The Holy Grail of Tape Measure Tips!!! 

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You need to teach a class to the building trades. A wonderful video for an apprentice!

Loved these tips. Especially the measuring the center of a wall

I love your videos, I have been a flooring/ trim carpenter for 33 years. I don't usually learn anything dramatically new from your videos most of the things I do about the same way that you do, but I have learned a couple of different ways to do things and I'm always trying to learn something new so I can be better, but I am OCD about my pencil marks and I only use a mechanical pencil. My pencil marks are always the same thickness every time and I never have to sharpen my pencil... thanks for spending your time to make these cool videos

Funny Carpenter, your video quality is pretty stellar.

Another excellent video. I always learn something useful. The soft pencil is a must and 2B is great on smooth surfaces. My favourite pencil is the Pica with its built in sharpener. Needle sharp! There are sharpeners for ordinary pencils such as the Karisma which give an excellent point. And, of course, the knife. I try not to mark walls. Instead, I stick a piece of low tack masking tape in roughly the right place and draw on that. You can drill through it and then peel off with no damage to the wall.

When I'm doing crown I use a measuring stick for any inside corner. I rip a piece scrap 3/4" stock to about 1 1/2" and cut one exactly 100 inches. and another 10". Then when I'm on a ladder and measuring rather than try to flex my tape into the corner, I put the stick in the corner and measure from the other direction, and just add 100" or 10" to my measurement. Those are just 2 nice easy additions to make in your head.

Great video packed with useful tips. Looking forward to your next review.

This channel is a gold mine.

Hey F.C. ! Hello from central NJ. A friend showed me the "+" or "-" method about 10 years ago. Definitely helps with accuracy. I'm in the process of a kitchen/ dining room renovation, and just started installing new baseboards. Your tip using the pieces of scrap trim works GREAT !! Quick, easy, and simple. THANK YOU ! And THANK YOU for the video on painting baseboards. LOTS of great pointers. Please keep up the outstanding videos ! Best to you and yours.

Yes! If you need a metric tape, you buy a full metric. If you need imperial, grab a full imperial. I can't stand using tapes with both units. Good tips! Also, if you haven't already, check out the Pica Pencil. I carry two in my pouch, one black lead and another white lead. The white one is especially good at marking darker prefinished material. I also carry a rOtring 600 mechanical pencil. So nice when doing trim. Other measuring tips I use: -If you're marking an outside corner that isn't 90 degrees, use the 1" mark on your tape on the outside of the corner to get a more accurate measurement. -If you need to measure arbitrary distances in the middle of a wall for example, I carry a few 18" nails snipped off a strip (2 together is stronger) and I drive them in on the one side I need to measure and either hook my tape on it or butt up to it -Always keep backup tapes in all your toolboxes and all over your home, just in case of emergency!

When retracting, I always slow down the tape just before the end and stop it with my finger. This way the rivets won’t loosen from constantly slamming into the box.

I love it when someone does something the way I do it..... the adding the plus has saved me so many times over the years lol

Thanks for the tips.

I'm a DIYer and usually cut mitres with the moulding standing up and looking over the blade to line it up with my mark. I end up cutting a number of kerf cuts to get the right length but It takes a lot of time and I'm not confident that my cut is accurate. #4 is a perfect tip and I will use it from now on. Thanks!!! I've subscribed and look forward to more videos.

Nice video i really enjoy it.

loving the videos, mate!

Nice tricks thanks!

This was AWESOME! Measuring tapes are my nemesis!! haha I wound up getting the Stanley fat one, too! Still kinks on me, but I will use your "middle of the wall" measuring tip from now on. Thank you!!!! Love your videos. :)

Already knew and use 4 out of the five, watched anyway and subbed because you obviously know your stuff.

Thank you for the pencil recommendation - ordered! I have a love/hate relationship with standard carpenters pencils and mostly resort to fine lead mechanical pencils but go through tons of lead since they are easy to break. Hoping these hold up better.

I like to "shoot from the hip". I'll have the tale clipped to my knife pouch and while holding the end of the tape in my left, I'll wrap the tape up from my hip over top of my right arm/elbow so I can hold a pencil with my right hand still.. I'm fully aware it can put some ware on the tape, but it's super useful.

Great review. For cabinetry my favourite tape has been the ProTape Center Point 16ft from LeeValley. It’s full exterior width is only 1-1/8” so it fits in my finishing pouch, weighs almost nothing and the lock mechanism has outlasted all the other finishing tapes I’ve tried like the Starett.

I have purchased dozens of tape measures. I currently know where one of them is.

Number 'B' pencils. I'll remember that 😉 Really useful videos, thank you!

I like the all orange Lufkin. When you work outside in all weather (framing) your tape gets beat up fast. Lufkins stand up well and when they’re done, they’re cheap to replace.

Knew all of these but that tip number 4 will change the way i do trim from now on.

Thanks!

Lee Valley sells a neat little clip that keeps those cheap tape measures from falling over while you’re trying to read the other end.

Great tips! Do you typically work in metric for cabinets? The one tip that you could add is the how to measure to a halfway point easily. You take your tape and the full width is say 111 7/16, instead of doing the math you bring your tape down diagonally until you hit a nice number like 112 then you just put your mark at 56 on this diagonal.

What belt pouch you use ? Looks handy, and i Think it is the same as the older videos? Holds up Nice

Good tips

I watch for the tips.....i stay for my spartan beard envy🙁

Stanley fat max here! I've also seen some new ones now that have pencil sharpeners. I may have to add one of those. BTW, you have a pretty legit collection started there!

Good tips, do you have a video on doing a hardware on cabinet doors and drawers?

Try some Swedish Hultafors variants even Festool rebrands them

Tip from a low volt guy who installs in ceiling speakers alot. Buy a tape measure for each purpose. Having a tape measure with markings on the underside is incredibly useful when you have to go off existing can lights. But for everyday I still use my standard fatmax

I'm way late to this, but I'm curious... have you ever done a cutting video where you explain how to cut accurately with a mitre saw, circular saw, etc.? I'm extremely proud of my ability to make accurate cuts, but I feel like there are almost certainly ways to be as consistent as I am in much less time.

I use my tape measure in place wit lots of other people using their tape measures. sometimes it is hard to tell which one is mine. The constant handling always rubs marks off. Pull your tape out two feet turn it over and put your name and number on the back. If someone finds it and claims it as their own You can be pretty sure that they won't find and erase the name and number you wrote on it.

What pencil sharpener do you like? (As I am thinking of leaving carpenter pencils and a good knife)

What pencil holder do you have. Can I buy that on Amazon? I’m always looking for my pencil. Great tips, especially the outside edge baseboard

What I relized a tape that’s good at tossing is the dewalt tape measures but a Stanley fat Max is my fav Milwaukee’s I’m not a fan of to flimsy when your up in the air trying to get a 7ft measurement an the thing just fails

#1.Avoid measuring the same thing multiple times. Cut a spacer, mark it out on a board, screw / clamp a block, have a "story" stick, (but be clear with your marks else it can be confusing!). #2. Measure diagonal to a nice number to divide. i.e. material s 275 mm wide, lean tape over to 300mm, mark at 150. Nothing new for The Funny Carpenter I am sure but just in-case it help anyone

My father taught me the last tip but he uses heavy and light if its 10 inches slightly passed its 10 heavy slightly under its 10 lite

Do you have a link for the tape measure?

They real tools behind you or wallpaper?

11:00 why don’t you just add or subtract material thickness instead of carrying around little scrap pieces? Tip 5: in the US we say 19heavy or light and would mark with a plus or minus…same thing just different vocabulary. Great vid man

Great video. Do you have a link for the clip on pencil holder that you showed with the how to carry a tape measure section?

doesn't that throwing break the tape quite fast?

Simple way to accurately measure. Use metric instead of imperial 😂👍

One tip I’ll share is to use your tape like a calculator. If you have a number and need to divide by two fold your tape in half and bring the end of your tape to the number. Look at the fold of the tape that is half. Or use it to add and subtract. If you need to add 35 to 70, fold the tape and put the 35 and 70 together. The end of your tape is at the number. If you need to subtract 35 from 70 run the end of your tape to 70. Whatever is across from 35 is your number. I’ve worked with lots of guys that struggle at math and this can help them out or I use it on those days where there’s not enough coffee in the world lol.

Framing: Feet and Inches. Finish carpentry: Millimeters.

11:40 That system is called.... metric

Awesome tips! By the way, we wear the same socks (that's how know your videos are good, jk)

Pro tip: Don’t forget to hold your mouth properly when making important measurements.

i do that too comment

First comment!

You forgot the most important tip: measure three times, cut twice.

*snap* 🤏🏽

❤️ Your Kiss System, Keep it Simple Stupid 😉

Letting the tape slam back in ruins the tape.

For the pencil tip did he mean just to the Right of 70? Left of 70 would be just after 69...it'll be too short

Thanks Dude... very grateful for you sharing your tips (I'm English, so use metric, but your tips cover the tool not the system so is handy for everyone... nice) 🔨📏😎