measuring accurately ...

[imamartian]

I do a fair bit of DIY, and i'd say working with timber is my favourite. however, my biggest problem is measuring... for example, measuring a door frame internally with a tape measure..... well the tape curves in the corner you want to measure... how can you get that accurate?


Also drawing a line on timber you want to cut... is fine, but do you cut through your line, or leave your pencil line, or cut halfway through it?


is this nonsense taught on woodworking courses?

 

[wotan]

Measuring door frames, you could use string, hold one end against frame
push string into corner, then measure length of string, do this at the top and bottom of frame, you then need to subtract the amount of gap you need around the door, not too small, as wood expands and contracts with humidity.

When cutting timber, leave the line visible, you can always plane down to the line, using either power or hand planes.

Wotan

 

[imamartian]

good answer, thanks

 

[thatbloke]

Always measure twice , cut once. A steel ruler can be quite handy sometimes.

 

[raebhoop]

I do a fair bit of DIY, and i'd say working with timber is my favourite. however, my biggest problem is measuring... for example, measuring a door frame internally with a tape measure..... well the tape curves in the corner you want to measure... how can you get that accurate?

Buy a tape where the body of the tape is a set measurement...butt this to the inside of the frame and add the measurement to the tape reading.

 

[Alarm]

Mark timber cut on waste side.
As said measure twice.

 

[cumbriahandyman]

For an internal door frame measure from the floor to about eye hight and make a mark. Then heasure from top of frame to the mark, add them together and you have an accurate measurement.

 

[Mw Roofline]

Even the good tape measures have a bit of play in the metal tab. Annoying!

 

[wreckedit]

What you can do is put 2 pieces of wood or plastic together that fit between the door frames. There are various ways of fixing the pieces together so you can transfer then to your work piece. Its important that the ends of the "gauge" are quite thin to rule out errors. Also check all your measuring tapes read the same because swapping measurements over to another tape during a job can introduce errors. Some manufactures of tapes don't give a f'k if you balls a job up.

 

[joe-90]

Even the good tape measures have a bit of play in the metal tab. Annoying!

Haven't you worked out why that is there yet? For heaven's sake.

 

[wreckedit]

Even the good tape measures have a bit of play in the metal tab. Annoying!

Haven't you worked out why that is there yet? For heaven's sake.

I must admit I find that waggally bit on the end of a tape measure bloody annoying.

 

[joe-90]

But do you know WHY it is like that?

 

[cumbriahandyman]

I must admit I find that waggally bit on the end of a tape measure bloody annoying.

That is designed to be like that, measuring internal and end to end. the movement duplicates the thickness of the end tab.

 

[wreckedit]

I must admit I find that waggally bit on the end of a tape measure bloody annoying.

That is designed to be like that, measuring internal and end to end. the movement duplicates the thickness of the end tab.

Well, if that had been explained to me 40years ago when I started my working life I wouldn't have made so many mistakes. I am truly grateful to you guys for your explanation.

 

[Alarm]

Blimey, its one of the first things I taught the apprentices in the metal workshop.
One of the first things taught when I first started using them.