What brand is your favorite tape measure?

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Princess Valiant

Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
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I think many don't think about it but it is a very important consideration.

I have put a lot of thought into it.

I have been loyal to my craftsman brand for years but the other day i used a Stanley fat max.

Felt pretty good and smooth and looks to be of good quality. I think it's made in USA too.

What do you guys use??
 
Stanley. Sold them for years. Actually decades.
 
They're all junk. When you use them everyday they all fall apart. Doesn't really seem to matter if they're $5 or $35.
 
Pascamp said:
They're all junk. When you use them everyday they all fall apart. Doesn't really seem to matter if they're $5 or $35.
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No....
Spend the money. I have used Stanley almost exclusively since 1986 when I started in construction. The Fat Max series is my go-to choice.
Now....Humidity may result in an early demise to those living in places where it is a concern. I know that in wet weather, the water on the tape blade builds up and makes it hard to retract. The water also serves to delaminate the mylar. Here in Ca, humidity is low.
 
I dont mind, as long as they dont start over at 12 inches
After 12, comes 13, not 1
Do they really think 4 foot 2 is easier to read or remember then 50 inches?
 
Whichever one I grab first. I got a set of 4 Husky tapes in varying sizes several years ago and have managed to keep up with them and they all still work well.
 
diymirage said:
I dont mind, as long as they dont start over at 12 inches
After 12, comes 13, not 1
Do they really think 4 foot 2 is easier to read or remember then 50 inches?
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I have a couple standard/metric combinations because I thought I needed them. I am old school and they are confusing especially because the standard just reads in inches. 3 ft. 3 in. is easier than 39" and I have to calculate it out.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Whichever one I grab first. I got a set of 4 Husky tapes in varying sizes several years ago and have managed to keep up with them and they all still work well.
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But you're kind of a husky guy! LOL
 
Fat max.

Cant stand the ones that have every 1/16th marked or the Milwaukee brand even tho all my cordless tools are Milwaukee. (I hate the big fat belt clip on them)

The scratch pads stick best to the Stanley fat max.



They will not stick to other brands and having a scratch pad on my tape is a must when doing high end trim work.

Also i need 20 foot of stick out to measure base.
 
Herea a pic of a fat max and a lever lock.

20190827_220052_zpszqoj2kjm.jpg



I tend to go through tapes a lot. Bought the lever lock and the scratch pad wouldn't stick. So i used bondo to flaten the face and stick a scratch pad on. It fell off, so i wrote on the bondo untill i found a good tape in my kit.

The second tape sat in my car in 115 degrees for two weeks (fat max) the scratch pad did slide down a bit but is still stuck on like leach on a famous person.
 
pishta said:
HF freebies, they all get lost or break eventually...but Im not a carpenter.
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Well i am and i can tell you ive had the same hammer for 20 years.

Ive changed the head out 3 times and replaced the handle 15 times...

Its still my favorite.

:poke::thumbsup::BangHead:
 
Komelon magnetic use it everyday multiple times. Use it for measuring steel tubes for hydraulics lasts me about a year, which is forever for a tape.
9EEEA79F-FB0C-4CC2-AD9F-8683BB87C2F7.jpeg
 
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I use Stanley everyday & they last years for me.

If I am working in the rain I'll use whichever one is in the worst shape though, rain is not good for them.
 
pishta said:
HF freebies, they all get lost or break eventually...but Im not a carpenter.
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Yep China Fright ones. For awhile they had em as the free coupon ones. Every time I went into that store I got one. Now I have 6 of em LoL. 3 of em are unopened. None of the ones I am using have broken, but if it does I have a spare freebie to put in its place. I keep one in the house tool kit, one in my shop, one in my junkyarding tool box. I was getting their free multimeters and now their free cob led magnetic lights. I did pass on the free screwdrivers though lol.
 
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Stanley here, I have some Tape measurers as old as me, I've been a Carpenter, custom cabinet maker most of my life.

Jeff
 
Pascamp said:
They're all junk. When you use them everyday they all fall apart. Doesn't really seem to matter if they're $5 or $35.
Click to expand...

The craftsman were warrantied for life yrs. back , I started w/ one my wife bought me , now have 3 --- works for me .
 
jeffnmo said:
Stanley here, I have some Tape measurers as old as me, I've been a Carpenter, custom cabinet maker most of my life.

Jeff
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I cant tell u how many of all brands I went thru as a plumber for 50ish yrs .
 
I used to use the craftsman ones simply because of their over the counter guarantee. I go through a lot of tape measures, but I’m using a Milwaukee right now because it was on sale in a 3 pack. I also have a few fat max tapes which I like. I alternate depending on what job I’m doing, I have an old Stanley with a small hook end for vinyl siding, to slip inside J channel. I hate the magnetic end of the Milwaukee framing tape. I also like to use the 16’ tapes for trim work, and 30’ tapes for framing.
 
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