Why am I rubbish at measuring?

[Ollie78]

I know a guy who got a fancy new tape that had measurements including the width of the tape body, for easy internal measurements or whatever.
The problem was when he ordered some sashes to be made they were all exactly 100mm out in both directions, I forget if it was bigger or smaller.
Amazingly it happened more than once so that tape went in the skip !!

Ollie

 

[throbscottle]

I think they all have the width of the body on them, don't they?

 

[Ollie78]

I think they all have the width of the body on them, don't they?

I think it started at the dimension of the body width so the end of the tape was not at zero but at 100mm, something like that.

 

[Alli]

Something that caught me out was swapping between measuring tools. After a lot of head scratching wondering why my measurements where out, not by a lot but enough to cause problems getting things to fit.

I think I had almost a 4mm difference between one particular (v cheap) tape measure compared to my 600mm steel rule. I now try to measure all the components with the same instrument

 

[Johnwa]

To me a ruler is a story stick with the measurement marks already on it, so as long as you measure and mark out the same way, with the same ruler it doesn't matter if its 1/2 mm out.

 

[imageel]

To me a ruler is a story stick with the measurement marks already on it, so as long as you measure and mark out the same way, with the same ruler it doesn't matter if its 1/2 mm out.

Totally agree with that, story sticks imho are far better when repeatability is required, and also when likely parallax errors esp when wearing glasses are necessary. TBH the accuracy and repeatability are all down to technique irrespective of the actual device used and things like depth stops on rulers are just aids to reduce repeatability errors irrespective of the intrinsic accuracy of the tool.
For most woodworking I think repeatability is far more important than measurement precision so anything that can improve that is useful
Ed

 

[throbscottle]

I think it started at the dimension of the body width so the end of the tape was not at zero but at 100mm, something like that.

Ooh, weird!

 

[recipio]

Trying to ' eyeball ' your cuts is a sure way to introduce inaccuracy. I always cut a little oversize and then make finish cuts on the table saw against a stop on a sliding fence. I used to use those 60 cm long verniers sold by Axminster for internal measurements but have transitioned to a Leica laser measure. Much easier !.

 

[Molynoox]

Ita incredible he didn't spot that the tape started at 50mm or whatever!

I think it started at the dimension of the body width so the end of the tape was not at zero but at 100mm, something like that.

 

[Dave Moore]

I think they all have the width of the body on them, don't they?

Hi,
not all tapes have the body width on them. It’s also much better to measure from both ends on an internal measurement. measure say 1 mtr from one end and mark the wall etc and then measure from the other end and add the first measurement on.
I’ve just bought some new tapes which are totally metric and both sides.
Advent Vice Versa 5m x 25mm Metric Tape Measure Dual Printed Blade - ATM4-5025VV
regards,
Dave

 

[pe2dave]

Measuring or marking? Marking was my weakness. Measure second time and I'm a mil or two out.
Took a while to gain a strict sequence and use a marking knife rather than a carpenters pencil.

 

[aet1]

I had a crazy moment of measuring the other day. Indoors measuring a small parcel for posting. Picked up a ruler and thought the measurement were way out.
I don't know where we got it out why we have it but it is a left handed ruler, so the zero point is on the right.

 

[Spectric]

Story sticks become even more important with age and eyesight problems because then all the measurements have to be the same. Anyone tried marking a line with just the right eye and then just the left eye, that can be interesting !

 

[JimJay]

Hi,
not all tapes have the body width on them. It’s also much better to measure from both ends on an internal measurement. measure say 1 mtr from one end and mark the wall etc and then measure from the other end and add the first measurement on.
I’ve just bought some new tapes which are totally metric and both sides.
Advent Vice Versa 5m x 25mm Metric Tape Measure Dual Printed Blade - ATM4-5025VV
regards,
Dave

I use one similar to this - very handy sometimes.....

 

[Johnwa]

How do the numbers reverse. The figures in the window are opposite to the figures on the bit of the tape sticking out, or is it me being thick again?

 

[Tony51]

They are printed on the back.
Tony

 

[JimJay]

How do the numbers reverse. The figures in the window are opposite to the figures on the bit of the tape sticking out, or is it me being thick again?

They are indeed printed on the back, and the figures in the window of course include the length of the tape's case.

 

[JAW911]

I use this often as my go to measure.
Fisco Video-Flex 3m Internal Measuring Tape VF3M | The Tape Store

 

[hlvd]

It occurred to me yesterday, after I made 2 bits of wood into 4 bits of wood of close to equal size, that if I had actually measured the job, they would likely be worse than my "2 rough marks and guess". I've always been like this. It's not like I can't measure. I know exactly what to do and do it very carefully (kerf accounted for too) Somehow though the cut is never in quite the right place. I do it no matter what material I'm using, not just wood.
That's my moan for the day...

The less you measure the more accurate your work will be, use length stops, combination square, full sized drawings, anything other than measuring multiple lengths of the same dimensions individually.

 

[Johnwa]

It was indeed me being thick again!