Tape Measure Straight Edge
George VondriskaDescription
When you need an absolutely perfect, dead straight line, grab a straight edge. When you need a down and dirty straight line, grab your tape measure.
Yep, you can use your tape measure as a straight edge, with some limitations. Hook the tape on one edge of your project and pull on the other end so there’s tension on the tape. You can now run your pencil along the edge of tape, gently. If you put A LOT of lateral pressure against the tape you’re going to move it. But for many applications you don’t need a lot of lateral pressure.
This is my go-to approach when I’m “connecting the dots” so I can drive brads, staples or screws. I pull the tape off my belt, strike the line and get back to work, without ever leaving the bench to find a straight edge. Fast!!
Building this cabinet, there's a mid wall right here. And when I go to put screws in it, I need to know where the mid wall is. I don't wanna just willy nilly drive screws. So what's happened already is there's a brad holding the mid wall in place here. I know that bread is centered on the thickness of the mid wall. There's another brad there. I know that's centered on the thickness of the mid wall. So I have done this 11 billion times when I used to run a commercial cabinet shop, get my straight edge out here, hook on that end edge of the straight edge on that bread other edge of the straight edge, straight edge on this bread, get some tension on that. Now, when I draw a line which I'm about to do, you can't put a lot of lateral pressure on it, but you don't need a lot of lateral pressure. You just do this. That's gonna give me my line that shows me where I need to do this so that these end up in the right spot and it's just a great down and dirty way. I don't know if to, I don't have to run and find a straight edge. I can use the tools that are already hanging on my apron to get that line to register the screws.
Great advice. I love using tape measure as much as possible for lines drawing, circles marking and 90° angle guides (3-4-5 Pythagorean theorem)