best long tape measure

They have settled on the measuring blade itself as being worthy of a redesign. Doug Mahoney is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter covering home improvement. That, to us at least, is really cool. That starts with the case itself. That is actually pretty cool if you think about it, and it certainly impressed us. This added level of processing makes for a spring that is tougher and longer lasting. In terms of the basic dimensions, you want to make sure you don’t oversize your tape. Three of the tapes (Keson, Lufkin, and the FastCap Old Standby), added 1/32 inch for the first foot and then went straight 16ths for the remainder. Another category of measuring tools is the laser distance measurers. Instead, the tang needs to have a smooth back-and-forth movement so the tape will be accurate both on pull measurements, where you hook the tang over something like the edge of a board, and on push measurements, where you press the tang against an inside surface. For the most part, these oddballs are geared to the trades. Wirecutter is reader-supported. On the DeWalt tape, which has 1/16ths, the ⅛-inch increments are labeled as fractions along one edge of the tape. They resist breakage and damage under the toughest field conditions. Fortunately, it’s not just the best tape measure that we find to be accurate. As you will have seen, the vast majority of tapes are 25ft in length. But the fact it has been built into the case of the tool means that it is very easy to make accurate markings. Its blade is a quarter-inch slimmer than most contractor’s tools, so it’s easy to lay flat for marking measurements, yet still stiff enough to stand out unsupported for nearly 8 feet, which is plenty. your rating. Everyone thought that the 1¼-inch tapes were bulky and heavy. It’s probably not as tough as a simpler tape measure design though, so do treat it a little more gently. I actually found it more difficult to press the button and maintain pressure on it than to just slide my finger forward and stop the tape the way everyone else does. While this was a feature that took many other tapes out of consideration, the tang on the FatMax is designed differently. It has a durable blade, a functional tang, a solid stand-out, a strong locking lever, and a convenient belt hook. The hook end is point 0. There’s nothing worse than a cheap tape measure. Car Bibles is reader-supported. But as cool as they sound, they can only measure areas that have a positive edge (like a room). So it certainly doesn’t look as good as the Powerlock, but it is rugged and easy to hold. Will Need Replacement Batteries Eventually. This model is the famous Stanley Fatmax tape measure. A tape measure or measuring tape is a flexible ruler used to measure size or distance.. Hard tape measures, typically made with steel, are the most common and the most durable option. The FatMax tips the scales at 1 pound, 2¼ ounces, the heaviest of the tapes we looked at. This is a simple but very well built measuring tape. There are tapes that will make a mark for you, tapes that have telescoping measuring rulers, and others with centering scales that show you the center point of any measurement. Taking all this into consideration to name the tool that gives you the best value, the other tapes—which often cost more—all fell short compared to this one. You don’t have to fumble around holding the tape measure in one hand, searching your pockets for that pencil you were sure you just saw five seconds ago. Kitchenistic helps you find the latest and gratest The case is rubberized so it feels great and adds protection. Don’t worry, it’s just a pencil! Best Tape Measures For Accuracy. Remember, this is the key point in the durability and longevity of a tape measure. The Stanley PowerLock is the best tape measure for a number of reasons. While we liked the added blade durability, the loosey-goosey blade lock was too frustrating. We curate, you discover! Magnelex Tape Measure 26-Foot; Kutir Measuring Tape (Our Top Pick) Stanley 33-425 Tape Measure In short it means quality and a very solid construction. That means that you could end up with a product that is easier to use in certain circumstances. Source . In our testing, we found that the 1-inch blades were the easiest to use overall, even if it meant sacrificing some stand-out. It wiggles on its rivets to make up for the space the hook takes up, depending on how the tape measure is being used. If you like to work in meters and centimeters there are better metric tape measures out there for you. The Control Series moniker comes from a cutaway on the underside of the tape, right up at the mouth, that exposes the bottom of the tape as it moves in and out of the case. As Clement said, “The blade of the tape measure almost always goes first.” That’s because over time, grit, dirt, and debris enter the tape through the mouth and grind against the blade as it gets extended and retracted over and over. There is certainly a place for magnetic tapes, but the kitchen drawer is not it. For a relatively small investment you can have a tool that will last years and years, helping you with countless projects and tasks. Empire was off by the width of the line – less than 1/64″. When we dragged the weighted sandpaper over the PowerLock, the coating showed some surface scratching, but the printing remained fully intact. If you were wondering how such a simple tool as a tape measure could be re-designed and re-engineered for the 21st century then take a good look at this offering from eTape. For price, there really isn’t a huge range. A really nice additional feature of the PowerLock is that the tape case is marked for inside measurements. The price tag is surprisingly low too, so that’s good to see. The thumb-operated blade lock is smooth, strong, and easy to operate with one hand, unlike some other more cumbersome models. Both DeBoer and Clement agreed that a tape measure that can stand out unsupported for 7-8 feet is more than enough for at-home use. Its design allows for a measure of great length to be easily carried in pocket or toolkit and permits one to measure around curves or corners. In this guide we are going to help you to find a tape measure that will be a loyal and effective tool for you for a long time to come. The other tapes, which cost more, all had failings—a poorly protected blade, a gigantic tang, a lame stand-out, or an impossible belt clip. The solid feel of the tool and the smooth locking lever were also noted as high points. That high quality construction (and Milwaukee branding) does come with a price though, and this is one of the more expensive tools on our list today. A lame blade lock can be intensely frustrating. Before you make a … The most basic and easiest to use is a simple right-angled foot. The tang on the PowerLock is minimal, but very effective. The PowerLock has a blade stand-out of 7 feet, 10 inches, which is on the upper side of the limit indicated by Clement and DeBoer. In fact, the PowerLock is one of the least expensive tape measures that we’ve looked at. Almost all the tape measures that are on our list boast a 25-foot length of measuring blade. This is an industrial grade thermoplastic coating, of the same type employed on Black Hawk helicopter blades. Rolson Tools 50569 may seem basic. One (potential) improvement is the fact it is that much bigger than the Powerlock. It’s worth pointing out that only inch markings are clearly labeled. While DeBoer doesn’t advocate always going for the longest stand-out, he also uses stand-out as a quality marker. The third tape measure to make the list today is this entry from Komelon. First, the magnets are usually so powerful that they stick to everything, so don’t even try to take a measurement near your refrigerator. For this guide, we only looked at tapes with traditional locking buttons. Poorly Marked Metric Measurements on Tape. Still, we like to see some innovation being deployed in the tools we review so well done Komelon. If you need quality, look no further. We would not be surprised in the least if that was the case. I spent 10 years in construction as a carpenter, foreman, and supervisor, and I've been writing about tools since 2007, with articles appearing in Fine Homebuilding, Popular Mechanics, This Old House, The Journal of Light Construction, Popular Science, and Tools of the Trade. Unless you’re working with steel studs or metallic electrical conduits, they’re a problem. But we agree with Clement’s opinion: “A tape measure is a beautifully simple machine … and should not be muddied up with stuff that other tools can do.” (We did, however, look at the FastCap tapes, which have pencil sharpeners and an erasable writing surface, due to their reputation in the construction industry. Then, take your pencil and hold it at the 10-inch mark and spin it around. A: Many people wonder about this, and many people even try to repair the hook on the end of the blade to stop it moving. Milwaukee close reel long tapes deliver onMilwaukee close reel long tapes deliver on best in class durability. The PowerLock has a fairly typical warranty. For length, we only looked at 25-foot tapes. Any quality tape can handle a normal 4-5-foot fall, and the heavy-duty construction ones, most outfitted with a rubbery padding, can go from four or five times that height. How does it stack up against its older brother the PowerLock though? That weight, combined with the rubber coating, makes for a tool that is pretty ergonomic. The hook on the end of the tape is distinctively average, and you may find it slipping off as often as it manages to grip an edge. Anything less than an inch, though, is going to be flimsy, while the fatter blades (those above the 1-inch mark) make for a much bulkier tool. One of the projects we used the tapes on was measuring for 20 custom storm windows, a task consisting of seven measurements per window. A few of the other tools had something similar with varying degrees of success. On some tapes the coating and printing came right off, but others held up admirably to the abrasion test. 25-foot simply seems to provide the best middle ground between a useful length of measuring surface set against the desire to keep this a small, handheld tool. The FatMax has a top-hooking tang. A: The concave design of the tape measure blade helps it to remain rigid when unsupported. That does mean that you may end up with creasing on the measuring blade over time. This acts as a shock absorber when the tang comes slamming back into the case. Nearly all of the Kobalts, and many others had this issue. The Keson was a nice compact unit, but had its failings. Komelon claim this is to reduce glare on the tape, making it easier to read. These tools, some as small as a pack of cards, shoot a laser point and give the distance on a little screen. 1,691 thick blade tape measure products are offered for sale by suppliers on Alibaba.com, of which tape measures accounts for 5%. They are available in fractional/decimal formats and lengths ranging from 50 ft to 200 ft making them ideal for many long distance measuring … That is really going to help to extend the useful lifespan of the product, especially as it is the first sections of the tape measure blade that get the most use and abuse. In Clement’s review of it, he says, “No one will accuse me of having large hands and the PowerLock fits in my hand nicely.” He goes on, “The squatter, rounder topped tapes with wider (1¼ inch) blades feel too bulky. On the surface, it is another very simple design, and it also has a nice low price. This video contains Paid links that gives me a 6% commission if you click and buy any product on that website . It consists of a ribbon of cloth, plastic, fibre glass, or metal strip with linear-measurement markings. This is, as we will discuss below, basically the accepted standard for the length of the measuring blade. Both Clement and DeBoer warned against tapes loaded with additional features like pencil sharpeners. On the sides at the top of the tang are two slight horns that stick up above the concave side of the tape. Amazon's Choice for long tape measure Komelon 6611IM Feet/Inches and Metric Fiber Tape Reel with Double Nylon Coated Fiberglass Blade, 100-Feet-30M by 1/2-Inch 4.8 out of 5 stars 2,103 For all of this goodness, the PowerLock still has a couple slight flaws. Accuracy is important too, but all of the tapes we looked at fell within an acceptable margin of error. As stated earlier, the PowerLock has been around for over 50 years and the one thing that has changed over time is the case. What is everyone on here using? Maybe that’s why the tape has been around for 50 years.” As we said above, all of the tapes are within what we feel to be the margin of error for accuracy. DeBoer also picks up on the cost analysis in the PTR piece. for pricing and availability. To give credit where it is due Komelon have clearly taken a look at other tape designs, and had a think about possible improvements and upgrades. But they also produce a lot of support tools too, including, drum roll, tape measures! The best tape measures boast subtle design features that enable greater precision and ease of use. To start with we have a high quality chrome coated ABS case. Everyone except for Empire is dead on at the 6″ mark on our Lixer Master calibration tool. If you need a longer tape though, they are out there! If it was there, great. The PowerLock is easy to use, durable, affordable, accurate, and capable of doing its job without additional features that aren’t necessary for around-the-house work. Somewhere along the way, most likely for cost reasons, Stanley stopped making them out of metal and started making them out of plastic. Whilst it is a simple but hardwearing plastic construction, it boasts a 5-Point reinforced frame. Compared to most of the 1¼” tapes, the tang on the FatMax is small. The onboard pencil sharpener is also a nice touch, again, for the carpenter—but probably not useful to the home user. Tape Measures; Long Tape Rules Long Tape Measures (0) STANLEY® Long Tape Measures feature easy-to-read blade graphics for easy long distance measuring. It also has a wider tape (1¼”) and a greater stand-out (we got 11 foot, 3 inches). Speaking of the other end, the metal hook on the tape tip has been supplemented with magnetic attachments. Well, the answer to that is a yes. The largest portion of our tape measure testing consisted of using the tools as we completed a number of carpentry projects. Cover much shorter distances styles of measurement.2 Kutir measuring tape is indestructible completed number. In your armory 6″ mark on our Lixer Master calibration tool blade is coated a!, which our testing, we may earn an affiliate commission your workpiece true of! On jobsites model is the way to go for the carpenter tape products your. Actually the release mechanism and once pressed, allows the measuring blade is. 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