16ft ones.

Another thread recommended Fisco for metric tape, I got one, like it a lot but haven't got into using it all that often.

buy this for $5 and see if you like it. buddy I work with forgets his tape sometimes so I got an auto lock spare to save time it takes for him to go get it, it's kind of growing on me. I do IT work and the two different scale orientations is useful sometimes.

I want to hear from anyone who has the new Klein if it's any good. If I get it it will be the most expensive tape I own.

 

[DFB]

A metal cased 25' Stanley Power Lock has been standard on my tool belt for decades.

I do have several others including 35' Power Lock and a 30 ft Fat Max, but not often do I need to carry bigger than 25 ft tape. Even have a 25' Starrett with metal outer case and very similar to the Stanley



Got a new 16ft Milwaukee as a freebie. Its a nice tape but the magnet often gets in my way. May get myself the larger non magnetic Contractor model in the future though I have plenty of tapes right now.


I have had a customer at my summer tool tent come 2 season now and buys up all my cheap Chinese tape measures for his commercial woodshop. Several dozen at a time.

Says the help always wrecks them anyways so he's not paying for more quality.

And wont take any without the metric markings either!

 

[pawnworld007]

From the new kid, try anything from FastCap, you won't regret it. Excellent quality at an excellent price! So many handy features built in to a $10 tape measure.

I think you'll especially like the Lefty/Righty. The guys in the shop at work call them "cheat tapes" but I noticed after a couple of weeks they were all using them.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001GUE3Q/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[maxpower_hd]

I like the FatMax as well. But you need to look at the tape itself before you buy it. I have one that is metric on one side and ASE on the other. It ***** when switching from one side of the stock to the other. I prefer the same measurement on both sides no matter what you're measuring in.

 

[rlitman]

In my shop are Stanley LeverLock tapes, Komelon self locking tapes, and a Kobalt self locking tape (sense a theme of what I like here?), plus a couple of Kobalt stainless steel tapes, a couple of Husky tapes and a Starrett tape.

FatMax is a great tape for framing, but I don't do much of that. If I were buying today, I'd be looking at Komelon or Fastcap.

 

[dnschmidt]

FISCO out of England. Best I've ever used. For awhile Johnson Level was relabeling them as, believe it or not, THE BIG JOHNSON. Fisco are available on Amazon.

 

[JRC3]

Another plus one for the Milwaukee Premium. I like the belt clip, oversized hook end, the wide tape is rigid, and the coating on the tape is awesome. I never loose tools so it figures I'd forget this tape at a customer's house right after I got it. It was promptly replaced.

 

[scooby074]

Stanley 16' Fatmax. 25'Fatmax.

Also look at the Fastcap "Green" Righty/Lefty tape. Almost as tough as the Stanley. Cheaper. Its probably the one I grab most often, and I got 2 of them!
http://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/ProCarpenter-3p112.htm

 

[Lassen Forge]

I used to have a 20' Stanley (chrome beauty) that was my bread and butter, then someone loaned me their Fat Max for a job... My Chromey has retired to it's place of honor on top of my tool box, and I have about 3 or 4 of the Maxes...

I also have a couple old 100' cloth roller tapes (one in ft and inches, one in feet and tenths/hundreths) and a 25m metric metal tape - sometimes, you need something like that that will shoot a room or a driveway...

Finally - I broke down and got one of those laser measurers - damned cool gadgets, but not worth a darn outside.

 

[JRC3]

Also look at the Fastcap "Green"

So that thing has a note pad on the side. Interesting. Not sure about the ones with the built in pencil sharpener.

I wonder if anyone makes a double sided tape notepad for tapes. That would be great for trim work.


http://www.rockler.com/fastcap-fast...PL&sid=V9146&gclid=CN6_ufD5tdMCFQK1wAodPBAHdA

This would work on many tapes, but the Milwaukee has too many raise features on the face.

 

[reader2580]

I'm partial to the Stanley Lever lock they seem to hold up well and I really like the lever lock function.

How do you deal with the lock function wearing out in no time? The Leverlock tapes I have used last about 40 hours before they will no longer stay locked. I have half a dozen bad ones at home.

 

[ducksface]

Whatever is on sale and has a feature we don't currently have.
The auto divide is nice for the wife. The high view is nice, big sections.
I have a extra stout 15 ft standout that wasn't with the others today.
I have a bunch of vintage fifty and hundreds.

As said above, use the same rule throughout the project and it doesn't matter if it's a $1,000 starret or a stick you found in the river.

 

[dirt_dobber]

stanley fat max here. very easy to read - very clear markings.

 

[scooby074]

So that thing has a note pad on the side. Interesting. Not sure about the ones with the built in pencil sharpener.

QUOTE]

OOPS! I used the wrong link. The ones I got are autolocking. Same basic features other than the lock I think. http://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=309

Unless there has been some recent changes, they still have the pencil sharpener. Youd think its a gimmick, but I use mine all the time.

 

[lightning02]

think im going with a fastcap PSSR-25 and PSSP-FLAT16 since most people like these. iv never heard of them before tho but they seem to get good ratings and are priced right.

i like some of the other offerings posted but without fractional markings on them i really liked it seems like the fastcap is my best bet. wish the fatmax came like that. id get that instead.

 

[engineer2]

Check out Komelon.

 

[PugetDude]

25' Stanley Contractor grade (no longer available ) for construction.
16' Kobalt with markings top and bottom in the shop.

 

[txlch]

I have a 25' Kobalt with markings on both sides and auto lock that I like. Been using it for about 2 years with no problem. This was my first auto lock tape measure and I don't think I'll buy anything else now

 

[BlackLS2]

16ft Komelon Evolution HiVis with the dual end hook....someday I may "need" a 16ft Komelon Monster Maggrip.....just to have one...

 

[Air21]

My Stanley Power Lock, Engineers Scale tape measure is by far my favorite tape I've ever used...