Learned the hard way why you don't trust a tape measure from 1998

Picked up an old tape measure from a garage sale last month and used it for a set of kitchen cabinets. Every single cut was off by 3/16 of an inch because it had stretched over time. Has anyone else had a tape measure just give up on them mid-project?

3 comments

3 Comments

drews557d ago

Man that's rough but honestly I'm not even surprised. Tape measures stretch out over time, especially the really old ones made of that thin metal. I always check old tools against a ruler before I use them for anything important. 3/16 is actually a pretty big error for cabinets, that would drive me insane trying to fix it.

luna2617d ago

Actually, tape measures don't really stretch over time unless you're yanking on them super hard. The real problem with old ones is usually the hook end gets worn down or bent, which throws off your measurements way more than stretching would.

angela7287d ago

God yes, this. I had an old Stanley tape that was off by like 1/8 inch and I kept blaming my cuts. @drews55 is right on the money, the hook was just slightly bent and throwing everything off. I literally only figured it out when I measured the same board with three different tapes and got two different numbers. Drove me nuts for a week before I just tossed it and got a new one.