Craftsmen of different professions and specialties have different tools and devices in their arsenal. But almost all masons, carpenters, lumberjacks and even road workers, despite their different functions and tasks, have a tool that they cannot do without - a measuring tape. And although this type of measuring instrument has different shapes and purposes, the main thing for which a tape measure is needed is to accurately determine the sizes of various objects.
Description and purpose
From time immemorial, different quantities have been used to measure length - cubit, fathom, arshin or span, these are only Russian names for quantities. But as practice has shown, along with a large number of names, there was little order, because it was not without reason that the saying said that “everyone measures to his own yardstick.” The discrepancy in quantities and means of measurement was resolved by the introduction of two main measurement systems - metric and English with its inches and miles.
After the reference system was simplified and standardized, measuring instruments were developed for its implementation. And if the tailor's centimeter measuring tape found its use literally immediately, then in construction, geodesy and even in military affairs, measuring instruments for a long time had a bulky and clumsy appearance.
At the same time, the invention of a steel tape with scales and divisions printed on it became one of the breakthroughs in the introduction of standardization of the metric system.
The ease of use of such a convenient device for measuring distances literally revolutionized construction, making it possible to measure distances with millimeter accuracy and make building plans. Unlike a regular ruler with a scale printed on it, the steel strip has become more convenient, both in terms of working with it and in terms of storage. Unlike a construction meter, which can also be folded for convenience, the tape measure gave more freedom in use and significantly saved time. There was no need to constantly move in order to measure the dimensions of the building - just stretch the tape and measure. Indeed, in a folding carpenter's or construction meter the length is only 100 cm, while construction tapes can be 3, 5 or even 10 meters long.
And the dimensions of this measuring device have become much more compact - instead of wooden sections with a relatively large case, this measuring instrument fits into a compact case, which also has several additional functions that make work easier.
Secret No. 6
In this case, this is a mount from a compass
1 The next thing you can do with the tape measure is to modify it. Pencil holders are added to the body.
You don't even need to hold a pencil in your hands to make marks.
2 By inserting a pencil, we get a convenient device for making markings.
Thicknesser from roulette
3 This device can also be used as a thickness planer, i.e. draw parallel lines at any distance.
By hooking the tape measure onto a screw, we get a reliable compass
4 And if you use a technical hole and a screw, you will get a full-fledged compass.
Main design elements
Despite its small size and obvious purpose, the roulette device, especially its highly professional models, has a complex design. In a tape measure, the main element is a measured piece of steel strip made of another, durable but elastic material. In professional instruments used for field measurements, these can be strips of carbon fiber, fiberglass sheets, or thickened stainless wire with a meter scale printed on it. There are instruments with a fabric measuring tape with a centimeter scale printed on it. All of these devices use a different scale, so when measuring, the accuracy class of the tape measure is taken into account, because the error when working with a steel tape will be less than with a tape made of fabric or tarpaulin.
The measuring tape, like other structural elements, is located inside the housing. In most modern devices, the housing is made of impact-resistant plastic. But there are also copies with a metal case made of stainless steel. Cases are compact, open or closed. The compact size of the case is used for tape measures of 1 and 3 meters in length. The open case is used for special geodetic tape measures, the length of which is 50 and 100 meters.
For operation, it is important that the device includes a mechanism for winding up the measuring strip or simply a tape measure mechanism. In older models, this role was played by a rotating drum on which the tape was wound. And such a drum was driven using a folding handle. For construction tapes with a length of 1, 3, 5, 7.5 and 10 meters, the mechanism is most often spring-loaded today - when unlocked, it automatically winds the tape back into the body.
A hook is installed at the end of the measuring strip. In different models it has a special appearance. For ordinary construction tapes, this is a metal tip in the form of an angle with one or more slots. There are tips in the form of a metal bracket or even with an installed carabiner, and professional logger tapes are also equipped with a hook for fixing in the wood.
There are several buttons – latches – installed on the body of automatic roulettes. They are used to block the mechanism for rolling up the measuring tape so that during operation the tape does not uncontrollably wind up into the housing. If you remove the strip lock, it will automatically go into the housing.
The hitchhiking device is designed for quick but controlled rolling of the web to the desired length. This is very important especially when one person operates the device.
The design of a measuring tape, especially modern models, has a number of additional components that make working with it easier.
First of all, additional equipment includes:
- Built-in flashlight is an indispensable feature for working in dimly lit areas;
- Clip – a device that allows you to install it on a belt, quickly remove and put it on;
- Strap – allows you to hang the instrument on a hook for storage or carry it on your wrist.
- Laser pointer - allows you to use a bright beam to form a point on an object so that the tape measures the shortest distance in a straight line, and not the relief;
- Pencil holder - allows you to use this measuring device to draw circles without using a compass;
- Magnets on the hook and body - allow you to fix the tape on metal objects and free your hands for other work.
Notches on the toe
This method is very convenient in cases where you are working with drywall, wood or other material that is easily scratched (and you are not afraid of damaging it a little). Using a needle file, you can make notches on the hook - then it is easy for them to leave marks on the material without using a pencil.
You can make notches on the toe to make marks on various materials.
Areas of application of roulette
Accuracy in measurements is required for representatives of many professions and specialties. Where you need to know the linear dimensions of objects, a tape measure will be the most important measuring tool, even if the measurements are taken by non-professionals.
Typically this tool is needed:
- When carrying out design work - to measure areas, distances from the site of proposed construction to stationary objects;
- In construction, none of the operations can take place without it, from marking the pit to measuring the walls for installing electrical cables and sockets;
- In carpentry work, special precision is required here
- In the work of experts and real estate appraisers, most often it is with the help of a tape measure that both the length of the car’s braking distance and the height of the ceilings in the premises of the house are measured;
- In geodetic and cartographic work - when drawing up site plans, checking the correctness of interpretation of aerial photographs, developing land allocation projects;
- It is a mandatory measuring device for coaches and physical education teachers - meeting many standards is impossible without knowing the exact results of students’ exercises.
Homemade marking thicknesser
With a little modification, you can turn a tape measure into an excellent marking tool. It’s convenient for them to make simple marks; if you catch on a screw, you can draw round lines, or use it as a thickness planer.
Types of roulettes and their features
For many professions, both ordinary universal measuring tapes and highly professional measuring instruments are used. Professional roulettes are developed taking into account the peculiarities of its use by qualified workers and working conditions. Thus, to measure terrain, both traditional geodetic instruments and new types of measuring instruments are used - electron-optical rangefinders. And although the accuracy of electronics is higher, the distance can only be correctly measured taking into account the terrain using a geodetic tape measure with a scale division of 0.5 or 1 meter.
For lumberjack work, a special lumberjack tape measure is used. Its design provides an additional carabiner on the body for fixing it on a worker’s belt. And at the end of the measuring tape there is a special metal tip, which makes it possible to quickly fix the edge on the log.
Construction tapes usually have a double scale - in centimeters and millimeters and in inches. The tape is usually 2 cm wide and the scale is printed in bright contrasting colors to make it easier to find the value on the scale.
Secret No. 2
By adding the two sizes we get the desired result
Having bought a tape measure, few people study the inscriptions on its body, but in vain. On most copies there is some numerical value (the length of the tape measure body), which perfectly helps to measure the distance between two surfaces.
To do this, you need to put it against the wall, take a measurement and add to the latter the numerical value indicated on the tape measure body.
How to use roulette
To measure small distances and objects, when both edges of the object are at arm's length, you can work independently. With one hand, the end with the hook is attached to one edge of the object being measured, and with the other, the tape is unwound and, upon reaching the desired point, the latch is pressed and the length of the object is determined according to the scale on the tape.
The principle of working with large objects and distances is slightly different - first the line along which the measurement will be taken is determined, and then the distance is divided into segments, the ends of the segments are marked. After this, these segments are measured one by one. At the end, the results obtained are summarized.
When measuring diameter, the mark method is used - a mark is placed at one end of the circle, to which the beginning of the tape is applied, and the measuring tape is gradually stretched so as to find the point with the highest indicator on the reverse side. If possible, then find the center of the circle and measure the diameter through it perpendicular to the first measurement.
It is necessary to measure all linear dimensions with maximum tape tension, otherwise the accuracy of distance measurement will be questionable.
Writing surface
Quite an unusual, but very useful life hack. Surely you have often encountered a problem when you need to immediately write down the resulting measurements, but you don’t want to be distracted so as not to lose the measured point. To avoid using separate sheets, you can stick a piece of masking tape directly onto the tape measure and write down the resulting numbers on it. You can also walk over the surface of the tape measure with scratch paper - it will become velvety and it will be easy to write on it with a pencil. Then the recordings can be easily removed with a regular eraser.
You can write down the measured lengths directly on the tape measure so as not to be distracted by a separate sheet
Types of roulette malfunctions and ways to eliminate them
With constant use, most tape measures show similar faults - a broken spring or a broken measuring tape. In the first case, you need to disassemble the housing and replace the spring with a new one, or, after removing the broken edge, simply insert it back into place.
If the measuring tape breaks, you can remove the first meter with the scale and attach the hook to 0 of the second meter. However, when working with such a tape measure, you need to be careful and remember that the measurement starts at 100 cm.
Secret No. 5
Once hooked onto a screw, the hook will not come off
1 There is a technical hole on the hook of the tape measure. It is intended for measuring large values - it is made specifically to fix the start of measurements on the head of a nail or self-tapping screw. The measurement error using this method is small - the center of the screw head almost coincides with the zero point, the error can be 1-2 mm, which is easy to take into account in the calculations.
Primitive compass
2 Using this hole you can not only measure large lengths, but also draw circles.
Intermediate mark
This is due to the high accuracy of the metric divisions applied to the tape. If the tape measure is not long enough to measure, say, the length of a room, then you can turn it to its maximum, then stick masking tape on the floor, draw an arrow on it indicating the exact division, and write down the corresponding readings. Then you can roll up the tape measure and continue measuring from a new point.
By summing the two values, we get the exact length. This method is often used by builders, and the intermediate mark allows you to measure any length, up to hundreds of meters.
Bisection
Have you noticed that the tape folds at a certain angle? Its design is designed so that halving always at the top point indicates the exact value. If there is a width of the room and you need to divide it in half, then it is enough to bring the hook to the final value. In this case, an inflection is formed by exactly half of the obtained value, and metric divisions will allow you to record accurate data without making complex and lengthy calculations.
The method is so accurate that professional craftsmen resort to it. You can safely adopt this method.
[edit] See also
- Russian roulette
- Japanese Roulette
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Measuring in openings
It is difficult to get the tape into the corner to accurately measure the opening.
To increase accuracy when measuring openings, use the tape measure body as an extension of the tape. The case size is indicated on each tape measure. Just add this number to the tape.
You can also use masking tape to measure the opening. Glue it to the surface and take two measurements in opposite directions of the opening. Mark the measuring points on masking tape.
Adding these two measurements will give you the exact size of the opening.
Instead of a dash, it is better to use checkmarks for notes, with them the likelihood of errors will be lower.
