Measuring Tape Discrepancies ....

[footprintsinconc]

ahaa! see mike, i knew it just wasn't me!.

the kobalt tapes to look more attractive or nicer ..

[LarryG]

I always use a single tape, and do think that's the best method, but the importance of doing so really depends on your work habits.

Say you're building a simple bookcase, and you're working from a cutlist. You've cut the two end panels, the top, and the bottom. Nothing is yet assembled. As you prepare to cut the shelves, you switch tapes. This could be bad, because if the second tape doesn't agree with the first, your shelves may be too long or too short to fit together with the pieces you've already cut.

Now say you're building the same bookcase, and by the time you're ready to cut the shelves, you've already got the carcase assembled. If you switch tapes at this point, there's no harm PROVIDED you abandon the cutlist and take your measurement directly off the assembled carcase. Even if your second tape is wrong, it will be equally wrong when you take the measurement and when you mark the shelves to be cut.

The latter method is the better one in most cases anyway, since it helps eliminate the small, cumulative errors that invariably seem to creep into every woodworking project. Better yet is the story stick method that Sarge mentioned; in many cases, the story stick can (and should) be the workpiece itself. Hold it in place, mark where it needs to be cut, and cut it at the mark. The fewer times you measure, and the fewer marks you make, the more accurate your woodworking will be.

[JR]

Hold it in place, mark where it needs to be cut, and cut it at the mark...

... and use stop blocks. Even if the measurement is slightly off, all similar pieces will be off by the same amount.

JR

[Carlos]

Now say you're building the same bookcase, and by the time you're ready to cut the shelves, you've already got the carcase assembled. If you switch tapes at this point, there's no harm PROVIDED you abandon the cutlist and take your measurement directly off the assembled carcase.

I think relative measurement is the only way to go for anyone short of a true master carpenter. I build in stages of relative critical parts, as in your example above. I have many tapes, but I use ONE for the relative measurement and the cut for that piece. That's all that matters.

And now that I have a jointer it's easy for me to go over 1/16" and then sneak up on the exact fit. My board stretcher is out for repair.