Thread: So obvious when you think about it

A lot of people use a ruler for small things, a tape for longer bits and the tape on their table saw for cutting. It can make for an interesting day .

I once found I had a Lufkin tape that was logarithmic. Zero to 500mm was exact. 250mm to 500 was fairly good but between 0 and 250 was kind of stretched at the start and compressed at the end. Took a little while before I realised, now I have a "set" of matched measuring implements that may not be right, but they do agree with each other.

Once built my own house. Had all sorts of trouble with the levels until I found it was wrong in both directions. Couldn't be adjusted, so had to buy a new one. I Nearly drove the hardware store staff to insanity with my testing. Then to double check I took it home and rigged up a water level!

Funny thing though my trusty tape measure was always 10 cms shot after having beer spilt on it. worked out that beer shrinks metal tape measures.

I'm currently building a dolls house for my daughter and now I understand where I'm going wrong, been using the nearest tape measure and what do you know they are slightly different in measurements.

and if you want really accurate measurements don't use the hook on the tape.
Start 100mm from the hook and align the mark by eye. That way it doesn't matter if the hook is bent etc.

Use a tape measure as the last resort. A rule or story stick are far more accurate and with a story stick you don't translate the reading to something else in your head and cut the thing too short. I don't know how many times I have read a tape wrongly and cut short.

Originally Posted by Mini

don't know how many times I have read a tape wrongly and cut short.

You'd reckon that on the law of averages that you'd cut just as many too long as too short but that's not been my experience as the overwhelming majority are too short.

Just goes to show that the "foul-up fairy" is never far from your shoulder

Ian

Originally Posted by FXST01

Was reading one of the latest woodworking magazines, and one of his tips was:

"when working on a project use only one tape measure" Because no two tape measures are identical especially at the ends where one may have been bent.

Maybe this is why some of my jobs just aren't quite right.

Anyhow there's the tip.

What a relief!

It turns out I'm not sloppy after all. I just have too many tapes.

Originally Posted by echnidna

and if you want really accurate measurements don't use the hook on the tape.
Start 100mm from the hook and align the mark by eye. That way it doesn't matter if the hook is bent etc.

It is an option , but Beware of the 'magic hundred disappearing ' . Often when using this method , things aren't a long as they should be ......

I also push that word of WARNING. I started my apprenticship as a sheet metal worker and was taught to start from the 100 mark but be very, very, carefull because it's so easy to forget and all of a sudden you have to buy a new piece of whatever you have just cut too short. Stick to useing one tape or rule etc unless like Groggy says and you have a matched set as I do.

how many times when we were apprentices were we told to measure twice cut once.

I have been using Incra rules lately and must admit I like the fact that the measurement is actually set for you, no parralex error etc when marking off. The trouble is they are limited to 300mm long.

http://www.incra.com/product_measuri...ing_layout.htm

Originally Posted by Mini

Use a tape measure as the last resort. A rule or story stick are far more accurate and with a story stick you don't translate the reading to something else in your head and cut the thing too short. I don't know how many times I have read a tape wrongly and cut short.

I agree with mini... For many things, the exact measurement is not always important but rather that all the parts are consistent with each other. go the story stick!. I prefer a long steel rule and if using a tape measure always use the same one and tend to start at 100mm but it is important to measure atleast twice (even more when tired at the end of the day!)
Isn't it strange that cutting mistakes always seem to end up short????? (mabe they are the ones we remember as the long ones get recut and endup right anyway)

Saw the strangest thing at school yesterday... I have just started teaching a year 9 woodwork class and discovered that they had been taught to cut their timber 2-5 mm longer and then sand it to length on a large disc sander!!!! Makes a really interesting fit up with out of square and rounded ends!

Chipman

I use 3 different tape measures. I keep one in each of two cars for when I go buy stuff and one in the shed. Not been a problem yet but I can see it could be.

BobL
I used to do that but found they all migrated to the shed when I wasn't watching. or so it seemed, every time I wanted the one in the car it had disappeared