5 Amazing Hidden Features in Tape Measures

How to use a tape measure right. You won’t believe the ingenious and hidden features in this common and simple looking tool. Dive deep into all of the ways to use a tape measure correctly with custom home builder Erik Perkins.

Check out our online store!
You'll get cool merch and our kids will get to eat.

#carpentry #lessons #tutorial

[dantracy]

you can rest your finger on the side of the tape while pulling it out, to double-check your blood color.

[johns]

I've been working in construction for a few years now and have spent 4 years volunteering for a nonprofit organization that teaches trade skills to at risk youth. These videos are seriously awesome. They didn't teach me this stuff on the job and they sure as heck didn't teach it to me at school but you can bet I'm going to show this stuff to the kids in the after school program.

[bcask]

An old-timer I worked with would always give the apprentice the “dumb-end” of the tape then walk down to the end of the board and ask the kid “what do you got?” And watch for the kids reaction. One of his favorite expressions when somebody screwed up was “You cut it twice and its still too short, huh?’

[pablpfanque]

People eschew trades like carpentry, but these guys are getting exercise, being creative, and are working in a paradise compared to a cubicle staring at a monitor.
No water cooler banter, no office politics, no HR, no preferences, no excuses.

[athay]

Its the small things sometimes that really matter. I never had a clue for most of what you showed but I am so glad to learn it. Very helpful information. Thank you.

[thomasblue]

By no means was this boring. Very well presented, good video. Thanks

[MrBubinski]

When I was a framer I used mine as a calculators to add subtract fractions.
You can bend the tape back on itself and line the 2 numbers that you want to add together and wherever the end of the tape lands is the Sum

[rbnhd]

The belt clip has a slot to hold a pencil, with the point sticking out the bottom, then you hook it on the nail and swing it around to draw large circles. Measure/mark your radius first the lock it on your measurement to draw the circle/arch.

[stephenjones]

62 years old and still learning. Thanks!

[wildbill]

My uncle was an old school carpenter. One of the best. Started in the 50's and worked almost to the day he died. For many years he used one of those fold up rulers. You would not believe how fast he could unfold and refold that bad boy. I'm talking literally a couple to three seconds each way. It just goes to show how fast you can become at something if you do it every day for years. When he died I was shaking hands at the people coming into the funeral home. One guy said as he was shaking my hand "great carpenter, old school".

[GEORGEEDWARDBROWN]

Measure twice, cut once & BEAT TO FIT :)

[Backflipspagetti]

Pull the end of the tape around lining up the end with the current year, 2019=119", look for the year you were born, 1985= 85"ECT, directly across from that number is how old you are currently. Pretty cool. Tapes are so underrated and misunderstood. I love the videos!

[T.E.P..]

how did i miss this one. The opening logo page looked fun to make Erik! You are always thinking about the channel and the audience. hello from 4/20/2022

[ronsgroi]

The arch in the tape measure also ensures that the tape as it winds back inside stays perfectly on center. This will keep the edges of the tape flat and compact so they don't bind on the inner walls. Also, the hook on the nail head feature allows you to measure out circles...and with two nail heads spaced apart ellipses. Thanks guys, great work!

[BrakerOfStones]

I love my stick rule. Great for tube bending, finding a 45* reference, and especially stove piping heating and cooling and condensate lines in a hotel or apts with 10’ or shorter ceilings. Rather than getting a ladder. I can just unfold the stick rule and see I need a piece about 2’ with a 90 and then about 18” that way. Great for knocking down that level you left above the drop ceiling too.

[douglaslambert]

That's cool and I am still learning how to read a tape measure. That really helped me out allot in upstanding of how to.thanks for the tips.

[dldez]

Another thing is when im bored at work, i entertain myself seeing how far i can extend it before it breaks..

[jimmoore]

A real carpenter doesn't go to work for a paycheck... We go for the love of the build 😍 that check is a bonus!

[Ra-]

Wow. Ive never seen these hidden features before. Especially the curved bit on the tape measure. I never did see that. But that said, in Australia, they make tape measures the other way, so the arch is facing down. That way the building industry doesn't collapse in the Land Down Under.


The bit on the end being loose was amazing. I'd never seen that hidden feature either.


As for the nail grabber part - the "hole" - I like to leave slag and dags on my welds for that exact reason. For sticking the tape measure on it. Some people think it is because I am a bad welder, but actually it is a feature I perform because I am an amazing tradesman.


The smart and dumb ends of a tape measure. I didn't realise there was a smart side to a tape measure. That certainly was a hidden feature. It is a bit like those roadworkers (yeah, you know the ones!) that stand there on the side of the road, and you know they did something completely stupid, as their boss has told them, "Look you!" Good for nothing git!!! You take this sign, and stand there on the side of the road and tell people how STUPID you are! I want you to stop the traffic, and then tell them how SLOW you are! For eight hours!" Maybe they're all the same people who wrote the signs being punished, as the signs always miss the word "OF", causing the signs to instead of being warning signs, to be picketing signs for some union. "END ROADWORK!!!" "END FREEWAY" No wonder nothing is ever done. They are actually lobbying against their own jobs!


I liked that hidden bit on the bottom of the tape measure (are you sure that the button never actually fell out? Some have buttons there, you know) for putting your finger on. I normally just use my tongue as a brake on the edge of the blade.


I also liked the hidden "3 inches" feature. Still, looking at the tape measuring the body, that "3 inches" isn't exactly making 3 inches, as it seems about 1/8 out, at least where the tape is displayed. So much for the second hidden feature being useful if one uses that.


The diamond was certainly a hidden feature. I mean although I couldn't see it due to it being hidden, I can imagine it being good if we get a centrepunch and just knock a little dot into it, so that way a blind man can use a tape measure and know when he reaches the floor truss dimensions.


Well, great video, but none of these things are truly hidden. I was expecting a built in garotting tool or something...dart gun, UV code, something like that. So I guess the only thing hidden is...


"WHERE'D I PUT MY BLOODY TAPE MEASURE???"

[kroycincy]

The best is when you clip it on your belt and it looks like your a bad ass and actually know your shit. That's my favorite part.