Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!
I don't usually get too excited about something as simple as a tape measure, but this one is different. A couple of months ago, I picked up a FastCap Flatback tape.
http://www.amazon.com/FastCap-Flatb...p/B00066YARM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448503702&sr=8-1&keywords=fastcap+flatback
You know the drill . . . you lock the tape down so you can roll the edge of the ,tape down to the wood with one hand and mark with the other. Then, the tape box topples over and off the edge of your workpiece. Or you hold the tape box in one hand and attempt to roll the edge of the tape down with and mark with the other "free" hand until the hook comes free and the tape goes zinging back into the box.
This tape has no cup in the blade at all. It lies flat on the workpiece so you don't have to roll it to get the edge down to the wood. The box has a fairly broad bottom so it doesn't topple over so easily. The tape is black on white and you can mark on it with a pencil, then erase it by rubbing with a moistened finger. Ready-made Story Pole! The fractions between inch marks are spelled out. Now I can read a tape. I read 5 and 13/16, not Five and a half plus Five little marks. But I find I make fewer mistakes when the marks are identified, especially when reading the tape upside down.
Much as I like it, this tape won't replace all your others. It has zero standout; it's limp as a wet noodle. So it's no good for reach-across or vertical measuring. It's not for inside measuring because the hook is rigidly attached and has no float.
I won't quite say it's transformed my woodworking experience, but it's certainly made it less frustrating and error-prone. Anytime I can do that for 8 Bucks, it's a good day.
I have no financial interest in FastCap. Your mileage may vary, etc., etc.
I don't usually get too excited about something as simple as a tape measure, but this one is different. A couple of months ago, I picked up a FastCap Flatback tape.
http://www.amazon.com/FastCap-Flatb...p/B00066YARM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448503702&sr=8-1&keywords=fastcap+flatback
You know the drill . . . you lock the tape down so you can roll the edge of the ,tape down to the wood with one hand and mark with the other. Then, the tape box topples over and off the edge of your workpiece. Or you hold the tape box in one hand and attempt to roll the edge of the tape down with and mark with the other "free" hand until the hook comes free and the tape goes zinging back into the box.
This tape has no cup in the blade at all. It lies flat on the workpiece so you don't have to roll it to get the edge down to the wood. The box has a fairly broad bottom so it doesn't topple over so easily. The tape is black on white and you can mark on it with a pencil, then erase it by rubbing with a moistened finger. Ready-made Story Pole! The fractions between inch marks are spelled out. Now I can read a tape. I read 5 and 13/16, not Five and a half plus Five little marks. But I find I make fewer mistakes when the marks are identified, especially when reading the tape upside down.
Much as I like it, this tape won't replace all your others. It has zero standout; it's limp as a wet noodle. So it's no good for reach-across or vertical measuring. It's not for inside measuring because the hook is rigidly attached and has no float.
I won't quite say it's transformed my woodworking experience, but it's certainly made it less frustrating and error-prone. Anytime I can do that for 8 Bucks, it's a good day.
I have no financial interest in FastCap. Your mileage may vary, etc., etc.
