I've always used stanley tape measures. They aren't too expensive, most big box hardware stores have them, as well as the usual online outlets. Most of the construction guys around here seem to carry them.

They're well made, can take a beating, and still work for years.

[edit]: I meant the ones with the metal casing that have been around for decades. I'm not sure about the ones with the plastic casing.

Stanley, can't go wrong!

25ft: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-25-ft-PowerLock-Tape-Measure-33-425D/100019154

I like having the 12ft in my portable tool bag since it's a lot smaller and lighter: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-12-ft-PowerLock-Tape-Measure-33-312L/100123236

I rarely seem to use my 25ft unless I'm measuring a room or something like that.

Stanley Fat Max+++1

+1 for fatmax. It survived my stint in construction and i'm still using it 20 years later.

I'm pretty sure the ones I have are metal. A magnet sticks to them.

The 12ft I linked to is the same model I have and it's a metal one. I didn't have the 25ft at my fingertips to grab the model number off of it, but I'm pretty sure the one I linked to is metal too.

That's the first time I heard about them using chromed plastic.

I think I might know why your current tape measure sucks........

My general rule of thumb for HF: if the tool has moving parts, all bets are off.

Hit a yard sale or garage sale. Pick up a real old used one that still works.

Use that. It will out live you.

LTG : )

There's your problem

Spend the extra few dollars and get a Stanley

I haven't seen a metal 25' Stanley in 20 years. I've purchased 70-100 of them in that time. Only 25' for me, for the 3" stock.

I have probably half a dozen or more tape measures around the house (amazing the stuff people leave inside a pinball machine)but my two favorites are the old school 25' Stanley Powerlock 2, of which I have one here and one at work and I'd like to have another one here at the house. The second favorite is one I can carry in my pants pocket all day long, it's a Zippo (of those I have several just in case I do lose one someday) but what I like about is it's small and I don't even know it's there and it goes out to six foot which is hard to find one that goes out that long and is small enough to carry around. Back in the day Zippo would put a lifetime warranty on the tape itself, all you had to do was send it in and they would rebuild it and return it with a new tape inside of your original case. I bet you my case is at least from the Sixty's judging from the phone number on it. I can sometimes find them at flea markets from guys that collect Zippo lighters, they sometimes have one or two in there display case. I've carried this one 25 years easy, it goes everywhere with me just like my knife that I've carried 28+ years.

John

Powerlock+++++

Another vote here for Stanley Powerlock.

Make that 2 votes. I also have a laser measuring tape, which is incredibly accurate. I used to hate it because you have to get the angle "just right", but it actually takes much better measurements on a straight line than my regular tape because you always get sag over long distances.

Stanley powerlock. You can get the 25' for $9.99 or less. I like the fatmax for anything longer. We use these in our facility for measuring and cutting steel. They are very durable, have a good standout and hold up well to the grease and oil.

Yes, Stanley power lock.

However for precision work I prefer this brand

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buy cheap ones and throw away when they break. I am building a house currently and every time I go out to the lot there is another handful of broken tapes. We counted 13 laying around the other day broke.

I used to use Stanely, but have switched to the Lefty/Righty

https://www.homedepot.com/p/16-ft-Standard-Lefty-Righty-Tape-Measure-FC-PSSR-16/301963620

Best tape measure I've ever used, no more craning my neck to try and read measurements when they are on the wrong side of the tape.

What are you measuring? I find the 25' Fat Max to be bulky and heavy. I keep a 25' in the tool bag, but the last few years I have a 16' on my belt, and I'm rarely going for the 25'. It's so much smaller and lighter. Go with a magnetic tip, especially if you are in metal stud construction. I'm not sure if they still do, but Home Depot was taking back Milwaukee tools and swapping in store. Here is the Milwaukee 16' magnetic tip I use.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-16-ft-x-1-in-Compact-Magnetic-Tape-Measure-with-15-ft-Reach-48-22-0316/311017121

These Self Centering Tape Measures Are All I Use .... Saves Time and No Mistakes.

Fatmax

Many moons ago, the summers and winters I wasn't in college, I worked at The Stanley Works. (Their world HQ is about 5 minutes from my house).

While they are only a shell of what they once were (I get it, diversifying their holdings to stay competitive), the stuff they still actually make in the USA either as Stanley or under a litany of their various companies (proto, bostich, mac, etc) are still good to go.

That said, the cases of the tapes (one of the last things actually made in New Britain, CT at their hand tools division) have been hard plastic with chrome aplique for at least 30 years. The ones I made were all plastic cased. The plastic was found to actually be more durable than the old steel cased ones. The reason a magnet sticks to it is because of the high grade spring steel used to make the actual tape and winding, that attracts a magnet through the plastic case. A little fun fact, was that I spent a summer officially job titled as a "Hooker" with the company; you would load and unload the heat treating ovens used to put the springiness into the tape with a long hook, haha.

Now don't be fooled by the non-usa made ones, they ARE junk. You can tell by pulling the tape out a smidge, and if there are 3 rivets holding the head on, it was made in the USA, and the tape is actually calibrated; the non-USA made ones only use two rivets and they don't account for the slack in the rivets, and can be off up to an 1/8 of an inch.

Lufkin are decent and here they are made locally. Not Chinese rubbish.

Cool story. I miss those metal ones.

To the folks using non 3" stocks, you either don't do many inside corner measurements or just like adding fractions.

Now a caveat to this, is that there are STILL tons of new-old-stock metal case ones sitting around in company warehouses. When you retire, they engrave your name and years of service in a case of them, and give them to you. It's no Rolex, but it's something, especially these days.

These were (and to my knowledge) are also still being sold at the employee only Stanley Store that is on the grounds. Assuming you're not in the highest echelons of management, when you have 6 or so months to go to retirement, you can transfer to the store (at whatever pay band you were at too), as a cashier/clerk and essentially get first pick of any of the "seconds" that come through. A "second" could be a set of chrome Mac wrenches with a single blemished wrench in the set, and I'm talking microscopic/doesn't effect function at all, for basically the scrap weight of the metal used. One of the few "perks" left of working for an old school American company.

I built up quite the assortment of tools when I worked there, many of which I still have to this day. The credit union was right next door to the store, so every payday, I'd grab a shopping bag or two of various screw drivers, wrenches, sockets, tapes, hammers, etc for about a sawbuck. Good times.

Funny that I just remembered, about 10 years ago, a childhood friend of mine got married. His dad started at Stanley in the 70's (and I think still works there into his late 60's at this point) and rose through the ranks. The gift for guests was an engraved old-school metal tape measure with their names and wedding date at every seat. Pretty cool gift, probably the only one I ever had a use for, haha. I think it's in my chainsaw case...

I did electrical work at stanley and at one time you could buy tools by the pound there. Also worked at Danaher Tool where you could fill up your 5 gal bucket put it on the scale and pay.

I purchased 3 NOS Lufkin stick rules on eBay for $16. Surprising how often I reach for them over my tape.

I get a free tape measure every time I go to harbor freight, probably have a dozen of them. Ask me how many I can find when I need one?

That upper tape must be special for contractors only so they can squeeze in an extra foot everywhere!

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I dug out what I thought was my 25ft tape measure--it's actually 35ft. And the case is obviously plastic. I bought that one a number of years ago, but haven't used it more than a small handful of times.

My 12ft is metal. I've had it for at least 15 years--maybe more. I'm not sure where I got it from. But the case on that one is certainly metal.

we really messed bitd staying with US standard measurement. we all know that metric system is simpler and fractions could sometimes be confusing we have lost space missions due to mixing up the 2 : NASA lost its $125-million Mars Climate Orbiter because spacecraft engineers failed to convert from English to metric measurements when exchanging vital data before the craft was launched in oct 1999

Because it's so much simpler and easier to use. The metric system is an improvement over the English system in three major points: One unit of measurement for each physical quantity. No matter from which other quantities of the SI system derived, yields always the same unit.

This isn't really the thread for that argument.

you gots the power to delete. not an argument its discussion in a tape measure post in a pinball forum

If you ever see vintage craftsman at yard sale buy it . I have trashed bunch of tape measure's over the years . My 40 year old Craftsman metal cased has outlived them all . That being said " Fat Max " a fine tool . Lots reach or " stand out " a plus when building deck or pole barn.

Shane

Fatmax is the best, use one daily, longest rigid stand out for deck work. But the Stanley Powerlock is also a great choice. I prefer the Fatmax in the locking variety, it holds till you push the button.

Nice one ForceFlow. 2” stock as well.