Tape Measures

Tape measures: 9 ft and 12 ft compact tapes, Milwaukee 30 ft compact, and Milwaukee 100 ft open reel and closed reel long tapes. Blade width is what sets standout — the distance a tape will extend unsupported before it folds — and it is the spec that matters when you are measuring alone across an opening. A wider 1.97 in. blade stands out far; a compact 9 or 12 ft tape fits a pocket and is for close work. Long tapes are a different tool for layout and site work: an open reel drains and cleans easily and suits mud and wet, a closed reel keeps the blade protected. The hook on a tape is loose by design, by exactly the thickness of the hook, so it reads correctly whether you push or pull.