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Friday, March 03, 2017
Use a Tape Measure Like a Pro With These Handy Tips
lifehacker.com: The tape measure is a tried and true tool that every craftsman should have in their toolbox. Whether you’re new to building things or an experienced tape measure veteran, you’ll probably learn a thing or two in this lesson.
7 comments:
Tahirah K. Agbamuche
said...
Before coming to Carnegie Mellon University for technical theatre, the most technical building that I had done was assembling Ikea furniture- No actual cutting and measuring required. My Freshman year I have been learning more about carpentry so this little tip video is really neat. It is amazing how much intention the designer of the tape measure had that at least in my experience, gets skipped over. It is definitely a tool within a tool and I admire that. Another thing is that when you buy a tape measure these days they do not come pre-packaged with instructions on its features and use. I would assume vendors just assume everyone knows how to use a tape measure and they do. However, this leaves all the additional knowledge to be passed down by the previous generation which is not guaranteed. I would be interested to see just how many people can name all the functions of a tape measure, both within and outside of the school of drama.
Truth be told, I should probably consider looking into more videos and articles like this one. For as long as I’ve been doing theatre I’ve never encountered a role that doesn’t need to somehow measure something somehow. With this in mind, I also know that I am not that good at it. For the life of me I cannot estimate, so I should at the very least know how to measure to a tee. It seems like such a mundane and simple task, but in reality it is the foundation of all construction. A wrong measurement may not be that big of a deal when perhaps somewhere someone is off by an 1/8”, but when you get into construction of any kind (scenery, costumes, etc.), it can really cause problems. Measuring too big isn’t always a bad thing because it allows for a larger margin of error, however it does take up a larger portion of budget. Worse than that, if you measure something too small, it’s hard to come back from that. It’s no simple task to just add more scenery or make the drop bigger or add more room on an article of clothing. Measure twice, cut once. That’s my rule of thumb.
Having worked in a shop for for a couple years a lot of these tricks are familiar to me however that being said I do really like this video. The two most useful tricks that he does are probably the using a tape a compass, a trick that I have seen so so many times but some how I forget about when it comes to actually doing it in the shop, and that of the the slide rule like usage of the tape. I have never thought to use my tape as a semi slide rule, probably because I would be hesitant bending a tape like that, that being said it really it a clever way to do math in the shop without have to use a calculator or phone. The other other thought that was interesting to me was using the tap as a quick solution scribe, I would be fairly hesitant to do that mostly because I'm not sure how well I'd be able to find my mark again. In all would recommend watching this video for someone who want to learn mate about tools.
First, was this video endorsed by Stanley, or does this guy just really like their tape measures? I could see it being either way. I knew most of these tricks, though not all. For example, I wasn’t aware of the little black diamonds. I definitely relate to the idea of making mistakes with a tape measure you aren’t used to. I never really notice the layout of my own tape measure, but when I pick up one that is very different, for a second it feels like I’m trying to read a language I don’t speak. Even though all the numbers are there clearly, it just looks wrong. And if I ever pick up a tape measure that is all just in inches with no feet, I usually just get a different tape measure. Overall, I think this video is important not because of the specific tricks it mentions, but because it shows how important it is to know exactly how the tools you use work and what they can do. People overlook tape measures as obvious and simple, but there are a lot of mistakes that can be avoided and time that can be saved by really understanding what the tape measure does and using it correctly.
This was really cool from the get-go. The push-pull feature of the tape to keep the measurements identical is really cool and something I didn't know, but always wondered about. It was also cool to learn about the framing shortcuts which are a part of the tape measure’s design. The little hole in the L-portion of the tape and all of its uses was really eyeopening and left me with a lot of ideas and really makes the tape measure a much more powerful tool than before — not that it wasn’t already very powerful. It was also cool to see how one can lock it at a distance and use it as a t-square like device. These latter two points are things which seem really cool now, but I am sure that the second that I specifically try to use them, I will mess it up.
I remember watching this video once on my own, and I'm actually glad it got posted here, because there is something I love so much about woodworking channels on youtube. I'm subscribed to so many on YouTube, even though I have zero time to watch YouTube anymore. There is something so great about watching a craftsman hard at work doing what they love and know so intimately. I've noticed that it's even better when they don't even speak! I recently watched 45 minute video of a violin maker bruising a violin completely from nothing, and it was a completely silent video, apart from the sound of his chisels and tiny saw. It is an incredibly intimate experience to watch these people, to be able to get a glimpse into their lives for an unfathomable second. I am seeing a rise of these kinds of videos lately on YouTube, with perhaps the most popular being perhaps Primitive Technology, videos about a guy who recreates ancient technology in the middle of the jungle somewhere in New Zealand. Again, no words.
I really can’t tell you what the best part of this video is. Is the incredibly in-depth description of the hook and rivets on the end of ‘the standard Stanley tape’? The fact that the first 3 minutes are exclusively about the uses of said hook? Or is it fact that this man is building the worlds tiniest house, or perhaps the world’s biggest doghouse? I really couldn’t tell you. But I will say that I thought I learned everything I needed to know about tape measures from DR’s enthusiastic lecture in stagecraft I. But I was wrong, boy I was wrong. This video was an eleven minute wild ride, that tackled important issue ranging from the customary- metric system social divide, to the difference between a diamond and a square, and even education in our school system. All the while giving me interesting tips and tricks to use a tape measure. Incredible.
7 comments:
Before coming to Carnegie Mellon University for technical theatre, the most technical building that I had done was assembling Ikea furniture- No actual cutting and measuring required. My Freshman year I have been learning more about carpentry so this little tip video is really neat. It is amazing how much intention the designer of the tape measure had that at least in my experience, gets skipped over. It is definitely a tool within a tool and I admire that. Another thing is that when you buy a tape measure these days they do not come pre-packaged with instructions on its features and use. I would assume vendors just assume everyone knows how to use a tape measure and they do. However, this leaves all the additional knowledge to be passed down by the previous generation which is not guaranteed. I would be interested to see just how many people can name all the functions of a tape measure, both within and outside of the school of drama.
Truth be told, I should probably consider looking into more videos and articles like this one. For as long as I’ve been doing theatre I’ve never encountered a role that doesn’t need to somehow measure something somehow. With this in mind, I also know that I am not that good at it. For the life of me I cannot estimate, so I should at the very least know how to measure to a tee. It seems like such a mundane and simple task, but in reality it is the foundation of all construction. A wrong measurement may not be that big of a deal when perhaps somewhere someone is off by an 1/8”, but when you get into construction of any kind (scenery, costumes, etc.), it can really cause problems. Measuring too big isn’t always a bad thing because it allows for a larger margin of error, however it does take up a larger portion of budget. Worse than that, if you measure something too small, it’s hard to come back from that. It’s no simple task to just add more scenery or make the drop bigger or add more room on an article of clothing. Measure twice, cut once. That’s my rule of thumb.
Having worked in a shop for for a couple years a lot of these tricks are familiar to me however that being said I do really like this video. The two most useful tricks that he does are probably the using a tape a compass, a trick that I have seen so so many times but some how I forget about when it comes to actually doing it in the shop, and that of the the slide rule like usage of the tape. I have never thought to use my tape as a semi slide rule, probably because I would be hesitant bending a tape like that, that being said it really it a clever way to do math in the shop without have to use a calculator or phone. The other other thought that was interesting to me was using the tap as a quick solution scribe, I would be fairly hesitant to do that mostly because I'm not sure how well I'd be able to find my mark again. In all would recommend watching this video for someone who want to learn mate about tools.
First, was this video endorsed by Stanley, or does this guy just really like their tape measures? I could see it being either way. I knew most of these tricks, though not all. For example, I wasn’t aware of the little black diamonds. I definitely relate to the idea of making mistakes with a tape measure you aren’t used to. I never really notice the layout of my own tape measure, but when I pick up one that is very different, for a second it feels like I’m trying to read a language I don’t speak. Even though all the numbers are there clearly, it just looks wrong. And if I ever pick up a tape measure that is all just in inches with no feet, I usually just get a different tape measure. Overall, I think this video is important not because of the specific tricks it mentions, but because it shows how important it is to know exactly how the tools you use work and what they can do. People overlook tape measures as obvious and simple, but there are a lot of mistakes that can be avoided and time that can be saved by really understanding what the tape measure does and using it correctly.
This was really cool from the get-go. The push-pull feature of the tape to keep the measurements identical is really cool and something I didn't know, but always wondered about. It was also cool to learn about the framing shortcuts which are a part of the tape measure’s design. The little hole in the L-portion of the tape and all of its uses was really eyeopening and left me with a lot of ideas and really makes the tape measure a much more powerful tool than before — not that it wasn’t already very powerful. It was also cool to see how one can lock it at a distance and use it as a t-square like device. These latter two points are things which seem really cool now, but I am sure that the second that I specifically try to use them, I will mess it up.
I remember watching this video once on my own, and I'm actually glad it got posted here, because there is something I love so much about woodworking channels on youtube. I'm subscribed to so many on YouTube, even though I have zero time to watch YouTube anymore. There is something so great about watching a craftsman hard at work doing what they love and know so intimately. I've noticed that it's even better when they don't even speak! I recently watched 45 minute video of a violin maker bruising a violin completely from nothing, and it was a completely silent video, apart from the sound of his chisels and tiny saw. It is an incredibly intimate experience to watch these people, to be able to get a glimpse into their lives for an unfathomable second. I am seeing a rise of these kinds of videos lately on YouTube, with perhaps the most popular being perhaps Primitive Technology, videos about a guy who recreates ancient technology in the middle of the jungle somewhere in New Zealand. Again, no words.
I really can’t tell you what the best part of this video is. Is the incredibly in-depth description of the hook and rivets on the end of ‘the standard Stanley tape’? The fact that the first 3 minutes are exclusively about the uses of said hook? Or is it fact that this man is building the worlds tiniest house, or perhaps the world’s biggest doghouse? I really couldn’t tell you. But I will say that I thought I learned everything I needed to know about tape measures from DR’s enthusiastic lecture in stagecraft I. But I was wrong, boy I was wrong. This video was an eleven minute wild ride, that tackled important issue ranging from the customary- metric system social divide, to the difference between a diamond and a square, and even education in our school system. All the while giving me interesting tips and tricks to use a tape measure. Incredible.
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