You've Been Using Measuring Tape Wrong Your Whole Life. Here's Why.

Trick No. 1: Have you always asked, why there is a small hole in the hook at the end? Well here's the solution:

With this hole (also known as an eye) you can make the exact measurement from screws and nails.

Simply place the head of the screw in the eye and measure precisely, in any direction. And you still have a hand free to mark with.

Trick No. 2: Why is the bottom edge of the hook of most measuring tape corrugated?

Sometimes while measuring you'll have this problem: for the perfect result you always need both hands. Without help, it's barely possible to mark the correct spot (that you wish to drill e.g.). This is where the tiny teeth come into play:

Simply push down with the corrugated edge and slide it side to side, on the desired spot, and there'll be a visible mark. Viola!

Trick No. 3: Why isn't the hook set fast - it moves in and out about a millimetre?

This room-to-play is exactly the width of the hook. Measuring the inside or outside edge, could therefore, make a crucial difference.

The outside measurement is the zero-point of the inner-angle - and the inside measurement is the zero-point of the outer-angle. Sounds crazy, but it's correct and accurate to the millimetre.

Trick No. 4: Why is there a length-specification on the casing?

This specification is used in conjunction with the inner-measurement. Then instead of measuring the edge and having to guess the value, ...

... simply set up the measuring tape and add the specification from the casing. It's that easy!

Even the oldest home-handyman doesn't know all of these tricks. Share them with everyone!

These little tricks have preceded the measuring tape by the good old yardstick (or more precisely, the folding ruler). You will definitely find them on every american-produced ruler, but also more and more often on measuring tapes produced elsewhere. Now you know.