Met an old timer at a job site last month who changed how I look at measuring

Ngl I've been measuring stuff the same way for like 10 years. Pull the tape hook over, mark, move on. This guy was about 70 and he watched me measure a door casing. He just said 'you trust that hook too much, kid.' Then he showed me how he burns an inch and subtracts instead of using the hook at all. Honestly it made me think about all the sloppy fractions I've been dealing with. He even had a little brass ruler glued to his belt for quick checks. Been trying his method for a few weeks now. Anyone else ever run into an older carpenter who taught you a basic trick you overlooked?

3 comments

3 Comments

wendyg4326d ago

Yeah I was totally a hook believer til I tried it. Mind blown honestly.

brian_smith626d ago

The hook trick is the first thing any old timer will call you out on. I started burning an inch after a guy showed me his tape had about a 1/16th slop from wear and tear. That little brass ruler on the belt is a dead giveaway he's been at it since before digital calipers. One thing he probably didn't mention - when you burn an inch on long measurements past 10 feet, your tape sags a bit. I always add an extra 1/8th for anything over 12 feet or it'll come up short. That old school method saved me from a lot of scrap wood.

bettyroberts26d ago

Wait, does burning an inch actually help with the tape sag issue, or does it make it worse since you're holding the tape at a different point? I've always just used a laser for anything over 10 feet myself, so I'm wondering if that old school trick saves more than just the hook slop.