Internal reading Tape measure.

[Rob_Mc]

The Festool tape is a BMI tape rebadged, strangely the Festool version is actually cheaper!

https://www.thetapestore.co.uk/bmi-viso ... et-tape-3m

That would make sense as Festool are rumoured to outsource non core items to other quality manufacturers, eg their quick clamps bear a remarkable resemblance to the Bessey version.

The only relevant difference I can see between the two tapes is that the BMI is metric only, while the Festool has both metric and imperial scales. BMI do however also do a version with both scales but it is currently £20.99 on Amazon;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BMI-405351020- ... 138&sr=1-6

Irrespective of the colour and branding it's a great tape and wish I had bought one years ago. At half the cost of the BMI the Festool version is a no brainer.

 

[Rorschach]

I hadn't seen that Festool one before, thanks for posting that, good price too.

I think I might get the BMI version as I would prefer a metric only version.

 

[ColeyS1]

Do these type of tapes rely on the tape being coiled up tight each time ? I could definitely see a use for them in my own work or just wonder what the accuracy is like.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

There's not a lot of Festool kit you can get for a tenner however like all Festool kit it is extremely well thought out, designed, and engineered to work just as it should. The internal spring which retracts the tape keeps enough tension on the tape to eliminate any slack when taking a reading. I checked an internal reading taken with the tape against one taken with a rigid meter rule and it was bang on.

Sounds good enough for me. Thanks for the explanation [THUMBS UP SIGN]

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[toysandboats]

Fisco videoflex - you read at the top of the case
http://www.fisco.co.uk/videoflex.html fisco

 

[John Brown]

BMI rings a bell. I think I bought it from Rutland as a special offer.

 

[Rorschach]

What is very odd is that it seems that only the BMI/Festool/Connex tape actually reads the correct way up.
The stanley still tempts me since it is 5m rather than 3m, but the numbers are upside down, why would they do this?

 

[Bm101]

Do these type of tapes rely on the tape being coiled up tight each time ? I could definitely see a use for them in my own work or just wonder what the accuracy is like.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

There's not a lot of Festool kit you can get for a tenner however like all Festool kit it is extremely well thought out, designed, and engineered to work just as it should. The internal spring which retracts the tape keeps enough tension on the tape to eliminate any slack when taking a reading. I checked an internal reading taken with the tape against one taken with a rigid meter rule and it was bang on.

Sounds good enough for me. Thanks for the explanation [THUMBS UP SIGN]

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Yeh me too. Thanks for the heads up. And my brother in law. It's his Birthday next week. So he's getting one too.
Possibly. 8)

 

[Bm101]

This turned up yesterday, very pleased. For what I do I tend to mark out rather than use a tape but my old BuildCentre one has now been consigned to number 2 tape after many yearsof mostly faithful service. If you read Animal Farm as a youngun, he's Boxer the faithful but daft horse. I also have a shiny stanley aniversary tape that is the spare drawer tape. The shame. If you read Animal Farm as a youngun, he's Moses the Tame Raven.
For any measuring the Festool is now the go to. It'll be a lonely life being Festool in my shed though! Might have to keep that other one I bought for the Brother in Laws birthday..... Just in case like. I have heard Festool are herd animals, that way the two little snobby beggars will have each other to talk to down my shed of misfits.

 

[KitchenFitter]

I use the Fisco big T tape measure, the 5m has a flap that folds out so add 100mm or the 8m one has 100mm body, They are class 1 tape measures, so very accurate.

 

[tony_s]

I keep a festool tape in my bag for quick estimates and what not. Pity they don't make a beefier model as I find the tape a bit flimsy.

 

[rafezetter]

This turned up yesterday, very pleased. For what I do I tend to mark out rather than use a tape but my old BuildCentre one has now been consigned to number 2 tape after many yearsof mostly faithful service. If you read Animal Farm as a youngun, he's Boxer the faithful but daft horse. I also have a shiny stanley aniversary tape that is the spare drawer tape. The shame. If you read Animal Farm as a youngun, he's Moses the Tame Raven.
For any measuring the Festool is now the go to. It'll be a lonely life being Festool in my shed though! Might have to keep that other one I bought for the Brother in Laws birthday..... Just in case like. I have heard Festool are herd animals, that way the two little snobby beggars will have each other to talk to down my shed of misfits.

You're slacking there Bm101 - you need to get yourself a "sits on desk in front of me" tape, so when people post measurements or things you buy, you can check them visually.

Oh and a "glove box" tape too.

Not sure how your snobby tapes will go down with your "old guard" #7 jointer - he's a proper pre WWI gent don't ya know!

Probably end up writing lines at the back, very accurate lines ofc, but lines nonetheless.

 

[Bm101]

Not sure how your snobby tapes will go down with your "old guard" #7 jointer - he's a proper pre WWI gent don't ya know!

Probably end up writing lines at the back, very accurate lines ofc, but lines nonetheless.

Ah. The General. He's still in firm control and keeping all the other planes trim. Neverseenthelikesofem. Donchaknow. What.
Sometimes I go down the shed and I'm sure he's had them all out on parade... :|

 

[MikeJhn]

I don't know about the Festo being my go to tape, I use the only one I can find that has not fallen through the rift in the space time continuum with all my pencils.

 

[Rorschach]

I couldn't pick between the Connex and the Stanley, and both had good and bad reviews. So I ordered both from amazon and will return the one I don't like.

 

[MikeJhn]

Just used the radius facility on the tape for the first time, setting out ceiling down lights, what a pain, easier to mark out a setting rod (spirit level) and use that, the flexibility of the tape made it too difficult, still I am sure I will find a use for it one day, if I can find it. (hammer)

 

[cammy9r]

I like the connex one. It is however the only internal tape measure i have. The numbers all read the right way.

 

[DaWoodster]

+1 for the Hultafors, the strong brake locks the measured length in well and the built-in scribe is very handy for transferring the measurement.

 

[Rorschach]

Well I have tested both tapes now and the Connex has won out. Both the stanley and the connex have their pro's and con's though.

Stanley:
Pro:
Only internal tape I could find that was 5m long
Really strong Lock
Tough tape with good hook
Belt clip
Large viewing window
Defined edge on the back for measurement

Con:
Bulky
Large back can get in the way if surface isn't flat
Mechanism rough as rats compared to a normal silky smooth powerlock and quite hard to pull out actually
Numbers upside down

Connex:
Pro:
Compact curved case is easier to fit against uneven surfaces
Numbers correct way up and very clear
Smooth easy to use mechanism

Con:
Only 3m
Tape and hook rather flimsy
Viewing window a bit wobbly, could lead to inaccuracy especially if it gets worse
Lock not very secure.
No defined point on the back for measurement, could be confusing.

The connex could have been improved with a little step on the back end for a clear measuring point, or maybe making use of the compass foot as the reference. Certainly room for improvement.
Both tapes also suffer from parallax error of up to almost 1mm if you are not careful with how you read them. In both cases the tape is too far away from the viewing window, another easily solved problem.

So do they work? Yes, with caveats. Are they better than doing maths for every measurement, absolutely they are both a lot easier to use than a standard tape and doing addition everytime. Are they accurate, yes within reason. You can reliably work to the nearest 2mm with no effort, with a bit more care you could work to 1mm. If you want more accurate than that then a tape isn't the correct tool anyway. It's definitely better than trying to bend the tape into the recess as well.