What do you measure with?

[Craig Zettle]

I was scurrying for my tape measure the other day to check it against another one I have used for years and found that the tab that slides for inside/outside measurements didn't slide, and I made an incorrect measurement, resulting in a bad cut. It was on a piece of curly maple, and at that point I decided to get a better measuring system for cabinetmaking. I do try to use the same tape for all the cuts, but that little problem showed me how even that method can backfire.

So what foolproof method do you folks use?

[Lee Schierer]

I have two Stanley 30 foot tapes that get used exclusively for measuring longer pieces in my shop. Both have been checked against each other to see that they agree. Even so I normally grab one and use it through out the project and generally checke every dimension several times before cutting. If it is a foot long or shorter, I use 12" or or 6" steel scale.

[Mike Wenzloff]

Hi Craig--I don't think there is anything foolproof.

I have two tape measures I use for rough measurements. They both agree with each other. I use story sticks a lot. I also use marking gauges for accurate transfer, and bar gauges for inside and outside measurements.

As well, steel rules of various kinds--which again, all agree with each other. Hook rules are nice as long as one is going from a trued edge. LV saddle squares and the ubiquitous combination squares and double squares. Did I mention they all agree with each other <g>? They all agree to within an acceptable amount of error anyway. Extremely close. Closer than I am capable of marking.

Take care, Mike

[Bruce Benjamin]

For anything that matters that's 4' or less I stopped using tape
measures. I've yet to own one that was consistently within
a 32nd or 64th or sometimes even a 16th. As you found, the sliding
hook on the end can stick and they're easily bent. I usually use
a 12" hook rule that's pretty much dead on and I've used that to check
other rules that I have. I also bought 12" and 24" Shop Fox hook rules
but they were both inaccurate due to the hooks not being ground
properly. I was going to toss them but since both of them measure
short I was able to carefully file off part of the inside of the hook and
now they're as accurate at my better hook rule. I have a cheap 4'
straight edge/rule and amazingly, it's really very accurate. The only
problem with that one is that the marks are so thick that it's hard to
be precise but the marks are in the right places. My 3' rule is
consistently 1/64th off on all 4 scales but it is consistent. I very
clearly marked that rule to indicate such and decided not to throw it
away. I just use it rarely and with caution.

I also have a couple of sets of Whiteside brass measuring blocks that
are great but by far the best measuring tool I have is my fractional
dial caliper. I have 2 but the Shop Fox one is the best one. It's so
convenient for thickness measuring and I even use it for measuring
short lengths sometimes when I really need to check my accuracy.
If I need to be really precise I use the decimal dial caliper since it
goes down to .001".

Bruce

[glenn bradley]

Even if there was a foolproof method, I'd find a way around it. I use a Flatback 12' rule for long stuff and move to a combination square and / or a 6 inch one of these:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2092&SearchHandle=DADBDADJDADADDDGGCGEGBDIGEDBDEDICNGED DDADBCNDEDADFDFCNGCDDDCDCCNDJGDDFGBDAGCDGDGDDGDDBD JDADADADBDADADADBDAGNGFGBHDHFHCGFGJGOGHDADADADEDAD ADADADADADADBDFDADADADBDADADADADADADADADADADADADBD ADADADBDAGNGFGBHDHFHCGFGJGOGHDADADADBDB&filter=measureing

[Paul Ziegler]

For measurements of 12" or less I use an Incra T-square ruler which can make accurate marks with 1/64" resolution. I believe they also offer an 18" version.

[Mike Zozakiewicz]

I use the Incra "T" and flat rulers, and most importantly, a set of reading glasses. W/O the glasses I would be lucky to be within 1/4", no matter what the device!:D

Mike

[Steve Hayes]

Don't ask. It's kinda personal.

[Dan Oelke]

My favorite is a folding rule. My biggest problem is that I sometimes I will "burn an inch" - but then forget to add that inch back it. Not having the hook means that there is no hook to be off or bent or whatever. It also means that you have to register the end of the board with the end of the rule. For shorter things I often do this at the table saw by pushing both the piece of wood that the ruler up against the fence. The side of the fence gives me a nice surface to that both ends are even.

I also like the folding rule because my wife can't stand it. I can never keep a tape in the shop/garage for long before it developes legs for measuring something in the house. The folding rules stay right where I leave them. That of course doesn't solve the problem of me leaving the folding rule lay someplace.

[Randy Gillard]

I have an assortment of cheapo tapes that I use for rough measurements. When I start to cut to finished dimensions, I choose one tape and stick with it for the duration of the project. This is typically the 1/2" x 10 ft Lee Valley lightweight tape that lives in my apron pocket. For shorter dimensions and layout work, I have a 12" and 6" rule.


Cheers
Randy

[Mark Singer]

A bar guage is a very good way to transfer inside measurements. For small stuff, a marking gauge or double square works well. With tapes it is best to "cut" an inch and start from "1" rather than the end...


http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/markmeasure/05n3101d1.gif

[Steve Wargo]

Story sticks and Folding rules with sliders.

[Alain Tellier]

- An old stanley 16' tape which I calibrate everytime I drop it on the floor...:mad:
- A six inch steel ruler
- A combination square
- A 36 inches Johnson ruler.

[mark koopman]

2 Stanley Fat Maxes (because 1 is just not enough) that measure exactly the same.

[Jon Masterson]

I use a tape to measure and cut the outer most pieces then everything else is made by measuring off them. If I need a center or divisions I use a steel rule and work from both ends to avoid errors - and if it goes wrong it is always when I measure something with a tape or a rule then cut it some place else :o

[Jim Becker]

For anything that matters that's 4' or less I stopped using tape measures

Ditto. I use a couple of steel rules and even like to use story sticks for projects laid out with them. When I do use a tape, it's the same one for the entire project...'never a good idea to mix tapes!

[Bruce Benjamin]

never a good idea to mix tapes!

Quite a few years ago I was using one of those metal yard sticks
that have 2 scales on both sides for a project. I used the same
rule for the whole project but I was switching back and forth
between scales on both sides of the rule. I couldn't for the life
of me figure out why so many of my cuts were coming out wrong.
It really screwed up some wood. It dawned on me to compare all
4 scales to another known measure and sure enough, one was off
by about a 1/16" and that's where all of the errors were. That
sucker went flying out of my shop!:mad: Coincidentally, the metal
yard stick that I have now appears to be the exact same brand
but each scale is off by the exact same amount, from either end.
Obviously that cheap company finally had precision but not accuracy.
I don't use it much but it's great for whacking my kids.:D

Bruce

[Art Davis]

I've neve heard of a "bar gauge." What is it? Thanks.

[Ron Robinson]

All of the above.

Mostly steel rules and an Incra t-square rule. For tape measures I follow Mr. Singer's advice and never measure from "0".

Ron

[Chris Rosenberger]

In the shop I use 6' & 8' folding rules. Out on the job I use a 25' Stanley tape measure & a 6' folding rule.

[Harry Goodwin]

For stuff under 2 ft I am old enough to have a blindman's whatever folding rule that permits by careful folding to have 3/16" 3/8th 1/2" and 1" thickness feeler gages. Great for some jobs. I also use the 6 or 8ft folding rule. Shame the 36" folding rules don't work like the 2 ft. Harry

[Chris Padilla]

Who measures stuff anymore? ;)

[Steve Clardy]

3/4 x 16' tape measure.
I usually buy 2-3 of the same brand at a time.
Tune them all together.
Carry one, lay the others around the shop.
Drop one, oops!!!, I be sure and recheck it, as the ends will bend rather easily.
I wear out 2-3-4 a year.
Lately I've been buying the FastCap brand. Has a place on the side where you can scribble down a measurement. Erase with your finger.

[Alan Turner]

Anything less than 36" with a steel rule; anything longer, when I need to be accurate, 36" and a 24" steel rules, butted, and then a story stick as soon as I can get to it. I can't recall the last measurement that had to be over 5' and accurate.

[Per Swenson]

Ditto Mr.Wargo.

Story stick, folding rule. The same tape measure.

( I hide the twenty or so around here when its important)

Oh yeah, and this....(stealth Gloat)

Hilti PD30 600ft, accurate to 1/16.

Per

[Jim Becker]

Who measures stuff anymore?

Good point...for that, I'd have to spend some time in the shop. Oh, yea, I did use the tape this week to measure the area where the play gym is going. Not a whole lot of precision necessary when you're going to till it and use the loader to level things in an area 35' by 20'... :eek:

[Howard Rosenberg]

Although it's pretty short, six feet, as I recall, it doesn't have a hook.

The trick is to register it precisely against the edge of the board to measure with it but there's no ptential for any hook-related variances.

It's also great on the TS for precise blade to fence measuring.

I just wish they'd make it in a RH version - can't begin to describe the frustration of wrong cuts because of reading it backwards trying to keep track of a specific fraction....

HTH
Howard

[Michael Pfau]

Stanley 12 footer most of the time. I also use Whiteside brass blocks, and a Starret combo square. The Veritas 4 inch square really comes in handy as well. alot of times I use a block of wood as spacers. I use the measure tool that is sold on New Yankee's website for router bits and blade height. Its really handy.

[Mark Singer]

I've neve heard of a "bar gauge." What is it? Thanks.

Oliver,
Here is Lee valley's definition....they have been used for years...I have made several with two sticks a slot in one and a thumb screw...take the second screw out and it becomes an angle gauge....The Lee Valley hardware works well. About 3 sets will cover most inside measurements. A hook rule is the complement for outside measurements..


<TABLE class=BodyTable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=19 rowSpan=3></TD><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD><!-- Start main content table--><TABLE class=BodyTable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top><!-- Insert Content Here -->Veritas® Bar Gauge Heads

<TABLE class=CopyImage cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=500 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=10 rowSpan=9></TD><TD>http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/markmeasure/05n3101s4.jpg</TD></TR><TR><TD height=10></TD></TR><TR><TD>http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/markmeasure/05n3101s1.jpg</TD></TR><TR><TD height=10></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD height=10></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Simple bar gauges are among the most useful tools in a shop. Much like cabinet scrapers, once you have used them, you wonder how you got along without them.
They have two primary purposes, comparing measurements (such as ensuring equal diagonals in drawers or carcasses to guarantee squareness) and transferring measurements.
Any time you can transfer a dimension directly, without converting it into numbers, you avoid a primary source of error.
Bar gauges not only shine in basic measurement transfer, but are unequalled for inside measurements, such as for sizing shelves or interior trim in windows. They can also be used as "story sticks" for complex built-ins where nothing is square. Gauge head openings are 1/2" x 3/4"; you just rip 1/4" slices off standard 3/4" lumber to make bars of the length you want (wood is not included). Made of brass and ABS plastic. We now include two brass pins for transferring inside or outside measurements smaller than the length of the sticks or for transferring outside measurements without making hook tips. A pair of brass pins is available separately to retrofit a previously purchased set of bar gauge heads (although a pair of small nails will also do the trick).

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR height=5><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD class=description width=220>Bar Gauge Heads
05N31.01 http://www.leevalley.com/graphics/view_On.gif (http://javascript<b></b>:OpenAddViews('44078');) http://www.leevalley.com/graphics/acc_Off.gif http://www.leevalley.com/graphics/tech_Off.gif http://www.leevalley.com/graphics/instr_On.gif (http://javascript<b></b>:OpenInstructions('44444');)
</TD><TD width=10></TD><TD class=price vAlign=top></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD class=Buy vAlign=top width=60></TD></TR><TR height=5><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD class=description width=220>Brass Pins, pkg. of 2
05N31.02 http://www.leevalley.com/graphics/view_Off.gif http://www.leevalley.com/graphics/acc_Off.gif http://www.leevalley.com/graphics/tech_Off.gif http://www.leevalley.com/graphics/instr_Off.gif
</TD><TD width=10></TD><TD class=price vAlign=top></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD class=Buy vAlign=top width=60></TD></TR><TR height=5><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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[Chris Padilla]

Yep, I have a pair of the Veritas bar gauges...handy little suckers when you care about fit more than numbers.... ;) Just make them out of some very clear straight material. MDF works well but hardwood holds up better.

[tod evans]

guess i`m odd man out again.......stanley 25ft seldom use the hook..02 tod