Why do tape measures always go the wrong way?

[Woodmonkey]

Tape measure scales always seem to read left to right. If I'm measuring and marking a piece of wood, I'll have the tape in my left hand and pencil in my right (I'm right handed) which means unless you cross your hands over the scale will always be upsidedown? The only one I've found with a scale on both sides is the vice versa, which unfortunately I've found is not robust enough for daily use (after around 6 months use the tape got twisted so the end would keep popping off the edge).
I'm talking metric only by the way, no ancient elvish measurements please. Am I weird or does anyone else think they are the wrong way up?

 

[skipdiver]

Never really gave it much thought to be honest.

 

[Steve Maskery]

It's the difference between measuring and marking. Assuming you are right-handed, if you want to measure something it is correct. But as you say, for marking you would normally have your pencil in your right hand.
You can get Left-Handed tape measures, which work as you suggest, but swapping tapes between measurement on a single job is fraught with risks.
DAMHIKT.
S

 

[lurker]

Yeah!
You are weird

 

[deema]

Not sure what your projects are, but I try to always use a story stick, saves embarrassing measurement glitches. I usually use a piece of ply or MDF, about an inch wide and 1/4" thick. Both sides planed true and parallel. After each project, if I'm not going to make it again, a light sand and it's good to go again. If I'm going to make it again it gets labelled and stored.

 

[RogerP]

There are plenty of left-handed tapes on the market.

http://tinyurl.com/gwl4rh6

As a right-handed person will most usually hold the tape in their left hand I guess what they really need to be advertised as is " left-handed tapes for right-handed people"

A left-handed person presumably holds a tape in their right hand so these "left-handed" tapes would be upside down for them. :|

No?

 

[Woodmonkey]

Yes there are left handed tape measures but seems to be hard to find a metric only one

 

[Bm101]

I remember someone on here trying to find a metric only tape measure. You can get them in the UK but they are expensive as I recall. If you know anyone going to the States might be worth popping into a shop while there if you can all a favour in? A left handed one? I have no idea. If it's flat I think I just pop the button and measure with my right hand but now you mention it it does seem a little odd and I do hold it in my right hand. I can see this bugging me now. :|
You're welcome to borrow mine. Its an ambisinister version though.
What ever way i use it it ends up cackhanded.

 

[Rorschach]

I am a lefty and find it easy to measure and mark with a standard tape. Makes a change for things to work well for lefty!

 

[Woodmonkey]

I remember someone on here trying to find a metric only tape measure. You can get them in the UK but they are expensive as I recall. If you know anyone going to the States might be worth popping into a shop while there if you can all a favour in? A left handed one? I have no idea. If it's flat I think I just pop the button and measure with my right hand but now you mention it it does seem a little odd and I do hold it in my right hand. I can see this bugging me now. :|
You're welcome to borrow mine. Its an ambisinister version though.
What ever way i use it it ends up cackhanded.

Surely you mean an imperial one would be easier to find in the US?
Metric only are easy enough to find here, they just all go the same direction

 

[skipdiver]

There's this one on Amazon. Little bit dearer than your standard tape measure mind but unfortunately it's imperial, so you may not want to part with your cash.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Task-Tools-TR2 ... pe+measure

 

[Bm101]

I remember someone on here trying to find a metric only tape measure. You can get them in the UK but they are expensive as I recall. If you know anyone going to the States might be worth popping into a shop while there if you can all a favour in? A left handed one? I have no idea. If it's flat I think I just pop the button and measure with my right hand but now you mention it it does seem a little odd and I do hold it in my right hand. I can see this bugging me now. :|
You're welcome to borrow mine. Its an ambisinister version though.
What ever way i use it it ends up cackhanded.

Surely you mean an imperial one would be easier to find in the US?
Metric only are easy enough to find here, they just all go the same direction

Ah yeh. That'll be it. Continentally challenged yet again.

 

[Dan j]

Lee valley tools used to make tapes that read the other way round. I had one but it was only in imperial. It is a lot easier to use though. Cant understand why they aren't more common.

 

[MusicMan]

Try https://www.thetapestore.co.uk/tapes-ru ... e-measures. I use Fisco, metric only, class 1 accuracy (which Stanley do not offer) and reasonable price.

 

[HappyHacker]

Ask the guys at thetapestore.co.uk they appear to do lots of different tapes unfortunately their web site does not show the markings on the tape. I should add I have no relationship with them although I suspect I did once buy something off them but the thingy that lets me know if I did is not 100% these days.

 

[screwpainting]

Its the left handed pencils with the lead at the top that get my goat, bloody stupid idea.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

And square post holes when you've only round posts.

 

[sunnybob]

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-pr ... e-ax844580

not only both ways, but upside down as well.
I have one, its my only tape measure.

 

[John15]

As a lefty I obviously find the standard tapes easy to use but hadn't realised until now just how awkward they must be for right-handers. Good to see there are some suitable for right-handers even if a little dearer.

John

 

[Monkey Mark]

Try https://www.thetapestore.co.uk/tapes-ru ... e-measures. I use Fisco, metric only, class 1 accuracy (which Stanley do not offer) and reasonable price.

They mention the whole class 1 & 2 thing, which I didn't realise they did on tape measures. Learn something new every day. (hammer)