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Old 02-17-2020, 07:20 PM   #1
Benson
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Default Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

FYI



Last Friday the guys at Geezer Coffee were discussing Harbor Freight tape measures.


One guy found one TAPE that was not accurate.



The parts he measured did not fit after he cut them.


It seems that some of tapes come up short so it might be nice to check the tape measures for accuracy.

Last edited by Benson; 02-18-2020 at 08:52 AM.
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Old 02-17-2020, 07:39 PM   #2
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Thumbs down Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

I've had a few that were given free with other purchases. All broke after a few uses. I don't like using this term, but they are "junk"!
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Old 02-17-2020, 07:39 PM   #3
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

Well this RULES out the old saying "measure twice, cut once"
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Old 02-17-2020, 07:39 PM   #4
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

But, "I cut it off 3 times and it is still too short"
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Old 02-17-2020, 07:44 PM   #5
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

Would work if you measure then measure the cut with the same tape....
Maybe!! But maybe not!!
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Old 02-17-2020, 07:48 PM   #6
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

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Measure from both ends and what is left in the middle, halve it,
For those who are cheap...
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Old 02-17-2020, 07:55 PM   #7
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

Wait a minute, were these Geezers drinking coffee or just might there have been something in that coffee, something here does not ADD up
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Old 02-17-2020, 08:31 PM   #8
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

My Dad had that experience a few years ago building an out building. He had two rules. One a bargain store brand and a good name brand one. After cutting up a lot of lumber that didn’t fit and thinking he was losing it, he finally stretched the two rules out side by side. The bargain job might be on at three feet, a quarter inch off at six feet and so on.
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Old 02-17-2020, 08:31 PM   #9
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

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Originally Posted by Oldbluoval View Post
Would work if you measure then measure the cut with the same tape....
Maybe!! But maybe not!!

That's what I have to do if I use a HF tape. I checked mine and it seems
to be off right at the end with the hook.


Bob
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Old 02-17-2020, 09:11 PM   #10
Bill G
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

Starting at the end with the hook is ok if you’re measuring drywall or planks for a patio, but for more accurate measurements I always start at the one inch mark. Just don’t forget to add an inch on the other end!!
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Old 02-17-2020, 09:37 PM   #11
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

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Would work if you measure then measure the cut with the same tape...
Maybe!! But maybe not!!
Yep, that's right, measure and cut with the same tape and it does not matter how far it's off. It will be off the same amount both times.
And when you compare it to another tape, how do you know which one is the one that is off ?
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Old 02-17-2020, 10:36 PM   #12
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

Easy. Just send in your tape for "Calibration".
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Old 02-18-2020, 08:46 AM   #13
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

I am a 4th generation master carpenter and wouldn't think of using a hf tape. I have used Stanley for 40 yrs now, through in the occasional craftsman. But this reminds of a couple of stories. Recently my son, whom works with me, and I were having trouble with installing some ceiling boards. It seemed that every other cut was off. I kept giving him the devil because it couldn't be me making the mistake! Come to find out my poor old tape was the problem, end had come just loose enough to make a difference, into the trash it went.
In another instance I remember a story Pop told me, back in his day they would use stick rules. He said there was a guy that he worked with that always bought the cheapest he could find, all of the others used Lufkins, said they were never in sync.
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Old 02-18-2020, 09:37 AM   #14
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

The measuring tapes were perfect when they left China!
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Old 02-18-2020, 09:59 AM   #15
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

I agree that the HF tapes are of poor quality. However, with any tape measure occasionally check the hook end. It can get bent & will throw off your results when taking an inside or outside measurement.
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Old 02-18-2020, 10:47 AM   #16
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

A new Harbor Freight store opened up near here on Saturday,and the first 1000 customers got a free tape measure.My friend got one,and was in my garage that night telling me that the tape was off.We held it up to a one foot machinest's rule,it was a little off.I had it in my hand and noticed the hook on the end was tight.I said that's not right,the hook is supposed to have a little play in it.He had assumed that because it was from China the hook was just loose because of poor quality.He had gone over to my brake rivet press and squashed the rivet down tight.He didn't know that the hook moved one way for a pull measurement,and moved the other way for an accurate inside measurement,and was OK to begin with.
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Old 02-18-2020, 11:16 AM   #17
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

I think its safe to say with Harbor Freight - your mileage may vary.

I was at the new HF store in Portsmouth (the same one mentioned by Keith) and bought a "carport shelter" in the 10x20 dimensions.

The dimensions ARE 10x20 - it covers my chicken run nicely and now the girls won't have to walk on snow (which they abhor!)

The top is a little "loose" compared to the Shelter Logic version we use for camping. Also the HF top "spaces out" the bungie ties for economy - and misses the four corners entirely.

The HF tubes & tees seem equal in thickness (Shelter Logics are not that thick anyway,) but surprisingly, the top is a little "taller" than the Shelter Logic.

Overall, I would say the $99 HF Carport ($160 equivalent Shelter Logic) was money well spent albeit it is only a chicken run cover.

Mostly I've had good experience with HF. I would NOT buy batteries or battery powered tools from them, however. Air hoses OK if you buy the upper end hoses.

Two wheelers you can expect the pneumatic tires to be flat within a week - and even the HF replacement wheels. (And surprisingly replacement tubes in the 4x8 size from almost all other sources including Amazon and AdvanceAutoParts - Chinese Rubber STINKS and is prone to early aging.) The HF solid rubber tires to fit the two wheelers seem good - and not too expensive.

As I say, your mileage may vary.

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Last edited by Joe K; 02-18-2020 at 11:39 AM.
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Old 02-18-2020, 11:18 AM   #18
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

I haven't noticed a problem with their tapes but I do like the little blue magnetic flashlights they give away. I have three stuck to the fridge.
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Old 02-18-2020, 11:29 AM   #19
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

Quote:
Originally Posted by Benson View Post
FYI



Last Friday the guys at Geezer Coffee were discussing Harbor Freight tape measures.


One guy found one TAPE that was not accurate.



The parts he measured did not fit after he cut them.


It seems that some of tapes come up short so it might be nice to check the tape measures for accuracy.
Once had an annoying boss, didn't trust the help, had to measure everything we built. Got ahold of his tape measure and cut off the first inch, replaced the clip. Thought we were going to have to call 911 when he freaked out next time he started measuring our work---the joys of working for the railroad.
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Old 02-18-2020, 11:51 AM   #20
Ted Duke
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

ALL tape measures are suspect. In 1968 we bought a new home in Virginia Beach. Needed shades on all of the windows (3 bdrm house). Picked up a CRAFTSMAN ruler at Sears and measured all of the windows, went back to Sears and ordered shades. Picked them up two days later they were all 1/4" short. Measured the windows again and went to Sear. They measured them and they were correct.



Salesman measured my Craftsman ruler, broke it it half threw it in the trash. Got a new one, measured it, handed it to me and said you blinds will be ready tomorrow by one pm.


No charge. All items you measure with may have an error; like GPS.
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Old 02-18-2020, 12:16 PM   #21
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

Quote:
Originally Posted by goodcar View Post
Once had an annoying boss, didn't trust the help, had to measure everything we built. Got ahold of his tape measure and cut off the first inch, replaced the clip. Thought we were going to have to call 911 when he freaked out next time he started measuring our work---the joys of working for the railroad.



Back in 1990 our company got bought out by a series of Corporate Raiders.


First thing they did was hire a bunch of Snot Nosed college boys with MBAs. (1 or 2 for each major city).



MBA = "Master in Bean Accounting". (they hated that name)



Our company had Company purchased and maintained cars (was one of several companies that they bought).



One day the Bean Counter started to bitch in a meeting about the cost of the Company cars. He said that it was costing them 34 cents per mile.


Some of us had company cars and the rest were getting mileage to drive our own cars. They were paying us 17 cents a mile.


So I raised my hand asked if it is cost you 34 cents how come you are paying the rest of us 17?


"You sit down and shut up!"


In the next meeting one of us told the Bean Counter that we, as drivers, were saving the company money on mileage for both CAR programs but we never told them how we were doing it.


Finally one Bean Counter cornered one of the guys and he had to "Spill the beans".


"On all of the cars we moved the front seat forward one inch so that we get to our destination sooner!"




.
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Old 02-18-2020, 12:20 PM   #22
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

Ya gotta be careful, I ran across a tape one time that gave me fits, turned out it didn't have inches, it had 1/10ths of a foot. It was a surveyors measuring tape.

Then there was the old original measuring tapes that were made of cloth, which was fine when they were new but as they aged they began to stretch. The railroad threw thousands of them away in the '50s.
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Old 02-18-2020, 12:31 PM   #23
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

My uncle built homes for 45 years. Before allowing any tradesmen on the site he would check the tapes used by every one of them for accuracy. Some complained, especially when their "tried and true" tapes were banished from the job. Even when all the tapes were made here in the U.S., not all were accurate and many were a bit off after years of use and abuse. My uncle said that his obsession with tapes saved him a lot of time and money over the years.
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Old 02-18-2020, 02:39 PM   #24
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Duke View Post
ALL tape measures are suspect. In 1968 we bought a new home in Virginia Beach. Needed shades on all of the windows (3 bdrm house). Picked up a CRAFTSMAN ruler at Sears and measured all of the windows, went back to Sears and ordered shades. Picked them up two days later they were all 1/4" short. Measured the windows again and went to Sear. They measured them and they were correct.



Salesman measured my Craftsman ruler, broke it it half threw it in the trash. Got a new one, measured it, handed it to me and said you blinds will be ready tomorrow by one pm.


No charge. All items you measure with may have an error; like GPS.
Those were the days. Now you can't find anyone in Sears to talk to in the first place and when you do they wouldn't have any idea how to use a tape measure if you took it off their own shelf and handed to them...
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Old 02-18-2020, 03:41 PM   #25
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

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Those were the days. Now you can't find anyone in Sears to talk to in the first place and when you do they wouldn't have any idea how to use a tape measure if you took it off their own shelf and handed to them...
Ask for a "combination square" and see what they hand you.

It ain't this.

How much we've lost in 140 years.

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Old 02-18-2020, 04:20 PM   #26
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Your talking about measuring tapes got me thinking because I always carry a small 6 ft tape in my pocket along with a Swiss Army knife and a Craftsman 4 inch adjustable wrench. Amazing what you can fix with just what is in my pocket. Anyway I looked at my tape and it seems to have some history that I never knew about before. This is from Wikipedia.

The Keuffel and Esser Co., also known as K & E, was a drafting instrument and supplies company founded in 1867 by two German immigrants, William J. D. Keuffel and Herman Esser. It was the first American company to specialize in these products
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Old 02-18-2020, 08:55 PM   #27
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Default Re: Harbor Freight tape measures come up short

I guess I have not checked a tape for accuracy, I usually can mess stuff up on my own but now I can blame the tape.
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Old 02-19-2020, 11:27 AM   #28
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I guess I have not checked a tape for accuracy, I usually can mess stuff up on my own but now I can blame the tape.
Sounds like a good plan.
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Old 02-21-2020, 04:38 PM   #29
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Once had an annoying boss, didn't trust the help, had to measure everything we built. Got ahold of his tape measure and cut off the first inch, replaced the clip. Thought we were going to have to call 911 when he freaked out next time he started measuring our work---the joys of working for the railroad.
Wow, you are lucky. You only "ONCE" had an annoying boss. Now let me count the times..........
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