[subego]

Anyone find their ideal tape measure? I like 16’ models because they’re lighter and more compact, and like FatMax for the rigidity, but I’ve been spoiled by the locking mechanism on my 20-year-old 25’ LeverLock.

They have ¾“-16’ LeverLocks now, which I’m tempted to try.

[Waragainstsleep]

I'm just happy if I can find a tape measure when I need one.

[subego]

I’ve got three officially in play, all with designated storage, so I’m rarely without.

[reader50]

Leverlocks are my fave too. And I got so mad once about never finding a tape, that I bought 7. Those seven were probably my favorite, the Craftsman 939678. 25' x 1".



Reportedly the last ones Sears made in the USA. Discontinued today, though I still have 2-3 of them. After ~20 years.

[subego]

This is my go-to style of tool bag:



Keeps the tape measure along with pretty much everything else visible and easy-access. Two of my three are clipped to one of these.

I also have at least two “spare” 16’ FatMaxes lying around I absentmindedly bought along the way.

[ghporter]

I have probably a dozen of these:

They are freebies from therapy conference sponsors. 60”/5’ (and in mm/cm on the other side of the tape), flexible and useful.

But I also have a 3/8” wide 12’, a 1” wide 25’, and a 1/2” wide 50’ measure. All with different purposes…

So “ideal” for me really depends on the application. Ain’t nobody gonna let you measure how big around their wrist is with a metal tape measure, and a floppy 5’ tape is useless when planning where to hang a picture or where to cut a 2x4.

[subego]

I have cloth tape, but rather than dig it out it’s usually quicker to find something flexible like string for the measurement and then slap it against a straightedge.

[ghporter]

Between my negative impression of my own dexterity (only slightly earned) and my CDO for measurements, I only resort to string measurements when I have to. For example, one simple but effective way to measure a finger for a ring size is with string…but since my wife makes jewelry we have both finger sizers (the big bundle of rings you see at better jewelry stores) AND a ring sizing mandrel.

[subego]

Couldn’t resist…



…the world’s most adorable ratchet.

[Thorzdad]

Oh! Hey! You found my hash pipe!

[subego]

It’s a tool, right?



Stash goes in the big tube. Rod hiding behind it is a pipe cleaner.



Though I have since “graduated” to DIY, disposable shotgun pipes made out of a paper towel tube and tin foil. When it gets funky rather than go through the rigamarole of cleaning I just pitch it and make a new one.

[ghporter]

“These are merely objects that illustrate potential uses, and not actual paraphernalia of any kind.” Honest.

At one time we had a really nice incense burner. Its particularly good feature was that the cone of incense sat on a round piece of metal screen material, allowing it to burn more completely (none of that “left over incense base” crap). Actually cleaning the screen was virtually impossible, and it only came with one spare. So where to find a replacement? ONCE, we were able to find a “We’re Not Really A Head Shop” vendor where we got one replacement screen. Before we needed a new one we saw that the “Not A Head Shop” was now a convenience store or something. Sigh.

Now there are “vape” shops everywhere, and while I haven’t actually looked for that kind of screen, I’ll bet there are competitively priced versions in multiple materials at “Hazel Sky” (a real vape shop name) and their competitors. Again, sigh.

[subego]

I highly recommend this stuff called Lampe Berger. They’re basically oil lamps, but instead of light they give off smell. What’s really nice about them over incense is they’re not sooty. The scents are on the perfume-y side, which may or may not be a problem depending on taste. My personal fave (that they still make) is Paris Chic.

The lamps themselves run the gamut from gorgeous to horrendously tacky. There’s a constant train of limited editions and people Pokémon the shit.

[subego]

For 20 or so years my tool loadout has been “small bag, big bag”. Small bag has the essentials, big bag has everything else.

Decided big bag is too fucking heavy, and split it up into smaller bags. Now it’s the essentials bag, drill bag, “bodge” bag (staple gun, glue gun, etc.), and the everything else bag.

I’ve been stymied by that last one for awhile. Since this goes in my van I don’t want things flying out of it in an accident. Options relying on lots of external pockets or an open-top are a no-go.

Stumbled across this roll-up bag. Not cheap but it’s perfect…



Top pocket I made electrical. The others a screwdriver/ratchet pocket, cutting pocket with things like blades and scissors, D cell flashlight pocket, and an everything else pocket.


Edit: accidentally deleted the part where it’s also got 5 covered pockets in the back for pliers.