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All tape measures are not created equal

This article and video is about the subtle difference between the various professional tape measures.

The first thing to do is pull out the blade and look at the markings.There is one common brand of tape out there that deserves to go out of business because the division lines on the tape are all fairly long before they start changing length for the various fraction. You can not tell at a glance what the dimension is with this tape. Look for a tape where the smallest fraction line is no more than an 1/8″ long and increasing by at least 1/16″ each step up the fractional scale.

You want a quality blade with a slippery coating that prevents wear and makes it easy to slide in and out.

You need a blade with enough curve and stiffness to it, to hold the blade up as you extend it out unsuported. The further on the better. Milwaukee wins here at 9′, Stanley at 7′ 6″, Starrett at 6′ and Irwin at 9′.

The hook on the end of the tape needs to be large, making it easy to hook on to the material to be measured. The end of an Irwin tape I own is way too small, very annoying to use. The hook should be well fastened to the end of the blade 3 to 5 rivets. It should also be long enough so it doesn't flip up when you pull hard on it.

There needs to be a way to control the speed of the tape retracting and a easily operating locking button to stop the tape from retracting. For many you just hold your finger under the tape while retracting. I love the way Milwaukee has done it with that gap for your finger behind the nosing bar. With the finger control there the tape seems to fit your hand perfectly and it prevents the edge of the tape from running against you skin and possibly cutting your finger.

The side clip on the tape is a very important feature. I've always liked the Stanley clips. They are large enough and bend out at the bottom enough to easily clip on to your pant pocket.

Some of the tape cases have rubber corners to protect them from drops. A Nice feature as well.

My favorite tapes at the moment are the Milwaukee tapes.

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The video next page gives you a product review of these great tapes.

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