Was in Sears. Wasting my money paying for a home gym, see thread “home gym”, and did a little light shopping. Sale box had Klein half-inch nutdrivers, the sets stop at 7/16″ and a lot of meter cans have 1/2″ clamp bolts so I need a couple for my new sets, at $3 each and the ‘C’ cells I needed at reasonable cost.
While wandering I came upon a nifty little device. Something they call a ‘Grip Tip’. A stainless steel disc about an inch and three eighths in diameter with a serrated edge turned in. It fits on the end of a tape measure. The idea being that the larger serrated tip will grip the edge of what your measuring and keep the tape from slipping. A common problem.
At first I was thinking that it way a gimmick or would stick out too much from the tape measure and make the tape unwieldy when hooked onto a pocket but I tried it with my tape, came equipped to measure the gym, and it seems to stay well out of the way. At $1 each I got three.
On the way home I stopped by a site and made some measurements I needed for Monday. This little toy works pretty well. Really well with wood. The tiny teeth grip well. Was easily able to stretch the tape 30′ without the normal snap backs. Saved me some time and aggravation. Well worth the cost.
Nothing high tech or complicated about it. Just a good idea well carried out. I like that. IMHO, ideal for stocking stuffers, OK its a little late for this Christmas, or simple ‘thank-you’ gifts.
Replies
How does it attach?
Jake Gulick
[email protected]
CarriageHouse Design
Black Rock, CT
You can see a picture of it here:
http://www.joneakes.com/ca/hs/html/catalogue.html
Just look for it on the product list. (BTW -- I just discovered that site while looking for the Grip Tip, and it's got some interesting products.)
This guy has a "Tip Grip," which is different, but probably equally useful: http://www.robknightstucco.com/products/index.html
K-
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"Bad golf is played with the shoulders and the body; good golf with the hands." -- Gene Sarazen
Re: "How does it attach?"
It snaps on. The existing tape tab slips into a slot with a small catch. No need to modify the tape measure and it seems to do no harm even after a few dozen removals and installations. Installing takes all of ten seconds with just a bit of practice. Removal about half as long.
I like simple, reliable, and easy to use products that save me time. Even if it only saves me a minute a day it will have paid for itself in under a week. For me tape measure tabs slipping off while trying to make a measurement is not a major problem but it happens and it eats up time and, possibly more importantly, patience.
Discovered this little gem a while ago. It gets in my way every once in a while and I have to snap it off but it saves a lot more time than it wastes. I found mine on a trip to Harbor Freight to buy the Thomas J. Glover Pocket Reference, ISBN 1-885071-33-7. Both of these tools should be added to the most useful tools under $20 thread.
Kevin Halliburton
"I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity." - I.M. Pei -
One caution.
After you attach one of these you have to watch where your fingers are when you quickly retract the tape. 25' of tape coming back in one smooth motion with a toothed attachment can trap you finger between the tape end and the tape measure case. Leaves a nice jagged, and quite painful, laceration if your not careful.
Got me once. Noticed my fingers stay at a more respectful distance all by themselves now. I may be too old to learn but my fingers are still in the game.