Tape Measures, just stick to one

[garethharvey]

Been so busy lately with work, not found time to post.

Have been working on replacing our verander on the weekends, measured 3970mm on the verander, went back to the workshop to cut a length of wood. Measured out the measurement with a different measure. Guess what, it was different to the one first used. When I compared all 3 tapes, they were all different.

Lesson learned. Have now thrown all but one.

 

[Beau]

Yep I have noticed this in the past. Surprisingly the worst was a metal cased Stanley and the best was a Screwfix cheapy but doubt any two are quite the same.

 

[Seiken]

Look for EC Class l or ll certified tapes

https://www.thetapestore.co.uk/tapes-ru ... pe-measure

there is a table on this web page showing the expected accuracy

 

[porker]

Yep I have noticed this in the past. Surprisingly the worst was a metal cased Stanley and the best was a Screwfix cheapy but doubt any two are quite the same.

Interesting, my Stanley is also my worst (when compared to a decent steel rule as a reference). I have some cheapy Blackspur ones that I use and they both agree with each other and the steel rule. I suppose for most jobs as long as you stick with one reference you would be OK. I made an extra kitchen unit recently and it came out a few mm oversize. Right pain to put right.

 

[Seiken]

Interestingly Stanley claim class ll for some of their tapes which would be less than +_ 1.3mm total on a 5 metre tape. I've got a couple of Advent tapes and the first metre matches my steel rule to the limit of what can be seen with the naked eye.

 

[Eric The Viking]

[post crossed with Selken's above]

Advent make class I tapes, I'm 90% certain in the UK.
I think Axminster re-badges them.

I have one (Advent branded), and it's excellent. As soon as I got it I did a similar test to the OP, and was surprised that the tape that came closest (over 5m) was a really cheap one I've had for years. I didn't see as much error as he has though.

You do have to be careful with all measuring kit. I have a Draper 600mm stainless imperial/metric ruler that's about 35 years old now. It's spot on. I wanted a second one, so spent quite a bit on another Draper. I started getting odd results. It turns out that one side (imperial) is right. Turn the ruler over and the other, metric, side starts with an offset from the datum end of more than 0.5mm.
Because it wasn't the same for both sides, it was impossible to tune it, and by then far too late to return it. Draper is now off my shopping list permanently for measuring tools. It's a passable straightedge, but that's not the point Grrr.

E.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

https://www.thetapestore.co.uk/tapes-ru ... e-accuracy

I looked for Fisco (as this has arisen before) and found this - all Stanleys are class 2, apparently.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

And while we're on tapes, how many people don't know what the mark near 19" and the same increments afterwards is for?

 

[Beau]

Interestingly Stanley claim class ll for some of their tapes which would be less than +_ 1.3mm total on a 5 metre tape. I've got a couple of Advent tapes and the first metre matches my steel rule to the limit of what can be seen with the naked eye.

I could only check my Stanley over a meter against a Rabone solid steel rule (which I trust). Over the meter it was 1mm out. Thought that a lot for an expensive rule but no idea how far out it was over a greater distance. The Screwfix cheapy was within a nats whisker of spot on over a meter.

 

[porker]

Just checked my tapes again. My Stanley is marked Class II and appears to be 1mm out over 1m which would indicate it is out of spec. The end hook thingy is in good condition so I discounted an offset error. If I look further down the scale it is an error that is compounded the further down the tape. Of course this all assumes the others I compared against are a good reference but from different vendors they are almost identical.

It reminds me of years ago when my father asked my mother to measure up some glass for windows for a large workshop my father was building. When it arrived it was about a 1/4" (it was mid 70's) too big. Turns out she used a dress making tape and it stretched. She was really popular with my father as he tried to cut the excess off with a glass cutter and broke about half the panes.

 

[Seiken]

And while we're on tapes, how many people don't know what the mark near 19" and the same increments afterwards is for?

You referring to joist separation markings?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Might be. I'm not talking of the ones on 16" increments.

 

[Seiken]

Might be. I'm not talking of the ones on 16" increments.

Stud separation, whats the prize?

 

[MikeG.]

I presume that's half a metre (500mm) and a metre. is it?

Edit: No, it's not.

 

[MikeG.]

It's a cubit!

Thinking about it.........it's one fifth of 8 feet. I guess if there was ever a need to set studs out evenly over 8 feet, but not at max. 400 C's, then this is your mark.

 

[Seiken]

I believe the 19.2 inch spacing is for joists (to take 8 ft boards). The 16 inch marking are for studs. I'm sure theres a builder here who will confirm this or tell me I'm completely wrong.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes, it divides 8' into five.

 

[Claud1]

I personally after many mistakes using inaccurate tapes and rules now go for the best i.e. Fisco Mitutoyo ETC and have never looked back.

 

[powertools]

I always just stick to one measure it doesn't matter if it is accurate all diamentions will be the same.

 

[MikeG.]

The thing I find the most inaccurate isn't the printed scale, but the hook. Hooking over the end of a piece of wood and measuring its length will generally give quite a different result compared with clamping some sort of stop to the end, and pushing the tape up against it. It annoys the hell out of me. My dad used to use a wood folding rule with brass ends and hinges, and if I saw one of those with metric on both edges, I'd probably buy it for the workshop. Nothing beats the convenience of a tape when working on the house.