Measuring tape, types, characteristics and selection. Measuring tape. Types and device. Work and how to choose How to fix a crack on a steel tape measure

The well-known measuring tool tape measure is always necessary, but if it breaks, then do not rush to buy a new one. More often than not, the tape stops coiling on its own and you have to wind it up by hand. Therefore, why spend extra money when in a few minutes you can return the instrument to its former novelty?

In order to disassemble the tape measure, it is necessary to remove one of the sides, which can be held on by one or four screws. Unscrew these screws, then remove one side and you will see inside the tape measure, in its very center, an additional metal spiral, which will most likely be torn off. To repair it, you need to fix the spring coil and twist it again.

To repair, pull the tape all the way out, then remove it (this will make it easier for you to wind the coil again) and unfasten the tape. When winding the spiral, make sure that the edges are perfectly even (no drops). Then attach the measuring tape back and rotate the spiral until the entire tape is gathered into a ball.

After winding the measuring tape, assemble the tape measure by replacing the cover.
RVT

Roulette is a tool that is indispensable in everyday life. True, for many, its use is limited to the properties of an ordinary ruler: I took it out of my pocket, made necessary measurements and looked back. And only real masters of their craft know how to use the tape measure correctly and effectively, and in what situations one cannot do without it.

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1. Why you need a movable toe

Despite the fact that almost everyone in the house has a tape measure, not everyone knows what the movable hook is for. Someone does not pay attention to it, but someone even considers it a marriage and tries to fix it - put a rivet in order to fix the hook. However, in a word, only units are used for their intended purpose.

In fact, the backlash serves to compensate for the thickness of the hook, depending on how the measurement is carried out - from the object or with its capture. By adjusting the position of the hook, the master receives accurate measurement data, since the measurement is always made from zero.

2. How to measure in a corner

Measuring in a corner or opening is a task that usually brings a lot of inconvenience to the master. In fact, it is not at all necessary to try to perfectly accurately lean the measuring tape against the wall: it is enough to bring the roulette body to the end of the measured distance, and then add its length to the result. By the way, finding out the length of the case is also as easy as shelling pears: most often, for convenience, manufacturers indicate this indicator on the roulette case.

3. Measuring an object that is too long

If the measurement of an object of impressive size is carried out independently, then this life hack will help make the task easier: you should stick a small piece approximately in the middle of the object masking tape. This material has useful properties: it peels off easily different surfaces, and it is also convenient to write on it with a simple pencil. Next, you need to make two measurements, marking on the masking tape the point from and to which measurements are taken. We advise you to write down the obtained numbers on the same piece of masking tape, and then add the two results obtained.

4. And once again about the moving hook

There is almost always a hole in the moving hook plate on all types of tape measure. Of course, the designers placed it there for a reason. The hole serves to hook onto a nail or screw where possible and necessary for measurements. The error of the result with this method varies within only 1-2 mm.

5. Marking with a tape measure

A tape measure from a conventional meter can easily turn into a compass or thickness gauge (a tool for marking and transferring drawings to a workpiece). To do this, it is enough to attach the leg of a compass with a pencil to the tape measure from the outside. Well, if there is an old tape measure available, then it can be converted into a drawing tool and used only when necessary.

In the case when you have to work with soft materials (for example, drywall), you can even do without a pencil. It is necessary to carve notches on the hook with a needle file, and by slightly pressing, leave marks in the right places.

6. A place for notes is always at hand

Instead of constantly memorizing numbers, being afraid to make a mistake at some point, it is better to get used to keeping records right on the roulette wheel. The easiest way is to stick a small strip of masking tape on the body. If there is no such material at hand, you can write on the case itself with an erasable marker.

7. Dividing segments in half and into several parts

Divide in half, not counting

This mathematical trick is simple and straightforward, but at the same time, only a few people use it in their work. To divide any number by two, it is enough to find it on the measuring tape and combine it with the zero mark, and fold the tape itself in half. On the fold, there will be a number-answer.

A construction tape measure for an electrician is as essential a tool as a voltage indicator. Even for those professionals who have wheel alignment tools and laser rangefinders in their tool kit, there is always an ordinary tape measure in their pouch.

You can’t do without it either when marking electrical wiring routes or when installing socket boxes.
However, not everyone is familiar with all the secrets and additional features when using a construction tape measure.

She turns out to have a lot of hidden abilities that will help you replace several tools at once and save a lot of time on repairs.

By the way, one of important tips, for those who use Chinese cheap tape measures is as follows - if you have just such an instance, then try to make all measurements with one tape measure.

The same size when measured by different tape measures may not match.

One friend measured the distance of the walls in the house with a Chinese instrument, and in the store, when buying materials, he used their tape measure. As a result, at home I was very surprised by the result of the purchase.

Movable hook on the roulette wheel

The moving hook is found on almost every roulette today. And this thing is not at all to scratch your back comfortably 🙂
Beginners in general often think that this is some kind of marriage. What will be the final accuracy if one of the key elements is loose and not securely fastened? Some even manage to rivet it immediately after purchase.

It turns out that the movable toe is a necessity, without which normal work is not possible at all.
This is explained by the fact that measurements with a tape measure can be made in two ways:

When you measure distance from an object, the toe acts as a zero point. When measuring with the capture of an object, the hook extends to its thickness. Thus, the zero mark again coincides with the edge of the object.

At the same time, the measurement accuracy does not suffer, but rather is observed.

True, a fair remark should be made - the movable hook breaks over time and an error of up to a couple of millimeters may appear.
This is due to the constant hitting of the hook when closing.

So don't be fooled construction tape measure with a spectacular click at the end, thereby you will only shorten its service life.

In many models, the roulette tape has a hole at the very beginning at a distance of 2.5 cm.
It was made not just like that, but again to facilitate your work alone.
When there is nothing to secure with a hook or it is inconvenient to use it because of the oblique surface, with a simple awl or with a nail through the hole, firmly fix the tape and stretch it to any length.

Using such a hole in the tape measure, you do not have to use such grips as in the photo below.
And all the marking work can be easily done without a partner.

Measurements in openings and corners

As you understand, when measuring in the corners, it is very difficult to climb directly into the corner with the middle of the tape measure. It is also inconvenient to make accurate measurements in a door or window opening.

Therefore, in the case when you need to measure the opening, use the body as an extension of the tape measure.

On the outside the tape measure itself indicates the size of the case, which must be added to the tape readings when measuring.

If this size is not applied to the case, no one bothers you to measure it yourself and write it in any convenient place.

There is another way to make similar measurements using masking tape. Stick a piece of tape on the surface and take two measurements in opposite directions.

At the same time, it is better to put ticks as a mark with a pencil, rather than simple dashes. They will visually more accurately show the mark. Whereas the dash can be drawn crookedly, which will cause an error.

After taking two measurements, you need to add the results and get the exact size.

Hole in hook

On many holds, the tape measure has a small hole. This hole is convenient to catch on a screw or nail. After that, the hook will not come off anywhere.

This is especially useful when you are alone taking measurements over long distances. The measurement error in this case will be no more than 1-2 mm, since the center of the screw is located almost at the zero mark of the tape.

It is also very convenient to draw circles with the help of this connector in the hook. You do not need to have a compass or a protractor with you.

In some models, the hooks are made magnetic. In addition to their direct purpose, it is convenient to pick up fallen objects without getting off the stepladder with such hooks.

Roulette marker

If you apply a little refinement to a cheap tape measure, then from one tool you get an excellent device for marking.
Take the leg of the compass, which is used with simple pencils, and fasten it to the outside of the tape measure.

This design can be made removable, or even adapted for a separate tape measure.

It is very convenient to make various marks with such a device or use it as a thickness gauge.

And when using a screw, circles of the desired diameter are easily drawn.

If you're working with drywall or another surface that can be scratched safely, then the tape measure should be redone for another possibility. With a file on the hook, make notches.

After that, with the help of this hook, marks are easily made on the surface. At the same time, it is no longer even necessary to have a pencil at hand.

Roulette memo

The outer part of the tape measure is easy to turn into a mini reminder or writing surface. Take masking tape and stick it on the side of the tape measure.

If there is no paint brush at hand, then you can write directly on the body itself.
True, for this, you first need to walk along the surface with sandpaper zero.

So you will make it somewhat velvety, after which the inscriptions will be applied much easier.

Of course, you need to write with a pencil, after which all this is easily erased with an elastic band.

Roulette calculator

Using a construction tape measure, it is very easy to divide any number in half with an accuracy of a millimeter without resorting to the services of a calculator.

Take the size on the tape measure, for example 116cm - and folding the tape in half, combine the zero mark with it, where the upper hook is.

Exactly at the point of inflection and there will be the required result - 58cm.

In the same way, you can not only divide, but also take away. For example, the total length of the wall is 2m 11cm, and the junction box is located at a distance of 1m 38cm from the first edge. You need to quickly find out how much is left from this junction box to the other edge of the wall in order to measure the cable channel.

Pull the tape 2m 11cm and fold it in half.

Then look for a mark of 1m 38cm. Just opposite it, on the second half of the tape, and the distance you need will be shown - 73cm.

Dividing a tape measure into several parts

Using an ordinary roulette tape, you can easily divide work surface or blank for the required quantity equal parts. This method is suitable primarily for large surfaces - pipes or cable channels will no longer work.

How do you usually act? Measure the total length or width, then do the calculations and divide the distance by right amount parts. Then again measure these parts on the surface with a ruler or tape measure.

It turns out that all this can be done without a calculator and even without calculations. Take a number on the tape measure that is greater than the width of the workpiece, and at the same time is a multiple of the amount by which you want to divide the distance.

For example, the width of the board is 17cm, and you need to divide it into four equal parts. Move the tape measure diagonally to the nearest mark of 20cm. After that, easily divide these 20cm by 4 and mark marks at distances of 5cm, 10cm, 15cm, 20cm.

As a result, with just one movement of the tape measure, you divided the surface into the required number of parts.

They wanted to divide it into 6 parts - nothing complicated. You can move the diagonal up to 30cm and do the same.

More roulette on round pipe you can accurately measure the cross section. To do this, firmly press the tape along the perimeter of the pipe, aligning the ends. If they are aligned exactly, it will not lie down at an angle of 90 degrees.

The wider the tape measure, the better. You can do the same trick with a simple piece of paper.

When it is impossible to measure the diameter of a pipe or workpiece from the end, construction tape and geometry will again help. Wrap a tape around the pipe and measure its circumference. After that, the result must be divided by the number Pi \u003d 3.14. This will be the required diameter.

Once again applying the knowledge of geometry, with a construction tape measure without squares and other tools, you can check the accuracy right angle. As you know from school course- the sum of the squares of the legs of a right triangle is equal to the square of the hypotenuse.

Take any surface where there should be a right angle, for example, two walls of a room. Measure with a tape measure in one direction 30 cm, and in the other 40 cm and put marks. If the angle is really straight and the builders didn’t screw up, then by connecting these two marks along the hypotenuse, you should get a distance of exactly 50 cm on the tape measure.

Holding construction works or any apartment renovation requires constant measurements for the correct erection of structures, as well as the calculation of the necessary construction and finishing materials. Accurately measure the required length will help reliable and handy tool- roulette. It is quite simple in its execution, but not a single master can do without it.

How to choose a construction tape measure?

Many focus only on the length of the tape, not attaching importance to other characteristics of the tool. However, there are such concepts as the rigidity of the canvas, the accuracy of the measurements made, and the material for making the tape measure.

To purchase a quality product, it is best to go to a specialized store. There is an opportunity not only to consult with the seller, but also to have no doubt that all products sold are certified.

Roulette manufacturers High Quality They try to focus not only on the wishes of consumers, but also on the recommendations of specialists. The tool of import production, as a rule, costs a little more, however, and has the corresponding quality.

When choosing a tape measure, pay attention to the thickness of the lines with which the markup is applied. The thicker the lines, the greater the measurement errors can be, since someone will measure at the edge of the line, and someone at its center. On professional tape measures for high accuracy of work, the scale is applied in thin lines, and the numbers are written large.

Take a closer look at the shape of the measuring tape. A slightly concave blade, unlike a straight blade, has a greater degree of rigidity and does not break when measuring long sections.

In high-quality types of roulettes, the hall occurs only after the release of a couple of meters. This feature allows you to take measurements yourself, without outside help.

Tape Measures

When choosing the length of the tape measure, it is worth thinking about the scale of future work. For everyday needs, there are pocket tapes with a footage of 1, 2 or 3 meters. For repairs in the apartment is suitable length of 7.5 or 10 meters.

On large construction sites, laser tape measures up to 100 meters long are used. The width of the measuring tape also varies depending on the length of the tape.

With a length of up to 5 meters, as a rule, they produce roulettes with a web width of 1.9 cm. For longer tapes, their width is 2.5 cm, a little less often 3 cm.

In the production of a tape measure, a special protective layer is applied to the measuring tape, which protects against corrosion. The cheaper the tape measure is, the less thin it is protective film, which practically does not help to keep it in its original form.

quality measuring tools, having a high cost, are coated with zinc or copper. Such a layer additionally makes the tool heavier and in some cases can cause the tape to break when the blade exits several meters.

Roulette case

A qualified master, only after seeing the body of the roulette, can tell about its quality. Naturally, plastic is a rather unreliable material for such a tool. Despite this, most roulettes are made from it.

It is better to stay on a rubberized case. It fits comfortably in the hand and is pleasant to work with. A dense rubberized insert at the outlet allows you to protect the tape from deformation and scratching of the protective layer, which occurs due to the contact of the measuring tape with the body.

After looking at the photo of imported roulettes, you will notice that the latches that press the mechanism are arranged somewhat differently than in domestic counterparts. When the web is braked, it is not subjected to friction, the entire load falls on the drum located inside the wound tape.

Another extra thing for convenience is a special magnet that allows you to attach the end of the tape to take measurements without assistance.

High-precision tape measures are characterized by the presence of electronics located in the case itself. In this way, you can quickly measure the required length to the nearest millimeter.

Also, a bubble level will help to increase the accuracy of measurements, which allows you to control the accuracy of laying building materials.

Based on the foregoing, despite all the diversity in the catalog of measuring tapes, this tool must be carefully selected so that it will serve its owner for a long time.

Roulette photo

Construction roulette refers to such tools that are very much in demand in everyday life. True, many of us use it only as a regular ruler: having stopped, they wind it up and put it back in its original place. All the fullness of the possibilities of roulette is known only to real masters, who use them to their fullest in the course of their work. And why shouldn't ordinary home craftsmen discover the secrets of this device familiar to everyone? It was this question that inspired us to write this article.

The role of the hook itself, which is equipped with a construction tape measure, is known to almost everyone. Thanks to him, the measurement can be made either from the object or by capturing it.

However, few people know why this capture is mobile. Considering this a marriage, some even try to fix it by putting a rivet there. In reality, the play in the toe is designed to compensate for the thickness of the toe. By setting the amount of backlash equal to the value of the hook, the measurement can always be made from zero.

But in the toe, this is not the only trick. It almost always has a hole designed to engage the head of a nail or screw.

How a construction tape is adapted to take measurements in corners

Very often it is difficult for masters to measure distances ending in an angle. In reality, the measurement should be done in a completely different way: you should put the roulette body in a corner, measure it and add the length of the roulette body to the obtained value.

Very often, the length of the case is indicated on the tape measure itself.

How to measure if the object being measured is very long

If the object being measured has an impressive size, to facilitate the operation, you can stick a piece of masking tape somewhere in the middle of it. This paper, peel-off piece can be used as a place to take notes. By measuring the distances before and after the piece of paper and writing the corresponding numbers on it, addition can be made here to get the final result.

Construction tape as a marking device

The tape measure can be used as a compass or thicknesser by attaching a pencil holder to its body and inserting a pencil there.

If the markup is made on soft material, for example, on drywall, you don’t even need a pencil. Marks can be left with a hook, having previously made several notches on it with a needle file.

With a tape measure, all notes can be in front of your eyes

Taking several measurements at once, there is always a risk of forgetting or confusing the numbers. To prevent this from happening, connoisseurs glue a piece of masking tape to the roulette body.

How to use a tape measure to divide segments into parts

You can divide by two using a roulette wheel without even using your mathematical abilities. To do this, the tape measure zero is combined with a figure reflecting the measurement value, and a ready-made result is found at the bend of the measuring tape.

To divide into equal segments, you can also use another original technique to avoid the need to perform mathematical calculations. Suppose we need four such segments. To select strips of equal width, it is enough to place the measuring tape of the tape measure on the part so that its edge is near the round number on the measuring tape, for example, 20 cm. Marks in this case will need to be placed near the numbers 5, 10, 15.

So, it would seem that a very simple tool like a construction tape measure can turn into a multifunctional device that can cope with quite a large number tasks. It's just a matter of knowing how to do it and being able to perform this operation.