My tape measure story

[Jim_Rogers]

Today, I wrote a story about how we use tape measures in timber framing, for laying out joints and dimensions.
See the second file attached.
Updated text after proofreader's comments.
Jim Rogers

[Jim_Rogers]

Let me know what you think of it when you've had a chance to read it.

Jim Rogers

[TreefarmerNN]

Nice.  Simple enough to understand.  I've used just an inch (burn 1) but you are right that it's easy to make a 1" mistake and it doesn't always show up by eye before cutting. 

The two best carpenters I know are a father/son team.  They use two measures but check each other's tape before starting work just to make sure nothing changed.  And they have their own way of calling out distance- 108 and 3/16 heavy (or light).  That tells them which side of the line needs shaving. 

[LeftFinger]

Heavy or light

Leave the line  Take the Line

Blonde one or Black one

For guys that use that one we would yell Redhead

[Big_eddy]

I've often thought someone  should make a tape measure where the 0" mark is a few inches in from the end of the tape. Same for the fibreglass tapes used for sewing. Everyone eventually gets " burned" when they start at 1" or 10" at the one end of the tape then mark the ##" they need at the other end. 

I measured twice and it's still too short!

[doc henderson]

Jim that is well done.  I assume this may be used for your classes, that I hope to take one day.  you asked for our opinion, and the only thing I saw was the explanation for the curve was to extend the tape farther by keeping it "ridge", might should be rigid.  I hope this falls under your request to let you know what we think. good work.

[Jim_Rogers]

Thanks for the edit suggestion doc.
rigid is what I wanted to say.
I'll update my text.

Jim Rogers

[Magicman]

A bumper sticker that I saw today:

[SwampDonkey]

I had to toss a tape a few months back, it consistently measured lengths too long. Depending on the length of the piece, it could be 1/16 to 3/16" off. That counts when your trying to make a near perfect fit. 

I'll probably need another new one because of dragging the now new one through the dirt too much.

[doc henderson]

I do projects with others often and cannot find a tape.  I have a shelf with about 14 tapes and 4 new ones in a box in the original packages.  I leave one on the chop saws, sawmill and also the table saw.

[Big_eddy]

There were 5 of us working on a project today with at least 6 tape measures out, and still the most common ask was "anyone see a tape measure?"  

Grab the tape, climb the ladder, measure, climb down, mark, cut, climb the ladder again to measure the next piece, and the tape's sitting right down there beside the chop saw. Grrr.

[GAB]

I think some tools like playing hide and seek.  Especially the small ones.
GAB

[Jim_Rogers]

When I am cutting joints timber framing, I wear an apron. It has pockets up high for my pencils, and down low for other items. Like my marking crayon, utility knife and of course my frame tape measure. In my back pocket of my jeans, I have a wooden folding ruler.
I use the ruler for quick short distance measurements or when I need to measure two distances from one point.
Keeping the tape measure in my right-hand apron pocket keeps it where I know it is, when I need it.

Jim Rogers

[rusticretreater]

Thanks for the write-up. My kind of reading material.

[jpassardi]

When I am cutting joints timber framing, I wear an apron. It has pockets up high for my pencils, and down low for other items. Like my marking crayon, utility knife and of course my frame tape measure. In my back pocket of my jeans, I have a wooden folding ruler.
I use the ruler for quick short distance measurements or when I need to measure two distances from one point.
Keeping the tape measure in my right-hand apron pocket keeps it where I know it is, when I need it.

Jim Rogers

Jim,
I keep a 6' rule there as well. My Father, a lifetime finish Carpenter taught me the value of a folding 6' rule. A tape and a ruler both have their advantages/disadvantages.

[Jim_Rogers]

When someone asks why I carry a 6' folding ruler, I tell them because it is handy to have when you need a short measurement.

And, I tell the story about visiting a timber framing school in Maine. While visiting the school to offer all our timber framing tools for sale, I'd ask the instructor to allow me to demonstrate an antique boring machine we had on hand for sale. He would usually allow me to do that. They were laying out and cutting joints using the "mill rule" method.

And usually that meant centered tenons and mortises
centered on timbers. But it was a mortise that the boring machine could do. I'd draw a centerline down the mortise to show the locations where we were intending to bore the holes. And then on this centerline, I'd layout tick marks for the bit tip to begin. I always mark off these tick marks using my back pocket folding ruler.

Standing in a crowd of 12 or more students, I reached around and pulled out my folding ruler. The crowd went wild with whoops and hollers, which I didn't understand. It seams that there was a student there from Europe, and he was using a folding ruler for his dimensions and distances. And all the US students were making fun of him for using the ruler. And when I pulled out mine, he was vindicated that he was using the correct tool for these jobs.

Jim Rogers

[Old Greenhorn]

I have a good quality folding rule my Pop gave me for a birthday when I was about 14. I take good care of it because I have found dozens of them at yard sales in the 25 cent boxes because they are snapped off at some point. I only pull it out for precise woodwork, which isn't often.  It does have that little sliding bronze insert scale which I find very handy indeed.

 But I have always been annoyed by how my tapes move around the shop, and truck, and work locations. They ALWAYS wind up out of reach and I have to hunt them up. So when Harbor Freight came to town I noticed they had these cute little 6' tapes for $2.99. Every time I went in the store I bought one, sometimes two. I have one on or within reach of every machine in the shop, they hang from ceiling hooks over the bench and some machines. I also put one in every work jacket pocket I have, the cup holder in the truck (although that one is MIA at the moment) and as an added safety net, I bought the Milwaukee version of the same tape and that one has a little clip that goes on my rear belt loop and the tape hangs inside that back pocket. I never counted, but I am guessing I have at least 9 or more of them.

 These tapes still collect in certain corners of the shop, but with so many, it's easy to redistribute them for time to time. I find that most of my measurements are not needing great precision and and are short. If I need long, I have 25' tapes in several locations that seem to stay put (mostly) now. Besides, I don't really enjoy having a heavy tape on my belt unless I am actively framing or roofing.

[jpassardi]

My Father also taught me to write my name under the sliding rule so when it walks off you can slide it open and say: I think you picked up the wrong one. 

[SwampDonkey]

I used to have one of them folding rulers probably 50 years ago now. Yep, all of 50. You used to be able to get decent quality carpentry starter kits for kids that came in a nice wooden box with latches. I have not seen one of them kits in years. If there is one, I bet it's made from a lot of plastic these days.

This one resembles what I remember.

https://www.rubylane.com/item/406272-GEC-001217/Intriguing-Treen-Box78ed-Set-Carpentry-Tools