Vintage tape measures

[RTM]

I believe those were brass, Aluminum, or some such, which conducted heat much slower than steel, per Stanley catalogs. Can't search now.

Brass. Can't paste a screenshot right now

Stanley Tools : Catalogue No. 34 : 1915 : Stanley Rule & Level Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

152 p., illus., 18.8 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

Stanley Tools for Carpenters and Mechanics : Catalogue No. 34 : 1929 : The Stanley Rule & Level Plant : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

204 p., illus., 29.6 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

This Rule consists of two legs made from spring brass, joined together by a brass joint containing a stiff spring which holds the rule rigid when open. Particularly adapted for measuring hot metal, as it can be cooled by plunging in water without rusting. They have a rivet joint and are ^ of an inch wide— Graduated in 16ths of inches.

 

[four.cycle]

^ okay... I'm trying to envision a scenario where I would be "measuring hot metal" but I'm at a loss there....

Yes, I noticed in most of the "Stanley" listings on those they were noted as being made of brass. Didn't see a lot of steel ones in the material I have here.

 

[RTM]

^ okay... I'm trying to envision a scenario where I would be "measuring hot metal" but I'm at a loss there....

From my blacksmithing buddies' perspective, many times. One guy made two gate hinges for a large wooden gate, 20" plus long on the gate. Trying to make them both the same, without comparing them to each another while hot, using a ruler makes sense, as does measuring where to put the holes. They were bummed I missed out on scoring a brass one for them. Other stuff, where you are making a one off, or art, dimensions can be trivial. However, making an all metal gate to fill an opening, a little less trivialc

Yes, I noticed in most of the "Stanley" listings on those they were noted as being made of brass. Didn't see a lot of steel ones in the material I have here.

Most of the Zig Zag rulers were wooden, with brass joints. Only a few metal ones back in the day. The one I linked was not a Zig Zag, but only a folding metal ruler.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I'll have to remember that should I find myself in the possession of an anvil and a forge.

 

[d42jeep]

I have to admit, when I hear “zig zag” the first thing I think of isn’t a wooden folding Stanley rule.
-Don

 

[oldpliers1]

Lufkin had a Australian factory ( cooper tools ) this is not vintage but obsolete as the factory closed over a decade ago and this is one of its last items made by them and it was intended for export and local as it was metric and imperial.

 

[Beerhippie]

Not sure just where this new find falls, but this thread seems close enough.

A friend dropped off these two enigmatic cardboard canisters recently:



What could they hold?







The canister on the right holds a couple of off-cuts (hence "USED"), while that on the left is three unused scales!



My buddy--a retired land surveyor--thought they might complete this:





They're just a little too wide, by about 1/8"



but I can probably figure out a simple jig (I'm a simple man) to trim 1/16" off each edge.

They don't match what remains of the original scale:



But they're better than what's there.

The rod came with this:



Old No. 5 Bolstrum combination level/transit. I have the wood tripod for that, too.

Maybe this will encourage me to clean up the old rod--which appears to be mahogany--and figure out a good adhesive to attach the "new" scales.

I'll be all set to start a new career in surveying!

 

[d42jeep]

I found this Keuffel & Essex Co. 50 ft. tape measure at an estate sale on Saturday. The guys on the Garage Sale thread filled me in on the brand.
-Don

 

[OmegaDPW]

Found this one along with three other brands covered in dust and spiderwebs behind my Dad's old work bench. I'll put it back in use tomorrow at work!

 

[Jay__Dub]

Got this vintage Evans King Size White Tape. Reverse blade, printed both sides. Not sure the advantage of that blade, with the exception of measure the underside of material.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a Disston tape measure found at an estate isale yesterday. I like the ones with a release button.
-Don

 

[Mintgrun]

That tab appears to be bent. Is it accurate? It looks like it will be adding 1/8" or so.
This one posted in the Lufkin thread has the same problem.

Show your vintage Lufkin tools

Squares

www.garagejournal.com

I like the chainmail-looking texture.

I also like the big-dOtted i mixed in with all caps in DiSSTON.

 

[d42jeep]

That tab appears to be bent. Is it accurate? It looks like it will be adding 1/8" or so.
This one posted in the Lufkin thread has the same problem.

I’ll need to take a look at that. I may have to try to straighten it. Maybe it was dropped at some point.
-Don

 

[Mintgrun]

I checked my mini-tape measure drawer and found this Craftsman tape with a bent tab.



I straightened it back out by hanging the tape off of the sharp edge of the cast iron tablesaw top and then hammered it flat with a smooth-faced tiny ball peen hammer.

The blade end of the tab is hard to grip with pliers, since it's formed to the shape of the tape. The hammer method worked great, as you can rotate the tip around the shape of the blade, keeping the corner tight to the table where you're hammering.

The view window on this tape wasn't accurate before the adjustment, but now it is. I also checked the tape on the ruler with it standing on the edge, to use the full height of the tab and make sure it's square.

 

[d42jeep]

Mine straightened right up with the use of two pairs of longnoses.
-Don

 

[Mintgrun]

Looks good, Don.

I was surprised by how much hammering mine took, although I used my tiniest hammer. Looking at the photos above, you can see that it wasn't just bent, it was cupped and twisted. It's all good now though.

That tab is the first thing I look at whenever I drop a tape measure.

It's frustrating when you cut something twice and it's still too short!

 

[Beerhippie]

Looks good, Don.

I was surprised by how much hammering mine took, although I used my tiniest hammer. Looking at the photos above, you can see that it wasn't just bent, it was cupped and twisted. It's all good now though.

That tab is the first thing I look at whenever I drop a tape measure.

It's frustrating when you cut something twice and it's still too short!

I suspect the reason you all find so many with bent tabs is that we just tossed them in the day. Gotta have the same measurements across the crew. Tape measures cheap, wood expensive. FUs really expensive.

 

[d42jeep]

My wife spotted this Master tape measure at an estate sale yesterday. It was autographed by the previous owner.
-Don

 

[bonneyman]

Mine straightened right up with the use of two pairs of longnoses.
-Don

Classy - like the owner.

 

[d42jeep]

A neighbor brought this by yesterday to add to my wife’s yardstick collection but I immediately took possession of it due to the holes designed to keep valves in order when doing a valve jib. Huffaker has a rich tradition in British car motor sports,
Valve numbering side.
-Don
Edit.
I was curious about the yardstick so a bit of Googling revealed this result. No relationship with the Motorsport Huffaker.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Spotted (but did not buy) this antique at the flea market this morning.

 

[RTM]

Spotted (but did not buy) this antique at the flea market this morning.

Glad a pro was there to take the pic. Get that smooshed leg that separated Poe from Roe, and the weird engraving on the mold for 92 not 22

 

[Beerhippie]

Spotted (but did not buy) this antique at the flea market this morning.

Not much different from the steel tapes we used when I took surveying classes in college. Was the tension scale there, too?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Get that smooshed leg that separated Poe from Roe, and the weird engraving on the mold for 92 not 22

? Not sure what you're referring to.

I have a leather clad Justus Roe, found and reported several years ago, linked here.

Not much different from the steel tapes we used when I took surveying classes in college.

Nope. I have several 50-foot reel jobbies with handles, including a K&E that I wouldn't trade for a lifetime supply of honey, even if the bees are local.

Was the tension scale there, too?

I didn't notice.

 

[RTM]

Not sure what you're referring to.

At first glance, I saw Justus Poe, and May 24, 22.


Zooming in on my tiny phone screen, the now visible angled leg on the P changed my mind to see R, and tipping the phone made the 22 look like 92, the correct answer.

 

[kwigly]

Not much different from the steel tapes we used when I took surveying classes in college.

Oh yeah, steel tape, tension spring, sag tables, 7 figure logs.
Things have changed a bit !

 

[Beerhippie]

Oh yeah, steel tape, tension spring, sag tables, 7 figure logs.
Things have changed a bit !

You don't tape a log and trig table inside your hardhat anymore?

 

[59Sled]

Few of the tape measures I accumulated.



No name or markings on this one. Had it for a very long time.


Also this one has no markings on it, this one is a steel tape. Just recently got it. Looked old so I grabbed it.

 

[Ayrhead]

My collection of tape measures. Mostly Lufkin, a smaller Zippo with advertising and one for fishing where you can weigh and measure with one gripper.

 

[Ayrhead]

A 50’ cloth tape. It looks like Rabone & Sons , England # 2811. A 100’ metal tape, Aikenhead’s aw100

 

[Beerhippie]

My collection of tape measures. Mostly Lufkin, a smaller Zippo with advertising and one for fishing where you can weigh and measure with one gripper.

I had one of those tape/scales a long time ago. The brand of mine was "The De-Liar".

 

[Ayrhead]

A 1 meter folding metal measuring device. Made by J. Rabone & Sons, Birmingham, England

 

[Ayrhead]

Two 72” Folding Wooden Measuring Sticks. One is All American, the other is Alcco Brand.

 

[Ayrhead]

A Wooden Folding 1 Metre Stick. Centimetres on one side Inches on the other.

 

[Ayrhead]

A 36” Wooden Folding Measuring Stick. It’s a Stanley #66 1/2. The numbers also go from right to left instead of left to right…

 

[Ayrhead]

A 24” Wooden Folding Measuring Stick. I couldn’t find a Manufacturer Name on this either. The folding pieces look like brass or copper.

 

[GaryM909]

I like to keep a tape measure in the kitchen to do a quick measurement. When the last one went missing I grabbed this one from the garage. I got it from my dad's garage after he passed but never paid any attention
to it. It turned out to be the perfect tool to screw with my wife's brain. Lufkin Engineers W9312D 12' lever lock tape. I have never seen one before. I finally got the pictures to load.

 

[Beerhippie]

I like to keep a tape measure in the kitchen to do a quick measurement. When the last one went missing I grabbed this one from the garage. I got it from my dad's garage after he passed but never paid any attention
to it. It turned out to be the perfect tool to screw with my wife's brain. Lufkin Engineers W9312D 12' lever lock tape. I have never seen one before. I finally got the pictures to load.

That and a shrink rule should do the job.

 

[Provincial]

I like to keep a tape measure in the kitchen to do a quick measurement. When the last one went missing I grabbed this one from the garage. I got it from my dad's garage after he passed but never paid any attention
to it. It turned out to be the perfect tool to screw with my wife's brain. Lufkin Engineers W9312D 12' lever lock tape. I have never seen one before. I finally got the pictures to load.

There was one of these at the family furniture store when I was a kid. Very handy, if you knew how to use it!

 

[d42jeep]

I posted one of these upthread but this example came in its original packaging. The packaging even includes the Federal Stock Number. General had government contracts during WW2. These rules were included in many upper echelon toolsets.
-Don