Here's a tape tip that capenters use to avoid arguments on job sites. Picture 10 guys on a job, and 6 of em have a 25' Stanley tape that look identical. To avoid any punches being thrown over a tape argument...PULL YOUR TAPE OUT TO 20 FEET AND WRITE YOUR NAME ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TAPE WITH A SHARPIE. It will always identify your tape. If you write your info at a shorter distance of between 1-6 feet for instance, the ink will wear off faster because that section of tape is likely exposed every time you use it. Write it further down the tape. If you like this idea, pass it along. It creates a better environment on a jobsite
Good idea on the fingernail polish. I worked on a crew of 6 for a couple years that had arguments over multiple guys with identical tools. One of our carpenters had a stanley anti-vibe claw hammer go missing. He flipped out, went home, laid his tools down in the backyard and spray painted all tool handles pink. Wrenches, pliers, everything. I said "good idea, I call blue." I used blue, another guy used orange, and so on. We found that regular cheap spraypaint will fade and chip without much wear. The paint to use (other than nail polish) is called "engine enamel" spray paint. Auto parts stores and maybe even walmart sells it. It's automotive related, so it withstands extreme high and low temperatures and will stay on your hand tools. I think the can I bought was like nine bucks. And for engraving rubber or plastic, I've used the tip of a hot soldering iron. You can write your name in cursive with a soldering iron if you really wanted to. It melts through rubber and plastic like butter
Mark Pratt I got caught by a fitter at intel for snagging a brand new tape and was busted because he did that very thing. So embarrassing... yes, I am an Ironworker
I think we can all agree on the fact that listening to this man talk about literally any topic is an experience that’s hard to stop once begun. Not only does he enlighten us on things that are otherwise overlooked, his presence is commanding without any unnecessary efforts.
He is a national treasure. Some time ago I stumbled onto another video of him demonstrating his mastery and artistry in the use of a hypoid-type circular saw and couldn't keep my jaw off the ground. His skill in what he does is insane, and all the tips, tricks, and time-savers he knows should be made into an encyclopedia that is required learning for all people aspiring to the wood construction industry. Oh, and I second his endorsement of Stanley tape measures. They've always been good and the FatMax series keeps that going.
When making an inside measurement you will see a lot of folks bend the tape into the corner and guess where it might line up. Instead measure 10" from one wall and make a mark (if its a finished surface use blue tape for the mark) Then measure from the other side to the mark, and add back the ten inches. Very accurate inside dimensions can be had in this manner. If your'e doing trim work like base or crown with lots of inside measures, I cut a piece of material to exactly 10", put it against the wall and mark. Then use a bold sharpie to label it as 10" so you'll remember not to toss it! Love your channel, keep up the good work :-)
For inside measurements, I just put the back of the tape measure against one surface and the tip to the opposite inside surface, note the measurement at the mouth of the tape and add 3". Stanley tapes are almost always 3" from front to back.
I do that sometimes, but I normally carry a tape & rule so for inside measurement I'll just poke my rule on the read end and then add the 100mm. The important thing is (like your 10" trick) is to make a habit of always doing it the same way, 100mm works well for me.
I agree brother even though I had a dad he was to busy to show me these life skills. I have learned more in the past few years from my father in law who is a contractor than all my life. Blue collar jobs are dieng because of lack of school programs, its unfortunate the youth don't have these options.
I have been a carpenter for over forty years and like this man I appreciate when someone shares knowledge a true pro never thinks he is done learning or believes he knows everything but by a long shot.
Well, if you hold it up reeeaaal straight you could find which way the shadow cast and use a trig table or your memory to find a compass direction from it? You could probably make a sun dial if you have it committed to memory haha
@@wesleybuff2536 {and anyone else interested} I have two solutions to finding north (true magnetic pole) without that kind of compass... 1st... and most primitive, but most reliable... This one will take about half an hour or even a bit more. The longer you take, the better it works... more precise, etc... SERIOUSLY. You need one stick, and two stones. The stones are important, so you must have them marked or pick out stones you KNOW you will recognize easily. The stick doesn't even need to be straight, particularly. During any time of "sufficient" daylight, jam one end of the stick into the ground. Then set one of the stones exactly at the end of the stick's shadow... In about half an hour (longer for better precision) come back and set the other stone exactly on the end of the stick's shadow... AND retrieve your stick. (you'll need it unless you have another scribe)... Scribe a line directly from one stone to the other. This is the "West to East" line, with stone number 2 (the second one you laid down) being on the farthest EAST end of that line... Scribe a line as close to exactly 90 degrees across the first one, and knowing which direction is East, you now have the appropriate North-to-South line. AND you can find North... (You'll be facing north with the eastward line pointing to your right) Noteworthy here... Longer lines make for more precise measurements, especially in the realm of "eyeballing it"... SO longer wait time between setting the stones will let the shadow of the stick march a greater distance from Westward toward Eastward... since the Sun travels from East to West (and all shadows march exactly opposite)... AND it's worth mention that this method works exactly the same regardless of which side of the equator you're on... 2nd... more advanced, quicker... but nuanced. THIS does NOT work exactly the same on both sides of the equator, so pay attention to which end of the world you're standing on. You'll need a plain, old-school, dial type (analog) watch, and enough skill to be able to read the thing. (careful here... I'm not here to insult people. It's surprising how many decorative watches are a pain in the ass to try to understand.) You'll also want to know whether the watch is set with or without Daylight Savings Time... Take the watch off your wrist (if or as appropriate) and line up the hour hand with the Sun. On the Northern Hemisphere (North of equator) SOUTH will be directly between the hour-hand and "12 oclock" . On the Southern Hemisphere (South of equator) NORTH will be directly between the hour hand and "12 oclock". IF (for whatever reason) the watch IS set to Daylight Savings, substitute "1 oclock" for "12 oclock" and you're set. You can find BOTH of these methods of basic navigation in about any military issue manual on the subject. I found them in outdated manuals for field training for the U.S. Army... back around the fifties. It might not be as "perfect" nor "precise" as a scout's or engineer's compass, but when you don't have those (as most crisis situations rarely include great gear and tech)... You might find yourself truly thankful that you even have a rough idea of about where to look for "South" or "North" (ISH)... ;o)
Tip #1: Buy a dozen tape measures first so misplacing one will never be a show stopper. You want to be able to have enough of them that you can misplace enough of them in enough places that you can find them at least as often as you misplace them. Same holds for pencils, Sharpies, reading glasses and Robertson bits.
Exactly, I keep ample supply of a few things around, tape measures, pens and pencils of course, and oddly enough fingernail clippers. I've misplaced so many dang fingernail clippers over the years, I really don't understand why.
I have a magnetic end on my tape. As an electrician, I've lost count of how many times I've used it from the top rung of a ladder to pick up the vital screw from the light fixture that I just dropped!
I don't even have one of those, and I carry my fatmax on my belt every minute of the day not because of how often I measure things (I could just leave it in the shop) but because every now and again, with something relatively light and conveniently shaped, it saves me from bending over. I have a foot long pair of pliers for when that doesn't work.
@@WoodworkingPro hahaha I'm dieing! Any time the floors are messed up on a job site it's from electricians leaving little screws around and people driving over them on lifts. I'm getting all my electricians tapes with magnets moving forward!
I haven't worked as a Carpenter for 40 + years, I still remember all of this, it was never explained to me, I just watched my Dad and he was just so fast with a Tape, a square, hand saws, hammers ... every tool that he used had multiple uses and he just flowed as if he was simply walking (hard to explain), to watch him work was an experience. He is 84 now and builds bird houses, he says with glasses 1/2" thick he needs smaller projects to be able to see them all at once ... he is a hoot. Get him started on hearing aids be prepared for 1/2 hour dissertation on batteries and where to get them.
One of my favorite things is to watch someone who is really good at what they do. It is so satisfying to watch the fluid, almost automatic, movements as they tackle a task. Doesn't matter what it is, from sports to construction to drawing, seeing someone do things right is fun and a great learning experience.
Very cool. Thanks for the memory/reminders! My father was a machinist for the railroad after 30 yrs, WWII, Korea, and Nam, in the Army. Over the years, as I grew up helping him on projects around the house, he’d show me many of these tips and would start out by saying, “Let me show you a trick I learned in the Army.” 😆
I've been a self employed carpenter for over 25 years. I've always preferred and used Stanley tapes (perhaps now they should pay me, LOL!) I knew everything you mentioned other than the slide rule trick. Two things confirmed to me in the video. You know what you're talking about, and I don't know everything. Please keep 'em coming.
The reason Stanley isn't paying you is because their tape measures have a no questions asked in store return policy. I've paid for 3 of them in my life, yet have received maybe 20 new ones.
When I was a kid, I wanted to help my dad out by fixing his tape measure. The tip was loose and I knew it couldn’t be accurate so I hammered the rivets tight. My dad was not happy.
It's funny, I've been bitching about the "loose tolerances" of my Pittsburg tape measure (the one he says isn't for real work). Turns out it does everything the Stanley does until he mentions extending it out past 7' to point at things. Mine collapses after 4'. Looks like a Stanley Tape measure will be on the list of "home office deductions" in 2020. ;)
I did an equally good favor for my mom when I was little. She had one of those old black cast iron fry pans, not one of the shiny new non-stick ones. Well one day I got out the Comet cleaning powder and did my best to make her old black pan look shiny and new. For some reason she didn't appreciate my efforts.
That was very nice of little you. If my daughter is going to do this, I promise I'm going to be proud of her and then we'll go and buy two tapes. One for me, one for her. Because this 'fix' shows that the kid has understood the concept of accuracy.
Confederate Rooster ... except for maybe my dad. 35 years as a shop teacher and still has all of his fingers. Retired from Flossmore junior high school Illinois. Paul Johnson
Those who can: do. Those who can't: teach Obviously there are exceptions but I can't help but think of that phrase whenever I'm in a Home Depot and a store associate is giving me a how-to lesson on the product I just picked up.
@@mudmanKC Right! F-ng A ! If those people were any good, they’d be out in the field ! ( unless they are older, retired or injured. But for the most part they aren’t any of the above!)
Oh alright - don't even use a rubber handled screwdriver to measure between the posts of the car battery (for comparative length, not absolute length measurement) thinking you're safe because inevitably your wedding band will touch the shaft causing the gold to arc and melt on your finger as if you had used a welding machine. There's an idiot born every minute, so I feel I served my purpose filling that quota!
@@infraprods I've welded my wedding ring to my finger. It happens so quickly. The problem is getting it off your finger. If your wife tells you how painful child birth is, you can tell her that giving birth's a mere cramp by comparison.
Hey, such a cool video! thank you! I have another tip! At 2:33 you've shown you can use it as straight edge. It's easy for rough cuts with numbers on top, but if you reverse the tape by having numbers at the bottom, both sides of the tape now sit tight with the surface of your material, so you can make more precise mark. Obviously you can't really use the hook anymore, but it works well for me if I don't need a hook and straight edge only. For precise long distance mark I'd use some other stiffer tool, but it's very efficient for quick, short marking.
Ya, how many Stanley’s can one man carry? Then I looked in my belt and there were two. Try as I might to always put ONE in the same place, I must have 4 or 5 or none
My pops taught me all ot these when I was around 19. Started working straight out of high school at 18. Been in construction for 8 years now and am one of the most knowledgeable workers all of my employers ever met. Thanks to the knowledge my dad taught me.
I was unaware of the Stanley tape thingys. Now I am thanks to you, EC. I have never been strong with numbers and fractions so I purchased a Construction Master calculator to help me along with my home projects and other mathematical issues that arise at work. But I will be remembering these tricks!
Another great video! Here's a trick... remove the sticker from the face of a Fat Max tape. Scuff the plastic with a piece of course sand paper. Now you always have a place to write a few measurements. Takes pencil marks really well. Just rub it with your thumb to erase.
Michael Garner I put a piece of wide brown tape on the face of my Fat Max tape to jot down a measurement. Peel it off and replace when it gets too dirty.
I'm a drywaller and part time framer and I never knew the first part you mentioned or the reason for the black triangles or overlaping the tape for double measure. Thanks for being a good teacher, something I missed telling my Dad.
Same. Hung rock for a decade back in the '80s, and off and on ever since. Never knew what the little diamonds were, or the "slide rule" trick. Wonderful video.
@@Lugnut64052 They are real popular with steel workers and laying out steel trusses and temporary scaffold systems for concrete forming. Basically they tend to show up being used in structural situations.
Once again, I thought I might learn a tip from one of your videos and instead walk away feeling like I’ve just been through a shop class. 👍🏻 Outstanding! You’re a blessing to craftsmen and handy people everywhere.
This is a pretty common trick, but I don't think anyone has mentioned it here yet... If you dropped something metal (ferrous) in a hard-to-reach spot, you can put a little magnet on the clip on the end of your tape and extend the tape down into that tight spot for the magnet to grab the small object (nail, or small bolt, etc.) Maybe not necessarily a "carpentry" trick for a tape, but can come in handy in lots of situations. I've done the ame thing with doubled-up masking tape stuck to the clip of my tape, which only works if the opbject you're trying to reach is very light. I enjoy your videos. Thanks.
Tape tip - lumber yards and hardware stores often carry Formica discs with a sticky back to put over the logo on the Stanley tape. They're super handy for writing measurements on when cutting multiple pieces and the pencil marks will wipe off when you're done.
Tom K The FastCap "ProCarpenter" tape measures come with a built-in white, round area like this on one side, and a pencil sharpener built-in to one corner. And the tape itself is a pure WHITE with high-contrast Black markations. Great for working in low light environments and/or for poor eyesight. You'll find the same 16" & 24" O-C and other indications like the Stanley in easily-visable Bold Black or Red. The markations for 16th's of an inch (along the entire tape) have numbered labels notating 3-, 5-, 7-, -9, 11-, & 13/16ths. Fast AND Easy to ACCURATELY find your mark! Of course, the opposing side of the tape is Metric with corresponding markations. They also have an Intermittent Tape Lock Button on the body just under and behind the hook...so as soon as you extend the tape and simply set the body down on your working stock, the tape lock button is temporarily depressed and keeps the body & tape in place while you make your mark. You can also use your index finger where it naturally rests when holding the body to temporarily engage this tape lock. Simply lift your finger and the tape is released. Though it also has the standard slide lock if you're old school. FastCap also makes a "Flat Tape" version for better accuracy on finish carpentry or cabinetry, etc. They also make a "Lefty/Righty", and have a few other different versions for specialty trades. LOVE the FastCap tape measures! Once you try one you won't go back to the old Stanley. www.fastcap.com/products/tape-measures The other tape measure that I LOVE especially for metal work (but comes in handy on regular construction sites when dealing with the mechanicals of a house or commercial building) is the Stanley FatMax with the Magnetic Hook! And the small, simple Bosch Laser Measures are super handy as well, especially when you cannot physically reach or access the far end of the area you need to measure.
The explanation of why the tip of a Stanley tape is not fixed in place makes perfect sense when you explain it. Thanks, and I always learn something new and very useful from all of your posts.
Great video, check out that bottom slot on your tool belts tape pouch - you can pull the end of the tape out and measure with the tape remaining in the pouch for some measuring tasks. You keep it in the pouch pull, mark, and let it go back on it's own while you're getting ready to make the cut.
Nice video & tips! One cool tip that you didn't share is this: if you want to divide something into equal parts, let's say you have a board that is 14 3/4 wide, and you want to divide it into 4 pieces, just hold the tape diagonally to a number that is easily divided like 20, then mark off 5, 10, 15 and so on...
i you want a 19 inch board cut into 4 equal parts, tilte the tape measure until it measures 20 inches then mark it, basically you dont have to measure straight across, measure on an angle
1st thing I do with my beloved Stanly tape is take off the belt clip... you really impress architects and owners when you don’t have a belt on and a measurement question comes up and in the back pocket of your jeans where nobody has noticed it you whip out your thin silver 25 footer... Started my carpentry career in Pacific NW... always have a bandana for wiping your tape and spare wool clothing in truck. ( wool stays warm when wet) I know and have used for years some of your tricks... but you have taught me some new ones..!! Thank you. I love the learning aspect from building and savy tradesmen...! Cheers!
@@catlady8324 thanks Karl , I have tools that I got 30 years ago and you just can't go out and grab the same thing off the shelf these days . Recently found this out the hard way . Cheers mate !
From my experience it often goes missing at that point. For this reason I like to keep one in each bag and one in my truck in addition to the one that I have clipped to my jeans pocket. A small one is even attached to my truck keys. I often leave a tape at the saw that I am using too. Even if it returns you are not losing vital time at a customer's house looking for it. My wife has asked many times why I own so many tape measures. I have never questioned her on how many shoes or clothes that she owns.
You missed one of the really important tape uses. A few decades ago, I saw a block layer who was using his Stanley Tape to inspect the inside of a block core. When I get a new tape, the first thing I do is remove the round label on the front. It makes a great mirror for a long time, then a satisfactory one after that. When you need to look behind, inside or around an object it is very handy. Best of all, it is there for you all of the time.
Two pipe fitters were trying to measure the height of a flag pole but their tape measure kept bending over. A carpenter walks up and pulls the pole out of the ground and lays it down. She then pulls out her Stanley tape measure and determines that the pole is 16 feet. One pipe fitter turns to the other and says, "That's just like a carpenter, we want the height and she gives us the width."
Waaay back in '72 when I started in the trades doing residential remodeling in the city, I was the new guy working with my Italian boss. In the old days, there used to be guys driving around selling tools out of the trunks of their cars. Who knows whether they were hot, but they were pretty much always bad. Boss knew that but one day fell for a bunch of tapes that sure looked like Stanleys. Yeah, well, he was using the new trunk one and I was cutting for him with my old Stanley By mid-afternoon he was practically cussing at me- I'd gone from being the best cutter he'd ever had to being a total nincompoop. Right up until the light went on and he grabbed both tapes, hooked them and ran them out. By ten feet, the discrepancy was well over 3/8". Lesson: Everybody on the site doing critical work uses the same brand and kind of tape, and yes, you will want to check them against one another if you notice something's not going right. EC, thanks for the vids. I've been retired from the trade for eight years now but still can't bear being more than a few feet from a Stanley tape and a pencil.
I take a measuring device of my own to the store with me to measure the ones there before I will purchase a new one. . . And my wife is more crazy about it than I!
Totally true. Some of the kobalt and craftsman (even lufkin) tapes increase in error the farther your measuring. Fat Max 30’ only. Side note: The PNW is hell on tapes but, specifically working on the Oregon Coast most winters has taught me to always keep at least 2 spare tapes in the truck at all times. The salt air, rain, mud, sand, etc. just kills them. Now if I could just find a chalk line that was waterproof…
This works especially well with the Fat Max tapes - pull the label off the side/face of the tape, clean the glue off, and you've got a great surface to write down the measurement you just took. You won't have to search around for a scrap of wood, and it erases easily with a thumb...no more trying to remember measurements, because a dull pencil is better than a sharp mind 👍🏼
Had a neighbor ask me why I carried around a tape measure all the time, told him so that I would know how long to stay! 😎 Thanks for sharing and take care.
Ken Gamble hahaha, my favorite is telling the guy at home depot I need 6 2x12's, when he says how long I say, pretty long time, I'm building a deck....
I'm not a pro but love carpentry - rough, finish, cabinet, woodworking, and marine. I have learned so much sinceWoodworking, the EC channel last year. Even the simplest topic has something new for me as well as fortifying what I already (thought I) knew. The slide rule trick in this video made me smile uncontrollably. Mr. Wadsworth is my go-to authority In my continuing build/remodel education. His straightforward teaching, friendly demeanor, philosophy of quality, ethics, and integrity, and exceptionally wide experience truly set him apart in this field.
Here is my tip - if you are using 2 different tape measures make sure they read the same. My father and I almost got into a fight one day when he was up off the ground framing a window or something and I was on the ground making cuts - both using our own tapes. It took way too long (and a lot of swearing) to figure out the tip of his tape was bent and that's why every cut was off ~ 3/16".
A buddy of mine's company decided to buy meter sticks from china with the company logo on them. Good they all received them at the same time, considering they were off by 4mm/.15".
I've been watching EC for years. Somewhere just before the spec house series started. I recently started a mechatronics course at the local community college, and this video was recommended in week two my Basic Measurement Tools course. I've seen this video already being a fan of the program, but now I'm getting credit to watch it again. Love EC. Such a class act, these folks. Thanks for the wonderful, ongoing education and entertainment.
im only in my 2nd year of construction so far i have done foundation concrete frameing and some finishing...im not the brightest bulb in the bunch when it comes to numbers but this channel and this video has helped me alot i use it like homework after work i come home and study this channel and some others you guys do a amazing job at summing up stratagies and simplyfying the process for folks like me thanks and plz keep em coming!
Yes here’s a tape tip! Look on the bottom of your tape and you will see a length measure of the housing. Usually something like 3-1/4”. If you are measuring between walls you can run the back of the tape housing against the wall, read the number at the tongue, and add that housing length to get the precise length. No need to fold the tape up against the wall and try to read the corner.
When you said the measure could be used as a compass; my first thought was 'this measure must have a magnet in it and you're going to show us which way is North ;-))
D Brown you still could... On an open deck draw your circle on the ground then mark the direction of the shadow.... Checking the shadow an hour later as well as noting the direction the sun is would allow you to deduce approximate compass directions.
Well, AAMOF, it will show NORTH - with few exceptions: Instead of driving the nail into the subfloor as in the demo, you drive it into a wall (sheathing, siding, stud - whatever's vertical), extend your tape about a foot and lock it, then hang it on the nail by the handy-dandy slot in the hook (as also shown) and then - VOILA! If you hold your map against the wall by that tape (very carefully) the tape will be indicating NORTH for you. Like the red dot on the map at the mall saying "you are HERE" - HOW DOES IT KNOW???? MAGIC! (don't say I never did anything for you)
OK - BMon - I'll come clean: the "few exceptions" disclaimer has to be there simply because not ALL maps are oriented with north straight up. Granted, such are relatively rare, but my suggestion simply would not work for those freakosaurs. Most of the time, though, hanging your tape on a nail as I'm suggesting will harness the overwhelming tug of gravity to indicate with accuracy sufficient for most porpoises, as if by magic, the direction of NORTH on your typical map, provided you are holding the map next to the tape in the "normal" orientation. This may simply be too challenging for some novice map-readers, but my fingers are just too fatigued now to type more disclaimers to cover any and all potential gotchas. You get what you pay for, I'm told.
A compass is a devise for showing a direction. What he demonstrated was a "Pair of compasses". This is a device which can draw circles, among other things.
Well, technically (and grammatically) speaking, I respectfully disagree with your claim. A compass, whether intending the item for determining direction by means of the earth's magnetic field or the item for drawing arcs and circles, is a singular item and NOT requiring a pair thereof to perform its function. With a pair you might draw with each hand simultaneously, but that sort of duality was NOT demonstrated here. One tape measure performing the function of one compass.
The compass techniques just blew my mind! Oh and here's a tip, place your pointer gently under the blade of the tape when retracting it. It provides a form of friction and prevents the hook from hitting the access too hard, hence preventing the hook from being damaged. There are thumb locks and triggers for this but this trick always makes my work faster and saves time. Greetings from Papua New Guinea. Love your Channel!
Ive been looking to see if anyone else made comment on this retraction technique. It should be rule no. 1! Also, compass... 1)lock the tape at desired radius 2)lay tape on side, with hook at nail 3)put pencil at point where tape returns (inside corner) 4)use slight outward pressure, to keep hook on nail, and scribe the circle/arc
Pro tip: you'll stop doing the finger friction trick the first time you're not paying attention and the edge of the tape lacerates your finger. Or if a tiny piece of the tape is missing it becomes a serrated edge.
Just a couple of tips to add… If you drop it, CHECK IT ! Check that it didn't land toe down and bend the toe in. Might not be much but might be enough to cause a problem ! The other thing is looking up how to stretch leather using hot water and a former block. That way anyone can ease open the tape pocket of that nice expensive pouch belt that doesn't quite accommodate the tape of choice : ) Oh, and don't let that sucker run across your fingers as it's reeling in, I saw a joiner open up all four fingers once doing that ! : ( Very much enjoying the channel, thanks for all your time and efforts : )
I consider myself an educated professional carpenter with 35/+ years of experience, but watching your videos and the way you deliver the information, I learn something from every one of them. I just wanted to drop you a quick comment thanking you for sharing your knowledge with me/us. Regards, Tony
- Check a wall or post for plumb by hanging locked-off tape from your finger & holding at arms length. - Tape a bent nail or copper wire to the hook end for retrieving things. The wire will straighten & release if it gets stuck. - Use extended tape to hold out of reach items, i.e. push end of trim piece up to ceiling, or use your tape to push another's tape hook into position to get a measurement. - Lower tape from ladder or scaffold to have needed item attached & pull it up. - Minor drain cleaning & pipe inspection - To find a mid point, measure the same distance from each end to get close, then find the mid point of the small remaining distance. - Use a 6" or so block for inside dimensions, especially for baseboard. measure to the block & add 6". - Mark the tape w/ Sharpie for repeat or saved dimensions. - Measure to the moving tablesaw blade: hold hook to fence w/ tape a few inches in front of the blade & sight along the side of the saw blade while moving the fence to position. Polish the saw blade washers for better visibility. - As a kid we used a piece of tape measure to cheat pay phones out of a call. - Air guitar.
the tape only drops plumb in one direction. I keep a few duplex nails in my left front pocket. hold the tip and let duplex end dangle. hold on mark and let it slip out of fingers, keeping eyes at landing. load it up with a sharpie if better spot is needed. I mostly do this when doing all the underground work before any concrete is poured.
I like the sharpie one. I use that all the time. 1 1/2 Overhand on counter tops, and I use a 6ft tape to measure overhangs, due to the space between existing cabinet doors and countertops. I can barely see the lines, so I have a big black Sharpie spot by the 1 1/2 mark. White out pens also work great, easy to remove as well
Thank you for these videos! You are really helping educate creators and builders of the future. It feels like the only way to learn these things now is by actually going into the trade as an apprentice or pay a lot for a tradeschool.... I miss my woodshop teacher from 8th grade. Haha You are really doing a great service to humanity. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
we used to sit on the floor at coffee time and occasionally the boss would have us play the "guess the length of the board" game .. he'd have one of us choose a "random" board in the corner and everyone guessed its length, then it was measured and verified by all .. I was SOO close many times but he ALWAYS won .. even if only by a 1/16 inch ? how could he do it ? . only when he retired years later did he confess that he had "insiders" (his oldest friends, not us apprentices) that measured the board BEFORE the game each day so he just smiled and messed with all of us ENDEARING us forever .. good ole Irv
I can actually look at anything and know the measurement, i just see it in my mind to the exact measurement, i descovered this ability in science class when i was in 7th grade, in first grade the teacher said no one could possibly draw a freehand perfect circle on the black board and when it was my turn i did and everyone laughed....anything is possible right....
When I was a teenager working in a tool and die shop my boss and I would estimate the distance between two needle holes in a sheet of paper, usually less than 6" apart. Using a 6" steel rule and an eye loop we would then measure the distance. It is amazing how after some experience one can make very accurate estimates.
ALWAYS use a quality tape measure! My dad and I were using a matched pair of "Brand X" tapes. I would measure and call out, he would cut. By about the tenth re-cut, he had me climb down from the scaffold to 'teach' me how to read a rule. We found that our "matching" tapes differed by 1/8" once we got past 9 feet! They both became hold-downs for scrap papers in the trash cans and we dug out our FAT MAXs. Regarding clips, I outfitted one FAT MAX with two clips - just the thing for easy clipping on the tape-bracket on my one nail pouch. It worked well! A very enjoyable, informative and clearly explained segment. (as always)Thank you!
The thing my Dad taught me early on was to never let the tape snap back into the case too hard. It'll beat the slots out over time, changing the relationship of the hook to the scale.
Thank you I never considered this. I have young boys who love playing with my tapes. Now I wonder if they are all inaccurate. There's only one solution: get some new ones at the box store! Thank you and bless you. I needed this excuse.
Also I find that sometimes the tape will split at the edges creating a very sharp protrusion that will cut you badly if you allow the tape to speed back in!
@@michaellenorgant5079 All you need is three FatMax tapes: 12', 25', 40". Those three will handle all your measuring needs, and will last a homeowner for years if you keep the kids from using them for hockey pucks.
I appreciate how humble and chill you are! You remind me of my late friend and boss. He owned Bluewater sport fishing boats here in Florida and man he loved to spread the knowledge to the younger generation. You don't realize how much I would love to work hand and hand with someone like you. Thank you so much for these videos. God bless you.
When working with a partner, check the accuracy of your 2 tapes with each other. This can save on arguments if the tapes prove to be slightly different. Also, make sure the hook isn't bent from being dropped. This will really change the accuracy.
This just happened to mee last friday...I was measuring and the other was cutting...almost all ten first cuts came out long...Worst, THE BOSS WAS THERE...hehehehe, I saved the guys job by calling that detail of diferente tapes out...and, surelly enough, his tape was shorter than mine 1/16...
I am not a professional, but I build often. These videos have some awesome tips and most of them work just fine with us using the metric system. Thank you buddy!
I grew up right at the time where, here in Canada we switched over to Metric. I had learned from my dad and my uncles (who were all handy men) how to measure in imperial. WHOA NELLY!!!! That was a sh1tload of fun for a while. Once it sets in how ever, it is undeniably a simpler system by a factor of ten....get it? Ten....(Metric is based on ten, ok funnier in my head) Great vid. Thanks!!!
I'm a Red Seal carpenter, in Canada, and I have never, in my life , worked with a carpenter who used metric measurements. I started my apprenticeship in 1992, and imperial was all we used in trade school, and it's still used today.
To find the center of a long distance, say 118 inches, measure from one end 65 inches, then measure the same distance from the other end, then find the center between those two marks.
Love your channel. Been doing this 25 years on and off during masonry layoffs in south eastern Ontario. total around 10 -12 years when you add 4-5 years of formwork handsets on as a senior/ lead carpenter on the west coast. Great source to brush up on forgotten wisdom, and some cool new tricks. Thanks and Cheers.
On the ceiling of a church I had just joined there was a helium balloon 20' high. I asked the Pastor if he wanted me to remove it. "YES". I stuck a wad of masking tape , sticky side out, on the end of my 30' tape and got it on my first try... When the paychecks were getting handed out one Friday and I happened to be 2 scaffolds up, I locked the tape measure, dropped the chrome body down to him and had him clip the check into the pocket clip, and I retrieved it. Years later a similar situation happened with the office lady needing to give me an important envelope. I was one floor up on the balcony. I told her to clip it into the tape and as I was pulling the envelope up to me, near to my hand, I said, "YOU'VE GOT MAIL". We both had a good laugh... You probably already mentioned this one, but don't let you tape recoil at full speed and let your end clip slam against the case regularly. It will probably stress fracture it and cause it to break.... I always took my pocket knife and scratched my last name, WEST, on the upper left hand corner front and back. You had to manipulate it in the light to see my name. With everybody carrying Stanleys, many times over the years I could prove to someone else that I did not accidentally pick up their tape or other ownership questions.... Be careful after dropping your tape measure even from just waist high. If you bend that end clip and precision is important, you can be more than a 1/16th shy on a pulled measurement. Thank You!
I have watched to several videos to learn how to start making my own kitchen doors and more. Your high levels of carpentry and very easy understanding lessons means a lot to me. I do thank you so much Sr.
Hello Essential Craftsman, One additional tape tip, and one bit of math. Tape tip. NOT all tapes are the same,,,, even if you are comparing a Stanley 25' and a Stanley 25'. I ran a cabinet making operation for years, setting up for and manufacturing sometimes hundreds of identical cabinets. You never, ever, never use two tapes or trade tapes in the midst of an operation. The machine that prints the tapes is never quite the same, the hook slides just a tiny bit different. If you are going to use two tapes,,, stretch them side by side and find out if they are compatible because,,,, if you make two cabinet sides and they are just a tiny bit different,,, you are so gonna hate yourself. You either are going to burn a lift or two of particle board, or you are going to struggle on a too tight or too loose assembly. Second. The real problem with the metric system is base ten is a terrible base. We have ten fingers so we grab a hold of base ten,,, but base ten is a real bugger,,, you almost immediately begin dealing with 4 decimal places for your fractions. You can cut something in half,,,(.5) but that is where it ends. One/third (.333333,,,,) is an unreal number, as is two/thirds (.6666666,,). One/quarter requires that you already need fractions or decimal points (.25),,, 1/8 .125,, 5/16ths .3125. The real shame is,,, we don't have 6 fingers on each hand,,,, Because base twelve is easier to halve (.6), quarter (.3), third (.4), sixth (.2), twelfth (.1),,, even 1/5 (.24) in base twelve is fairly simple,,, the toughest one is 1/7 in base twelve,,, and even that resolves with little difficulty... Base twelve has been used for many things and for a long time,,, 360 degrees in a circle IS base twelve. And the reason navigation is done with 360 degrees is so you can shout and name a compass direction in a howling gale. It cannot be done in base ten. "Mr. Penny, steer a heading of Southeast, by a half south." The classic compass rose was 32 points,, and 19th century roses were often using 64 points, and 20th century 128 points... Each point has a name.. There will be no such thing as a framing square in metric. The very existence of a framing square is based upon NOT having to calculate anything. I don't calculate anything, neither do you. Just step off a framing square and cut. Hips and valleys in metric require a calculator. Base twelve is why we have 360 degrees, 24 hour days,,,, it is easy to divide into parts. In a '10' hour day there is no whole number at the quarter hours,, there is whole no number at 1/3 of an hour,,, Same with a compass,,, it just does not halve. quarter, third easily in base ten. That IS why we have a blended system,,, we have ten fingers to count on,,, but ten does not cut into pieces well or easily,,, so we used 12,, because it is easy to calculate ,, and ten for everything else. It IS actually a more advanced measurement system than metric. Metric IS what we used 10 thousand years ago. The Egyptians and the Greeks saw that with base 12,,, you did not need a calculator,,, and the earth takes 'about 360' days (365.256 days) to go around the sun. The 2 numbers were too close to ignore,,, 360 was adopted.
What the heck, might as well give a little math history lesson. You do have six things to count on your hands. Actually you have 12. On each. Look down at your open hand palm size up. Put your four fingers together and curl them in a little. You now have 12 bits of skin to count off. Perfect if you just need to count sheep. Shepherds counting sheep was one of the first things we counted as humans, and that's how they did it. No numbers required. And that's why number systems started off with base 12. Metric is better though, your car goes much faster.
I'm 56 years old. been in the game all my life and I've NEVER heard a better reason for the base 12 system. Well said. I'm glad I tuned in for this one.
Michael Quinn / dammit. I did something wrong. I've counted a hundred times and keep coming up with 14 "bits of skin"!?! On a side note, the first time I came across a legit metric tape... mind blown. I quit.
Great video! Some days I miss getting out there and framing. I loved figuring out rafters and studs for dormers with math. I nearly failed math class in high school, but when I figured out how helpful it can be, it became really fun!
Carpentry and woodworking make me wish I had paid more attention to math in grade and high school, especially the latter. Plane geometry was a mystery to me in high school and I now find my very limited knowledge of it helpful with woodworking.
Never seen the slide rule trick before. That's a game changer for me. I've had the imperial vs metric argument with Europeans countless times and while the engineering advantage of metric is clear, I firmly believe that imperial is superior for the builder. It's more intuitive to the human scale. The average finger segment is often an inch allowing quick estimations. The hand, cubit and fathom are multiplication and divisions of each other. The inch scale divides itself down to 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, etc. beautifully. Lets not forget the foot, yard etc. Who doesn't pace off distances with reasonable accuracy. I use these all the time. Can't do that with metric so easily. The only time I need to divide by ten is when I invited two too many people to a pie eating party.
Base 12 is also very handy when you need to divide into thirds, not so easy with base 10 math. Most architectural plans use the 1/4 in = 1 foot scale which is very easy to use in the field
Don't get me wrong, the base ten metric system is "easier" and quicker on a number of basic kinds of levels... BUT mostly, those involve DIGITAL design, engineering, and places where the materials, scenes, and measurements can be utterly arbitrary... "virtual space". The ages old so-called "Imperial" set of inches and feet, however, convert almost instantly to the very analogue "real world" without a bunch of hooey... As you pointed out, these were implemented from older school measures and "rules of thumb"... which is exactly where an inch came from. (and has NOTHING to do with the size of stick you're allowed to hit your wife with... if you've heard that, it's a myth.) In my experience, regardless of the "school of thought" behind the measurement system of choice, at least half the time you measure anything, you're going to land a measurement "on the half" or in some other fraction, somewhere in that empty space between marks. Metric doesn't have a "half-millimeter"... or a "half centimeter" for the matter. BUT we "ass backward" folks with the old "obsolete" system, can cut anything in half... half inch? no problem. Half that? a quarter. Half again? eighth. Keep carving? Sixteenth... thirty second... sixty forth... hundred-twenty-eighth... and yes, we even have vernier calipers that CAN read smaller than that. They're expensive as hell and hard to find... but they'll do the job. Good luck measuring something with ONE instrument in your shop on the metric scale... where you have to get as large as a foot (so 0 - 305mm scale) BUT you also require precision to the thousandth of a millimeter! My best vernier will handle it... cost about fifty bucks, and I only got it from an estate sale years ago, because it was "too weird for me not to have it"... (lolz). BUT, test after test, it holds TRUE... "dead on balls" true... ;o)
I worked at Stanley for 45 years, 28 in hardware and 17 in the tape rule plant. Great company and thanks for helping people understand how to use a tape.
@@sssam80 the chrome tape is the powerlock and those are still made in New Britain as well as the FatMax tape. Stanley Black & Decker owns Craftsman and gave it to Lowes as an exclusive
For beginning apprentices and even to some that might not know it, if your doing precise measurements you can use the bottom of most tape measures, such as the fat max, to erase your mark and make another. *NOTE* it will wear the bottom out so I do not recommend doing often but every once in awhile if you happen to mark 3/16” instead of a 1/4” you can correct your mark.
I love this channel, it's bout the only place a lot of people can get the tricks that only the old tradesmen know, kudos to you for putting in the effort to share it with the masses
A friend taught me how to half fractions quickly it's useful. Half of 3/4 is 3/8 so the quick part is just double the four to get eight and leave the three alone, or double the bottom of the fraction leave the top alone. More examples half of 1/2 is 1/4 , half of 11/16 is 11/32 etc etc. Hope it helps and thanks for all the content!!
I really fell in love with my Milwaukee magnetic tape. Has all the features shown here with the added feature of a finger brake on the bottom to easily control tape retraction, numbers on both sides of the tape, hooks on both sides of the tape, and a belt hook that is so much easier to use. All about personal preference though. Using what you are familiar with is key.
Shain Andrews I found with that particular tape that it doesn't stand on its own to well, wish the hook wasent so large either. Great tape aside from those flaws.
I hear ya. All personal preference. I think I can get it to stand out about 9', maybe more? Hell I don't know! I rarely ever need that much stand out. I hear guys comment on the hook size frequently. I could see that being an issue for some. Tools are personal, if they weren't they would all be the same.
Shain Andrews use mine Friday to pick up my hammer off the ground 12 feet below me brought it up slowly but it lifted a 20 oz and I didn't have to climb down the ladder
A friend who I'd hired to help me build a shop got tired of watching me put up with the junky HF tape measure I was using (my Stanley had broken & I hadn't gotten around to getting a new one). So he bought a 2-pack of that Milwaukee and gave one to me. I LOVE it! Now I don't like downgrading to using others when I don't have that one with me. :)
The tape works good to measure out the 3' personal space rule! If your co-worker is invading your space, just pull out the tape and measure 3' and remind them to back up!
Great video and it added incite to my childhood. My Grandfather was a carpenter and when he was working he told us to just watch and learn (no questions). When he worked it was all about production and efficiency, questions slowed him down while he was working. Plus his English was not the best and my Greek was not the best, so complicated questions were..let's say complicated. I learned from watching and paying attention to him. The tips you explained filled some of the blanks of watching him work. Cheers and thanks!
Formulas, conversion tables, fraction to decimal equivalents, nail sizes, number of nails per pound, ALL found on the back of my 12' Stanley Powerlock 2 #33-312, MADE IN THE USA
I keep a 6 ft / 2 m Milwaukee mini tape on my keys. Unbelievably useful to always have a tape with you, and the dual units makes quick engineering calculations really easy.
My favorite tape measure "trick" is that the exact length of the tape measure housing is usually listed on the side, near the bottom. That way you can measure the length of a room by butting it against a wall and adding the known length!
Great for inside window measurements, any inside measurement. My 25' fatmax doesn't say on it so I measured it and wrote it on there myself. Great videos
Must be somewhere in the comments, but you can use the tape measure as a wire catcher. If you have a hole in your wall and need te catch a wire or something Just fold you tape measure and put it in the hole. The tape measure will fill the hole and you can drop the wire from above. Retract your tape measure and it will catch the wire.
also use it to get to things that fall into wall or concrete block cavities .. you "go fishing" for dropped item and many times add a piece of wire hook or duct tape or ? even pulling another tool off of an angled roof or from 10 feet away and up .. or while kneeling on a floor and TOO tired to stand up and take 3 steps so drag it over ;^))
Kind of morbid, but I worked with an older machinist who used to pull out a tape and show me my age and his age in inches and what he perceived as our projected life span. It always put a philosophical bent on the conversation during break time.
Mike Am I used to have the same discussions with my uncle u used to point out are stuff u so in life and how long it took in comparison to your life I guess he was trying to show me that school or a certificate or something doesn’t take that long to have a happy long life afterwards even if u think the task took really long
Here's a tape tip that capenters use to avoid arguments on job sites. Picture 10 guys on a job, and 6 of em have a 25' Stanley tape that look identical. To avoid any punches being thrown over a tape argument...PULL YOUR TAPE OUT TO 20 FEET AND WRITE YOUR NAME ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TAPE WITH A SHARPIE. It will always identify your tape. If you write your info at a shorter distance of between 1-6 feet for instance, the ink will wear off faster because that section of tape is likely exposed every time you use it. Write it further down the tape. If you like this idea, pass it along. It creates a better environment on a jobsite
Good idea on the fingernail polish. I worked on a crew of 6 for a couple years that had arguments over multiple guys with identical tools. One of our carpenters had a stanley anti-vibe claw hammer go missing. He flipped out, went home, laid his tools down in the backyard and spray painted all tool handles pink. Wrenches, pliers, everything. I said "good idea, I call blue." I used blue, another guy used orange, and so on. We found that regular cheap spraypaint will fade and chip without much wear. The paint to use (other than nail polish) is called "engine enamel" spray paint. Auto parts stores and maybe even walmart sells it. It's automotive related, so it withstands extreme high and low temperatures and will stay on your hand tools. I think the can I bought was like nine bucks. And for engraving rubber or plastic, I've used the tip of a hot soldering iron. You can write your name in cursive with a soldering iron if you really wanted to. It melts through rubber and plastic like butter
Mark Pratt I got caught by a fitter at intel for snagging a brand new tape and was busted because he did that very thing. So embarrassing... yes, I am an Ironworker
I just sprayed all my stuff pink.. 😎
And then write your name on all their tapes at 19' 8" ...
GREAT IDEAL WITH YOUR NAME THANKS!
You do realize the impact you're having on the next few generations by sharing these videos with us? Super cool.
Cant find the video where yo cut tg arches with skilsaw
stop trying so hard to get likes
I really want him to write a book
@@mattreese-7 You can't imagine someone genuinely appreciating someone else's work? Don't project your own petty mindset onto my actions.
Gagandeep Baath you're ball washing on the internet for likes
I think we can all agree on the fact that listening to this man talk about literally any topic is an experience that’s hard to stop once begun. Not only does he enlighten us on things that are otherwise overlooked, his presence is commanding without any unnecessary efforts.
I started listening to these when renovating my home. Now I listen to these while falling asleep. His speech is so articulate and calm
This guy is a treasure!
I agree. thiS guys great.
He is a national treasure. Some time ago I stumbled onto another video of him demonstrating his mastery and artistry in the use of a hypoid-type circular saw and couldn't keep my jaw off the ground. His skill in what he does is insane, and all the tips, tricks, and time-savers he knows should be made into an encyclopedia that is required learning for all people aspiring to the wood construction industry. Oh, and I second his endorsement of Stanley tape measures. They've always been good and the FatMax series keeps that going.
Agree
When making an inside measurement you will see a lot of folks bend the tape into the corner and guess where it might line up. Instead measure 10" from one wall and make a mark (if its a finished surface use blue tape for the mark) Then measure from the other side to the mark, and add back the ten inches. Very accurate inside dimensions can be had in this manner. If your'e doing trim work like base or crown with lots of inside measures, I cut a piece of material to exactly 10", put it against the wall and mark. Then use a bold sharpie to label it as 10" so you'll remember not to toss it!
Love your channel, keep up the good work :-)
Best "extra" here so far Doug.
great tip!
I always estimate. In work environments. Exact measurements atent always needed.
For inside measurements, I just put the back of the tape measure against one surface and the tip to the opposite inside surface, note the measurement at the mouth of the tape and add 3". Stanley tapes are almost always 3" from front to back.
I do that sometimes, but I normally carry a tape & rule so for inside measurement I'll just poke my rule on the read end and then add the 100mm. The important thing is (like your 10" trick) is to make a habit of always doing it the same way, 100mm works well for me.
As a young man growing up without a father figure being in my life, I thank you for your channel.
😂😂😂😂🤦🏽♂️
Julian Martinez wtf is so funny you callous chucklefuck... kid has no father....
I agree brother even though I had a dad he was to busy to show me these life skills. I have learned more in the past few years from my father in law who is a contractor than all my life. Blue collar jobs are dieng because of lack of school programs, its unfortunate the youth don't have these options.
Dude same
yeah same and it sucks, except i'm not that young anymore.
I have been a carpenter for over forty years and like this man I appreciate when someone shares knowledge a true pro never thinks he is done learning or believes he knows everything but by a long shot.
Cant agree more ... everytime I watch these things I have an "Oh Shit I didn't know that ... "
I love this guy. He's NOT a Contractor, He's a Professor of Knowledge & Wisdom.
When you said it was a compass, I thought you were going to find north...
That's actually one of the markings around 46 inches.
Well, if you hold it up reeeaaal straight you could find which way the shadow cast and use a trig table or your memory to find a compass direction from it? You could probably make a sun dial if you have it committed to memory haha
JimsBagels - Me too! Lol.
JimsBagels me too 😅😂😂😂
@@wesleybuff2536 {and anyone else interested} I have two solutions to finding north (true magnetic pole) without that kind of compass...
1st... and most primitive, but most reliable... This one will take about half an hour or even a bit more. The longer you take, the better it works... more precise, etc... SERIOUSLY.
You need one stick, and two stones. The stones are important, so you must have them marked or pick out stones you KNOW you will recognize easily. The stick doesn't even need to be straight, particularly.
During any time of "sufficient" daylight, jam one end of the stick into the ground. Then set one of the stones exactly at the end of the stick's shadow... In about half an hour (longer for better precision) come back and set the other stone exactly on the end of the stick's shadow... AND retrieve your stick. (you'll need it unless you have another scribe)...
Scribe a line directly from one stone to the other. This is the "West to East" line, with stone number 2 (the second one you laid down) being on the farthest EAST end of that line... Scribe a line as close to exactly 90 degrees across the first one, and knowing which direction is East, you now have the appropriate North-to-South line. AND you can find North... (You'll be facing north with the eastward line pointing to your right)
Noteworthy here... Longer lines make for more precise measurements, especially in the realm of "eyeballing it"... SO longer wait time between setting the stones will let the shadow of the stick march a greater distance from Westward toward Eastward... since the Sun travels from East to West (and all shadows march exactly opposite)...
AND it's worth mention that this method works exactly the same regardless of which side of the equator you're on...
2nd... more advanced, quicker... but nuanced. THIS does NOT work exactly the same on both sides of the equator, so pay attention to which end of the world you're standing on.
You'll need a plain, old-school, dial type (analog) watch, and enough skill to be able to read the thing. (careful here... I'm not here to insult people. It's surprising how many decorative watches are a pain in the ass to try to understand.) You'll also want to know whether the watch is set with or without Daylight Savings Time...
Take the watch off your wrist (if or as appropriate) and line up the hour hand with the Sun.
On the Northern Hemisphere (North of equator) SOUTH will be directly between the hour-hand and "12 oclock" .
On the Southern Hemisphere (South of equator) NORTH will be directly between the hour hand and "12 oclock".
IF (for whatever reason) the watch IS set to Daylight Savings, substitute "1 oclock" for "12 oclock" and you're set.
You can find BOTH of these methods of basic navigation in about any military issue manual on the subject. I found them in outdated manuals for field training for the U.S. Army... back around the fifties.
It might not be as "perfect" nor "precise" as a scout's or engineer's compass, but when you don't have those (as most crisis situations rarely include great gear and tech)... You might find yourself truly thankful that you even have a rough idea of about where to look for "South" or "North" (ISH)... ;o)
Tip #1: Buy a dozen tape measures first so misplacing one will never be a show stopper. You want to be able to have enough of them that you can misplace enough of them in enough places that you can find them at least as often as you misplace them. Same holds for pencils, Sharpies, reading glasses and Robertson bits.
Only if you are working alone or with honest friends.
Else you’ll loose them by time.
as a welder, i do the same with grinders. not so i don't misplace them but so i will always have one with the correct brush or disk on it.
It's impossible to have too many pencils :)
And 10 mil sockets
Exactly, I keep ample supply of a few things around, tape measures, pens and pencils of course, and oddly enough fingernail clippers. I've misplaced so many dang fingernail clippers over the years, I really don't understand why.
I have a magnetic end on my tape. As an electrician, I've lost count of how many times I've used it from the top rung of a ladder to pick up the vital screw from the light fixture that I just dropped!
First time I've heard of an electrician picking up after himself LOL but a good tip:)
No helper eh ?
I don't even have one of those, and I carry my fatmax on my belt every minute of the day not because of how often I measure things (I could just leave it in the shop) but because every now and again, with something relatively light and conveniently shaped, it saves me from bending over. I have a foot long pair of pliers for when that doesn't work.
With my luck it would be aluminium or brass.
@@WoodworkingPro hahaha I'm dieing! Any time the floors are messed up on a job site it's from electricians leaving little screws around and people driving over them on lifts. I'm getting all my electricians tapes with magnets moving forward!
I haven't worked as a Carpenter for 40 + years, I still remember all of this, it was never explained to me, I just watched my Dad and he was just so fast with a Tape, a square, hand saws, hammers ... every tool that he used had multiple uses and he just flowed as if he was simply walking (hard to explain), to watch him work was an experience.
He is 84 now and builds bird houses, he says with glasses 1/2" thick he needs smaller projects to be able to see them all at once ... he is a hoot. Get him started on hearing aids be prepared for 1/2 hour dissertation on batteries and where to get them.
TMB247 your dad says like a great man and father your a lucky man
TMB247 Awwe! !!! Beautiful Memories!!! Sounds like a super great dad! GOD Bless you both 😊😇
Lucky you.
One of my favorite things is to watch someone who is really good at what they do. It is so satisfying to watch the fluid, almost automatic, movements as they tackle a task. Doesn't matter what it is, from sports to construction to drawing, seeing someone do things right is fun and a great learning experience.
TMB247 you just described my 87 year old dad ... still doing projects around his house
Very cool. Thanks for the memory/reminders! My father was a machinist for the railroad after 30 yrs, WWII, Korea, and Nam, in the Army. Over the years, as I grew up helping him on projects around the house, he’d show me many of these tips and would start out by saying, “Let me show you a trick I learned in the Army.” 😆
I've been a self employed carpenter for over 25 years. I've always preferred and used Stanley tapes (perhaps now they should pay me, LOL!) I knew everything you mentioned other than the slide rule trick. Two things confirmed to me in the video. You know what you're talking about, and I don't know everything. Please keep 'em coming.
Nah mate you dont
Yup the slide rule is old school
You can also write measurements on a Stanley. Wipe them off with a lick of your finger. Ready for the next one
Plumb bob
The reason Stanley isn't paying you is because their tape measures have a no questions asked in store return policy. I've paid for 3 of them in my life, yet have received maybe 20 new ones.
When I was a kid, I wanted to help my dad out by fixing his tape measure. The tip was loose and I knew it couldn’t be accurate so I hammered the rivets tight. My dad was not happy.
It's funny, I've been bitching about the "loose tolerances" of my Pittsburg tape measure (the one he says isn't for real work). Turns out it does everything the Stanley does until he mentions extending it out past 7' to point at things. Mine collapses after 4'. Looks like a Stanley Tape measure will be on the list of "home office deductions" in 2020. ;)
YES!, I did exactly that too!
I did an equally good favor for my mom when I was little. She had one of those old black cast iron fry pans, not one of the shiny new non-stick ones. Well one day I got out the Comet cleaning powder and did my best to make her old black pan look shiny and new. For some reason she didn't appreciate my efforts.
That was very nice of little you. If my daughter is going to do this, I promise I'm going to be proud of her and then we'll go and buy two tapes. One for me, one for her. Because this 'fix' shows that the kid has understood the concept of accuracy.
I did that too...
It’s almost relaxing watching somebody who is an absolute master of their trade work.
You would be the best ever shop teacher in the history of mankind. Ever! Period! No question about it!
Confederate Rooster ... except for maybe my dad. 35 years as a shop teacher and still has all of his fingers. Retired from Flossmore junior high school Illinois. Paul Johnson
He might hate kids...you never know...
Those who can: do. Those who can't: teach
Obviously there are exceptions but I can't help but think of that phrase whenever I'm in a Home Depot and a store associate is giving me a how-to lesson on the product I just picked up.
@@mudmanKC We had a retired plumber at our HD for awhile. He was great.
@@mudmanKC
Right! F-ng A ! If those people were any good, they’d be out in the field !
( unless they are older, retired or injured. But for the most part they aren’t any of the above!)
I have a tip.. never measure between the posts on a car battery!
Also don’t measure above an outlet. Mine fell and slid between the outlet and plug, touched both prongs and had two arcs in it
Hilarious but yeah..
😂😂😂😂 You did that didn't you?
Oh alright - don't even use a rubber handled screwdriver to measure between the posts of the car battery (for comparative length, not absolute length measurement) thinking you're safe because inevitably your wedding band will touch the shaft causing the gold to arc and melt on your finger as if you had used a welding machine. There's an idiot born every minute, so I feel I served my purpose filling that quota!
@@infraprods I've welded my wedding ring to my finger. It happens so quickly. The problem is getting it off your finger. If your wife tells you how painful child birth is, you can tell her that giving birth's a mere cramp by comparison.
Hey, such a cool video! thank you! I have another tip! At 2:33 you've shown you can use it as straight edge. It's easy for rough cuts with numbers on top, but if you reverse the tape by having numbers at the bottom, both sides of the tape now sit tight with the surface of your material, so you can make more precise mark. Obviously you can't really use the hook anymore, but it works well for me if I don't need a hook and straight edge only. For precise long distance mark I'd use some other stiffer tool, but it's very efficient for quick, short marking.
I just made a comment saying the same thing...hahahaha...
Wonder if the man will see either this or my comment...
your videos are simple & to the point! Glad to see a gentleman that has been doing this for some time sharing the info. Thank you!!
When he pulled out his tape measure to measure his tape measure I almost lost it.
That was my reaction too!
Ya, how many Stanley’s can one man carry? Then I looked in my belt and there were two. Try as I might to always put ONE in the same place, I must have 4 or 5 or none
It was kind of like when Hank Hill used his small bottle of WD-40 that he carries on his belt to loosen the cap on the large can of WD-40😁
@@tmoney7152 my exact thought
Trick question: The FATMAX is the only one he should be carrying.
My pops taught me all ot these when I was around 19. Started working straight out of high school at 18. Been in construction for 8 years now and am one of the most knowledgeable workers all of my employers ever met. Thanks to the knowledge my dad taught me.
The tape subtraction is seriously new for me - seriously, that was a pretty cool life-hack!
This is why I love TH-cam. I'm 50 years old and just learned things I had no idea about.
I am 70 and still learning. Think how much you can still learn!
My first thought when I read this was "that's a pretty old geezer," then I remembered I'm older than that...
I know one thing for sure...
Youre a good man, thank you very much, we need more people like you.
I'm always amazed by how well many Americans can speak, this man is a perfect example. Clear concise and confident.
Where are you from?
@@omicrondec Irish name
Lol why is it amazing he can speak the language he spoke his whole life?
He was taught “old school”, not like these youngings.
Up yours
I wish that I had served my apprenticeship under someone like yourself...so much useful information in these videos.
Love your content, thank you!
I was unaware of the Stanley tape thingys. Now I am thanks to you, EC. I have never been strong with numbers and fractions so I purchased a Construction Master calculator to help me along with my home projects and other mathematical issues that arise at work. But I will be remembering these tricks!
When you make the straight line with tape turn upside down to give it a stronger edge to follow = a better line
Nice!
That was my thought too
Wouldn’t you smash the arch trying to keep the tape still?
I get it makes sense thanks
@@fearofchicke you just lick the tape and fold it over. Then the down facing part is a really good straight edge.
Another great video! Here's a trick... remove the sticker from the face of a Fat Max tape. Scuff the plastic with a piece of course sand paper. Now you always have a place to write a few measurements. Takes pencil marks really well. Just rub it with your thumb to erase.
Michael Garner I put a piece of wide brown tape on the face of my Fat Max tape to jot down a measurement. Peel it off and replace when it gets too dirty.
THE PLASTIC ANYWHERE ON THE TAPE CAN BE WRIGHTEN ON
Or just buy a Fast Cap tape measure if that’s such an important feature for you. All of them come standard with a writable surface.
@@bobvisser8689 but can it be written on?
You’ve quickly become my favorite channel. No frills no bull just unfiltered man. Appreciate it.
This is like listening to my dad. I learned a lot from a young age from him and he is the smartest man I know. You are an inspiration!
I'm a drywaller and part time framer and I never knew the first part you mentioned or the reason for the black triangles or overlaping the tape for double measure. Thanks for being a good teacher, something I missed telling my Dad.
Same. Hung rock for a decade back in the '80s, and off and on ever since. Never knew what the little diamonds were, or the "slide rule" trick. Wonderful video.
@@Lugnut64052 They are real popular with steel workers and laying out steel trusses and temporary scaffold systems for concrete forming. Basically they tend to show up being used in structural situations.
Once again, I thought I might learn a tip from one of your videos and instead walk away feeling like I’ve just been through a shop class. 👍🏻
Outstanding! You’re a blessing to craftsmen and handy people everywhere.
This is a pretty common trick, but I don't think anyone has mentioned it here yet... If you dropped something metal (ferrous) in a hard-to-reach spot, you can put a little magnet on the clip on the end of your tape and extend the tape down into that tight spot for the magnet to grab the small object (nail, or small bolt, etc.) Maybe not necessarily a "carpentry" trick for a tape, but can come in handy in lots of situations. I've done the ame thing with doubled-up masking tape stuck to the clip of my tape, which only works if the opbject you're trying to reach is very light. I enjoy your videos. Thanks.
Steve Makes Stuff they make tapes with magnetic ends
Tyler Lizeé which are great for hanging drop ceiling track.
My tape already has a magnet on the end and ive definitely used it as a grabber before haha
The Stanley Have Them
FATMAX Tape Measure
With The Magnet On It.
I have used the magnet on my Milwaukee tape to pick up dropped joist hangers when standing on a plank....
This was really cool. Thank you.
Oh man, I’ve watched quite a few of ur videos,I absolutely love them!!!❤️❤️
@@gijokers6014 crawler
This is like a 4th wall break.
@@YorkshireD1 loser
but does the tape measure scratch at a level 6 with deeper groves at a level 7?
Awesome! A lot of things my Dad never had a chance to show me, or tried when I was too young and distracted. Thank you sir!
Tape tip - lumber yards and hardware stores often carry Formica discs with a sticky back to put over the logo on the Stanley tape. They're super handy for writing measurements on when cutting multiple pieces and the pencil marks will wipe off when you're done.
Tom K Cool idea. I just take the sticker off my Fat Max and the pencil marks really rub off.
Tom K
The FastCap "ProCarpenter" tape measures come with a built-in white, round area like this on one side, and a pencil sharpener built-in to one corner.
And the tape itself is a pure WHITE with high-contrast Black markations. Great for working in low light environments and/or for poor eyesight.
You'll find the same 16" & 24" O-C and other indications like the Stanley in easily-visable Bold Black or Red.
The markations for 16th's of an inch (along the entire tape) have numbered labels notating 3-, 5-, 7-, -9, 11-, & 13/16ths. Fast AND Easy to ACCURATELY find your mark! Of course, the opposing side of the tape is Metric with corresponding markations.
They also have an Intermittent Tape Lock Button on the body just under and behind the hook...so as soon as you extend the tape and simply set the body down on your working stock, the tape lock button is temporarily depressed and keeps the body & tape in place while you make your mark.
You can also use your index finger where it naturally rests when holding the body to temporarily engage this tape lock. Simply lift your finger and the tape is released. Though it also has the standard slide lock if you're old school.
FastCap also makes a "Flat Tape" version for better accuracy on finish carpentry or cabinetry, etc. They also make a "Lefty/Righty", and have a few other different versions for specialty trades.
LOVE the FastCap tape measures! Once you try one you won't go back to the old Stanley. www.fastcap.com/products/tape-measures
The other tape measure that I LOVE especially for metal work (but comes in handy on regular construction sites when dealing with the mechanicals of a house or commercial building) is the Stanley FatMax with the Magnetic Hook!
And the small, simple Bosch Laser Measures are super handy as well, especially when you cannot physically reach or access the far end of the area you need to measure.
The explanation of why the tip of a Stanley tape is not fixed in place makes perfect sense when you explain it.
Thanks, and I always learn something new and very useful from all of your posts.
Keep that tip accurate by not allowing it to slam into the case when rewinding. Catch it on your forefinger and ease it in.
Not just Stanley - all steel tapes have the loose rivet tip
Great video, check out that bottom slot on your tool belts tape pouch - you can pull the end of the tape out and measure with the tape remaining in the pouch for some measuring tasks. You keep it in the pouch pull, mark, and let it go back on it's own while you're getting ready to make the cut.
Nice video & tips! One cool tip that you didn't share is this: if you want to divide something into equal parts, let's say you have a board that is 14 3/4 wide, and you want to divide it into 4 pieces, just hold the tape diagonally to a number that is easily divided like 20, then mark off 5, 10, 15 and so on...
had to read that a couple times, thats awesome
I don't get it!
i you want a 19 inch board cut into 4 equal parts, tilte the tape measure until it measures 20 inches then mark it, basically you dont have to measure straight across, measure on an angle
Crap sounds like a handy tip but I don't get it. :/ mind making a short video??
JIP Look up Jimmy Diresta's video on tape measure tips. He covers it there.
As a plumber I use the locking mechanism quite often, we use our tapes as temporary pipe supports while we sweat a joint.
1st thing I do with my beloved Stanly tape is take off the belt clip... you really impress architects and owners when you don’t have a belt on and a measurement question comes up and in the back pocket of your jeans where nobody has noticed it you whip out your thin silver 25 footer...
Started my carpentry career in Pacific NW... always have a bandana for wiping your tape and spare wool clothing in truck. ( wool stays warm when wet)
I know and have used for years some of your tricks... but you have taught me some new ones..!! Thank you. I love the learning aspect from building and savy tradesmen...! Cheers!
Also the end of the tape is a great Flathead for changing blades in your utility knife.
Tip: Don’t loan out your tape and it’ll last for years.
That goes for ALL your tools for that matter !
Scott Clark King Solomon could not have said it any better himself! You, Sir, have wisdom. A+++++
@@catlady8324 thanks Karl , I have tools that I got 30 years ago and you just can't go out and grab the same thing off the shelf these days . Recently found this out the hard way . Cheers mate !
From my experience it often goes missing at that point. For this reason I like to keep one in each bag and one in my truck in addition to the one that I have clipped to my jeans pocket. A small one is even attached to my truck keys. I often leave a tape at the saw that I am using too. Even if it returns you are not losing vital time at a customer's house looking for it. My wife has asked many times why I own so many tape measures. I have never questioned her on how many shoes or clothes that she owns.
Tools grow legs
You missed one of the really important tape uses. A few decades ago, I saw a block layer who was using his Stanley Tape to inspect the inside of a block core. When I get a new tape, the first thing I do is remove the round label on the front. It makes a great mirror for a long time, then a satisfactory one after that. When you need to look behind, inside or around an object it is very handy. Best of all, it is there for you all of the time.
Two pipe fitters were trying to measure the height of a flag pole but their tape measure kept bending over. A carpenter walks up and pulls the pole out of the ground and lays it down. She then pulls out her Stanley tape measure and determines that the pole is 16 feet. One pipe fitter turns to the other and says, "That's just like a carpenter, we want the height and she gives us the width."
This made my day this is the funniest thing I read in weeks. I'll steal it.
Steve Golden 😊
Very funny!
Classic HAHAHA
Donald Fugitt as a carpenter in training... I have to admit... I don’t get it...
Make your fun below...
Waaay back in '72 when I started in the trades doing residential remodeling in the city, I was the new guy working with my Italian boss. In the old days, there used to be guys driving around selling tools out of the trunks of their cars. Who knows whether they were hot, but they were pretty much always bad.
Boss knew that but one day fell for a bunch of tapes that sure looked like Stanleys.
Yeah, well, he was using the new trunk one and I was cutting for him with my old Stanley By mid-afternoon he was practically cussing at me- I'd gone from being the best cutter he'd ever had to being a total nincompoop.
Right up until the light went on and he grabbed both tapes, hooked them and ran them out. By ten feet, the discrepancy was well over 3/8".
Lesson: Everybody on the site doing critical work uses the same brand and kind of tape, and yes, you will want to check them against one another if you notice something's not going right.
EC, thanks for the vids. I've been retired from the trade for eight years now but still can't bear being more than a few feet from a Stanley tape and a pencil.
I take a measuring device of my own to the store with me to measure the ones there before I will purchase a new one. . . And my wife is more crazy about it than I!
CRAP...now I have to run out to the garage and compare my new Milwaukee tape against my Stanleys. Hopefully, even ChYna can't screw that up.
Totally true. Some of the kobalt and craftsman (even lufkin) tapes increase in error the farther your measuring. Fat Max 30’ only.
Side note: The PNW is hell on tapes but, specifically working on the Oregon Coast most winters has taught me to always keep at least 2 spare tapes in the truck at all times. The salt air, rain, mud, sand, etc. just kills them. Now if I could just find a chalk line that was waterproof…
This works especially well with the Fat Max tapes - pull the label off the side/face of the tape, clean the glue off, and you've got a great surface to write down the measurement you just took. You won't have to search around for a scrap of wood, and it erases easily with a thumb...no more trying to remember measurements, because a dull pencil is better than a sharp mind 👍🏼
Nice
Ya just get a black thumb 😂
@@JeffMTX Ah, what the hell? Ya gotta wash your hands before you go home anyway.
I've been working in construction for a few years now and I thought I knew how to use a tape measure until I saw this video. This is freaking awesome!
Had a neighbor ask me why I carried around a tape measure all the time, told him so that I would know how long to stay! 😎
Thanks for sharing and take care.
Ken Gamble HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA
yeah and let me guess you took a ruler to bed to see how long you slept
Ken Gamble
Funny : )
Ken Gamble
hahaha, my favorite is telling the guy at home depot I need 6 2x12's, when he says how long I say, pretty long time, I'm building a deck....
C. S.
Yeah, pulled that one also but I replied with : I'd like to buy them, not rent! Poor guy had no sense of humor! 😎
I'm not a pro but love carpentry - rough, finish, cabinet, woodworking, and marine. I have learned so much sinceWoodworking, the EC channel last year. Even the simplest topic has something new for me as well as fortifying what I already (thought I) knew. The slide rule trick in this video made me smile uncontrollably. Mr. Wadsworth is my go-to authority In my continuing build/remodel education. His straightforward teaching, friendly demeanor, philosophy of quality, ethics, and integrity, and exceptionally wide experience truly set him apart in this field.
Who has used it to fish for your speed square that fell
Unfortunately I have lol
Used it to retrieve a level a few times also. It's a little tricky because it has to be basically hooked backwards to work
I know the answer to that, everyone who has owned a speed square.
Lol sure have
I saw you fall 😷
Here is my tip - if you are using 2 different tape measures make sure they read the same. My father and I almost got into a fight one day when he was up off the ground framing a window or something and I was on the ground making cuts - both using our own tapes. It took way too long (and a lot of swearing) to figure out the tip of his tape was bent and that's why every cut was off ~ 3/16".
A buddy of mine's company decided to buy meter sticks from china with the company logo on them. Good they all received them at the same time, considering they were off by 4mm/.15".
stapleboss that’s been my problem with my dad all these years haha 😆
I've been watching EC for years. Somewhere just before the spec house series started. I recently started a mechatronics course at the local community college, and this video was recommended in week two my Basic Measurement Tools course. I've seen this video already being a fan of the program, but now I'm getting credit to watch it again. Love EC. Such a class act, these folks. Thanks for the wonderful, ongoing education and entertainment.
im only in my 2nd year of construction so far i have done foundation concrete frameing and some finishing...im not the brightest bulb in the bunch when it comes to numbers but this channel and this video has helped me alot i use it like homework after work i come home and study this channel and some others you guys do a amazing job at summing up stratagies and simplyfying the process for folks like me thanks and plz keep em coming!
Yes here’s a tape tip!
Look on the bottom of your tape and you will see a length measure of the housing. Usually something like 3-1/4”. If you are measuring between walls you can run the back of the tape housing against the wall, read the number at the tongue, and add that housing length to get the precise length. No need to fold the tape up against the wall and try to read the corner.
Im 38 years old. Been working with tapes a long time that folding it trick to find your number is absolutely amazing. Thank you so much.
The time saved using your tape measure as a gauge, can be spent removing the splinters.
Working hands has callus armor
Place youre thumbnail on the wood.. not the meaty part. Will slide easier and no splinters.
Lock the tape, run IT against the surface and not your fingers.
Weak
@@UNLenergy i was about to say it
When you said the measure could be used as a compass; my first thought was 'this measure must have a magnet in it and you're going to show us which way is North ;-))
D Brown you still could... On an open deck draw your circle on the ground then mark the direction of the shadow.... Checking the shadow an hour later as well as noting the direction the sun is would allow you to deduce approximate compass directions.
Well, AAMOF, it will show NORTH - with few exceptions:
Instead of driving the nail into the subfloor as in the demo, you drive it into a wall (sheathing, siding, stud - whatever's vertical), extend your tape about a foot and lock it, then hang it on the nail by the handy-dandy slot in the hook (as also shown) and then - VOILA! If you hold your map against the wall by that tape (very carefully) the tape will be indicating NORTH for you.
Like the red dot on the map at the mall saying "you are HERE" - HOW DOES IT KNOW????
MAGIC!
(don't say I never did anything for you)
OK - BMon - I'll come clean: the "few exceptions" disclaimer has to be there simply because not ALL maps are oriented with north straight up. Granted, such are relatively rare, but my suggestion simply would not work for those freakosaurs. Most of the time, though, hanging your tape on a nail as I'm suggesting will harness the overwhelming tug of gravity to indicate with accuracy sufficient for most porpoises, as if by magic, the direction of NORTH on your typical map, provided you are holding the map next to the tape in the "normal" orientation. This may simply be too challenging for some novice map-readers, but my fingers are just too fatigued now to type more disclaimers to cover any and all potential gotchas. You get what you pay for, I'm told.
A compass is a devise for showing a direction.
What he demonstrated was a "Pair of compasses". This is a device which can draw circles, among other things.
Well, technically (and grammatically) speaking, I respectfully disagree with your claim. A compass, whether intending the item for determining direction by means of the earth's magnetic field or the item for drawing arcs and circles, is a singular item and NOT requiring a pair thereof to perform its function. With a pair you might draw with each hand simultaneously, but that sort of duality was NOT demonstrated here. One tape measure performing the function of one compass.
The compass techniques just blew my mind! Oh and here's a tip, place your pointer gently under the blade of the tape when retracting it. It provides a form of friction and prevents the hook from hitting the access too hard, hence preventing the hook from being damaged. There are thumb locks and triggers for this but this trick always makes my work faster and saves time. Greetings from Papua New Guinea. Love your Channel!
Ive been looking to see if anyone else made comment on this retraction technique. It should be rule no. 1!
Also, compass...
1)lock the tape at desired radius
2)lay tape on side, with hook at nail
3)put pencil at point where tape returns (inside corner)
4)use slight outward pressure, to keep hook on nail, and scribe the circle/arc
Pro tip: you'll stop doing the finger friction trick the first time you're not paying attention and the edge of the tape lacerates your finger.
Or if a tiny piece of the tape is missing it becomes a serrated edge.
As a complete newbie and hack, most of this is WAY over my head but... dang! I didn't know how clueless I was. Thank you!! I think?
Just a couple of tips to add… If you drop it, CHECK IT ! Check that it didn't land toe down and bend the toe in. Might not be much but might be enough to cause a problem ! The other thing is looking up how to stretch leather using hot water and a former block. That way anyone can ease open the tape pocket of that nice expensive pouch belt that doesn't quite accommodate the tape of choice : ) Oh, and don't let that sucker run across your fingers as it's reeling in, I saw a joiner open up all four fingers once doing that ! : ( Very much enjoying the channel, thanks for all your time and efforts : )
John Smith Also, if you're working with a crew, make sure everyone's tapes are measuring the same.
Very true ! I'd be the one using Impetric : )
John Smith and if you start a project with a tape measure don't go changing it at the halfway mark
I consider myself an educated professional carpenter with 35/+ years of experience, but watching your videos and the way you deliver the information, I learn something from every one of them.
I just wanted to drop you a quick comment thanking you for sharing your knowledge with me/us.
Regards,
Tony
- Check a wall or post for plumb by hanging locked-off tape from your finger & holding at arms length.
- Tape a bent nail or copper wire to the hook end for retrieving things. The wire will straighten & release if it gets stuck.
- Use extended tape to hold out of reach items, i.e. push end of trim piece up to ceiling, or use your tape to push another's tape hook into position to get a measurement.
- Lower tape from ladder or scaffold to have needed item attached & pull it up.
- Minor drain cleaning & pipe inspection
- To find a mid point, measure the same distance from each end to get close, then find the mid point of the small remaining distance.
- Use a 6" or so block for inside dimensions, especially for baseboard. measure to the block & add 6".
- Mark the tape w/ Sharpie for repeat or saved dimensions.
- Measure to the moving tablesaw blade: hold hook to fence w/ tape a few inches in front of the blade & sight along the side of the saw blade while moving the fence to position. Polish the saw blade washers for better visibility.
- As a kid we used a piece of tape measure to cheat pay phones out of a call.
- Air guitar.
the tape only drops plumb in one direction. I keep a few duplex nails in my left front pocket. hold the tip and let duplex end dangle. hold on mark and let it slip out of fingers, keeping eyes at landing. load it up with a sharpie if better spot is needed. I mostly do this when doing all the underground work before any concrete is poured.
Jay Wood it's easier to find center using two tapes. measure from both ends and whatever measurement they intersect at is dead center
or... just divide by 2?
I like the sharpie one. I use that all the time. 1 1/2 Overhand on counter tops, and I use a 6ft tape to measure overhangs, due to the space between existing cabinet doors and countertops. I can barely see the lines, so I have a big black Sharpie spot by the 1 1/2 mark. White out pens also work great, easy to remove as well
Thank you for these videos! You are really helping educate creators and builders of the future.
It feels like the only way to learn these things now is by actually going into the trade as an apprentice or pay a lot for a tradeschool....
I miss my woodshop teacher from 8th grade. Haha
You are really doing a great service to humanity. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Love it when old boys share their knowledge. Hes probably forgotten more than ill ever learn. A true craftsman.
we used to sit on the floor at coffee time and occasionally the boss would have us play the "guess the length of the board" game .. he'd have one of us choose a "random" board in the corner and everyone guessed its length, then it was measured and verified by all .. I was SOO close many times but he ALWAYS won .. even if only by a 1/16 inch ? how could he do it ?
.
only when he retired years later did he confess that he had "insiders" (his oldest friends, not us apprentices) that measured the board BEFORE the game each day so he just smiled and messed with all of us ENDEARING us forever .. good ole Irv
I can actually look at anything and know the measurement, i just see it in my mind to the exact measurement, i descovered this ability in science class when i was in 7th grade, in first grade the teacher said no one could possibly draw a freehand perfect circle on the black board and when it was my turn i did and everyone laughed....anything is possible right....
He cheated.
When I was a teenager working in a tool and die shop my boss and I would estimate the distance between two needle holes in a sheet of paper, usually less than 6" apart. Using a 6" steel rule and an eye loop we would then measure the distance. It is amazing how after some experience one can make very accurate estimates.
It's also a pretty decent back scratcher! keep up the awesome videos.
One of my favorite uses.
That's what a rip-hammer's for
ALWAYS use a quality tape measure! My dad and I were using a matched pair of "Brand X" tapes. I would measure and call out, he would cut. By about the tenth re-cut, he had me climb down from the scaffold to 'teach' me how to read a rule. We found that our "matching" tapes differed by 1/8" once we got past 9 feet! They both became hold-downs for scrap papers in the trash cans and we dug out our FAT MAXs.
Regarding clips, I outfitted one FAT MAX with two clips - just the thing for easy clipping on the tape-bracket on my one nail pouch. It worked well!
A very enjoyable, informative and clearly explained segment. (as always)Thank you!
As far as using it as a straight edge (I use a fat max so it's a bit easier) flip the tape upside down it's more ridged
Me too brace right side with my ring finger as I mark
Flip it upside down it's more rigid. That's what she said.
Kelly Pennings ya, and the edge is right on the surface for marking
The thing my Dad taught me early on was to never let the tape snap back into the case too hard. It'll beat the slots out over time, changing the relationship of the hook to the scale.
Thank you I never considered this. I have young boys who love playing with my tapes. Now I wonder if they are all inaccurate. There's only one solution: get some new ones at the box store! Thank you and bless you. I needed this excuse.
Also I find that sometimes the tape will split at the edges creating a very sharp protrusion that will cut you badly if you allow the tape to speed back in!
@@michaellenorgant5079 All you need is three FatMax tapes: 12', 25', 40". Those three will handle all your measuring needs, and will last a homeowner for years if you keep the kids from using them for hockey pucks.
I appreciate how humble and chill you are! You remind me of my late friend and boss. He owned Bluewater sport fishing boats here in Florida and man he loved to spread the knowledge to the younger generation. You don't realize how much I would love to work hand and hand with someone like you. Thank you so much for these videos. God bless you.
You are crafty sir, I appreciate the tips and tricks. It is a pleasure watching you. Thank you.
When working with a partner, check the accuracy of your 2 tapes with each other. This can save on arguments if the tapes prove to be slightly different. Also, make sure the hook isn't bent from being dropped. This will really change the accuracy.
This just happened to mee last friday...I was measuring and the other was cutting...almost all ten first cuts came out long...Worst, THE BOSS WAS THERE...hehehehe, I saved the guys job by calling that detail of diferente tapes out...and, surelly enough, his tape was shorter than mine 1/16...
I am not a professional, but I build often. These videos have some awesome tips and most of them work just fine with us using the metric system. Thank you buddy!
I grew up right at the time where, here in Canada we switched over to Metric. I had learned from my dad and my uncles (who were all handy men) how to measure in imperial.
WHOA NELLY!!!! That was a sh1tload of fun for a while. Once it sets in how ever, it is undeniably a simpler system by a factor of ten....get it? Ten....(Metric is based on ten, ok funnier in my head)
Great vid. Thanks!!!
sarge27271 You were obviously your dad… That’s definitely dad humor
I'm a Red Seal carpenter, in Canada, and I have never, in my life , worked with a carpenter who used metric measurements. I started my apprenticeship in 1992, and imperial was all we used in trade school, and it's still used today.
To find the center of a long distance, say 118 inches, measure from one end 65 inches, then measure the same distance from the other end, then find the center between those two marks.
or you could you know....do math and mark it at 59
@@Boo-pz7li comes in handy if you can’t measure the whole distance at once but you can eyeball it
Love your channel. Been doing this 25 years on and off during masonry layoffs in south eastern Ontario. total around 10 -12 years when you add 4-5 years of formwork handsets on as a senior/ lead carpenter on the west coast. Great source to brush up on forgotten wisdom, and some cool new tricks. Thanks and Cheers.
On the ceiling of a church I had just joined there was a helium balloon 20' high. I asked the Pastor if he wanted me to remove it. "YES". I stuck a wad of masking tape , sticky side out, on the end of my 30' tape and got it on my first try... When the paychecks were getting handed out one Friday and I happened to be 2 scaffolds up, I locked the tape measure, dropped the chrome body down to him and had him clip the check into the pocket clip, and I retrieved it. Years later a similar situation happened with the office lady needing to give me an important envelope. I was one floor up on the balcony. I told her to clip it into the tape and as I was pulling the envelope up to me, near to my hand, I said, "YOU'VE GOT MAIL". We both had a good laugh... You probably already mentioned this one, but don't let you tape recoil at full speed and let your end clip slam against the case regularly. It will probably stress fracture it and cause it to break.... I always took my pocket knife and scratched my last name, WEST, on the upper left hand corner front and back. You had to manipulate it in the light to see my name. With everybody carrying Stanleys, many times over the years I could prove to someone else that I did not accidentally pick up their tape or other ownership questions.... Be careful after dropping your tape measure even from just waist high. If you bend that end clip and precision is important, you can be more than a 1/16th shy on a pulled measurement. Thank You!
David West nice points.
David West, Lord of Tape
Damn, good stuff.
Had to straighten the end clip more then once. Hook it over a concrete block or edge of a board and tap it with a hammer until square.
This man can start a fire with a tape
Why would there be thumbs down when this man is giving us knowledge? Smh
Because he's an old white guy
@Kenny dark2light 🤣
You will always find haters
Kenny dark2light I think you mean 30cm boobs, being a “metric guy”
Jealousy
I have watched to several videos to learn how to start making my own kitchen doors and more. Your high levels of carpentry and very easy understanding lessons means a lot to me.
I do thank you so much Sr.
And here i thought that my tape measure was defective because the hook wobbled !!!!!! Thanks for the tip as i was going to glue it in place !!!
Same here @Darryl Portelli. Great tip.
Hello Essential Craftsman,
One additional tape tip, and one bit of math.
Tape tip. NOT all tapes are the same,,,, even if you are comparing a Stanley 25' and a Stanley 25'. I ran a cabinet making operation for years, setting up for and manufacturing sometimes hundreds of identical cabinets. You never, ever, never use two tapes or trade tapes in the midst of an operation. The machine that prints the tapes is never quite the same, the hook slides just a tiny bit different. If you are going to use two tapes,,, stretch them side by side and find out if they are compatible because,,,, if you make two cabinet sides and they are just a tiny bit different,,, you are so gonna hate yourself. You either are going to burn a lift or two of particle board, or you are going to struggle on a too tight or too loose assembly.
Second. The real problem with the metric system is base ten is a terrible base. We have ten fingers so we grab a hold of base ten,,, but base ten is a real bugger,,, you almost immediately begin dealing with 4 decimal places for your fractions. You can cut something in half,,,(.5) but that is where it ends. One/third (.333333,,,,) is an unreal number, as is two/thirds (.6666666,,). One/quarter requires that you already need fractions or decimal points (.25),,, 1/8 .125,, 5/16ths .3125. The real shame is,,, we don't have 6 fingers on each hand,,,, Because base twelve is easier to halve (.6), quarter (.3), third (.4), sixth (.2), twelfth (.1),,, even 1/5 (.24) in base twelve is fairly simple,,, the toughest one is 1/7 in base twelve,,, and even that resolves with little difficulty... Base twelve has been used for many things and for a long time,,, 360 degrees in a circle IS base twelve. And the reason navigation is done with 360 degrees is so you can shout and name a compass direction in a howling gale. It cannot be done in base ten. "Mr. Penny, steer a heading of Southeast, by a half south." The classic compass rose was 32 points,, and 19th century roses were often using 64 points, and 20th century 128 points... Each point has a name.. There will be no such thing as a framing square in metric. The very existence of a framing square is based upon NOT having to calculate anything. I don't calculate anything, neither do you. Just step off a framing square and cut. Hips and valleys in metric require a calculator.
Base twelve is why we have 360 degrees, 24 hour days,,,, it is easy to divide into parts. In a '10' hour day there is no whole number at the quarter hours,, there is whole no number at 1/3 of an hour,,, Same with a compass,,, it just does not halve. quarter, third easily in base ten.
That IS why we have a blended system,,, we have ten fingers to count on,,, but ten does not cut into pieces well or easily,,, so we used 12,, because it is easy to calculate ,, and ten for everything else. It IS actually a more advanced measurement system than metric. Metric IS what we used 10 thousand years ago. The Egyptians and the Greeks saw that with base 12,,, you did not need a calculator,,, and the earth takes 'about 360' days (365.256 days) to go around the sun. The 2 numbers were too close to ignore,,, 360 was adopted.
Daggum that was an inspiring explanation. Beautiful.
What the heck, might as well give a little math history lesson.
You do have six things to count on your hands. Actually you have 12. On each.
Look down at your open hand palm size up. Put your four fingers together and curl them in a little. You now have 12 bits of skin to count off. Perfect if you just need to count sheep.
Shepherds counting sheep was one of the first things we counted as humans, and that's how they did it. No numbers required. And that's why number systems started off with base 12.
Metric is better though, your car goes much faster.
I'm 56 years old. been in the game all my life and I've NEVER heard a better reason for the base 12 system. Well said. I'm glad I tuned in for this one.
This kind of thing is why I read the comments. Thank you sir. Very good info. God bless and carry on!
Michael Quinn / dammit. I did something wrong. I've counted a hundred times and keep coming up with 14 "bits of skin"!?!
On a side note, the first time I came across a legit metric tape... mind blown. I quit.
I'm glad I can come to this channel whenever I forget these sorts of tips that my dad taught me years ago.
Great video! Some days I miss getting out there and framing. I loved figuring out rafters and studs for dormers with math. I nearly failed math class in high school, but when I figured out how helpful it can be, it became really fun!
Carpentry and woodworking make me wish I had paid more attention to math in grade and high school, especially the latter. Plane geometry was a mystery to me in high school and I now find my very limited knowledge of it helpful with woodworking.
Never seen the slide rule trick before. That's a game changer for me. I've had the imperial vs metric argument with Europeans countless times and while the engineering advantage of metric is clear, I firmly believe that imperial is superior for the builder. It's more intuitive to the human scale. The average finger segment is often an inch allowing quick estimations. The hand, cubit and fathom are multiplication and divisions of each other. The inch scale divides itself down to 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, etc. beautifully. Lets not forget the foot, yard etc. Who doesn't pace off distances with reasonable accuracy. I use these all the time. Can't do that with metric so easily. The only time I need to divide by ten is when I invited two too many people to a pie eating party.
Base 12 is also very handy when you need to divide into thirds, not so easy with base 10 math. Most architectural plans use the 1/4 in = 1 foot scale which is very easy to use in the field
Don't get me wrong, the base ten metric system is "easier" and quicker on a number of basic kinds of levels...
BUT mostly, those involve DIGITAL design, engineering, and places where the materials, scenes, and measurements can be utterly arbitrary... "virtual space".
The ages old so-called "Imperial" set of inches and feet, however, convert almost instantly to the very analogue "real world" without a bunch of hooey... As you pointed out, these were implemented from older school measures and "rules of thumb"... which is exactly where an inch came from. (and has NOTHING to do with the size of stick you're allowed to hit your wife with... if you've heard that, it's a myth.)
In my experience, regardless of the "school of thought" behind the measurement system of choice, at least half the time you measure anything, you're going to land a measurement "on the half" or in some other fraction, somewhere in that empty space between marks.
Metric doesn't have a "half-millimeter"... or a "half centimeter" for the matter. BUT we "ass backward" folks with the old "obsolete" system, can cut anything in half... half inch? no problem. Half that? a quarter. Half again? eighth. Keep carving? Sixteenth... thirty second... sixty forth... hundred-twenty-eighth... and yes, we even have vernier calipers that CAN read smaller than that. They're expensive as hell and hard to find... but they'll do the job.
Good luck measuring something with ONE instrument in your shop on the metric scale... where you have to get as large as a foot (so 0 - 305mm scale) BUT you also require precision to the thousandth of a millimeter!
My best vernier will handle it... cost about fifty bucks, and I only got it from an estate sale years ago, because it was "too weird for me not to have it"... (lolz). BUT, test after test, it holds TRUE... "dead on balls" true... ;o)
I CAN pace distances accurately. I'm tall and my stride is exactly 1 metre. :)
I worked at Stanley for 45 years, 28 in hardware and 17 in the tape rule plant. Great company and thanks for helping people understand how to use a tape.
Are they still making them (fat max) since craftsman took over at Lowe's?
@@sssam80 the chrome tape is the powerlock and those are still made in New Britain as well as the FatMax tape. Stanley Black & Decker owns Craftsman and gave it to Lowes as an exclusive
For beginning apprentices and even to some that might not know it, if your doing precise measurements you can use the bottom of most tape measures, such as the fat max, to erase your mark and make another. *NOTE* it will wear the bottom out so I do not recommend doing often but every once in awhile if you happen to mark 3/16” instead of a 1/4” you can correct your mark.
I love this channel, it's bout the only place a lot of people can get the tricks that only the old tradesmen know, kudos to you for putting in the effort to share it with the masses
A friend taught me how to half fractions quickly it's useful. Half of 3/4 is 3/8 so the quick part is just double the four to get eight and leave the three alone, or double the bottom of the fraction leave the top alone. More examples half of 1/2 is 1/4 , half of 11/16 is 11/32 etc etc. Hope it helps and thanks for all the content!!
thanks🤙
I really fell in love with my Milwaukee magnetic tape. Has all the features shown here with the added feature of a finger brake on the bottom to easily control tape retraction, numbers on both sides of the tape, hooks on both sides of the tape, and a belt hook that is so much easier to use. All about personal preference though. Using what you are familiar with is key.
Shain Andrews I found with that particular tape that it doesn't stand on its own to well, wish the hook wasent so large either. Great tape aside from those flaws.
I hear ya. All personal preference. I think I can get it to stand out about 9', maybe more? Hell I don't know! I rarely ever need that much stand out. I hear guys comment on the hook size frequently. I could see that being an issue for some. Tools are personal, if they weren't they would all be the same.
Shain Andrews use mine Friday to pick up my hammer off the ground 12 feet below me brought it up slowly but it lifted a 20 oz and I didn't have to climb down the ladder
A friend who I'd hired to help me build a shop got tired of watching me put up with the junky HF tape measure I was using (my Stanley had broken & I hadn't gotten around to getting a new one). So he bought a 2-pack of that Milwaukee and gave one to me. I LOVE it! Now I don't like downgrading to using others when I don't have that one with me. :)
The tape works good to measure out the 3' personal space rule! If your co-worker is invading your space, just pull out the tape and measure 3' and remind them to back up!
+homebrew40 Just make sure you adjust it to 3 inches in Japan.
homebrew40 😂
homebrew40 I just rip a big ol fart if they get too close
ragingrevenge1 I wish I could fart at will.
That scheme’ll make you real popular at work.
Great video and it added incite to my childhood. My Grandfather was a carpenter and when he was working he told us to just watch and learn (no questions). When he worked it was all about production and efficiency, questions slowed him down while he was working. Plus his English was not the best and my Greek was not the best, so complicated questions were..let's say complicated. I learned from watching and paying attention to him. The tips you explained filled some of the blanks of watching him work. Cheers and thanks!
Formulas, conversion tables, fraction to decimal equivalents, nail sizes, number of nails per pound, ALL found on the back of my 12' Stanley Powerlock 2 #33-312, MADE IN THE USA
I keep a 6 ft / 2 m Milwaukee mini tape on my keys. Unbelievably useful to always have a tape with you, and the dual units makes quick engineering calculations really easy.
I also have a 2m tape measure on my key ring. Stanley FatMax, but mine is metric only.
F milwaukeee
I am 45 yrs old, and only learned how to read a tape measure in 2018. Everything that he covered in this video was new information to me.
My favorite tape measure "trick" is that the exact length of the tape measure housing is usually listed on the side, near the bottom. That way you can measure the length of a room by butting it against a wall and adding the known length!
Good for measuring inside a box or something too.
Maximus truuuuuue
Great for inside window measurements, any inside measurement. My 25' fatmax doesn't say on it so I measured it and wrote it on there myself. Great videos
Or you can just use a laser measure
I once had a tape (Kreg I think) that had both measurements (with and without case) on the face of the tape.
Must be somewhere in the comments, but you can use the tape measure as a wire catcher. If you have a hole in your wall and need te catch a wire or something Just fold you tape measure and put it in the hole. The tape measure will fill the hole and you can drop the wire from above. Retract your tape measure and it will catch the wire.
This is the smartest thing ive read all day.
Thanks!
Very nice and unique use, one I will definitely be using
Very nice and unique use, one I will definitely be using
also use it to get to things that fall into wall or concrete block cavities ..
you "go fishing" for dropped item and many times add a piece of wire hook or duct tape or ?
even pulling another tool off of an angled roof or from 10 feet away and up .. or while kneeling on a floor and TOO tired to stand up and take 3 steps so drag it over ;^))
Excellent!!! The slide rule was the BEST, thanks in Oregon
Kind of morbid, but I worked with an older machinist who used to pull out a tape and show me my age and his age in inches and what he perceived as our projected life span. It always put a philosophical bent on the conversation during break time.
Mike Am I used to have the same discussions with my uncle u used to point out are stuff u so in life and how long it took in comparison to your life I guess he was trying to show me that school or a certificate or something doesn’t take that long to have a happy long life afterwards even if u think the task took really long