At time my favorite is the one I can find
At time my favorite is the one I can find
The big issue is the hook. The rivet holes become elongated over time. I have had to tweak the hooks of some older tapes I have.
Built guitars in my basement for 10 years, mistakes went in the wood stove, was rarely cold.
Best funny woodworker line: "My worst fear is when I die my wife will sell all my tools for what I told her I paid for them"
Stabila. No comparison.
I was not aware of the Lufkin Executive tape before seeing it mentioned here. It's 6' and lowest price I can find is $16.
Harbor Freight has a 10 foot similar rule that I have checked with 2 foot Starrette blade. Accurate!! I have arranged for all here to get one ....for one dollar!! Use it "only for good...never evil". All the best to you all!!
I have two HF 'freebies'. I ripped some wood for my bench build and the fence was set with one of them, a little later I checked the rip, just happened to be with the other tape and I was an eighth over. I was like, what happened? Checked with the first tape and I was good. I brought out the steel rule and checked them both. The first one was within a 64th but the other was an eighth over. It could have been a disaster if it was an eighth under! I wrapped the bad tape in blue painters tape and chucked it in the corner of the garage! Now that I think of it, what a waste of painters tape. Now I always use the steel rule for small stuff and leave the tape for longer lengths that aren't so critical.
Dennis
Hi DennisNow that I think of it, what a waste of painters tape. Now I always use the steel rule for small stuff and leave the tape for longer lengths that aren't so critical.
Old tapes can be cut up and used as glue spatulas.
Regards from Perth
Derek
I love the Fisco Big T tapes. They are not cheap, but they have a fantastic end that reads correctly inside and outside measures, they have a fine flip down tip measure inside brilliantly, and they have a great lock. They make many lengths and english or metric. Also, I just went into the shop and measured 3 of them against my 2 foot and 3 foot bridge city rulers and they all measure exactly 2 ft and 3 ft.
Last edited by Joe Jensen; 01-01-2018 at 12:57 PM.
https://www.zoro.com/stanley-tape-me...25/i/G0366676/
I buy these by the case. They do not have a hook, which i like, they feel much better in the hand, and most important you can't buy them around here so as I am the only one that has them on a job, they tend to walk away less than the standard Stanleys. I often use rules in the shop rather than tapes.
I was actually looking for new Carhartt bibs today for work and these caught my attention for work. Tired of chasing my tape around in winter...
carhartt-r28-brn-r_01.jpg
Right now I don't have one, I'm trying to figure out what to try next. I was in commercial construction for years and carried a Stanley 30' or 35' mostly for checking room dimensions and site layout. That's way too bulky for the shop so it's been a Stanley 25' as that's the shortest I could find with the 1" wide blade which I like for it's stiffness. Recently I bought a 3 pack of FastCap lefty/righty as they are 16' with a 1" blade. I gave one to my son who's a welder/fabricator and it wasn't long before he reported it wasn't accurate against other rules and tapes he had a work. I checked the two I kept and sure enough they gain about 1/32" in 4' or so against my old Stanley, and then agree with it again by 8'. They aren't consistent with each other either. I'm still using them, but only for very rough work like making sure I grab the right board out of the pile. I really try to use a ruler when I can but it's not always practical on larger projects. Not long ago I realized a rather expensive ruler I own is probably the least accurate of all of them as it gains a full 1/16" in 48". I'm not naming a company for now as I'll be carrying it to trade shows until I run across them to see what they have to say about it.
Chris where did you purchase your BMI rules?
Funny, that Fisco tape is identical to the Sola ones. Wonder who in England makes these...
I have a strong preference to the Fastcap tape measures. I find them to be the easiest to read. Even my Father-In-Law was enamored by them.
http://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/ProCarpenter-3p112.htm