How to read a tape measure without looking like an idiot

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  • Опубликовано: 1 окт 2024

Комментарии • 1,4 тыс.

  • @youngczar1660
    @youngczar1660 3 года назад +1945

    Who else is a poor, ignorant, child trying to learn? (I’m 19 btw lol.)

    • @alieubah8865
      @alieubah8865 3 года назад +9

      Me

    • @oksiy8207
      @oksiy8207 3 года назад +73

      Everyone starts some where, your not going to work 1 day and the next wake up rich.

    • @bopmoo
      @bopmoo 3 года назад +3

      Ikr

    • @LolLol-jx9uy
      @LolLol-jx9uy 3 года назад +20

      I’m 19 too 🥺

    • @LolLol-jx9uy
      @LolLol-jx9uy 3 года назад +14

      I got a crew running tho roofing in siding I just need more help reading tape measure & 🧮

  • @meencantalapequesicaria4767
    @meencantalapequesicaria4767 2 года назад +43

    Who else lied at a job interview and now they are here ?

  • @jaycurtis213
    @jaycurtis213 3 года назад +402

    Poor ignorant child: me 25 tryna figure out how to use a tape measure. I was just trying to learn damn🤣🤣

    • @Slowlanemedia816
      @Slowlanemedia816 3 года назад +13

      Literally same at 20 yo😂😂😂

    • @kylestark2817
      @kylestark2817 3 года назад +16

      I’m here cause I just got from an interview and the boss asked me if I can read a tape measure lol

    • @sanctuary3059
      @sanctuary3059 3 года назад +27

      32 and better late then never lmao hating ass ppl 🤣

    • @danielp7312
      @danielp7312 3 года назад +1

      @@kylestark2817 same😂

    • @marentes133
      @marentes133 3 года назад +3

      Literally same I’m 25 learning rn lol

  • @ThePrinceofDisney
    @ThePrinceofDisney 3 года назад +292

    I’m 30 and I’ve never heard it explained this way before... they stopped teaching it to our generation

    • @Kains_whored
      @Kains_whored 2 года назад +7

      same and same .

    • @PartTimeGoblinSlayer
      @PartTimeGoblinSlayer 2 года назад +2

      Yup same

    • @edthebank4115
      @edthebank4115 2 года назад +1

      Yup

    • @belleexotic
      @belleexotic 2 года назад +2

      They really did

    • @v.4900
      @v.4900 2 года назад +1

      yes, they did. when i was in 10th grade i got to take woodshop and i loved it; but after that year, all of the schools were discontinuing it. even colleges and trade schools took it out

  • @Dobbin1010
    @Dobbin1010 5 лет назад +231

    My wife says I might be able to read a tape but I’m still an idiot.

    • @Mikey-ym6ok
      @Mikey-ym6ok 5 лет назад +36

      Tell her yeah well you married me so who's the real idiot lol

    • @Vera-xu3xw
      @Vera-xu3xw 4 года назад +8

      Seems like you're your wifes bitch?

    • @youngczar1660
      @youngczar1660 3 года назад

      @@Mikey-ym6ok Good one. 😂😂

    • @mahmodana3577
      @mahmodana3577 3 года назад +8

      @@Vera-xu3xw ohhhh 😮 that wast trouble don’t say that to anyone you stupid just apologize to the Mr and hopefully, he will forgive you.

    • @j.rjunior5584
      @j.rjunior5584 3 года назад

      @@Mikey-ym6ok 🤣🤣🤣

  • @Bigdawgmilo
    @Bigdawgmilo 3 года назад +539

    23 and still trying to learn 6 months into my job and nobody has explained it like this 😭 this is going to help me out so much thank you! 🙏

    • @smokedsalmon_2540
      @smokedsalmon_2540 2 года назад +35

      I’m 21 same boat, feel stupid as hell lmao this dude came in clutch

    • @greater-vision4608
      @greater-vision4608 2 года назад +2

      Same 18🤷‍♂️😌

    • @austinburchfi706gaming5
      @austinburchfi706gaming5 2 года назад +24

      I’m 21 and I just learned more in 4 minutes than in 4 months. It’s not that we are stupid. It’s just sometimes people need it explained a little different for us to understand.

    • @hemadarshini2494
      @hemadarshini2494 2 года назад

      Same me 23 years old, just get into to the job. I also try learn to read this measurement😂.

    • @capo7196
      @capo7196 2 года назад +6

      Hell yeah i bearly turned 18 and my dad straight put me intp construction where he works it was pretty hard using the tape measure for a beginner

  • @brandonrapitta7316
    @brandonrapitta7316 5 лет назад +7

    You cant blame the youth for this. Blame the education system. We never learned it. We learned metric and THAT WAS IT.

  • @moesanrath
    @moesanrath 3 года назад +252

    i suck horribly at math could never get above fractions in school, its not something im proud of but after being a home owner for a number of years now im starting to understand the importance of being able to read a tape measure. I've always been able to do the quarters an full inch readings but never the smaller stuff. I suspect i'll have to rewatch this video numerous times before it all finally sinks in. Just wanted to say ty for making it in what appears to be plain an simple way to understand

    • @keep1treal61
      @keep1treal61 3 года назад +2

      Who needs calculus just good old fractions and triangles. Same boat here

    • @rarebreedgaming716
      @rarebreedgaming716 2 года назад +5

      You're not alone same here I'm a first time home owner and don't have the extra cash to pay someone to do the simple things or major things I'd like to do and that's how I ended up here today.

    • @msfitnessnut
      @msfitnessnut 2 года назад +3

      Back when I was in HS (1976-80) we were only required to take 1 year of Basic Math. 😂😂. I’ve had to learn a lot since then. I don’t know why math is so intimidating.

    • @davidhopwood3317
      @davidhopwood3317 2 года назад +2

      I'm exactly the same I struggled with fractions and never understood them properly

    • @trees915
      @trees915 Год назад

      and*

  • @ElJoeRN
    @ElJoeRN 4 года назад +74

    This guy should teach math. Making it easy for the average Joe's out there
    P.S. disregard my name

  • @johnconklin9039
    @johnconklin9039 5 лет назад +334

    I was in engineering for nearly 40 years. More than once during a trip to the field I had to pull a young engineer with a 4 year degree aside and give them that lesson to prevent the whole company from looking silly. I blame the lack of shop class in schools.

    • @strangeroamer3219
      @strangeroamer3219 5 лет назад +17

      Jesus Christ. 4 years in college and he couldn't read a tape? I never had shop class either. After high school I worked all kinds of construction jobs and I was expected to learn everything and keep up with with the workers or I would be out of a job. Reading a tape is something everyone should just know.

    • @youraveragejoe2
      @youraveragejoe2 4 года назад +9

      I use a digital one so it saves me the headache. 📐

    • @smwfreak1647
      @smwfreak1647 4 года назад +9

      Ok boomer

    • @youraveragejoe2
      @youraveragejoe2 4 года назад +1

      @@smwfreak1647 seems like it.

    • @versatileduplicity9313
      @versatileduplicity9313 4 года назад +3

      Yep. Kids want to be gangsters and shit and people dont put in tech classes

  • @bloodscul
    @bloodscul 2 года назад +26

    I am starting a job next week that involves a lot of tape measure reading. Up until this point of my life I had no cause to know these things and I was really nervous about starting my new job without the required knowledge. I've been watching this video for exactly three minutes now and my confidence level has skyrocketed. This ignorant young person is extremely grateful to you sir.

    • @prod.hollwhouse
      @prod.hollwhouse 2 года назад

      I felt this working in a granite shop don’t have my own tape measure yet lol

  • @VirgilAllenMoore
    @VirgilAllenMoore 5 лет назад +58

    As an adult that is learning woodworking by myself and from RUclips, this method of using the measuring tape has never come up. You have taught me a very valuable skill today. Thank you for that and keep making this great content. Again, well done, sir!

  • @threeque
    @threeque 5 лет назад +143

    2:17 I disagree, many idiots do NOT know there are sixteen 1/16ths in an inch.
    edit: keep getting brought back to this by notifications of people commenting. some of you seem to have missed the joke and are taking it way too seriously. Stumpy was using a common phrase and I played off of it. If you did not know there are 16, 1/16ths, in an inch it does not make you an idiot. Only an idiot would truly think that.

    • @stewskinner5717
      @stewskinner5717 5 лет назад +10

      Sadly the schools teaching “Discovery Math” are NOT teaching kids basic fractions. Ask any teenager what 1/2 + 3/4 amounts to.

    • @Travis-lw4jm
      @Travis-lw4jm 5 лет назад +6

      @@stewskinner5717 that's an easy one! Its 4/6! Lol

    • @chrisbelmore8198
      @chrisbelmore8198 5 лет назад +1

      I'm one of those guys I'm 46 just within the last year starting wood worker. It's funny to me I spell poorly read OK. But have enough skills talent to get by just fine most my friends come to me for help and questions. So to think that it's common knowledge to know how to measure for some ..i never needed it till last year or so

    • @threeque
      @threeque 5 лет назад +3

      @@chrisbelmore8198 Yep, if you don't know, you don't know. I'm sure Stumpy was just joking though.

    • @deanwilliams93
      @deanwilliams93 5 лет назад

      @@twicebittenthasme5545 Tommy Chong, is that you?

  • @AtlantaTerry
    @AtlantaTerry 5 лет назад +37

    Thanks. My late father, his brothers and his dad were all carpenters so my sister and I learned to read a tape measure properly when we were little kids. I'm surprised you didn't say to measure twice, cut once.

  • @montrieljamari7870
    @montrieljamari7870 5 лет назад +3

    I don't feel like the word "idiot" should be used... some people were never taught like myself and just had to seek out the knowledge....

    • @tinyjungle_
      @tinyjungle_ 3 года назад

      Ignorant*
      That said, the clickbaity title would probably get more views

  • @barringtonmorris90
    @barringtonmorris90 2 года назад +2

    Don’t blame us. School’s never taught us about measuring.

  • @aiyanachung572
    @aiyanachung572 4 года назад +20

    My job makes us measure to the smallest fraction for accuracy it’s a pain in the bit but honestly I was not ashamed as to how much this video helped thank you!!

  • @russellborrego1689
    @russellborrego1689 5 лет назад +23

    You mean "4 and a half and an eighth and a sixteenth" isn't a proper way to describe it? I find myself doing it when I'm exhausted... Then I know it's time to call it a day. Lol

  • @madisonmoore5497
    @madisonmoore5497 4 года назад +13

    It’s not necessarily that younger people don’t know how to use a measuring tape. The concept is well understood, the issue is schools only teaching metric since “that’s what science uses”. I’m 23 and teaching myself everything from woodworking, framing, fabricating, and mechanics but I struggle with reading standard measurements because I was never taught. Thank you for this video! Very helpful

  • @AlexKilpatrick81
    @AlexKilpatrick81 5 лет назад +11

    I have an uncle who learned to read a tape measure like this: "8 feet, three and one-half inches, minus a saw blade."
    It was general construction, not fine woodworking, so being dead balls accurate wasn't a necessity but still...

    • @brianmatthews4323
      @brianmatthews4323 4 года назад

      I was taught to just say the inches, so I'd just say 99 and a half.

  • @kathywinn6869
    @kathywinn6869 5 лет назад +175

    “3 and 3 little lines”... made me laugh. Did you bug my shop? Lol

  • @Upsidedownorangejuice
    @Upsidedownorangejuice 5 лет назад +8

    Interesting seeing how imperial requires knowing this, in NZ and many metric systems we just read out in millimeters in all are trades... thanks for teaching though, will be useful converting imperial maps to metric.

  • @tomthompson7400
    @tomthompson7400 5 лет назад +16

    good video ,
    remember
    seven fifths of the population dont understand fractions.

  • @btdga
    @btdga 5 лет назад +21

    A lot of commercial drywall and acoustical ceiling installers read everything as 16ths. One guy is measuring and installing and another guy is cutting. The guy measuring will say "3 and 5", which translates to 3-5/16". He might also say "6 and 8" which translates to 6-1/2" (6-8/16"). This method cuts down on a lot of talking and straining to hear over noise on the job site. No chance of misunderstanding if something is 1/16ths, 1/8ths, or 1/4s.

    • @keithcraig9820
      @keithcraig9820 5 лет назад

      twicebitten thasme I have to agree. When I was younger I was told by a boss that 1/16th doesn’t exist in the real world. (Framing) but later was dealing with 1/64th (fine trim)

    • @TomBuskey
      @TomBuskey 5 лет назад

      Auger bits are too. A #16 is 1", #12 is 3/4

    • @mikecurtin9831
      @mikecurtin9831 5 лет назад

      This is the same principle machinists use. They use 1/1,000th of an inch.

  • @imqqmi
    @imqqmi 5 лет назад +79

    I'm a 'metric' guy but I am glad you explained how Imperial measurements work in practice. I always get confused when I watch woodworking videos. Now I know 😊

    • @rogertaylor712
      @rogertaylor712 5 лет назад +8

      Now I know... how crap they are?

    • @nurgle11
      @nurgle11 5 лет назад +2

      ... (sorry I just couldn't resist :D)

    • @imqqmi
      @imqqmi 5 лет назад +3

      Get on your FEET and INCH your way to the exit, you will see yourself out now! 😉

    • @themrims3191
      @themrims3191 5 лет назад +2

      @@imqqmi is there a YARD sale outside?

    • @imqqmi
      @imqqmi 5 лет назад +1

      @@themrims3191 I'm not sure I FATHOM your question.

  • @jordanphelps5284
    @jordanphelps5284 4 года назад +22

    Thank you for this, I am doing odd jobs and I needed to learn this.

  • @maleikwright7430
    @maleikwright7430 5 лет назад +14

    Yeah blame that one on the way they teachers teach kids. I’ve worked with some intelligent people that were young and couldn’t read a tape measure. I didn’t make them feel dumb just simply showed them one time and they got it 👍🏽🛠

    • @brie6075
      @brie6075 4 года назад +1

      Yes good job for not being an asshole. Thank u.

    • @shawnfremin3553
      @shawnfremin3553 4 года назад

      Attic ladder hardware

  • @campbellmj9405
    @campbellmj9405 5 лет назад +39

    It saddens me that this video is needed.

    • @42luke93
      @42luke93 5 лет назад +4

      campbellmj9405
      It’s a good video. Kids like me aren’t taught what seems obvious sometimes and this video is really helpful.

    • @TheDudeRTR
      @TheDudeRTR 5 лет назад +3

      Why? A lot of people don't have anyone to teach them this skill.

    • @campbellmj9405
      @campbellmj9405 5 лет назад

      @@TheDudeRTR Guess I'm astonished that something as straight forward as reading a tape with lines and numbers on it is difficult. How is this different than a ruler that no doubt was used in grade school? Really, this is not rocket science.

    • @TheDudeRTR
      @TheDudeRTR 5 лет назад +4

      @@campbellmj9405 it's not really that straight forward, especially if you've never had a reason to apply the skill.

    • @kingoortman6348
      @kingoortman6348 5 лет назад +2

      Some millionaires and billionaires can't read or write they just know how to get $$ all videos helping each other is definitely needed an no need to be 😥 ✊🏾💯

  • @drollmichael
    @drollmichael 5 лет назад +10

    This video just got added to training and orientation for whenever I hire a friend's kid for the summer... Good timing, and thank you.

    • @313dlo
      @313dlo 3 года назад

      Yooo y’all hiring? 😂

  • @thomaskelly1228
    @thomaskelly1228 5 лет назад +2

    When my boss in a cabinet shop was mad at me, he would hire a non tape reader as my "new helper". I ran the frame dept. I finally started sending these guys back to him to borrow the "board stretcher". Send them to cut six 31 inch stiles on a miter station with a stop block and they come back with 6 different sizes all of them wrong.

    • @brianmatthews4323
      @brianmatthews4323 4 года назад

      "I'm sorry, I thought you said 31 six inch stiles."

  • @BKMakes
    @BKMakes 5 лет назад +5

    Yes! I’m now no longer a poor, ignorant child (opinions may vary); great tips James, much appreciated

  • @AlexTechie
    @AlexTechie 2 года назад +4

    "Always go by the nearest half-inch"

  • @WEALRO
    @WEALRO 5 лет назад +28

    I do alot of framing, and it varies in what projects I'm doing , but I usually say "leave the line "or "take the line " to the cut man , dpending on what I need and take the blade into consideration , great video as always 👍

    • @_Lightning_Dog_
      @_Lightning_Dog_ 5 лет назад +1

      Minorca Home Solutions Where exactly to put the cut has always been something that bothered me. Granted, nothing I’ve never made anything that was that demanding but still!

    • @coreyscysen1705
      @coreyscysen1705 5 лет назад +1

      Or it's a fat ⅛(¼,ect) or short ⅛.

    • @johnbartoni1993
      @johnbartoni1993 4 года назад +1

      Ok... but to a Master carpenter, "Leave the line" is a 32nd or a 64th.

    • @Framer_Mike
      @Framer_Mike 4 года назад

      Yep... and we slso say heavy & lite.. ;) frame on framaz!

  • @toucanproductions2935
    @toucanproductions2935 5 лет назад +7

    Thank you for this, I thought I knew how to read one, and decided to watch the video just to support the channel, turns out this was super helpful for me.

  • @frogmann49
    @frogmann49 5 лет назад +3

    Thanks Stumpster...my pet peeve is seeing folks extending the tape and when done letting it snap back into case, thus distorting the riveted head and eventually snapping it off. It's tape abuse and I'm not going to take it any more.

    • @coreyscysen1705
      @coreyscysen1705 5 лет назад

      It's when people step on the tape or put something heavy on it.

    • @brianmatthews4323
      @brianmatthews4323 4 года назад

      That's why I hate to let most guys borrow my tape. Most guys do just what you said. Drives me nuts.

  • @whatsmyname1288
    @whatsmyname1288 5 лет назад +2

    Measure twice, cut once.... Boss man tells me every day

    • @maleikwright7430
      @maleikwright7430 5 лет назад

      Ahhh man same!!! 😂😂 I could literally here my grandfather telling me this

  • @chrismoody1342
    @chrismoody1342 5 лет назад +17

    Metric, Imperial, decimal, I can work with them all.

    • @ro_yo_mi
      @ro_yo_mi 5 лет назад

      I like working in either decimal inches or millimeters.

    • @gregiwaschina5493
      @gregiwaschina5493 4 года назад

      Good for you

    • @Framer_Mike
      @Framer_Mike 4 года назад

      I throw curvebslls at the guys on job using the metric system.. lol.. cut me a 2x4 @ 17.375+ plz.. lol

    • @ZTen7h
      @ZTen7h 4 года назад

      odd numbers before 1/2inch get a .1,.5 or a .9 like this...1.1,1.5,1.9,3.1,3.5,3.9 etc even numbers get a .3 or .7 like this 2.3,2.7,4.3,4.7 .after 1/2 inch the odd numbers get a 13,13.4,13.8,15,15.4,15.8 and even numbers get a .2 or .6 like this 14.2,14.6,16.2 or 16.6.simple math

  • @LukePimentel
    @LukePimentel 3 года назад +1

    At the risk of sounding stupid, I am honestly more confused now than after watching this videos😭😭💀

  • @mr.unknown2174
    @mr.unknown2174 5 лет назад +3

    Thank You, I have my job Interview tomorrow for Home Depot.
    (P.S) - this is my first job after high school

  • @billfischer6464
    @billfischer6464 5 лет назад +1

    It's sad. I worked with an old "Union" carpenter, he would say whatever number and a tick. I'd give him a measurement to the 16th and he'd look at me like I had three heads. I don't know if he couldn't read it or what.

  • @billdiehl156
    @billdiehl156 5 лет назад +5

    Thanks for giving us the shortcut on figuring 16ths. I had never looked at it that way. P.S. Inches Rock!! Lol

  • @winterjoel
    @winterjoel 5 лет назад +2

    One thing I've also learned over years of furniture-building (not home construction) is that 32nds and 64ths really really really matter. Even 128ths probably matter. Be. Accurate. Take your time. Use your pencil (or better, a marking knife) very carefully.
    It all adds up, and a few 32nds quickly look obviously like an eighth.

  • @christofix
    @christofix 5 лет назад +8

    This video is a great video for teachers to show to their students! Well explained video man!

  • @lost4wordss
    @lost4wordss 3 года назад +2

    Thank you, I was an idiot who didn't know how to use a tape measure.
    Now I'm an idiot who does 😊

  • @brie6075
    @brie6075 4 года назад +3

    How about try being little less condescending

  • @702ringo1
    @702ringo1 4 года назад +5

    THANK YOU 🙏
    finally someone who could simplify reading a measuring tape. I sure wish I had you in high school back when we still had shop class in school. I wouldn’t of minded having you as one of my teachers when I was an apprentice either. Thanks!

  • @BeInspiredwithDominic
    @BeInspiredwithDominic 5 лет назад +3

    That was a good comprehensive lesson. Now, sir, might I interest you in converting to the ancient Egyptian system of measuring, with the digit, the palm, the double handbreadth and everyone's favorite, the small cubit?
    ... Either way, thanks for sharing, James!

  • @Shadeygrrl
    @Shadeygrrl 4 года назад +5

    Thank YOU! I was surprised to find a video on EXACTLY what I needed. You explained the basic information so well, no one should have any excuse as to how to read a tape measure ever again!

  • @firebladex8586
    @firebladex8586 5 лет назад +6

    This episode is from Grumpy Nubs :P

  • @garyallinson9746
    @garyallinson9746 5 лет назад +6

    Thank you for posting this. What is the marking pen you are using in the video?

  • @roscoepatternworks3471
    @roscoepatternworks3471 5 лет назад +37

    Don't use the 1" mark, use the 10" mark, for measuring. Less likely to have that disaster called "the one inch error".

    • @bobd5119
      @bobd5119 5 лет назад +5

      Since no one here knows who I am, I confess to falling victim to the 1" error one or two times in my 76 years. "What the hell did I measure?" doesn't put the wood back.

    • @oldokieworkshop4460
      @oldokieworkshop4460 4 года назад

      @@bobd5119 I bet about all of us "inch burners" have done it and probably more than once. It is very easy to do when you are "thinking too hard"

    • @gregrichard9192
      @gregrichard9192 4 года назад +2

      Ok
      So what you're saying is,
      whenever you buy a tape measure cut off the first 10" of the tape .
      LMAO
      How stupid is that

  • @JAK3THETUB3
    @JAK3THETUB3 2 года назад +1

    Lots of poor, ignorant children here. Myself included. I have always been embarrassed that I could never totally read a tape. It was something I never learned. This video made it easy. Thank you.

  • @mfsolutions
    @mfsolutions 5 лет назад +3

    I have a really annoying measuring tape that has feet and inches so you have to look at the next or previous ft mark. As a young project manager on a worksite I pulled out my 3/4" wide tape and tried to measure the drop from a ceiling (about 10' up). The old timer I was with laughed and told me to get a 1" wide 25' tape if I wanted to be taken seriously. Really you can put a 1" tape out about 8' horizontally or 12' vertically and that make a big difference when doing estimates.

  • @dougveganparadisebuilder5808
    @dougveganparadisebuilder5808 5 лет назад +2

    Watching a lot of U.S. made videos your tutorial is very handy for bridging the linguistic gap for metric thinkers, like me. Before this I was ignorant, I admit it, to the imperial lingo. Now I understand the logic!

    • @badbitbucket
      @badbitbucket 5 лет назад +3

      If you don't need to understand imperial why on earth would you torture yourself with it!😁

  • @2shoestoo
    @2shoestoo 5 лет назад +7

    O my, Really. I thought this was taught in grade school. Maybe not anymore I’m 63 and we don’t know anything according to the youth.

    • @jesuschristmelvin
      @jesuschristmelvin 4 года назад

      2 Shoes you don’t. You played with lead and installed asbestos into your homes.

    • @Whatchawantt
      @Whatchawantt 4 года назад +1

      Different generations have different knowledge bases, boomers were in an era of huge developmental growth in communities while millennial and Gen Z are information and technology based. a lot of us might not be able to read one, it doesnt mean we dont have the desire to learn, simply the lack of resources.... outside of tech based information (youtube). Boomers ive encountered are quick to judge, but when it comes to sending a CC on a email or uploading pictures (in the most basic sense) boomer fall flat and really dont have the desire to learn or retain what has been taught. its a doulbe edged sword. all generations bring something to the table but the more generations fight for the invisible title of "best generation alive" the more we can count on being stuck in this shit society we currently live in,we could be killing it! think about it if boomers and millennials teamed up and worked with each other to played off each others strengths to educate one and other we would be far more advance.

    • @nova31337
      @nova31337 3 года назад

      @@jesuschristmelvin they worked with what was available at the time and guess what, those materials were promptly banned when the health effects were realized. Just like what would happen years from now once we see the track record for any new materials that have come out today, so get off your high horse.

    • @nova31337
      @nova31337 3 года назад

      ​@@Whatchawantt I'm considered an early millennial and work in the tech field and I can at least understand where 2 Shoes is coming from, instead of walking around with a massive chip on my shoulder and nothing but excuses. What lack of resources are you talking about? Because we live in an age of information that is more accessible than ever. There are a number of "boomers" that are tech capable that are putting their trade knowledge onto RUclips for anyone to learn. They were in an "era of huge developmental growth" because they fought a deadly battle for the fate of the world and the US government rewarded them by giving them easy access to home loans because they were fighting a world war where they would have otherwise been getting jobs and starting families. When 2 Shoes mentions "taught in grade school", he's not wrong, as it used to be taught in a basic "workshop" class, usually around Jr High School. These days, we're more concerned with teaching grade school kids how screwed up people are and how bad history was, without mentioning the progress that has been actually made. You talk about "boomers" being "quick to judge", but you're no bit different. Twitter is a hive mind of broken people putting other broken people up on pedestals and shaming anything that doesn't agree with them. The lesson is that each generation has scummy people and it is best not to paint everyone with the same brush.
      But here's where hope can prevail. Everyone needs to step away from condemning people and try to approach people of different generations with love and willingness to understand each other's differences. Not with pretend interest but actual willingness to engage and learn about what makes each other tick.

  • @joannie420
    @joannie420 4 года назад +2

    Coming from someone that was never cared for enough to be taught how to do simple things like brush their hair, teeth, tie shoes, someone that would have never been put in school if I didn’t beg to go, ect. ect. Your opening statement pisses me off. Because I was never taught doesn’t mean I’m a poor ignorant child, why do you think we’re here trying to learn how to use the measure tape? Refrain from discouraging your viewers. You don’t know what people have gone through. If you want to be an educator, you’re not doing a very good job.

    • @StumpyNubs
      @StumpyNubs  4 года назад

      It was a simple and rather benign joke. Stop looking for reasons to be offended. Did you ever consider that joke was not about YOU? It's about people who do not want to learn, not about people who are actively trying to learn, like you. Seriously, if you take offense at every little thing, you'll miss out on a lot of what's good about life.

    • @liaml1694
      @liaml1694 4 года назад

      @@StumpyNubs I've seen your replies on other peoples comments. Seriously, please stop being mean to your viewers.

  • @privateuploads-geo2625
    @privateuploads-geo2625 5 лет назад +3

    You made me laugh- "can you read a tape?" As an 'oldtimer' who actually paid attention in school, learned how to add and subtract, multiply and divide before calculators were invented, it's easy to take for granted what some don't know! Still I follow the adage of "measure twice (maybe thrice) and cut once".

  • @distortiontildeafness
    @distortiontildeafness 4 года назад +1

    thumbs down for condescending atttude. not a bad explanation though !
    also worth noting a lot of "old" timers went through life with poor education and some level of abuse to get by, many of whom didnt learn to read tape
    cheers

  • @MrMarkpeggy
    @MrMarkpeggy 5 лет назад +4

    Great video James. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

  • @onlyonemrxonlyonemry306
    @onlyonemrxonlyonemry306 5 лет назад +1

    I still get confused but my tape measure has it labeled. ( kind of like a cheat code ) it has the 1/2 13° of in" and it has Quarters. I feel stupid sometimes using it but it helps me out. I MUST practice more. Im only 25....

  • @antonio7815
    @antonio7815 5 лет назад +3

    Wow, you make it so easy to understand. Thank you very much.

  • @erikgranqvist3680
    @erikgranqvist3680 5 лет назад +1

    Fun fact about tape maesures: my twin brother is working with controll of those who does the meassuring of lumber (and therefore is putting a value that the industry pays to the landowners who is selling the lumber - its a multi billion dollar bussiness in Sweden). He has highly specialised tools for his work, among others a sort of tape measures that hook up to a computer. Those things need to be accurate to a thousand of a millmeter, and costs in the region of 5000 dollars. He told me the other day that servicing this high tech tape measure was at around 1500-2000 dollars. So, they can be super precise. For a cost. And no. I dont understand why it matter if a log is 4.95681 meters long, instead of around 4.95 meters long. But it seem to be important to some.

    • @erikgranqvist3680
      @erikgranqvist3680 5 лет назад

      @SlowHandMcQueeg I think they are. I am an accountant myself, and not that knowing about the ins and outs of exact measurements. But yes. I think my brother said something about humidity and temperature.

  • @MiH1IT
    @MiH1IT 5 лет назад +3

    After watching this video, my appreciation for metric system is even bigger than before :D

  • @scottswineford6714
    @scottswineford6714 5 лет назад +1

    I'm astonished by how many youngsters can't work fractions. I have no idea how many equivalency charts I've drawn up. The last commercial shop I worked at before retirement had me teach a weekly arithmetic class for new trade school grads. Both woodworkers and metal shop workers. Sad.

  • @larrystrayer8336
    @larrystrayer8336 5 лет назад +3

    Yes so many people can’t read a ruler or measuring tape. I’m a metal sculpture artist, and must teach my interns how to use measuring tools. I will save this video as it explains it very good. Thanks. ( yes a metal guy looks at your channel lol )

  • @badbitbucket
    @badbitbucket 5 лет назад +9

    it is truly sad that this basic concept is not being thoroughly taught in our schools. I was taught how to read a ruler in grade school, and by the time I got my first construction job at 17, I already knew how to read a tape.
    Burning an inch is something I learned about on that first job. Anyone who's ever worked on a building construction crew knows that those 25ft Stanley tapes take a hell of a beating. Someone will inevitably borrow your tape and let it slam full speed back into the housing from 10 feet out. ARGH!. Do that enough times and that tab is now worthless for any kind of accurate work on an outside measurement.
    In addition to strong and weak, we would tell the guy cutting the boards, "leave the line" or "take/cut the line" meaning, when you cut the board, leave the line or cut it off to get that "strong" or "weak" length.

  • @quickstep2u
    @quickstep2u 5 лет назад +1

    Okay, from reading the comments there are a lot of sharp guys participating in this thread. So don't call me stupid I have an excuse. I went from high school to the military to law enforcement. I mostly rented apartments along the way. In those fields, I did not have a need to be proficient at reading a ruler. I'm now retired and own a home where I do a lot of DIY projects around the house where knowing how to read a ruler quickly is an absolute necessity. The part at the beginning of the video where there is play at the start of the tape, I never realized that could affect the accuracy of a reading. This video was very helpful. I now have a good handle on how to measure objects correctly. Thanks, Stumpy

  • @wb_finewoodworking
    @wb_finewoodworking 5 лет назад +3

    Where was this video when I taught third grade? Seriously it was well done and I’m sure helpful to some.

  • @nevermindthebull0cks
    @nevermindthebull0cks 5 лет назад +1

    Inches v/s Metric blah blah blah blah. Just count the little marks. This board is 2471 little marks long....

  • @Oldiesyoungies
    @Oldiesyoungies 5 лет назад +3

    just remember that 3/4 is also 12/16..and go from there

    • @ZTen7h
      @ZTen7h 4 года назад

      if you know that 3/4 is 12/16ths or 24/32nds or 48/64ths then you know that 3/4ths is 19MM.19.4MM is 49/64ths, 19.8MM is 50/64ths or 19/32nds, 20.2mm or 51/64ths and 20.6mm or 13/16ths.lol

  • @fklr-369
    @fklr-369 4 года назад +1

    I like the video but to be honest it’s all you boomers who raised us and if you are not satisfied with what you created then help us out respectfully. We remember the crash of 2008

  • @joeframer9642
    @joeframer9642 5 лет назад +3

    For framing , 74 5/8" and ( leave the line) is just fine..for trim no. I'd say 90% of new guys cant read a tape. We hire and fire 30+ new guys every year.

    • @davidmcleod6032
      @davidmcleod6032 5 лет назад +1

      We ain't building pianos, here!

    • @ZTen7h
      @ZTen7h 4 года назад

      we don't hire guys that can't read metric.

  • @aarono2301
    @aarono2301 5 лет назад +1

    As a QA tech I deal with this daily. We go down to a 32nd. I teach very similar methods.

  • @badaphooko02
    @badaphooko02 4 года назад +4

    I'm 43 years old and just starting in woodworking. Thank you for this! Currently my biggest weakness is measuring and this video helped me tons.

    • @moesanrath
      @moesanrath 3 года назад +1

      same 42 yrs old an needing to build some custom shelving units for the basement an a work bench, also need to do just basic home repairs, hanging new lattice replacing rotting boards an just basic stuff like that. I had no idea growing up as child how important being able to read a tape measure would be to owning a fricken home lol

    • @odderlendsolvang3790
      @odderlendsolvang3790 3 года назад

      Use the metric system!

  • @chunkmasterflex9010
    @chunkmasterflex9010 3 года назад +1

    You hurt my feelings when you said "all idiots know there are 16 sixteenths in an inch". 😳😳😳

  • @Hijason74
    @Hijason74 5 лет назад +16

    Here’s a tip I learned for my one person shop.
    Only use one tape measure in the shop.
    If you have multiple tape measures, say one at the table saw, one at the chop saw and one at the bench. If your bench tape is off from your chop saw tape. The 4 1/4” measurement at the bench may come back from the chop saw as 4 3/8.

    • @gnarthdarkanen7464
      @gnarthdarkanen7464 5 лет назад

      It's worth pointing out that for practical purposes and clarity, it's best to avoid mass stockpiles of measuring devices on the project.
      I look at it in principle, "A man with one watch KNOWS what time it is... without question. A man with TWO of them is never sure."
      Now, this doesn't mean you should avoid collecting. At some point or other, you'll likely be glad you had one of those obscure doo-dah's (whatever type) in your possession for a particular task where nothing else would do the job (or where it was simply MOST convenient... AND that's alright. There are a LITANY of specialized utensils for every purpose out there.
      Only that PER PROJECT, getting together one specific set of tools just for the purpose avoids confusion and discrepancies between tools and measurements. From calipers to tape measures to framing or speed squares, assigning just one tool for the majority of "heavy lifting" and maybe a secondary for special cases really is all the more clutter you actually want on site at a time anyway.
      AND I've seen guys who absolutely HAVE to bring every single possible tool, tape, and utensil to the floor for whatever project and then the mental gymnastics of trying to justify using EVERY single one of them before the job is done....
      I get that it's a hobby, rather than a career choice. We ARE just having a better time putting it together than making a trip to Wally World for something a robot spit out... halfway around the planet.
      Maybe it's just as much fun to ACTUALLY accomplish the project rather than bemoan how far out of tolerance the one particular device is while troubleshooting and testing and refurbishing and then troubleshooting some more?
      I'd like to live long enough to see something actually BUILT with my own two hands...
      ...or maybe I'm just not well documented for being so mentally stable. ;o)

    • @MNwineboy
      @MNwineboy 5 лет назад

      That tip is bendable. Lay out all your shop tapes and lock them at 48” mark of a sharp pencil/marking knife line. Hold thee tip with a needle nose pliers and tweak the tip in or out with a regular pliers to make the tapes match. Also, the rivets can be tightened with a tap on a metal punch.

    • @farmlifeoffgrid
      @farmlifeoffgrid 4 года назад

      Or just keep it on your hip and be efficient, certain tools are meant to be carried all day

    • @sakosako2702
      @sakosako2702 4 года назад

      @@gnarthdarkanen7464
      Lol

  • @DavidBishopinc
    @DavidBishopinc 5 лет назад +2

    I’m not sure if it’s even taught in schools anymore. 🤦🏻‍♂️👍🏼👁

    • @SteveBelongie
      @SteveBelongie 5 лет назад +1

      It is at my son's elementary school. They worked on it this past month.

  • @tccjack1261
    @tccjack1261 4 года назад +3

    This helped me a lot during my woodshope class, Thanks!

  • @mrreymundo5383
    @mrreymundo5383 5 лет назад +1

    I am very good at reading a tape. The answer to the question asked by the title of the vid, for me, is "wear reading glasses so you can see the marks!"

  • @jake7499
    @jake7499 5 лет назад +3

    My grandmas storage shed was built like this, lol. "How many palitos? Siete, stoopit!"

  • @artderamo8053
    @artderamo8053 2 года назад +1

    I'm 58 and you just taught me!!!!... better late then never!!!....

  • @woodrow0007
    @woodrow0007 4 года назад +3

    There was a guy on a job nicknamed "two-eighths."
    I asked an old journeyman how that came about. He told me someone asked him for a measurement, and he replied "4 inches and 2 eighths. "

    • @richfuller
      @richfuller 4 года назад

      They must have fired eight-sixteenths.

  • @FL1PRTP
    @FL1PRTP 2 года назад +2

    Ive been an industrial mechanic for 6 years already just needed the 16ths thank you, havent used 16ths as much on this job for machine parts. Thanks again! Just measured what i needed 36"5/16 yes sir!!!!!

  • @davidbloom10
    @davidbloom10 5 лет назад +4

    Love this channel! Great teacher.

  • @jessehammock9958
    @jessehammock9958 2 года назад +1

    Thanks dude I’m a little late but it’s okay I’m learning and that’s all that matters I like ur thinking dude

  • @jamespaul3622
    @jamespaul3622 5 лет назад +3

    I worked with a framer who would yell out the amount of 16’s it was to the cut guy. After a while, we all just got used to it. 4 and 4 was 4 and a quarter, 4 and 14 was four and 7/8s and so on. It actually helped me learn how to read a tape

    • @howardhardy1992
      @howardhardy1992 Год назад

      That way works bot not commonly used. But in the drywall field it is very common to use 1/8s. 14-2 would be 14 inches and 2 1/8s meaning 1/4”. 6 would be 6 1/8s or 3/4”. No need to measure more accurately than an 1/8”. Also when working as a two person team one person measures for the sheet and calls it out to the second person who often is out of sight of where the sheet is going. Also it is typical to start at one end of the sheet and call out the horizontal distances first and then to call out the vertical distances next. It makes it easy to get all measurements for holes for outlets, switch’s, lights and any other cuts. It can be very confusing for new people that have not worked within the system but easy to teach a person the system in short order.

  • @Observe411
    @Observe411 2 года назад +1

    It all makes sense now. Don’t blame me. Nobody ever told me this. Now someone has.

  • @adamreed264
    @adamreed264 4 года назад +3

    Thanks for the tutorial. I'm a 36 y/o and i've never used a tape. I needed some money extra $$ so i called a construction guy and asked if he needed a bit of occasional help. He asked about my ability to read a tape and i let him know how i learned in 5 min; he said he had never had a novice take initiative and figure out how to do it on their own and that i could start tomorrow helping on an easy project. Decent part time money and some cool experience await.

    • @brianmatthews4323
      @brianmatthews4323 4 года назад

      Good attitude. Keep it up.

    • @youraveragejoe2
      @youraveragejoe2 4 года назад

      How's the job ?

    • @adamreed264
      @adamreed264 4 года назад

      @@youraveragejoe2 it unfortunately didn't work out. Just bad timing is all. I'm a nursing student and i was interested in a new skill but just for my own interests and it was going to require more hours than i could give.

    • @youraveragejoe2
      @youraveragejoe2 4 года назад

      @@adamreed264 gotcha

  • @waynesalekin6773
    @waynesalekin6773 9 месяцев назад +1

    This is amazing for the beginner. Super helpful and saved me a lot of time. Thanks.

  • @vishyandypurandat6208
    @vishyandypurandat6208 5 лет назад +4

    I would get yelled at and a tap on the head from my grand pa when I read "just over 5 1/2". Note I was 11 years old.

    • @ZTen7h
      @ZTen7h 4 года назад

      just over 5 1/2" is not fancy. you want to say thats its 5 and its a little bigger that 1/2 but smaller than 9/16th so i would say it between 33/64th and 35/64th which is 17/32nds.lol

    • @ZTen7h
      @ZTen7h 4 года назад

      1/2 is 12.7mm,33/64th is 13mm,17/32nds is 13.4mm,35/64th is 13.8mm and 9/16th is 14.2mm.lol

  • @jimjames6287
    @jimjames6287 5 лет назад +2

    Great video! Made a lifelong phobia I've had with reading a tape measure suddenly seem foolish. Thank you so much. BTW - you misspelled the word 'truly' at the end of your video. You were just 11/16 off from the correct spelling. :)

  • @Grumpyneanderthal
    @Grumpyneanderthal 5 лет назад +4

    A tradesman taught me to always read and convey measurements in 16ths and don’t switch between 8ths, 4ths and halfs. So you only express the numerator like 3 and 7 for 3” and 7/16ths. This make subtracting or adding fractions simple since they are always in 16ths. You’ll adapt quickly to this common denominator method.

    • @ZTen7h
      @ZTen7h 4 года назад

      you must learn 64ths if you want to learn METRIC.very easy.

    • @Grumpyneanderthal
      @Grumpyneanderthal 4 года назад +1

      Orenji_13 woodworking to the 64ths of an inch is completely unnecessary and I do not want to work with metric- I understand it and I’m not ignorant of its benefits I just choose not to use it.

    • @AlexTechie
      @AlexTechie 2 года назад

      This sounds like a great method and can read the tape-measurer based off the nearest 1/4in (which are now 0/16 , 4/16, 8/16, 12/16, and 16/16)

  • @vallejokid1968
    @vallejokid1968 5 лет назад +2

    This was fun to watch. My dad would have kicked my ass if I would have told him 4 and 3 little bumps when he asked for a measurement. Learned how to read a tape before my ABCs.

  • @daniel923e
    @daniel923e 5 лет назад +3

    Thank you, you actually helped me.

  • @habitspinkrabbits4452
    @habitspinkrabbits4452 3 года назад +1

    As a poor ignorant child who has an interview at a manufacturing plant, I thank you sir!

  • @williamellis8993
    @williamellis8993 5 лет назад +27

    At 70, I am amazed at how little the newer generations know about anything manual, such as tape measures, vernier calipers, etc.

    • @gruntersdad1095
      @gruntersdad1095 5 лет назад +5

      William Ellis clocks

    • @blackguitarmaker1925
      @blackguitarmaker1925 5 лет назад +3

      🤣 too true! I’m guilty of being nearly useless with a vernier scale.

    • @williamellis8993
      @williamellis8993 5 лет назад +2

      @@gruntersdad1095 Yeah, those too (clocks).

    • @badbitbucket
      @badbitbucket 5 лет назад +3

      I'm only 58 and just as amazed.

    • @bobclifton8021
      @bobclifton8021 5 лет назад +2

      It called dumbing down. It's happening across the board and not just in the manual arts. Pretty soon you'll have a generation incapable of doing for themselves.

  • @ericbadder1552
    @ericbadder1552 4 года назад +2

    I heard someone in my shop who was holding the end for another guy, the guy with the end asked how long, the kid replied with “56 (long pause) two big lines and one little”

  • @terristroh3965
    @terristroh3965 5 лет назад +3

    Watched this three times! Thanks, James!

  • @davekerns2686
    @davekerns2686 5 лет назад +1

    Similar question below, but no answer: Where to you put the blade? My old shop teacher used to say "Lose the line" or "save the line" depending on something or other, but he had a terrible speech defect so I never did ask for a better explanation. Can someone help here? I still have no idea, and end up saving the line when in doubt, knowing that I can sand a bit off if need be.

    • @bobd5119
      @bobd5119 5 лет назад +1

      Re: "... knowing that I can sand a bit off if need be."
      That's the way to do it! It's awfully difficult putting wood back on a short cut...

  • @roycabalo
    @roycabalo 5 лет назад +7

    Sad but my nephew is 19 and knows very very little about a tape measure other than it's for measuring. Most younger people (most not all) have zero trade related skills.

    • @nicmasterdude
      @nicmasterdude 5 лет назад +3

      @@twicebittenthasme5545 no shop class in public schools. No arts in public schools. Lack of STEM teaching in public schools. And if you're in private school, likely any tape measure use is recreational because rich people don't work in the trades. America decided to stop investing in the future beginning in the 80's and now that result is here. We are in our early 30's and 40's teaching ourselves how to do this stuff on RUclips.