Vintage tape measures

[d42jeep]

I have others that I would likely use before the new cloth one. I just liked it for the local interest marking. It’ll go in the drawer with the other oldies.
-Don

 

[Kevdynamitre]

it's funny that these all still exist and can be found quite readily. i wonder if the previous owners were tradesman or just basement tinkerers, as i couldn't seem to have a modern tape measure last 6 months in construction. now that i'm in a plant instead of a road dog, i take a lot better care of mine, but it still won't be around near as long as these!

 

[WisJim]

16 foot tapes used to be a common size, back when a 25 footer was somewhat unusual. I found a 20 year anniversary 12 foot Powerlock tape in a drawer in the garage today. I bought a couple of these when they were new, probably mid to late 1970s or so, and never opened this one.

 

[Old Radar]

it's funny that these all still exist and can be found quite readily. i wonder if the previous owners were tradesman or just basement tinkerers, as i couldn't seem to have a modern tape measure last 6 months in construction. now that i'm in a plant instead of a road dog, i take a lot better care of mine, but it still won't be around near as long as these!

My theory is that it's a combination of two things:

#1: They were made to last. Tradesmen in the early part of the 20th century didn't have the luxury of shitcanning a broken tool and taking 15 minutes to run to the nearest Home Depot for a replacement. Manufacturers knew this and knew also, if their tools didn't stand up to the job, tradesmen would buy a replacement that did.

#2: Because running to HD wasn't an option, tradesmen also took better care of their tools. They put them back on their tool belt or in their tool box each time they were used instead of laying them aside to be knocked on the floor or in the dirt. They also maintained them--those old tape measures say they should be regularly cleaned and oiled. When was the last time any of us took time to do that for a modern tape?

 

[Kevdynamitre]

My theory is that it's a combination of two things:

#1: They were made to last. Tradesmen in the early part of the 20th century didn't have the luxury of shitcanning a broken tool and taking 15 minutes to run to the nearest Home Depot for a replacement. Manufacturers knew this and knew also, if their tools didn't stand up to the job, tradesmen would buy a replacement that did.

#2: Because running to HD wasn't an option, tradesmen also took better care of their tools. They put them back on their tool belt or in their tool box each time they were used instead of laying them aside to be knocked on the floor or in the dirt. They also maintained them--those old tape measures say they should be regularly cleaned and oiled. When was the last time any of us took time to do that for a modern tape?

these are good theories. if i would end up on a job site getting my tools filthy, i would take the time to quickly clean and oil everything before packing up for the day, or at least at the end of the week. i never even considered cleaning a tape measure outside of caked on mud, dirt or grease on the molded casing. they're basically treated as though they're consumables like drill bits on a construction site. it would be nice to have a maker see this disconnect and make something of an heirloom tape for the modern day.

 

[Southern83]

Picked this tape up the other day.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice one. Have you figured out what PEPCO is? A local power company perhaps?

 

[Southern83]

I haven't yet. I'm thinking it would be from a larger company. They probably had to make a bulk order to have a name placed on the tape measure. It would be nice to find out.

 

[RTM]

Potomac Electric Power anywhere near where you roam?

 

[Southern83]

Looks like their service territory is about 300 miles away. Good possibly that's it.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Potomac Electric Power anywhere near where you roam?

Looks like their service territory is about 300 miles away. Good possibly that's it.

Jusy sayin'...!

Have you figured out what PEPCO is? A local power company perhaps?

 

[RTM]

Jusy sayin'...!

Did you already know, or just a SWAG?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It sounded like a power company acronym to me. Good work on running it down.

 

[TagMan]

I only have one vintage tape measurer, which I bought years ago at the Hershey wap meet. Not sure why I paid as much as I did for it, but knew I 'had' to have it. I believe it was from the early 1930's, due to the shape of the radiator outline and the 2 & 3 digit phone numbers. I a Chevy dealer in Philipsburg, PA, but other than the fact that there was a dealer in that area by that name which preceeded theirs, they had no information about them.

The tape measures up to 6' and the most interesting thing about it is that you can measure inside dimensions and the total measurment comes up in the "glass" (celuloid ?) window on top of the housing. Super easy to use and accurate, but it stays on my shelves now. It's in excellent condition, probably never really used. Probably time to get rid of it.......

Tape1 by TagMan, on Flickr

Tape2 by TagMan, on Flickr

Tape3 by TagMan, on Flickr

Tape4 by TagMan, on Flickr

 

[RTM]

Here’s a reference to someone else who has one

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/kinda-o-t-anybody-near-philipsburg-pa.158114/

Local newspapers from the 50s had 5 digit numbers listed in ads.

 

[vertguy]

I picked up these NOS Lufkin’s a couple years ago. Both still have the instruction sheet in the box.



Sent from my iPad using Garage Journal

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I picked up these NOS Lufkin’s a couple years ago. Both still have the instruction sheet in the box.

Nice.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I only have one vintage tape measurer, which I bought years ago at the Hershey wap meet. I believe it was from the early 1930's, due to the shape of the radiator outline and the 2 & 3 digit phone numbers.

Local newspapers from the 50s had 5 digit numbers listed in ads.

First of all, VERY COOL tape measure, TagMan! The question of when it was made is intriguing. You make a great point about the radiator shape, but that could've been a retro nod to the 20's made in the 50's. Also, while 5-digit phone numbers are as old as the 1920's, RTM is correct about local advertising skipping the exchange prefix well into the 50's.

A bigger question, for me, anyway, is who made them? Certainly not the dealership. Empirically, we have a grand total of two of this type, and they are marked exactly the same. Did the dealership have them made? Or did Chevrolet have them made for multiple dealerships and we just happen to have two from the same dealership show up? Have we seen the view-finder before on any tape measure in this era?

 

[RTM]

I was trying to determine the patent for top view inside measurement tape measures, and it just wasn’t cooperating last night.

Honestly, the plastic on the top looks too new, ( quality, font etc,) for a 1930 tape measure

 

[TagMan]

Here’s a reference to someone else who has one

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/kinda-o-t-anybody-near-philipsburg-pa.158114/

Local newspapers from the 50s had 5 digit numbers listed in ads.

That "someone else" was me !

 

[TagMan]

Private Lugnutz - there are three phone numbers listed which are 2 & 3 digit numbers, which would, to me at least, indicate pre-WW2 era. I'll look to see if I can find anything else on the piece which I may have missed. Thanks for your input, in any event.
-Bob

 

[RTM]

That "someone else" was me !

Oh dear, embarrassed head buried in hand. Didn’t think to look at the poster, just saw that it was posted years ago. Noticed the pics were missing, maybe that would have tipped me off if they were there.


And it’s not like you were even using a different screen name.

Geez, someone is slipping.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That "someone else" was me !

So, we're down to one of a kind. Which is very odd.

Private Lugnutz - there are three phone numbers listed which are 2 & 3 digit numbers, which would, to me at least, indicate pre-WW2 era.

I was reading those as 42782 and 43782. I could be wrong. Like RTM, the construction and materials just seem anachronistic and incongruous for the 30's to me. The key to dating it, other than actually tracking down some info from the dealership, is that interior measurement view-finder, in my opinion. When was that first incorporated in tape measures? When was it a popular industry-wide feature? It's hard enough to imagine a Chevrolet dealership in a small town in the middle of Pennsy making or having made for them ANY tape measure as a complimentary gift or an advertising device, let alone one with a unique feature. Just my thoughts.

 

[RTM]

OK, lets check out this patent, 1970

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3494038A/en?oq=US3494038

Found it on this.
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-stanley-professional-1978470545

The first references these two for internal reading (way down the page)

https://patents.google.com/patent/FR1452742A/en

https://patents.google.com/patent/FR1241202A/en

And then one of those is cited by this one, which seems closer to what we are seeing on the top of yours.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US4574486A/en

 

[TagMan]

I took a better look at this tape measurer and there are no other markings, except on the tape itself, but they only say"MADE IN USA" and "KEEP TAPE LIGHTLY OILED". There is no manufacturer's name or patent information anywhere.

One other oddity I see is that the locating tab on the tape, is not slotted to move back & forth (to compensate for the thickness of the tape) for outside or inside measurements, but is solidly riveted.

The unit is solidly built with great detail and just looks & feels "old" when compared to more recently made ones. The center screw, which appears to be original, is a Philip's head, so probably made after 1936, when, I believe, Philip's head screws were introduced.

I'd sure like to know more about it.

I really appreciate your thoughts & input on it.\
Thanks,
-Bob

 

[Macduf]

how could you say no for $1. any idea on age?

 

[PelicanPines]

Ok... here is one for you. It's about 60 years old... it rolls up into 2" coil. It unrolls into a stiff YARD STICK. Made by Lufkin. The silk screening is in pretty good shape, as these were made to be given out as "Courtesy of..." gifts.

The KICKER... this one is from a Funeral Home.

I left out the image of the "name, addy, phone, etc" of the funeral home... but still. A funeral home giving away YARD sticks?

 

[Old Radar]

A funeral home giving away YARD sticks?

It's a testament to the persuasive power of the salesman!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

... but still. A funeral home giving away YARD sticks?

I was about to say, "Hey, it's never too early to know what size coffin you're going to need", but it's only a 3-footer.

We could make a funny funeral related tools toolbox. I have a spiral ratcheting screwdriver, made by and marked "DECATUR COFFIN COMPANY" in "DECATUR ILL'S" and "PAT. OCT. 7, 1884” (306,096), that is only meant to turn screws one way: in.

That's a cool find.

If anyone else is interested in the patent (2,956,795, Oct 18, 1960), it was for the underlying mechanism at work, a spring constructed of a flat band or ribbon wound into a coil, and not owned by Lufkin. The inventor (Foster, Austin, TX) intended it for many uses, such as a retractable lamp. He did include a tape measure in his diagrams.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is one of mine from a while back.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7258916&postcount=41
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I think I must have missed what made it magical with it not being coiled up, Don!

 

[d42jeep]

They aren’t very impressive when they are rolled up.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Haha. Agreed. As equally unimpressive as when they are only shown uncoiled. Showing them in each position makes their magic unmistakable, though! I see that it's really my poor memory at work, though, because dave thorik talked about the basic patented mechanism as the principle in other products back in 2018.

 

[PelicanPines]

To be honest... it's from a funeral home NO WHERE near where I ever lived. I must have snagged it in a tool lot somewhere. Stuck it in my desk drawer... never used it. Felt weird ... thinking ... ok somebody measured a dead body with this.

To the person saying a yard stick isn't good for dead bodies... a yard stick very easily measures 3', 6', 9' etc.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

To the person saying a yard stick isn't good for dead bodies... a yard stick very easily measures 3', 6', 9' etc.

Well, "the person" who said that all of five posts ago wouldn't want his own coffin measured that way, because the mortician would have to move the yardstick, at least once, and do some math between the two measurements (3' and 2'10" to arrive at 5'10"), which "the person" was taught, and knows from experience, is a no-no often leading to imprecision and mistakes, like a coffin that is - oops, an inch too short.

 

[PelicanPines]

Yard sticks do not have to be moved. They are flipped. Making it fairly accurate. Grandfather was a loom operator... showed me the trick.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I've "walked" them myself in a pinch, PP, especially when close enough was good enough. I don't think any serious carpenter is going to make any kind of serious measurements to make any kind of serious box with one, by choice, but this is really not worth arguing about. And congrats again on your find.

 

[PelicanPines]

Caskets are not that tight a fit... close will still get you to the final destination. You would be surprised to know they make all kinds of sizes. Thanks to our expanding waist sizes...

I also know a carpenter who never uses a ruler. He measures everything with a "story pole" marks one measurement then builds from that stick. Small measurements were verified by his chisel widths...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...close will still get you to the final destination.

Haha. True. So will an urn. Close but too long, not a problem. Close but too short? Hmm, let's just tuck these knees up like the Egyptians did.

 

[d42jeep]

Haha. Agreed. As equally unimpressive as when they are only shown uncoiled. Showing them in each position makes their magic unmistakable, though! I see that it's really my poor memory at work, though, because dave thorik talked about the basic patented mechanism as the principle in other products back in 2018.

Yeah, Dave’s post was a response to my Pac Bell magic yardstick back in 2018.
-Don