Cheap but okay tape measure… in bulk maybe?

[Gaogier]

Hello

I am a fan of “equip” (home bargains) tape measures, I have brought many but seem to loose them, I think I have brought around 10 5 meters and maybe 5+ 3 meters.

I have lost them all over the house, in the car, doing some woodwork, but I also live at home with my mum, who is amazing at this sort of stuff, she was a school caretaker, site manager, janitor, foreman… etc but she is like me too, we loose things so easily. We find them weeks later but the ones that are left outside are completely destroyed by the elements.

So, I am after some tape measures that I can keep all over the house, the shed and my mini work area. I am after cheap as possible easy to read, maybe 10x5m and 5x3m

Thank you

 

[Wayners]

Ox tape measure 3m is £3 on Amazon at the moment.
I like them.
Use a long lanyard ( can make one) and tie tape measure to your belt.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Having had the same Stanley tape for years and never managed to lose it, a few months back I bought one with a pencil sharpener on it (bloody handy for me), obviously you can guess which one I've now lost.

 

[cdbe]

I managed to get these from Amazon for £14.75 in 2019, some kind of pricing error:

I've still got some, they turn up - in the car, in the kitchen, in the loft, rusted away in the garden etc!

 

[CBW]

Maybe a high visibility tape measure? https://www.tooltime.co.uk/products...MIytHll9GoggMVWMftCh0j3gTJEAQYJSABEgJ_N_D_BwE

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Nutjob will be along soon to recommend some rubbish from China at 10p delivered.

 

[foxhole]

Stick one of these on your tape then you can’t loose it.

 

[Notch7]

Hello

I am a fan of “equip” (home bargains) tape measures, I have brought many but seem to loose them, I think I have brought around 10 5 meters and maybe 5+ 3 meters.

I have lost them all over the house, in the car, doing some woodwork, but I also live at home with my mum, who is amazing at this sort of stuff, she was a school caretaker, site manager, janitor, foreman… etc but she is like me too, we loose things so easily. We find them weeks later but the ones that are left outside are completely destroyed by the elements.

So, I am after some tape measures that I can keep all over the house, the shed and my mini work area. I am after cheap as possible easy to read, maybe 10x5m and 5x3m

Thank you

Buy a decent tape measure and train yourself to not lose stuff

I actually struggle with not losing stuff, prob a dyslexia thing, but since I do site carpentry for work currently I force myself to not lose my tape measures.

 

[robinbanks]

Better off buying Tiles in bulk and fitting them to the stuff you don't want to lose. I can't imagine your tape measures are the only things you put down..

 

[^woody^]

Sorted.

 

[Gaogier]

It’s something I do often, I simply measure something, ready to say cut down, I will put the tape measure down somewhere “safe” and “convenient” I do the said cutting, then my brain can’t remember where I put the stupid thing. So I grab another, use that, same thing happens.

Now, I am disabled, I try and do stuff but pain just won’t let me, so I take morphine, it allows me to do do a couple hours here, a couple hours a few days later. However, morphine with a combination of tiredness, makes me either completely forgetful and gone into complete scramble mode. A couple years ago, I couldn’t work out how to fill a kettle at my sisters house, her kettle had to be tilted slightly to fill. Or it makes my head crystal clear, and I just won’t stop, whether that’s typing… talking, playing games or doing DIY…. Until, I completely crash and just unable to carry on with anything or I pass out completely.

It is this situation where I can’t carry on, I have no choice but close up my shed, and come back to it a week or so later… sometimes sooner but mostly at least a week later. I make sure everything electrical has been put away, but I do tend to leave (as I physically can’t do more) items out like screws, drill bits, tape measures that I can’t find… etc

This is where I have the cheap but I find easy to use equip brand tape measures to be used for all the preparation work, then I can keep these indoors, but I need something that’s easy enough to use, but cheap enough I don’t care if they get waterlogged (our current weather) if left outside.


My biggest loss of an item that one would use is a pencil. I have brought nearly 700 pencils this year, and have about 40 left.


I am not sure if this is an autism thing, dyslexia thing, a heavy medicated thing ADHD thing… etc

I could be doing something simple like put flat pack furniture up for family, I won’t move from a spot, put the item up, I would loose my screwdriver, hammer etc even though I am right on top of the said item… I have to be as I haven’t moved.


Thank you for the suggestions so far though…

 

[^woody^]

Try one of those retractable key holders that clip onto a belt loop or suchlike.

Or the modern thing would be a bluetooth airtag

 

[Diver Fred]

But yourself a pair or two of the work trousers with holster pockets! Always put the tape measure back in that pocket.

 

[scbk]

I bought a box of 12 cheap tape measures off amazon for rough outside work

You can also get tape measures in poundland, probably not a pound anymore


Bare in mind cheap tape measure are usually cr@p. Flimsy, rough to hold, probably not accurate either.
Buy a couple of good ones and look after them.

 

[robinbanks]

probably not accurate either

Doesn't matter; they could even have the markings at random intervals completely unrelated to any world measuring system, so long as you use the same tape to measure the gap and measure the wood for cutting to go in it..

..but yes, it's nice to have a quality tape that has a good curvature so it'll self support as you reach it over a 4 metre gap, magnets on the hook, a screw cutout, and a decent return spring