Shopsmith Forums

Hi,

Just trying to catch up on a few things from this past summer and fall. One of the things that I wanted to mention was that beloved FastCap PSS-R tape measure had a failure.

I've had it many a year and it became a real go to tool. The version I have is the one that reads from either side of the rule and marked down to 1/16" marks (that was how I taught my daughter to read a ruler).

Well all good things might have to come to an end sometime, and such is the time for this tool, the locking system no longer works. I slid the lock down and heard this not so funny noise and then a chunk of thin plastic dropped out. Not so usable now without the lock function.

I for the time being I'm used a clothes pin which sort of half works for the lock. The pencil sharpener is still in great shape. So I may let it hang out in the shop for a while longer or until I can find some other use for it...

Bottom line, it served me well and a replacement is on my new 2012 budget. Just have to wait until December and then figure out what the current model is that is the same as the old one or as close to it as I can get. If you are looking for a new tape measure I would put one of these on your list.

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Ed

You can also check out this post:
https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=2930

I liked that tape so much when it first came out I bought a mess of them. I have one in the house, two in my shop, one in my truck, each son in law has one, my wife has one and I think I have a spare squirreled aways somewhere.

No failures yet. Best tape measure on the market. Love the exact model you have.

I have that model as well but in addition I purchased their lay flat model as well. The tape on this one is flat and makes exact marking a breeze. It has markings on one edge and a white space on the other so you can make your own marks and use it as a story pole.

I really like them both.

After being disappointed with Stanley and even Lee Valley tapes I popped for a Fastcap lay-flat. I liked the way it worked so much that I bought 2 other versions: a pure Imperial one and one that stays locked out until you press the button. And, surprise me, I find that I use all three!
Forrest

After reading this and touring their web site I have to have one of these. Or maybe several.

forrestb wrote:After being disappointed with Stanley and even Lee Valley tapes I popped for a Fastcap lay-flat. I liked the way it worked so much that I bought 2 other versions: a pure Imperial one and one that stays locked out until you press the button. And, surprise me, I find that I use all three!
Forrest

All I have are Stanley so what I have to say is pure opinion. Take it for what it is worth.

If you are going to have more than one tape measure available in the shop, do yourself a favor and compare all of them to one another to make sure they are equally accurate - for their full length.

When doing this, check for both internal and external measurements. The hook on the end can throw a measurement off more than you might think (especially as the tape gets older).

I have two 25' Stanleys and they are still working fine. It seems like they have been in the tool inventory forever.

I lost a shorter Stanley years ago. Amazingly, it showed up, not long ago, in a small tool box in my wife's craft room. She says that one was never mine but I doubt that she ever bought a tape measure.

forrestb: I am curious! What is there that you find unacceptable with the Stanley tapes? Has quality been degraded on new units or is this a generic evaluation of all Stanley tapes.

Fastcap make a great measure. We have at least seven or eight of them and use them daily. I do agree that once one begins a project following thru with the same measuring device until the end of the project is a wise and error preventing decision. Recently my loving spouse assisted me in making a cabinet. She began with one tape then switched mid project to another. When we discoverd we were off by 1/32" she couldn't understand why, until we compared the two tapes. Even when one uses the best there is bound to be variation. Fjimp

fjimp wrote:Fastcap make a great measure. We have at least seven or eight of them and use them daily. I do agree that once one begins a project following thru with the same measuring device until the end of the project is a wise and error preventing decision. Recently my loving spouse assisted me in making a cabinet. She began with one tape then switched mid project to another. When we discoverd we were off by 1/32" she couldn't understand why, until we compared the two tapes. Even when one uses the best there is bound to be variation. Fjimp

So much for 'tru zero' hooks! I have always been suspicious of them. I remember fixed hooks and you allowed for their 'thickness' with inside measurements.

Measure once, use the first piece as a pattern!

I often(always if exact matters) measure from 10" or 1' on the tape. Trick is to keep it from moving!:eek:

I really like the lefty-righty version. Nice and relatively easy to read.

BPR

tdubnik wrote:I have that model as well but in addition I purchased their lay flat model as well. The tape on this one is flat and makes exact marking a breeze. It has markings on one edge and a white space on the other so you can make your own marks and use it as a story pole.

I really like them both.

Hear, hear! Love this thing. Besides all the regular features, the lay-flat thing allows laying a try square across it on a work piece and lining up the inch-mark right under the square, eliminating paralax, then zzzzip, pencil or scribe. Superior accuracy minus the squint factor.
The "flat" has wonderful benefits over the curved tapes.
Also really like that secondary "temp" lock feature.