Tape Measurer & 3-Legged Work Table

[Jim Dykes]

Hi All, Tried to subscribe to this group to ask about a 3-legged work table, wondering if, like a 3-legged stool, they were more stable than one with 4 legs. I made one. THEY ARE NOT!! Anyway, it took me a number of days to get a reply that my account was up.

Now a minor question: I dropped a like-new Sears 30' tape measurer and it broke the case and won't work. I really liked it (I have plenty of'em). Is it worth going about getting a new case and inserting it (if even possible)? The tape part is out and is perfect. Fix or chuck?

Thanks for any advice.

Now that I'm finally on here, I'll stay more in touch.

Regards,

Jim in the Deserts of NM

[Bruce Volden]

Jim

I remember the days of one legged milk stools (and hand milking), I often fell off, especially when the flies were but and I had to duck tails!!

Tape measure---you said you had plenty of 'em. I never have enough tape measures or reading glasses.

Oh yeah welcome to SMC.

Bruce

[Dave huber]

If it is a Craftsman, they will replace it.

[Jim Dykes]

If it is a Craftsman, they will replace it.

It's a SEARS, but the Craftsman name is not on it. I remember once where they told me that SEARS tools weren't guaranteed the same as were the Craftsman brand. I gave them a little static, so they gave me a new tool anyway.

I've been on the warpath against a Craftsman riding mower for a couple years. After getting three in the process, it is STILL a piece of junk.

They don't make'm like they used to; but they don't make men like the used to either ;).

[Bill McNiel]

Jim- Welcome to the Creek.

Typically it is the blade (tape) that is replaced. I have never seen replacement cases but that doesn't mean they don't exist. Has to be a pretty shabby tape for the case to break from just being dropped assuming you didn't launch it off a 40 story building.

[Jim Becker]

Relative to the three-legged work table, if you mean for the shop, I'd urge caution. Yes, it will be generally stable at rest, but without a lot of very careful design and forethought, it might not stand up as well (pardon the pun) if you start working it hard with lateral forces like you might using hand planes and with many other operations. I have a number of three legged things in our home due to uneven floors and while they adapt to that well, they can still get "tippy".

[Gerald Hurst]

Relative to the three-legged work table, if you mean for the shop, I'd urge caution. Yes, it will be generally stable at rest, but without a lot of very careful design and forethought, it might not stand up as well (pardon the pun) if you start working it hard with lateral forces like you might using hand planes and with many other operations. I have a number of three legged things in our home due to uneven floors and while they adapt to that well, they can still get "tippy".

Old jointers used to have three legs for two reasons: easier to access the work surface and it won't rock on an uneven floor. They were heavy enough to not worry about stability though.

[Rick Lizek]

You can buy replacement tapes but in 40 years I've never seen cases available. Just buy a new tape.

[Robert Delhommer Sr]

Just buy a new one, never saw a replacement case.

[Garth Almgren]

It's a SEARS, but the Craftsman name is not on it. I remember once where they told me that SEARS tools weren't guaranteed the same as were the Craftsman brand. I gave them a little static, so they gave me a new tool anyway.

I've been on the warpath against a Craftsman riding mower for a couple years. After getting three in the process, it is STILL a piece of junk.

The once legendary Craftsman warranty has been severely curtailed, and for the last several years it has only applied to Craftsman hand tools that are labeled with HAND TOOL FULL WARRANTY somewhere on the packaging. Power tools and equipment like mowers for the most part just get a run of the mill 1-, 2-, or 3-year limited warranty IF you still have the receipt.

It's so confusing, they had to create a chart: http://www.craftsman.com/en_us/customer-care/warranty-information.html

[Bill McNiel]

On the 3 leg issue, remember what geometry taught us- 3 points define a plane. Thus, the theory that a 3 legged stool will always sit stable, until the stool itself becomes unstable.

[John K Jordan]

A triangular table or stool with a leg on each corner can be stable. It is when the supporting surface extends out too far past the footprint that it gets unstable. Splaying the legs to increase the footprint helps.

JKJ

[Bill ThompsonNM]

Welcome Jim. You'll find there are a lot of us from New Mexico on the creek. You can set your more specific location which sometimes helps members answer your questions. Note I'm from Los Chaves NM

As to your tape, what kind of case was it? Plastic? Metal? Might be fixable but check the warranty online before you do anything.

In my experience some of the plastics are positively the most difficult to glue.

On the other hand-- you're a woodworker, might be interesting to make a wood case for it. Somewhere I have a small tape measure my sister sent me from France in very nice walnut. Almost too nice to use!