You can find them in just about every woodworking shop: the ubiquitous tape measure. Whether it’s clipped to a tool belt, tucked in a tool box or laying on a workbench, these amazing little devices help us ensure our work measures up.
This article from Wired Magazine tells about the retractable tape measure’s history – from the flat tape to the metal case to the retractable mainspring. No, it’s not woodworking per se, but it sure gives you some valuable insight into how this important tool came into being.
That is interesting. But, I still want to know why tape measures are made for left handed users?
For most of us right handed folks it requires the case of the tape to be held in the left hand so that we can mark a distance using a pencil or marking knife with our right hand and then the numbers are upside down. Not a big problem I guess to read 16″ upside down but, when it comes to fractions (all those little marks) it can get confusing. If you want to mark at +3/16″ and hit 5/16″ instead end up 1/8″ over or under the desired distance.
Adding and subtracting isn’t a hard thing for me to do but, it would be so much simpler if the numbers were facing up when the tape measure was held in the left hand. Or at least mark the whole inch marks in both directions up AND down to correspond with the fractional marks.
Just one of my “pet peeves”…..Rant over…..
Rog
I should clarify my previous “rant”.
My point should have been…..16″ and wanting a + 3/16 but, marking on the wrong side of the 16″ and getting 15-13/16″ because of making it a -3/16″ ….thus loosing 3/8″ in over all length.
Sorry about that! I’m not really that upset over it but, it bugs me anyway. 🙂
Rog