How to Make the Most of your Tape Measure: Like a Pro
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- Опубликовано: 26 июл 2024
- Want to Look like a Pro? I show you how to make the most of your tape measure in this recent video. There is more to a tape measure than meets the eye, and not all tape measures are created equal. I share some insight on what I have learned over the years working in the trades with many different tape measures and maybe there is a tip or trick that you didn't know. Watch til the end and you might end up being as surprised as my son was!
I understand that most of you watching this have learned everything about a tape measure you need to know, but I don't necessarily make these videos for pros, rather the next generation. If I can help someone make the most of their tape measure that is just learning the trades, and boost their learning curve compared to how I learned....trial and error... then that is why I take my time creating these videos.
So if you enjoyed this content, or know someone who could use a few insightful tips about their tape measure, please like and share this video. The more it helps the better.
Top Tool List Where you can find links to these tape measures too!
bit.ly/TopToolList
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I am a math teacher. I am going to show my students those parlor tricks with a tape measure. Actually, reading a ruler or a tape measure is a skill that many students do not know how to do. Great lesson to teach and show how tape measures work. Love the content. Remember, I said before, the most important math equation is Work = Money.
Ha Ha very true
@@RRBuildings thanks for posting this! One thing I wanted to double-check on, since I think I was told before is, with the nail slot on the tape measure, I was told that’s for hooking onto the staples that hold the barcode on the lumber. But that it also works for nails. I just wanted to double check, and mabey you mentioned this and I just didn’t catch it due to my brain being on overload lately, are those shingle nails that you set to hook the tape measure too? I’m just woundering what I should keep in my tool belt, if I have room to keep nails designated for that.
The trick at the 16:00 minute mark about finding the difference in length is awesome! Worked in construction for 25 years and did NOT know that! Thanks Kyle!
I am a middle school shop teacher. I can not tell you how much this helps. Not only are your teaching methods simple and to the point, they are entertaining. Solid work and long live the trades.
Very good. I’m a retired cabinetmaker. We had a stick of poly countertop cut to 24” and screwed to the wall for calibrating tapes. It served to calibrate the saw fences too. Because it was synthetic (a chunk of Fountain head) it didn’t change dimensions with temperature and humidity. Important when you’re working to a 1/128 tolerance
Thanks for posting Kyle! As a 44 year veteran of teaching shop I have been using a lot of RUclips videos to educate my 'hands on students' during this distance learning time. This will be a great one to share!! I appreciate your 'helper' as I will be using this with 8th and 9th graders as well as my carpentry students.
Another tip is how to find the middle of a board with a weird width... take your tape across the board at an angle until the edge of the board is at an easy to divide number... then the middle of the board is at the middle of that diagonal measurement. For example, if your board is 9.625 wide, angle your tape so that the edge of the board is at 10" on the tape. Then the middle of the board is at the 5" location on the tape measure.
I'd forgot I had been taught that since I never get to use it but still a good tip.
Use the same way to divide a board into multiple sections. Nice tip
My current favorite tape is a 5m/16' which has both metric and imperial. I grew up with inches but I have also ended up working with drawings in metric a fair amount over the years so like having both units.
One of my dad's favorite little tape tricks was to use it to retrieve dropped items, the nut or bolt or whatever that rolled under the car or work bench, etc. Pull the tape out and loop it back on itself (like the parlor tricks start out) and then use the extended loop end to catch/hook over and drag the lost item back out.
Thank you for the age calculator trick Kyle. I'm going to show that one to my nephew. :)
I am 60 years old and have built lots of buildings, homes, sheds and other stuff and you actually taught and old dog new tricks!
A good trick I use quite a bit when dividing a distance up into a number of even lengths without having to use odd fractions. For instance, if you want to rip the length of a sheet of plywood into 7 pieces of the exact same width, you don't want to try to measure a line every 6-27/32", and you would still have a remainder of 3/32" . Instead, you place one end of your tape measure on one edge of the plywood then angle the tape measure until the 49" mark is at the other edge of the plywood. You can then make a mark at every 7" interval. Then use your square to transfer each mark the full length of the plywood. This will result in 7 evenly spaced widths of 6.8571428571428571428571428571429". You can also use this technique to determine perfect spacing when installing clapboards.
I am the proud owner of 6 tape measures. From regular ones, self centering ones, and a fastcap one that is limp lol. I just went out to look for the numbers that you were talking about. I never noticed that. Good info. Learned something new today. Thanks.
I've never build anything but I watched this whole video about tape measures. Gotta love quarantine
Here's a tip for you(because I like you and your viewers). Anywhere you need a super-accurate inside measurement, be it horizontal or vertical, Run your tape out to the farthest point and mark any foot measurement in front of you. Then run the tape to the other side and at the first mark add the feet and remaining inches and Viola', really tight measurement. I've been doing this for years and sometimes have to drop a 1/8" to fit the piece in.
Listen Kyle, I've been following you for a long time; you are very professional in your job. One question: Have you ever tried to abandon the imperial system for the metric system? if you use the metric system you will see that a myriad of problems will magically disappear; trust me i'm a craftsman like you.
The tape measure math is excellent. Wish I had known this 59 years ago. Also when I read to the wrong side of the whole number, I know I need to stop BS'n with some one and focus on the task. When I do it twice I need to stop for the day. Great video.
very true
Always wondered why the tip of the tape measure was loose. Such a simple reason. Im now enlightened! ;)
Kyle...the Reason your 1/16" off on your Old Stanley is because of it being Dropped. It Lands on the Metal Tip and gets Bent. I just take a Pair of Pliers and Gently Straighten it back into Speck! I Check my Tips every so often for Trueness.
cheewurz yep! Have had the same experience. I try to keep it clipped on my pocket even while using it as much as possible for a couple of reasons, one so I don’t drop it and bend the tip and two so I don’t lay it down in some random spot and spend ten minutes looking for it. Lol.
Another way the tape measure gets 1/16th off is by letting it slap closed. The tip rivets wear the holes and the end slips back and forth.
I've seen TMs with bent tips being used like there's nothing wrong. Someone's gonna scratch their head wondering why something is off by ⅛".
My son is really interested in woodworking and construction. Thank you so much for the way you instruct as you share your projects. I especially love the videos where you explain different tools. He, and I, are really learning a lot.
Great subject! When working over my head I like the Milwaukee with the markings on the bottom of the tape. The Milwaukee has the guard/notch to protect your fingers when the blade retracts. Great that your kids get educated on using tools like mine do.
I like this video, Kyle. Your son is adorable. You are a good father.
I knew I would get something new from this video and I was not disappointed.
I'm almost embarrassed to admit I never learned how to use a tape measurer. Learn this while you are young! Appreciate the videos on using these basic tools!😀👍
Hey, I had the same issue years ago with my PowerLock tape. I have used these tapes for 20 years as they fit so much better in my hand than the bulky FatMax. (Please no small and jokes lol). I did notice the hook on the PowerLock can sometimes bend back towards the housing thus creating the 16th of an Inch difference. I did bend the hook back to ensure all the tapes on site measured the same. This is something I have since monitored when working with multiple people on site. Take Care and loving the content. Damo
Man I was shown the age trick back when I was a apprentice 22 years ago thnx for bringing it back I had forgotten how to do it
I learned the brute force method of using a tape from doing demo and hanging drywall in my younger years and remodeling my home to the present, and these are all great tips. I need to mess around with the age trick to fully get it, but if I understand the concept I'd go out 120" and subtract 74" and you'd know my age. It works, and that fun fact alone made this well worth my time. Great content and I love that you got your son involved! 👍
Always enjoy. Thanks!
This is extremely similar in knowledge to the essential craftsman’s video. Great work getting these tips and tricks out there to teach these young labourers. Wouldn’t hurt to teach the imperial aspect of the tape and where the sixteenths and eighths lie. Because you’d be surprised how many people I’ve encountered over the years that had to be taught how to read a tape. Same goes for metric. Looks like jibberish but all those mils are essential for measurement in the commercial construction industry for form work, framing, etc. awesome video. Love youR videos.
I love learning new stuff on tools also i notice that old stanley tape measure tip or hook is bent that could be why its 1/16 off great stuff
Love the subtraction tip what a time saver!
Cool, very informative. You can also us the tape measure to easily find center. Just like you were subtracting. Pull tape to full measurement and fold in half. Was blown away when I first saw it.
A family member who has his own construction company always buys his guys the same brand & model of tape measure. He checks them all at the place he buys his tools so he knows before he walks out the door that they all measure with the same accuracy. Thank you.
Some may have beat me to it but the notch at bottom of the metal hook is there to put the pencil tip in so your rip line is more accurate. I use it because I normally sharpen my pencil with a razor knife and it is not even all the way around. Thanks for the videos.
I use that silver Stanley tape at work. The difference between the 16 inches in that tape vs the other ones is the hook tip. The end of that tape gets easily bent back from normal use... so I every so often bend that little hook tip back straight..
Who would have thought there were so many aspects to a tape measure? Great video! :)
Love these kind of videos, always something to learn no matter how much you may think you know. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing, I’ve used most of those but never saw the math trick. If you ever revisit this topic again you might mention how they have different scales for different trades, masonry comes to mind with the brick scales.
I needed this exact thing. Working on a little guest house in my backyard. This really helped. Thanks
Great video Kyle! Sometimes, when I want a quick measure on a certrain height, maybe not that much for a ladder (or lack thereof) but to tall for me, I get both ends of the tape and form an arc to where I want to measure, then press the top part of the arc on the surface I want to measure to where I get a second bend (it has the form of a staple) find a whole number for referance, and get a quick measure. It takes some practice, but helps from time to time. I hope I didn´t confuse anyone, ha, ha! Cheers and stay safe!
For all the left handed people out there, we can appreciate a tape measure. It is one of only a few things in this world that is best suited for left handed people. It’s always been kind of gratifying to watch a right handed person have to adapt to using a left handed tool. In the old days nothing was made to be used ambidextrously.
Great tape tricks...another one we do to find a quick center distance - you can use two tapes from opposite directions. When the numbers match that is your center. Great channel. Thanks Kyle!
Awesome video! Thanks for some cool tips and tricks I had no idea about. Really enjoy all your videos. Keep up the great work.
Finding the difference is cool.
Son looks like a stud.
Proud Dad.
Kyle enjoyed the video. I agree that for a right handed individual the tape is on the left side. Funny story about tape tricks, I have taught junior high Applied Engineering and Manufacturing (shop) and the coolest trick for the students is walking the tape up a wall. Forget the math conversions.
Brilliant video! The imperial measurements were absolute brain destruction 🤣🤣. God knows how Americans build anything. Rivalry jokes aside, great tricks and and information! After being in the trade since 16 (I'm 30) still learned a few things from this! Fantastic!
You know it's actually super common that most people don't even know how to read a tape measure properly. I've seen it numerous times where grown people don't know the difference between a 1/4, 1/8 or a 16th hash. It came natural to me at an early so I never had that problem. I still have a bit of trouble when my measurements involve a 16th. I can't look at it and know it instantly, I usually end up having to count the 16th's 1 by 1.
Loved the tricks. Brilliant!!
Your attention to detail is class, if you ever tried shuttering/formwork joinery you would make some special work
Thanks for the tips Kyle. Not sure if its already covered in the comments but, I don't know if its also the case in the US but here in EU the tape measures are also classified on accuracy indicated by the Roman numeral at the start on the tape measure itself. (Roman numeral I is the most accurate and III the least accurate)
Thanks Kyle great tips ! You can also mark out a circle with a speed square using a fixed point I use this all the time it’s great for 6” 4” 2” bore holes ! Really enjoying the videos man
Some great tips, thanks Kyle 😃👌👏👏👏
Awesome video! Learned alot! I've been working on a barnwood project, and the tape I'm using is hard to read near the foot increment areas, as the arrows are covering up part of the lines near these areas. So I went to menards and bought a tape that doesn't cover any of the line at all. Should be a more accurate measuring day today!
Great info thank you!
thanks for taking so much time out of your life to make these videos for us. I've been sub'd for a long time now and have learned a lot from the vids. I'm about to break ground on a shop for myself and hope that I can take some of the things I've learned and make it into my dream shop.
thank you for the tips
Nice tricks at the end, Kyle.
That's money Greg! 💪🏻
Lol
Great topic 👍. Thank you
You’re the best !! 💪🏻🇺🇸
I was just thinking I hadn't seen a vid from you in a while....get outta my head!
Great video! Like so many have already said, I've never heard about those tricks. Speaking of those tricks.......Happy 37th Birthday here in a few hours! I'm glad to share a birthday with ya!
Very good job
Nice I did not know the tape trick👍
Nice info!!!
The worst splinter I ever had was using the finger tape measure scribe method. Now I keep a small combo square for those little dimensions. But I have been using that Cresent Nite Eyez tape for a few months and it has yet to disappoint
I use to work in a production cabinet shop. We had a policy that everyone checks their tape every morning, or if you dropped it. Cause what happens is you drop as it lands it bends your end out of shape. So then you just take the end of your tape and a metal block with a square edge, and resquare the end of your tape with a hammer. Then check it against the standard and adjust till its correct. Usually it was just a couple of light taps needed. Generally we where pretty careful with our tapes. So I never saw anyone get a tape to the point that the edge got unusable or fixable. People lost them before that happened.
I already knew these, but it was still an entertaining video!
fractions... uh! That's why I like metric. great trick tho! Luv it!
Math tricks on the tape measure was an education to me. Thanks.
Dude!! Tips and tricks with an inch tape! U da bomb!
Love your buildings and your business chutzpah.
Learn something every day 👍
Always learn something with your videos. I was born in 83 as well
That's awesome!
Great video man everytip is helpful Fersure I only knew of one you did the marking with the end of the tape clip everything else is new and I think all amazing especially the subtracting fractions!
Informative video Kyle. What I've been told is the 19 and a diamond layout was developed for installing TrusJoists. Because the top and bottom member is much wider than 1-1/2" it supplies the structural integrity laid out that way and saves one joist in 8'.
You are close. A 16" spacing uses 6 'things' per 8'. A 2' spacing uses 4 things per 8'. If your project needs less than 2' spacing but more than 16" the obvious answer is to space them so you use 5 things per 8' which works out to 96" / 5 = 19.2", thus the black diamonds are 19.2" apart. Nothing to do with the width of the flanges on joists. Note that the spacing is for all 'things', be they studs, joists, trusses, blocks, portholes, pictures, or _______.
I finally know why the end of the tip moves a bit, THANK YOU
The 19 3/16 diamond is used on engineered floor joista.
Hey Kyle-I’m building a deck right now and I just happen to see GRK screws at Lowe’s-I didn’t know that they were sold in stores so I picked some up and all I have to say is WOW! Now I really understand what you are talking about-they are such great quality and well worth the money!
I’ve pretty much always used the “bend it as tight as you can” method for measuring into a corner. I’ve been using a measuring tape for quite some time now and never knew the tape included a measurement for the casing of the tape
Also make sure that your hook is not bent, it will also create in-accuracy just like on your Stanley (time index 10:58)
As always, very informative, even for us old guys! This may be a silly question; have you ever done a video on using post frame construction software? I am fairly new to your channel and haven't seen one. Just curious, as I am going to tackle a post frame shop and have been looking for something to use for my design/build and material list. Thanks for all the great videos!
Not tape measures, but a few things I use for rough measurements. One pace is roughly a yard, my elbow to finger tips is 18”, each link in my middle finger is 1” (3” total), My chin is 5’ off the ground so all I have to do is stick a tape measure up to the ceiling and read it at eye level to get an approximate height, my wing span is the same as my height so I can pace off finger tip to finger tip. My Martinez hammer is 16” long.
Your bending the tape back trick works for addition too. Example you want to add 96 3/8 and 45 1/4. Pull the tape out well past 96 3/8 and double it back. Line up the 96 3/8 with 45 1/4 and your tip will be at 141 5/8.
Thats one of my goals to find an imperial right handed tape.
I think FastCap sells one
When measuring into a corner I use something like a shin ripped to a round number like 2” or something like the tongue of a framing square laid into the corner and measure to the edge of that then add that known width. Just a little more accurate than using the body of the tape measure.
Your son is about big enough to start hanging metal ... 💪
Letting the tape retract itself can decrease accuracy, the slots for the tip get elongated
Sometimes the metal in the slots bends up, and that can prevent the tip moving.
I know a lot of people like to do tape measure races (hok the tips of competitors on a sheet of timbber, pull back and let them go), but do it with old tapes you don't use.
Have you ever thrown a nail into the hole into the back of that cresent tape measure to draw circles? Still isn't perfect but it's a lot easier.
Amazing your mat tricks with the tape about the age. But here in Portugal we use the metric system, so, it doesn´t work that way. But they´re very cool. I just started watching your videos and I'm already your fan. Thank you very muck and keep going. Be safe. Cheers from Portugal
Cool, thanks
If your watching this video
When you use your finger to mark a line if you do it a lot like we do on decking are OSB make sure to put some tape around your finger electrical tape we found works the best start just past your seconds knuckle warp to your finger tip you don’t need to wrap to tight you still need to bend your finger then when you slide your finger down the plywood are other lumber you have less chance of getting a splinter in your finger I know from experience I have had plenty of splinters in the past
Great video Kyle, but sadly it shocks me that a lot of people don't know how to read a tape measure!
I did a tape measure quiz at work not to long ago and out of 6 employees only 2 got it right with out any help from the others.
It is very simple if you abandon the imperial system for the metric system. The metric system is modern, precise, and immediately understandable.
Dude I always wanted to ask you how old you were. I was also born in '83 too brother. Thanks for sharing the tips. I always knew we were close in age.
KYLE.....That old Stanley has a bent tip. Straighten the tip and it will be accurate. Murphy says if you drop your tape measure, it will land on the tip and bend it. Get used to the feel of a straight tip.
Two types of countries in the world. Those that use the metric system, and those that have been to the moon.
Please make a search on Apollo's Moon Missioin in Wikipedia. You might have a surprise..... ;-)
Russia and China both use metric. Russia made into space first, and China landed on the dark side of the moon this year - the same day that the US assassinated an Iranian general by a drone strike. ALL scientists, even American, use the metric system.
@@markharvey18 And the funny thing is, NASA also uses Metric :)
Go USA! I worked on the space shuttle for few years, most things are metric - but who cares. Go USA with all our crazy medieval stuff.
Ha! In Australia we went from imperial to metric when I was 14. So, I'm one of that generation that still thinks in both and gets confused, so I buy tapes with both inches and millimetres! Instant conversion chart. Cheers from downunder and keep those moonings happening. Love the channel. PP
10:48 The old Stanley is inaccurate because the hook is bent.
Accuracy ... That's why Europe has EU directive 2014/32/EU (on metric tapes) about accuracy classes. A typical wooden folding tape usually gets class III, steel tapes may have II (.3 mm + .2mm*tape length in full meters) with definend tape tension. Class I and some special classes are for reference (tank volume measure etc) and probably you need temperature controlled environments for accuracy.
I find it helps to say aloud what I have just measured, because it ingrains it in my mind when using it to measure out for cutting. The number of times I have been 100mm out is embarrassing. Luckily I am just a DIY'er and no one is paying for my work.
I encourage that you get a metric tape measure and learn and get familiar with metric units. You might prefer metric units once you get used to them. And, yes, I am a natural born US citizen living in Texas.
Here we use centimeters and millimeters. Our sheets of plywood is 1220x2440mm.
Never heard of and don’t know if the tricks work for cm.
But good video.
13:32 don’t you put the nail in the hole on the lufkin & than use the blade to make the circle? That what I thought, but maybe I’m wrong.
Anyway, regardless if know the stuff your talking about.....always nice to have a “refresher” & like your vids & how you explain things anyways. Just enjoy listening to you & your stories😉
Haven’t seen Cole in a while; boy has he grown. Nice to see him helping you in a vid again 👍🏻
Cheers✌🏼
For those of us that work in shops where measurement tools have to be certified, there are NIST traceable gages to check your tape measure to...look up a company called lixer tool if you're curious what the gate looks like.
We have calibration labs here for lots of other reasons and they will calibrate anything!
I run out my tape most often the same way you did. Unfortunately always looking at numbers upside down. I only use a Fat Max. Wish they numbers were written the other way.
That's cool I didn't know about the age thing
I understand new learn to me transfer powerful thankful you so much you know what I mean trick measure