Cheap but decent Mini Tape Measure

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Last year I bought a mid-price tape measure from Wickes that had such a confusing numbering system I kept making errors and threw it in the bin!

I went in to get a cheap shelf, and looked at the FatMax ones, but decided not to invest as they were all a bit too chunky.

Lo and behold! At the checkout was a sweet jars full of FatMax keyring tape measures reduced to 99p. Very compact, 2M and only marked in centimetres (remember those?) but at least marked in a totally unconfusing way (every cm unambiguous with no clever change in the number format at metres or 10-cm intervals) just the 10 cm intervals larger and red.

Best of all they appear to be decent quality mechanisms with a full width tape rather than the usual typical keyring 'thin as string' tape.

So a very well spent 99p and I think I will get a couple more!

Neil

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

If it's this model **LINK** https://www.thetapestore.co.uk/stanley-fatmax-2m-keyring-tape-measure-1-33-856

that certainly looks a bargain, Neil

Thanks

MichaelG.

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

That pound (well it is really) gets you a lot. I can think of many uses for that. The big ones feel a little intrusive bulky body at times and inflexible when measuring. (desirable when laying out ground/building work but not when you're measuring something awkward).

I had an engineering tutor who thought very little of the CM, basically ascribing it to a dodo in real life, only ever taught in school.

Michael W

Edited By Michael-w on 05/01/2017 18:42:35

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

I keep a 2ft fabric tape from an Xmas cracker in my pocket. That is compact and has been of use many times. Metric on one side and imperial on the other.

I've tried several small tape measures and can't say as I like any of them. Fat Max 13mm wide tape seems a bit broad to me for a keyring. I did have a thin light metal cased 6ft one for a long time with a 1/4" wide tape. Eventually it gave up the ghost and wouldn't retract. I'v failed to find anything remotely like it.

We seem to have a synergy on the tape width probably down to global forces.

John

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[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by Michael-w on 05/01/2017 18:40:06:

I had an engineering tutor who thought very little of the CM, basically ascribing it to a dodo in real life, only ever taught in school.

Michael W

.

Only the BBC and dressmakers use centimeters

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Ajohnw on 05/01/2017 19:30:34:

"We seem to have a synergy on the tape width probably down to global forces."

.

That is sheer poetry, John [even if it doesn't rhyme]

… It could live-on, long after we are all gone.

MichaelG.

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

I'm with John Stevenson with respect to CMs, I find them very confusing being brought up on metres and mm. I much prefer inches though and got a boss, on a visit to US to get me Lufkin 6Ft and 16 Ft tapes. They are only in inches;magic!

[bodgeParticipant @bodge]

Then there is the decimetre,

Should have made it part of conditions = 25 mm to 1 inch, try buying a 6 inch rule marked decimal inch on more than one edge……….b

Edited By bodge on 05/01/2017 20:27:48

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

The synergy doesn't apply to some parts of the world. This could be a good replacement for the one that broke.

**LINK**

There are some other similar options on ebay.com. The type I had that broke was often handed out as gifts by companies. Well made as gifts shouldn't upset people and obviously very cheap too.

John

–

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Posted by John Stevenson on 05/01/2017 19:41:19:

Posted by Michael-w on 05/01/2017 18:40:06:

I had an engineering tutor who thought very little of the CM, basically ascribing it to a dodo in real life, only ever taught in school.

Michael W

.

Only the BBC and dressmakers use centimeters

Furniture Stores use the CM regularly!

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by bodge on 05/01/2017 20:21:48:

Then there is the decimetre,

Should have made it part of conditions = 25 mm to 1 inch, try buying a 6 inch rule marked decimal inch on more than one edge……….b

Edited By bodge on 05/01/2017 20:27:48

I always said it should be 25.6mm = 1 inch.

6.40 mm = 1/4"

3/8" = 9.60 mm

All fractions = lovely round figures, no need for 'thous', with Imperial and Mewtric living in perfect harmony.

Neil

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 05/01/2017 18:36:42:

If it's this model **LINK** https://www.thetapestore.co.uk/stanley-fatmax-2m-keyring-tape-measure-1-33-856

that certainly looks a bargain, Neil

Thanks

MichaelG.

Blimey! They're only 1.99 Wickes standard price, and 1.76 elsewhere!

N.

[Another JohnSParticipant @anotherjohns]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 05/01/2017 17:51:01:

Last year I bought a mid-price tape measure from Wickes that had such a confusing numbering system I kept making errors and threw it in the bin!

I have that issue – "over here" in metricated Canada, go to most stores, and measuring tapes are solely in that ancient of ancient measurements – inches. A problem with being so close to the USA, so count yourself lucky! Nobody in Canada under about the age of 50 was taught inches and so on in school, but somehow, like a bad smell, they still infiltrate…

(try finding a steel rule over here with metric markings on both top and bottom, or even (oh heavens!) right to left markings… I have to go to the UK for *real* measuring tackle)

Ok, ok. Inches do have their uses, at least that's what I've heard!

John. Sad and depressed in Canada.

[john swift 1Participant @johnswift1]

I've not yet decided if it's one of those things you buy and find its not as useful as you first thought but how about this tape measure – £2.99 from amazon

Edited By john swift 1 on 05/01/2017 21:56:59

[norman valentineParticipant @normanvalentine78682]

I used to be a teacher of design and technology. I tried to get the kids to use millimetres, it was impossible. Every other department in the school used centimetres. I tried to persuade the other teachers that they should use SI units (which does not include CMs) what a waste of my time! I've given up. It was easier with inches, at least we were all singing from the same hymn sheet.

It no longer matters to me. I am retired.

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

The reason people use cms, a fact that iso just wont accept is that stating some thing like about 300mm is stupid.30cm makes more sense, if it is even a rougher guess about 3 of what ever 10 of those is would be ideal.

As it is iso wouldn't like us to say about 1/3 of a metre but I might.

The other fact that many forget is that the none English speaking european countries as far as I am aware often use cms and always have.

Then there a ccs and mls. Even more stupid really where they are often used it doesn't really matter.

Next time some one wants a pint ask for 568.261485ml instead. I'd probably not even remember the number before I had drunk one. No chance after 2 or 3. I often drink halves when I'm driving – even worse.

John

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[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

When advisors to Napoleon were calculating the metre..designed to be a specific fraction of the equatorial circumference of the earth…
And possibly more importantly NOT a yard.
.. ironically the small errors in these calculations if done correctly ,would have been closer to a 36″ rather than 39″..
Now if a yard =1m
Harmony would reign. .same unit just slice it in decades or binarys your choice…
Btw like the write on tape..this thing is this long who cares how many inches /mm/barnes/angstroms/plank lengths

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

Wikipeadia corrects me.
One /10 000 000 of the quarter of the prime meridian passing through Paris ( as apposed to Greenwich)

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

I still think that we should ditch the metric system, purely on the grounds that it was invented by the French and promoted by that idiot Napolean.

[john swift 1Participant @johnswift1]

Brian

+1 from me

they have to be different just look at their wacky SECAM tv system

they would not transmit programs using the American NTSC (never twice the same colour ) or

heaven forbid PAL as used in Germany & the UK.

 

Ironically the tv stations had to use PAL so could use a PAL vision mixer to mix between the various video sources.

the stations output being converted to SECAM for transmission

Edited By john swift 1 on 05/01/2017 23:25:59

[Allan BParticipant @allanb]

I try and teach post school students engineering and motorcycle maintenance, it takes us a full year in college to get the kids to even realise that there are 10mm in 1cm,it is the bain of my life, and God forget once we get below 1mm,it takes 3 years to get them to truly understand that the whole system works on groups of 1000, ie mm, m, and km with not a cm in site

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

Posted by john swift 1 on 05/01/2017 21:56:14:

I've not yet decided if it's one of those things you buy and find its not as useful as you first thought but how about this tape measure – £2.99 from amazon

So, what is a Lazer? Is this just the dummies way of spelling Laser?

* Danny M *

[Colin WhittakerParticipant @colinwhittaker20544]

Anybody here encountered OD tape? Used to be quite common in the oilfield. Tape was marked in inches divided by Pi. Wrap the tape around a tubular and read off the OD directly.

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Yes we called them a pi tape and the operator who ran our large cylindrical grinder used it often , he used to sit it up on the machine so it was the same temperature as the workpiece as in summer the shed was roasting hot and the coolant would cool the workpiece down . If you pulled a hot pi tape or micrometer out of its storage box it would not measure accurately as it was hotter than the workpiece , in winter it was the reverse effect .

Never once did i see him use the ratchet on a micrometer – never trusted it , alwas told me to learn the feel and listen for the squeak and never let any one use your Micrometers – they are your Micrometers and calibrated to your feel .

I won't go into the day he was asked if someone can use his Mercer indicator – had a 4 or 5 inch dial face and he would let you use his missus before he would hand that over !

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