What's Your Favorite Tape Measure Brand?

[Ken Krawford]

It's time for a new tape that is used primarily for cabinet and furniture making. What's your go-to favorite?

[Larry Edgerton]

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-33-525-25-Foot---1-Inch-PowerLock/dp/B0002JW4BM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1461848503&sr=8-2&keywords=stanley+tape+measures

This one. They are usually not in stores so I order them a case at a time. The size fits my small hands better than any other, and I check them for accuracy and they are all good. Mostly I just love the way they fall into the hand.

[Cary Falk]

Stanley 25' FatMax

[Rick Whitehead]

Here's another vote for the Stanley Powerlock. I use a 16 foot tape in the shop, and a 30 foot on the job site.
Those are the only tapes I've used for over 20 years.
Rick W

[Paul F Franklin]

For layout and marking I like the Fastcap Flatback PS-FLAT-16. The blade is limp and has no curve so it lays flat on the work piece making it easy to mark accurately. They make a couple of different versions, including one that you can write on to use as a story stick, but I prefer the one with markings that go to both edges. It does take some getting used to, and it is pretty useless for typical measuring tasks where you need the rule to standout. For that I like the FatMax line. I keep the Flatback on my workbench and a FatMax in my apron and toolbelt.

Also not too crazy about the spring clip on the Flatback. It works fine, but because it works differently than the typical clip it's not second nature to use. But since I just mostly leave it on the bench, it doesn't matter much.

[Ken Krawford]

I have a Fat Max and love it for general construction but it's too big, too heavy and overkill for cabinet making.

[Lee Schierer]

I helped make a machine that assembles the rewind springs for the Stanley PowerLock 25' and 30' tape measures. Stanley gave us some samples and I've been using them ever since.336576

[Matthew Hills]

For general shop work, I like 12' komelon self lock.
(I've got a bunch of other tapes for other purposes, but the compact size, neon case, and self-lock feature are great)

Matt

[John Schweikert]

I prefer the Stanley Lever Lock tapes over the power lock, much simpler to use, crisp tape, excellent markings, and quite accurate tapes.

I've thrown away other branded tapes because some are not accurate. Had received a free tape from Mirka years ago, built many things with it and started to notice an issue when using other measuring tools. Damn Mirka tape was 1/32 to 1/16 off from anything else I had.

I compare tapes to a Woodpecker ruler and only use the ones which all match. Alleviates a lot of problems.

[Ben Rivel]

I use two, a good ol' Stanley FatMax and a Fastcap Flatback.

[Tom Ewell]

Main squeeze is the Fat Max autolock 16'

Fastcap flat back, Fastcap burn one and a stick rule get used a lot in the shop.


Fastcap speedclips are handy too but pencil sharpener on them ain't all that great.

[Bill Ryall]

Won't buy any more Stanleys. The quality has gone downhill alarmingly over the last couple years. Current favorite in the shop is a 16' Milwaukee. Most often used measuring device is the 5' wooden folding rule.

[Bill Jobe]

Don't know....can't find any of mine to get you a name.
I will say the first one I bought that locked when you pull it out was handier than the ones you have to lock after pulling it out.
Can anyone recomend a laser measuring tape? Are they as accurate as their mechanical counterterpart? Or and app for smartphones?

[David Bassett]

This was recently discussed: Best Tape Measure?? (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?242885-Best-Tape-Measure)

I near as I can tell the best answer is, "it depends". Since the choice is personal, good luck with your search.

[fiona beckett]

Fastcap Flatbackhttp://budiono.ga/34/o.png

[Izzy Camire]

I use a Bostich by Stanley.

[Peter Kelly]

BMI tape measure. http://www.german-hand-tools.com/BMI-Tape-measures.html
Comes in inch/metric.

BMI make the smaller one for Festool as well.

My other favorite is a Korean made Komelon one but it's metric only and not sold in North America.

[Cody Colston]

Stanley 12' powerlock in the shop, 25' powerlock around the sawmill. I'm not really particular but those are the ones I happened tosee first on the shelf at Home Depot. My 12' shop tape keeps disappearing, though. I think it's shop gremlins.

[Grant Wilkinson]

Peter: I was given a Komelon - available here

http://www.komelonusa.com/index.asp

[Rich Riddle]

I asked a very similar question in the Neanderthal forum, here:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?242885-Best-Tape-Measure

I ended up with the lefty/righty from Amazon and love it:

http://www.amazon.com/FastCap-PSSR16-FastPad-Standard-Measuring/dp/B0001GUE3G

[Peter Kelly]

Peter: I was given a Komelon - available here

http://www.komelonusa.com/index.aspThe Komelon ones I've seen in North America seem to be made in China and not as nice as my Korean one :(

Lemme know if you've seen otherwise.

[John Donhowe]

By favorite, do you mean the brand I like the best, or the one I have the most of? Stanley 25' Powerlock, or Fastcap Flatback when I need to be more precise, are what I like best. The brand I have most of is "Pittsburgh"- can't resist the HF free deal! ;)

[Rich Engelhardt]

The brand I have most of is "Pittsburgh"- can't resist the HF free deal! ;)That's my favorite! I lose more tape measurers than I break They constantly grow legs and walk off the job site.
The HF ones are plenty accurate enough for me since I never use a tape measurer for anything other than "close enough".

If I do need something with any degree of accuracy, I just resort to using one tape measure for everything and try my best not to lay it down anywhere so it can grow legs -- @ least not until the job at hand is done.

[Greg Hines, MD]

My current one is the one from M-Power R1 tape measure. Its a Left-handed tape measure, and is in both metric and imperial. I think I got it from either Peachtree Woodworking or Woodpeckers, but here is a link to it:

http://www.m-powertools.com/products/r1-tape-measure/r1-tape-measure.htm

[Jerome Stanek]

I just use the free ones from Harbor Freight

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I like my Stanley Fat Max, I have 2, a 16 and 25. The 25 is a bit big, so the 16 is normally what I use. LOVE the big numbers since my eyes are getting old. Both of them are dead on accurate at 52" on my cabinet saw scale, and that's what really matters. Took all of the tape rules that didn't match the table saw scale and tossed them out.

[Jack Lemley]

16' Starrett wins for me! http://www.amazon.com/Starrett-KTXP106-16-N-Measuring-Graduation-0-0625mm/dp/B00ELMSU0K/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1461952143&sr=1-2&keywords=starrett+tape+measure

Jack

[Roger Feeley]

Generally, I think it's important that you find a brand and stick with it. If you take a measurement with one brand and then use another brand to make the cut, they can be off. But that's only if you are a real stickler for accuracy.

For rough measuring, I have a Fat Max in the tool bag. But mostly, I use a couple of Starretts that I got in a sale bin.

[Brett Luna]

16' Starrett wins for me! http://www.amazon.com/Starrett-KTXP106-16-N-Measuring-Graduation-0-0625mm/dp/B00ELMSU0K/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1461952143&sr=1-2&keywords=starrett+tape+measure

Jack

You stole my thunder, Jack. Mine (http://www.amazon.com/Starrett-KTX34-16-N-Measuring-Graduation-0-0625mm/dp/B00ELMRW8G?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00) is just a little slimmer.

[Jerome Stanek]

how accurate does it have to be for woodworking. I remember the John Larroquette show about the official inch.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I am with Rich Riddle on this one... Fast Cap tape measures. I usually use the Lefty/Righty

http://www.amazon.com/FastCap-PSSR16-FastPad-Standard-Measuring/dp/B0001GUE3G

I also have a flatback version, which is sometimes useful

www.amazon.com/FastCap-Standby-Flatback-Tape-Measure/dp/B005CR7DL0

I also have at least one model that can be used as a story stick but I don't remember (off hand) which model I use for that.

I probably own four different varieties of the Fastcap tape measures.

[John Gregory]

I like the Stanley Lever lock too. Just seems easier for me. I like 12-16 feet for woodworking. The important thing is to use the same tape through out the project.



I prefer the Stanley Lever Lock tapes over the power lock, much simpler to use, crisp tape, excellent markings, and quite accurate tapes.

I've thrown away other branded tapes because some are not accurate. Had received a free tape from Mirka years ago, built many things with it and started to notice an issue when using other measuring tools. Damn Mirka tape was 1/32 to 1/16 off from anything else I had.

I compare tapes to a Woodpecker ruler and only use the ones which all match. Alleviates a lot of problems.

[Mark W Pugh]

For layout and marking I like the Fastcap Flatback PS-FLAT-16. The blade is limp and has no curve so it lays flat on the work piece making it easy to mark accurately. They make a couple of different versions, including one that you can write on to use as a story stick, but I prefer the one with markings that go to both edges. It does take some getting used to, and it is pretty useless for typical measuring tasks where you need the rule to standout. For that I like the FatMax line. I keep the Flatback on my workbench and a FatMax in my apron and toolbelt.

Also not too crazy about the spring clip on the Flatback. It works fine, but because it works differently than the typical clip it's not second nature to use. But since I just mostly leave it on the bench, it doesn't matter much.

+1 on everything Paul said. I have compared the accuracy of couple of my Fastcap tapes. They seem to give me the same measurements. The Flatback is outstanding because you can mark a measurement, accurately, without having to roll the tape.

[paul cottingham]

I use the Lee valley center finding tapes. Mostly just for stock breakdown as I don't really measure for length as much as proportion. So I tend to use dividers or story poles for crucial measurements (proportions.)

I like the LV tape cause it's small, and has a handy way to make quick half measurements. I'm as math crippled as an early Pentium chip.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

+1 on everything Paul said. I have compared the accuracy of couple of my Fastcap tapes. They seem to give me the same measurements. The Flatback is outstanding because you can mark a measurement, accurately, without having to roll the tape.

Thanks to both of you, I just spent another $10. A flat tape comes in very handy.

[Ben Rivel]

Yep, I just ordered a FastCap Lefty/Righty. Already have the Flat Back and love it, figured for the cheap price might as well add one of the Lefty/Rightys to the collection and give it a try.

[Gene Takae]

I'm terrible when it comes to finding a handy tape measure, pencil, or pair of scissors so my favorite is the one that I can find.

[Mike Heidrick]

16' Fatmax

[Jim Dwight]

I also use free ones from Harbor Freight. I have at least half a dozen so I can put them around the house and not have to go searching.

I do not think any tape measure is terribly accurate. I don't like to use them for fine woodworking. I use a steel ruler whenever possible and set stops rather than cutting to marks when I can too. I have a 4 foot aluminum ruler (Starrett) and steel ones in 1, 2, and 3 feet lengths. So for a lot of things, I have a ruler that will work. But for crude things, like the fence gate I made yesterday, a HF tape measure works fine. But even on that simple project I used a steel ruler when setting the rip fence on my table saw.

[Curt Harms]

I have a Stanley 12' and Kameleon inch/metric. Metric is handy when dividing spaces among other tasks. The bigger/wider tapes are better for construction but I find them awkward for cabinetry and furniture type tasks. I also picked up a couple Stanley 6' tapes that sell for a couple bucks at the borgs. I find those pretty handy because they fit nicely in a pants pocket - no need for a clip that wears pockets - and I find them long enough for many around-the-house tasks.

[Al Launier]

I'll throwm recommendation in - Lufkin: http://www.amazon.com/Lufkin-PHV1425D-Return-Engineers-25-Feet/dp/B009SKGFCK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462021796&sr=8-1&keywords=lufkin+engineer+tape+measure

[jack duren]

I'll only buy a tape with reinforcement. I bought Service Star in the 80's. Craftsman in the 90's. Since then I've gone from IRWIN and now moved on to the Milwaukee brand. Variety is limited. The longer I'm in this trade the more "good" tools have become vintage.

I honestly hate Milwaukee, but until something impresses me I'll use them.

"I do not think any tape measure is terribly accurate. I don't like to use them for fine woodworking."Jim Dwight

Tapes not accurate? Learn how to set them so they are...

[Mac McQuinn]

For this type of work, I have (2) small, older Lufkin tape measures I use. Feel good in the hand, easy to read and have some sort of rewind mechanism which doesn't snap back, just slides back easily with minimal resistance. I can usually pick them up for $3-6 at garage sales, antique shops, etc.
Mac

[Chris Parks]

I'll only buy a tape with reinforcement. I bought Service Star in the 80's. Craftsman in the 90's. Since then I've gone from IRWIN and now moved on to the Milwaukee brand. Variety is limited. The longer I'm in this trade the more "good" tools have become vintage.

I honestly hate Milwaukee, but until something impresses me I'll use them.

"I do not think any tape measure is terribly accurate. I don't like to use them for fine woodworking."Jim Dwight

Tapes not accurate? Learn how to set them so they are...

Accuracy meaning over the length of the tape not just the tip setting.

[jack duren]

That's a whole can of worms you don't want to get into. Every tape varies if you have enough around,except mine...

[Ken Krawford]

With the Stanley tapes, does anyone feel that the "blade armor" is worth the extra cost? It's interesting that the 25 ft is $9.86 at Amazon while the shorter 16 ft is $16.23. Go figure - less is more !

[Bill Orbine]

I threw out my FastCap flat tape because the tape is a whip. The end hook doesn't stay "hooked" and it comes a-whipping. Cut my fingers and knuckles some. I threw it out!

I use the Fax Max. I like the ability to extend the tape further without collapsing... such as measuring for crown molding..

[Paul McGaha]

I generally use a Stanley 3/4" x 16'. I have a 1" x 25' if I'm doing something that needs a longer reach.

PHM

[Mike Berrevoets]

I threw out my FastCap flat tape because the tape is a whip. The end hook doesn't stay "hooked" and it comes a-whipping. Cut my fingers and knuckles some.

I have experienced the whip myself more than a few times. I still have mine and use it but it gets me every once in a while. It also doesn't seem to be accurate. Maybe because the hook pops up slightly adding a 1/16"?

my funny story on the flatback. My contractor friend was in my shop cutting a few things. He grabbed it to make a measurement and had this dumbfound look on his face when it collapsed like a wet noodle. So it is good for messing with people.

[Sergey Petrov]

Lufkin for work and Festool at home.

[Nick Nelson]

Fatmax 16' everyday.

[Joe Jensen]

I have used many brands over the past 35 years. The old stanleys were great. I found these a few years ago and they are amazing.
http://toolguyd.com/big-johnson-power-tape-measure/

I have 12 foot, 16 foot, and 25 foot...joe

[Andy Giddings]

Festool - lighter and smaller than most, accurate and can measure in different ways (inside of a drawer box for example) and can be used to draw curves and circles. For longer distances I prefer a laser measure as they are easier and more accurate/repeatable

[Wayne Lomman]

I generally use Lufkin - the markings are clear and precise and the numbering is in intuitive for me. I use an 8 metre with a 25mm wide blade. The wide blade is essential for long cantilever when measuring hard to reach areas. I use the same tape both on site and in the shop. However, I also have a range of steel and aluminium rules 150mm up to 2000mm for shop work. Small and light never works for me but then I have hands that I have trouble finding gloves to fit. I have never had problems with accuracy of markings - drop it and yes, expect to panel beat the tip but markings have always been perfect. However, I never buy cheap. The tape is too critical to skimp on. Cheers

[Ken Krawford]

Looks like these have been discontinued.


I have used many brands over the past 35 years. The old stanleys were great. I found these a few years ago and they are amazing.
http://toolguyd.com/big-johnson-power-tape-measure/

I have 12 foot, 16 foot, and 25 foot...joe

[Frederick Skelly]

Aldi. Got it for $2 when I ordered my $7 chisels a few mos back.

[Rod Sheridan]

I have a couple 8m Lee Valley metric tapes (nice because the markings are large as there's no Imperial markings) and a couple of their 10' cabinetmakers tapes in the "left hand" version (when held in the left hand the numbers are right side up). I find that tape very handy for cutting where the good piece is on the right..........Rod.