metric only tape measure recommendations

[^woody^]

Yeah, I noticed that there is a 5m version on his link.

You can cancel the Amazon order and then not have to worry about the 8%(?) plus 20% VAT (and handling charges).

It was only £10.75 all in. No extra charges

 

[opps]

It was only £10.75 all in. No extra charges

Fair play. Orders under a certain value don't have duties and additional taxes.

 

[kingandy2nd]

Now you lot have got me buying one too

5m Stanley from Screwfix for moi

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I believe they were joking.

I've probably spent too much time on American forums - places where the morons actually try to convert System 32 (i.e. the system that all mass-produced European kitchen and bedroom cabinets are laid out to, based on 32mm increments - so all the ironmongery is made to fit with that as is the machinery) to Imperial, and then wonder why it doesn't work. Dummies!

The tape I use for internal measurements is the Hultafors Talmeter:

Which in 2m and 3m versions has a neat trick of directly reading off the diameter of pipes when wrapped round them (see below). Very handy for pipe boxing and the like

For bigger stuff and angle calcs, etc I have a laser range finder

What on earth is the guy in the photo trying to measure?

Probably thin air! They are handy for getting a length when you need to measure across a void, though

 

[noseall]

B@ll@x! Said by someone who learned both and works measuring stuff all day long, every day. Metric is faster ane easier to use and less error prone. Imperial is a dead system and should be quietly laid to rest - along with the people who support it

Hear, hear!

 

[bernardgreen]

Big Brother, Little Brother and the one we don't talk about.

 

[Notch7]

I've probably spent too much time on American forums - places where the morons actually try to convert System 32 (i.e. the system that all mass-produced European kitchen and bedroom cabinets are laid out to, based on 32mm increments

There seem to be various ideas on the origins of the 32mm spacing.

I heard it originated from engineering, which was actually not quite 32mm as it was imperial.
Some say Hettich developed it, some say it was a post war idea to help rebuild Europe.


If the Americans stray from it, that seems surprising as all CNC point to point drilling machines and CNC routers have drilling heads which space the drills at 32mm.

 

[Notch7]

The tape I use for internal measurements

I might have to invest in one of those.

for internal measurements I tend to measure say 1 metre down, put a mark and then measure up to the mark. When working alone that can be easier than trying to hold a tape measure (it’s not so easy internally as you can’t pull the tape taught)



One great tip I’ve learnt for myself when measuring, say when starting from the 100mm mark for a super accurate measure, or say marking the mid point: as a double check quickly throw the tape and check it - I’ve seen so many people spend ages marking the exact mid point, only to discover it’s exactly 100mm or 200mm out…..

 

[opps]

Who on earth thought "let's sell a tape measure and bottle opener"?

https://its.co.uk/pd/Milwaukee-5m-T...nPFMfsDtPEGhidru1IeYRXTaF1KLB0JlhxecmJDA3jDlI

Whilst some people learned a foreign language or how to play the piano during lock down, I learned how to open bottles of beer with a plastic cigarette lighter.... I have not drunk out of a bottle since the lockdown(s) but I do carry a lighter in my rucksack (just in case).

 

[bernardgreen]

There seem to be various ideas on the origins of the 32mm spacing.

If it was based on 3.2mm then possibly it related to 1/8 inch as 3.2mm is the same as 0.1259 inches close enough to 1/8 inch

 

[opps]

I've probably spent too much time on American forums - places where the morons actually try to convert System 32 (i.e. the system that all mass-produced European kitchen and bedroom cabinets are laid out to, based on 32mm increments - so all the ironmongery is made to fit with that as is the machinery) to Imperial, and then wonder why it doesn't work. Dummies!

Don't mess with System 32 on your PC though.

https://www.howtogeek.com/346997/what-is-the-system32-directory-and-why-you-shouldnt-delete-it/

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Hard to believe someone thought they were serious quotes.

Then you've never worked with a cretin who insists on giving you measurements in Imperial and whose tape is only in inches. Thankfully they are a lot rarer now than 15 years ago, but they still exist here and there

 

[stuart45]

Who on earth thought "let's sell a tape measure and bottle opener"?

https://its.co.uk/pd/Milwaukee-5m-T...nPFMfsDtPEGhidru1IeYRXTaF1KLB0JlhxecmJDA3jDlI

Whilst some people learned a foreign language or how to play the piano during lock down, I learned how to open bottles of beer with a plastic cigarette lighter.... I have not drunk out of a bottle since the lockdown(s) but I do carry a lighter in my rucksack (just in case).

Anyone who has worked in Germany can open a bottle with a tape, trowel etc. First skill their apprentices learn.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

There seem to be various ideas on the origins of the 32mm spacing.

I heard it originated from engineering, which was actually not quite 32mm as it was imperial.

32mm was supposedly the smallest centre to centre pitch that you can get with a multi-spindle drills - only there are a few drills out there with 25mm centres these days

Some say Hettich developed it, some say it was a post war idea to help rebuild Europe.

The first booklet published on the subject, back in the 1960s was from Julius Blum ("Blum Pearls"), so a bit after the end of WWII. What is certain is that the Germans were ahead of the game when it came to using panel/sheet materials for the manufacture of furniture. And they were a metric nation.

If the Americans stray from it, that seems surprising as all CNC point to point drilling machines and CNC routers have drilling heads which space the drills at 32mm.

The thing about Yanks is that outside of engineering a lot of them still "don't do metric". Their loss

 

[^woody^]

Then you've never worked with a cretin who insists on giving you measurements in Imperial and whose tape is only in inches. Thankfully they are a lot rarer now than 15 years ago, but they still exist here and there

Lol.

What we have done in the past when using a metric/ imperial tape mainly on rafters, is give either depending on which side of the tape lay closest to the timber.

But even then it was confusing, saying something like 60 inches or 5ft, or like 72.5 inches instead of 72 and a half.

I've always been metric and more so decimal, and struggle with 1/8, 1/16 and 1/32. Even stones and lbs I don't really get, I just remember a kilo as a bag of sugar and everything is clear.