fiberglass tape measures...

[Greg Parker]

I was doing the top floor of a condo building last week, using the fiberglass tape to measure the exterior of this sun room they had added with a roof top deeck attached. On one of the walls, the tape got stuck between the wall and their new deck. I tried to get it out with a pen... thats when things went horribly awry. The metal tip on the tape managed to grab hold of the barrel of the pen where the ink goes in, sliced the ink cartridge, getting ink all over my hands. While doing this, I wiped sweat off of my face and got ink on my face. Somehow, I got ink on my tie and all over the shirt I was wearing as well.

10 minutes later, I gave up in frustration, cut the end of the tape off with my pocket knife, and finished measuring with a 3 inch shorter tape.

The tip of the tape is still stuck in the asphalt of the roof, under their deck.

There has got to be a trick to using these tapes that I have yet to find.

 

[Chris Colston]

Including how we measured in the SOW

Great, now I have to modify my "canned" SOW AGAIN in order to describe the method I used to measure the subject.
Geesh...will it never end??!! :new_all_coholic: :new_rofl:

OH, BTW...anyone who is still paying attention, was that with or without shoes, in slacks or shorts? Must we also include our attire in the SOW?

Afterall the SOW is supposed to be what we did along with what we didn't do.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Sokkia 100' fiberglass tape with the appraiser's hook

Right you are Lysander. I would as soon use baling wire as anything else. Cheap Walmart tapes cost just as much in the long run. I have had 2 tapes in 15 years and simply bought the refill tape, I still carry the same reel. Further those awful pointy hooks gouge the poor sap on the dumb end of the tape, and you need someone on the dumb end because only the SOkkia appraiser hooks actually hang onto a corner. Sometimes I have to go back and flip the hooks off to reel in the tape.
Steel tapes rust, are heavy, and no more accurate. Actually reel steel tapes stretch with temperature changes, thats why metal surveying "chains" which are usually ribbon tapes, are made of special steels. These do not come on a reel and are about twice or more the thickness of a standard steel tape. They are looped and can be "flipped" into a figure 8 and folded..I could show you but you probably have a hard time understanding that statement if you haven't seen it done.
Fiberglass is less likely to stretch but tapes are calibrated under a standard amount of tension. But in any case the stretch is likely less than 1/10th of one percent...a .1 foot difference..maybe.

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

Great, now I have to modify my "canned" SOW AGAIN in order to describe the method I used to measure the subject.
Geesh...will it never end??!! :new_all_coholic: :new_rofl:

OH, BTW...anyone who is still paying attention, was that with or without shoes, in slacks or shorts? Must we also include our attire in the SOW?

Afterall the SOW is supposed to be what we did along with what we didn't do.

I always mention what time of day I did the property visit, if the shrubbery got in my way, what I had for breakfast, what I had for lunch or what I was planning for lunch, how cute the lady of the house was (the babe at the door never seems to be a babe) and what kind of dog they had in my reports.

 

[Scott Ferguson]

can they stretch to the point that they are no longer accurate? Are metal tapes better?

Something to consider: Fiberglass tapes are much safer. If you inadvertantly contact a bare electrical wire or power source, a metal tape will act as a conductor with the resulting possibilty of electrical shock or electrocution. That would not happen with a cloth or fiberglass tape.

 

[Couch Potato]

Unquestionably the best.

If you ever use a Sokkia 100' fiberglass tape with the appraiser's hook, you'll never use anything else. It's like they are made for us.

Sokkia 100' Appraiser's Tape is by far the best choice for a tape. Anyone who does not agree must not have used one IMHO.

 

[Mike Boyd]

The very first house I measure was done with a 25' steel tape. Immediately after finishing that house I went to the hardware store and bought a fiberglass tape. Like everyone says, they last about 6 months. I once purchased a super duper guaranteed for life fiberglass tape by Lufkin. It lasted about 6 months. I returned it to Lufkin by mail. It cost around $6-7 postage one way. Lufkin sent me a new tape in about a month but billed me the postage. Another $6-7. I think at that time the price of the cheap one at Ace Hardware was $13.95. We didn't have a Walmart in our area then.

 

[ALICE CHRISTENSEN]

Everytime I set my tape down at a subject property I would end up leaving without it. So...I bought a BIGG LUGG hook. It clips to my belt and I can just hang the reel tape on it when I'm done with it. Haven't lost one since. I like the fiberglass tapes but I have to wear a glove on my right hand even in Summertime. The tape gets hot and will burn your hand while zipping along the side of the house with it running through your hand. My left hand gloves look new, the right hand ones are getting worn out.

 

[Jo Ann Meyer Stratton]

A paper towel is the solution to the glove problem. I wrap a paper towel around the tape and pull it tight both winter and summer. It not only pulls the tape tighter it helps keep my hands cleaner and I don't get "tape burn".

 

[Roseann Dufala]

Lufkin tape

For years I have always used the 100' Lufkin fiberglass tape. (21 years) It was expensive to start out....but, it has a lifetime guarantee. I have 2 of them--one brand new--and one I use. I have returned for replacement several times over the years. I mail one back, and a week later, I have a brand new replacement in the mail.