Rant: That Tuesday when every single measurement I took was off by 3/8 inch

I was framing out a demo wall at an old office building in Phoenix last month. Layout looked clean on paper, so I cut 12 studs and started setting them. First one was loose, second one wouldn't fit, and by the fifth I realized my tape hook had bent just enough to throw everything off. Spent the whole afternoon re-cutting while the GC stood there shaking his head. Has anyone else had a tool fail in the middle of a run like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

amy_murphy8511d ago

I read somewhere that tape measures can be finicky like that and it's ALWAYS when you're in the middle of something important. That hook bending thing is a nightmare, makes you question every cut.

olivia_allen11d ago

Disagree a bit with you there @amy_murphy85, honestly. If your tape measure hook is bent, that's a you problem. Give it a quick squeeze with pliers or just check it against a fixed point before you start cutting. I've had the same cheap tape for years and never had that issue. The hook has a little wobble built in on purpose too to account for its own thickness when you hook vs butt up against something. Tbh, if you just assume every tape measure is a little off and double check your first measurement against a known reference, you're golden.