The new job is necessitating the use of a tape measure quite a bit, and my last 16' tape bit the dust last week. I typically buy Stanley 33-116 tapes because they're light-weight (.75" tape versus 1.0" typical). But stand out seems to be rearing it's ugly head, so I went with a beefier one this time. I got the Dewalt 16-footer (DWHT33372). What I *especially* like is the 1/8" marks along the bottom of the tape - this helps with my dyslexic moments for sure. Also, the scale is only in 16ths - even for the first foot.. On the Stanley 33-116 it has annoying 32nds the first 12 inches. Who really measures to a 64th with a tape? In any event, so far so good with the Dewalt.

Also on the subject of tapes, do most of you do your marking along an edge of a board, or "in the middle"? The reason I ask is because when I'm cutting 2x material on a heavily-used 12" scms I sort of feel like I can cut in half any angular error on "square to square" cuts. Is this silly?
JP

Also on the subject of tapes, do most of you do your marking along an edge of a board, or "in the middle"? The reason I ask is because when I'm cutting 2x material on a heavily-used 12" scms I sort of feel like I can cut in half any angular error on "square to square" cuts. Is this silly?

JP

I mark far enough from the fence edge so I can see a blade tooth next to the line. Too close to the edge and I can't see where the blade will hit. I don't have\use a laser. Probably would if it didn't die.

I also recently found out not to buy a tape that doesn't stand on it's own. I use 12' tapes because I rarely work with more than a 10' piece of material. I bought a cheapo tape. I was doing some 2x framing. I stretch the tape maybe 3" longer than I need and lock it. Then set it down to do my marking.. This crappy tape falls over and takes the whole damn shebang to ground.

Also found I loved my other cheapo tape that has tension locked state by default with a push button to release (and flat bottomed). Much more productive when framing.

On 5/3/2013 5:44 AM, SonomaProducts.com wrote:

Also on the subject of tapes, do most of you do your marking along an edge of a board, or "in the middle"? The reason I ask is because when I'm cutting 2x material on a heavily-used 12" scms I sort of feel like I can cut in half any angular error on "square to square" cuts. Is this silly?

JP

I mark far enough from the fence edge so I can see a blade tooth next to the line. Too close to the edge and I can't see where the blade will hit. I don't have\use a laser. Probably would if it didn't die.

I also recently found out not to buy a tape that doesn't stand on it's own. I use 12' tapes because I rarely work with more than a 10' piece of material. I bought a cheapo tape. I was doing some 2x framing. I stretch the tape maybe 3" longer than I need and lock it. Then set it down to do my marking. This crappy tape falls over and takes the whole damn shebang to ground.

Also found I loved my other cheapo tape that has tension locked state by default with a push button to release (and flat bottomed). Much more productive when framing.


I've got a Rockler flat-back tape measure that been very handy for (for
instance) marking the dadoes for my bookcase uprights.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...1493/lightbox/

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=22205

It wouldn't be much use for framing and general handyman work around the
house as it won't support itself at all, but it makes it very easy to
mark things accurately when you're working from a plan. I treat it
pretty gingerly because I'm sure that it would crease easily. But when
that finally happens, it's cheap enough to buy a new one.

One issue is that it seems to be designed for outside measurements only;
the "hook" doesn't slide to compensate for its own thickness. The hook
is flat (just a 90 degree angle, no curved hook) and thin, so the
inaccuracy would be small (1/32" maybe), but I haven't run into that
because so far I have only used it "outside", marking up pieces from a
drawing.

Greg Guarino wrote:

I've got a Rockler flat-back tape measure that been very handy for (for
instance) marking the dadoes for my bookcase uprights.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...1493/lightbox/

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=22205

It wouldn't be much use for framing and general handyman work around the
house as it won't support itself at all, but it makes it very easy to
mark things accurately when you're working from a plan. I treat it pretty
gingerly because I'm sure that it would crease easily. But when that
finally happens, it's cheap enough to buy a new one.

One issue is that it seems to be designed for outside measurements only;
the "hook" doesn't slide to compensate for its own thickness. The hook is
flat (just a 90 degree angle, no curved hook) and thin, so the inaccuracy
would be small (1/32" maybe), but I haven't run into that because so far
I have only used it "outside", marking up pieces from a drawing.

I use my flats often when marking joinery. What you want to watch for with
the FastCaps is pulling them out full length and then they won't retract
fully. Have had to replace two of the flat ones in the last few years.
Rocker will replace them for nothing, except the aggravation of having to
do so.

--
www.ewoodshop.com (Mobile)

On 5/3/2013 10:16 AM, Swingman wrote:

What you want to watch for with
the FastCaps is pulling them out full length and then they won't retract
fully.

Thanks for the tip. It shouldn't be a problem for me though. If I ever
decide to build anything that needs marks 16' out, I'll first need a
bigger place to work. And helpers. And a bigger house to put it in.