Tapes for fun

[James Pallas]

In another thread there was conversation about tape accuracy. Just for fun I ran my own unscientific test. It surprised me a bit. As a control I used the steel rules shown plus the scale. They all matched up very well over a foot. What I found with the tapes was this. They all varied between a 64th and a 32nd inch to inch but they were all very close at the 12 inch mark. The older 25 footers (two rivets at the clip) were better than the newer 3 rivet one. Of the 16 footers the duel measurement one was the best. The best of all was the 3ft pocket one. One if the Lufkin mm tapes was very good at 30mm. The other two were about 1/2mm off. All in fun of course. I did not use the clips when taking measurements.
Jim

[Stanley Covington]

In another thread there was conversation about tape accuracy. Just for fun I ran my own unscientific test. It surprised me a bit. As a control I used the steel rules shown plus the scale. They all matched up very well over a foot. What I found with the tapes was this. They all varied between a 64th and a 32nd inch to inch but they were all very close at the 12 inch mark. The older 25 footers (two rivets at the clip) were better than the newer 3 rivet one. Of the 16 footers the duel measurement one was the best. The best of all was the 3ft pocket one. One if the Lufkin mm tapes was very good at 30mm. The other two were about 1/2mm off. All in fun of course. I did not use the clips when taking measurements.
Jim

But the clip softly calls to you "Use me.... use me!", and when you are looking, it hooks itself over the edge of the board to be measured.

[James Pallas]

But the clip softly calls to you "Use me.... use me!", and when you are looking, it hooks itself over the edge of the board to be measured.

You have to use the clip to make the tape worth using. The two older 25 footers were replaced because the clips and rivets are worn enough that they are well beyond the 1/16 correction allowed for when new. Tapes are a very necessary part of the kit when used in their proper place. What is the next tool on your agenda Stanley? Thanks for starting threads of great interest.
Jim

[Stanley Covington]

You have to use the clip to make the tape worth using. The two older 25 footers were replaced because the clips and rivets are worn enough that they are well beyond the 1/16 correction allowed for when new. Tapes are a very necessary part of the kit when used in their proper place. What is the next tool on your agenda Stanley? Thanks for starting threads of great interest.
Jim

I was thinking story sticks, drylines, plumb-bobs, and plumb-bob levels. I think most guys know story sticks by now, but it is a conversation worth having. Dryline techniques have largely been forgotten, I suspect. There is a lot that can be done with a plumb-bob that most folks have never thought of. And dollars to donuts few people know how to make a plumb-bob into a level. Maybe inklines.

[Doug Hepler]

Very good reminder. I have been disappointed in the past by joinery that did not fit as expected because a ruler (almost always a tape measure) did not agree with the others. Now, on the infrequent occasions that I get a new ruler, I compare it to the others. I can make enough measurement errors by myself, without the help of imprecise rulers.

Doug