Engineer / Surveyor Tape Meassure

[vaultman]

In my non wood working life (as in my actual 40hr a week job) I am a land surveyor.

I am looking for a replacement for a Surveyor's tape (mfka an Engineer's Tape). These are in feet and decimal feet.
I would like one that is 33 feet long, 1/2 a chain for those in the know   . I have used the Lufkin tapes for a while, but was hoping there may be some others entering the market? Like Fat Max, or Milwaukee?? I doubt it but I thought I would ask...

Or anything besides the Lufkin?

 

 

[hemdale]

33 feet...

 

Stabila: http://www.stabila.de/cms/front_content.php?idart=96

http://www.stabila.com/products/tape-measures/us-measures

 

BMI: http://www.bmi.de/en/products-frame-capsule-tapes.php

 

Vogel: https://shop.vogel-germany.de/Tape-Measures--Spirit-Levels--Laser-Distance-Meters--Stopwatches/Measuring-Tapes/

 

My three favorite brands for measuring products. The BMI will outlast you.

 

Try Hultafors too: http://www.hultafors.com/hand-tools/measuring/tape-measures/

I've been super happy with their tools so far.

[BK13]

That BMI 472 twoCOMP looks interesting, but doesn't look like it comes in tenths and inches. I never did find any with tenths, outside of a Stabila.

 

All my work tapes are Lufkins (and there's a pile of 'em!) of 12' or 25'. Just curious why you would want a 33'er? That's a big tape to try and get in and out of your vest 50 times a day....

 

I just replaced a tape I had put a crimp in (one of the old style without the rubber bumpers) with the new style that was tenths only. Kind of a bummer trying to measure the diameter of a tree and do the math converting tenths to inches in my head....

[tonylandin]

I always used to use lufkin it was readily available and lasted ok. With the power of the Internet there are many choices at your fingertips. Let us know what you go with.

From a fan of tools with lots of assistance from Siri #TIACREW

[vaultman]

On 5/28/2016 at 4:19 PM, BK13 said:

That BMI 472 twoCOMP looks interesting, but doesn't look like it comes in tenths and inches. I never did find any with tenths, outside of a Stabila.

 

All my work tapes are Lufkins (and there's a pile of 'em!) of 12' or 25'. Just curious why you would want a 33'er? That's a big tape to try and get in and out of your vest 50 times a day....

 

I just replaced a tape I had put a crimp in (one of the old style without the rubber bumpers) with the new style that was tenths only. Kind of a bummer trying to measure the diameter of a tree and do the math converting tenths to inches in my head....

I cannot count how many times I have used it for things between 25' and 33'. A 33 is heavy, but when that is what you have always carried it is what you are used to.

What survey outfit in PDX do you work for? Just curious...

For the tree issue, I have been thinking about getting a diameter tape.

[BK13]

The bosses wanted us to be hyper-accurate on tree diameters, so they bought us the chintzy tree diameter tapes that lasted for about fifteen minutes of actual use. Oops. Not quite so sure why, as the stuff we normally topo doesn't get acted upon for a year, and it's not like trees grow in that time.... Probably the same reason survey requests come in asking for 5'x5' grids on storm water swale jobs.... Actual engineers hand off work to interns and don't really supervise their work. I just did a job that asked for a 5x5 grid, partially in A FREAKING BASEBALL FIELD! "Boy, the elevation really drops off there in right field..."