Why does nobody talk about how much a cheap tape measure can mess up your work?

I was putting together a built-in for a client in Springfield and the whole thing was off by a quarter inch in three spots. My buddy asked to check my tape and the hook was loose, moving almost an eighth of an inch. I'd been using that same $8 tape for two years, trusting it completely. Now I only buy the good ones and check them against a steel rule every few months. Has anyone else had a tool they trusted totally fail them like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

emmamason22d ago

Yeah, that's a good point about tools just wearing out. Makes me wonder if @drew_rivera's buddy's level was dropped or stored badly before it went bad?

drew_rivera2mo ago

Honestly, my buddy had the same thing happen with a cheap level. He was hanging cabinets all week and couldn't figure out why the doors looked wrong. Turns out the vial in his level was off by a degree or two. He had to go back and redo like three jobs. Tbh it was a total nightmare for him. Now he checks his level against a known flat surface before every big install. Just shows you can't trust the cheap stuff after a while.

simonk982mo ago

Ever wonder if the temperature messes with those vials over time? @drew_rivera's story makes me think a cheap level could warp from sitting in a hot truck. Might explain why it goes bad after a while.

mila2782mo ago

Cheap levels can definitely warp, but I've seen expensive ones drift too. It's more about how they're handled than just the price tag.