One Flat Measuring Tape

David, I have to agree with all that you have said. I have been using this tape and another Fastcap tape for years. I find them to be very accurate. Also Fastcap has a good customer relations department. I had a issue ( my problem, I dropped it ) with one of my tapes and needed a replacement. To make a long story short they where very helpful in getting me a replacement.

-- Guy Kroll

Isn’t the hook supposed to move to account for it’s thickness when making inside edge vs outside edge measurements (pushing the end up against something vs hooking over something)?

bp – I think the point davidroberts was making about the hook is that it doesn’t need to move because this tape only takes outside measurements. You can’t push against anything because it isn’t stiff like a “standout” tape.

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

One thing to mention as well about all of their measuring tapes is that you can write in pencil on the white circle on the outside and on the tape itself. It can get kind of dingy when being used but it’s a nice feature when you can transfer the measurement without remembering (and forgetting;) what the value is. I think mine also came with a pencil sharpener built in, minor but a nice touch and use of dead space.

I use their traditional versions with the cupped taped because the “pushing string” gets very annoying to me but I have several and use their brand exclusivly.

Thanks for the review!

We got these tapes for those of you not around a woodworking store. They are highly accurate,and you can get them here. www.getneds.com/tape
Great tool for the outside curve of any project. Two styles to choose from…..check it out.

-- Woodshop supplies at bulk discounts. www.getneds.com

I love my Fastcap tapes. They’ve become my favorites. The pencil sharpener is a great bonus.

-- - Please help keep Lumberjocks an enjoyable escape by refusing to participate in political discussions. Simply spit out the bait and ignore the thread...

I have this specific FastCap tape and I love it; it’s my favorite. i get easily annoyed by the curved tapes when layout cut lines on stock; this solved that issue for me.

-- Chris

I have so many tapes now but what the heck, one more can’t hurt…

-- jack -- measure once, curse twice!

New to me Thanks

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

I’ve had mine for about a year and I love it for layout. One of the best things is you don’t have to “tilt” it to get the mark on the board. The other side is used for a story stick so you can transfer exact measurements to similar pieces.

I also have their “righty” “lefty” tape that measures from either end of a board and the numbers are always upright. I like this one a lot too.

I guess I’ll have to get one and try it – everyone seems to like them. I always thought they seemed a little big in my hand, though. I like my small Stanley 12 footer for shop use.

Matt

-- Wag more, bark less.

I looked at this a few months ago and decided it’s not good for inside measurements and passed on it for that reason.

-- Vince in Greenville, SC

Jack1, I counted 7 in my arsenal including the Stanley mini me on my keychain. Three actually work. I’m blessed to enjoy the $10 and under pleasures in life, ha.

araldite, your right, it’s a one trick pony.

Mattin – I have a little Starrett 12’ I use alot. But one side is metric, which has always bugged me. I think that’s the reason it was on sale. I didn’t notice at the time.

treeman – that righty lefty is another great idea. i’ve already hinted to santa about stocking stuffers.

Cessna and Tim 456- Dang, I forgot about that little feature. Yep, the flatback has one. She’s a beaut.

And one other item, if you let the tape slip hard back into the reel, it will bend the end a little. I’m just saying.

-- david roberts, houston area, "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but that has never been a problem for me."

These fast cap tapes are nice..I have the flat back in my home shop…but….I bought one a few years back that was a story pole regular tape with a pencil sharpener built into the base to use while working in a cabinet shop. I really liked it till I dropped it a few times and it broke..the tape locked up and wouldn’t move….I fiddled with it and got it to work a few more times and then the return spring failed and the tape wouldn’t retract. They dont really stand up well to real world use/abuse! My Stanley fatmax has been dropped hundreds of times…even from ladders, and still works like a champ!

-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"

I’m a Stanley guy but… this tape works great. I like the fact I can measure the circumfrances or odd shaped pieces.

Hmm, thanks all for the comments, I am going to get myself one of these!

I’ve used Stanley tapes for 10+ years and always thought they were good tapes until I found a Komelon tape. I liked the spring so much better on the Komelon than the Stanley. The FastCap tapes are my new favorites too. The spring is still better than the Stanley and the other features make it even better. One of my favorite parts is the lever action belt clip.

-- Russ

I had one of the old standby standards, until last week when I dropped it and the mainspring bar broke. I really liked it up to that point. Like Brad_Nailor said, they don’t hold up well. Also, the I wish other tape makers would copy the belt clip.

-- AJJ, Eugene OR

I have the FastCap flat back tape as well. I thought it was a great idea for woodworking, and for some applications it is. But since I usually carry a tape in my apron in the shop, this one is left on the bench. As previously stated, it doesn’t measure inside dimensions, so it lacks the versatility I need most of the time.
The other ‘peeve’ is that if you lock the tape and place it on the board you are measuring, the tape body rocks back and up, pulling the tape away from the workpiece. It would be nice for it to lay flat on its own as you mark layout lines on your workpiece.
I do like the markings on the tape, including the 1/16th inch numbers; very clear.
For some applications, it is a nice tape, just not my ‘go to’ measure.