Tape Measures:
- Pittsburgh 69031 25' x 1" QuikFind Tape Measure
Pliers:
- Pittsburgh 40696 5-3/4" Needle Nose Pliers
Ratchets:
- Pittsburgh Pro 94011 3-Piece Thumbwheel Ratchet Set
Screwdrivers:
- Pittsburgh 69470 4-in-1 Screwdriver
Showing posts with label tape measure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tape measure. Show all posts
Friday, November 28, 2014
Tool review: Pittsburgh 69031 25' x 1" QuikFind Tape Measure
When it comes to choosing a tape measure, there are certain factors that different buyers will look for. Assuming all of the tape measures are accurate, some qualities that differentiate the different models include tape length, size, casing, and measurement units. Sometimes, it's just how the tape measure feels in your hand.The Pittsburgh 25-foot by 1-inch QuikFind tape measure (product #69031) is a good middle-of-the road tape measure. As the name suggests, the tape reaches 25 feet, and it's an inch wide. This QuikFind tape measure is self-supporting up to 78 inches, so you can stretch it out, unsupported, 6 and a half feet before the tape buckles. A few times I got it out to 81 inches before it folded.
This tape measure is solid, and not very lightweight, but it comes with both a strap and a belt clip. (The belt clip is removable.) It has a hard, contoured, black plastic case that provides good grip.
One area in which the QuikFind tape measure sets itself back from other, similar tape measures is that it doesn't provide metric measurement. The tape is only marked in inches and feet, not centimeters or meters. However, it does have hash marks every 1/32 of an inch, allowing for very accurate measurements. The metal tip on the end of the tape measure has both a hole and a slot, so you can rest it on a nail or other protrusion when measuring.
As long as you don't care about brand names, this QuikFind tape measure is a good value. It doesn't have any "extras," but it's solid and it works. It gets 3.5 out of 5 stars. Since many tape measures are very similar, price can be an important differentiating factor. At Harbor Freight stores, this tape measure is listed for $6.99 (though recently it was on sale for $3.99, and part of a give-a-way promotion for free.) Below is a brief price comparison between this tape measure and other comparable tape measures. (All prices are taken from Amazon.com.)
- Pittsburgh 25' QuikFind Tape Measure: $4.37
- Tekton 25' Tape Measure: $6.57
- Klein Tools 25' Tape Measure: $14.99
- Snap-On 25' Tape Measure: $17.49
- Stanley 25' FatMax Tape Measure: $19.52
- Ridgid 25' Tape Measure: $22.21
- DeWalt 25' Tape Measure: $22.98
Some of these tape measures are higher quality than the Pittsburgh tape measure, but they are all fairly comparable. (The DeWalt tape measure, for example, stands out on its own up to 10 feet, and the Klein Tools tape measure has a shock absorber built into its metal tip.) If there is no special feature that you require that the Pittsburgh tape measure doesn't have, it's a great value for its price.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Tool Review: Helping Hand 20600 12' Tape Measure
It's always good to have a tape measure around the house. You never know when you'll need one. A tape measure comes in handy for many normal household tasks, such as hanging pictures, centering a sofa on a wall, or measuring how much space you have for a new piece of furniture. While brands like Stanley or Craftsman are well-known and respected, you can save a few bucks and buy a cheaper tape measure, like the Helping Hand 12' Tape Measure (model #20600).
The Helping Hand 12' Tape Measure is lightweight and small (it can fit in the palm of your hand). Like many tape measures it has a locking steel blade and comes with a belt clip. However, the fractions on this tape measure are better-marked than many other tape measures; the number is written for every eighth of an inch, making it easier to read and quicker to take measurements.
The tape measure comes wrapped in a black rubber casing, which gives it better grip and helps protect it if it's dropped. The blade extends and retracts smoothly, and it is fairly rigid when locked -- as rigid as an average tape measure is -- even when extended out several feet. At 66 inches the blade can still support its own weight without buckling.
25' tape measures are nice because there are a lot of times you'll need to measure something longer than 12 feet, but they are also more expensive, bigger, and heavier. It's hard to walk around with a 25' tape measure in your pocket, or even clipped to your belt, but this smaller 12' one is very portable.
Helping Hand products are often sold at grocery stores and drug stores, so you may be able to find it in a local store. If you can find it for around $2 or $3 (it was $2 at the drug store I bought it from, but that was several years ago) it's a very good deal. You can buy it from the Helping Hand website, but it's currently listed for $5.99 -- way too much for this tape measure. For a new homeowner or someone who just wants to have a tape measure laying around, this one will fit the bill, if you can find it for a fair price. Amazon.com used to sell it, but it's unavailable right now.
This tape measure is great to keep around the house or even in a tool bag. If you don't need a longer tape measure for your project, the Helping Hands tape measure should do the job. I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
(Originally published on Helium.com, October 2010)
The Helping Hand 12' Tape Measure is lightweight and small (it can fit in the palm of your hand). Like many tape measures it has a locking steel blade and comes with a belt clip. However, the fractions on this tape measure are better-marked than many other tape measures; the number is written for every eighth of an inch, making it easier to read and quicker to take measurements.
The tape measure comes wrapped in a black rubber casing, which gives it better grip and helps protect it if it's dropped. The blade extends and retracts smoothly, and it is fairly rigid when locked -- as rigid as an average tape measure is -- even when extended out several feet. At 66 inches the blade can still support its own weight without buckling.
25' tape measures are nice because there are a lot of times you'll need to measure something longer than 12 feet, but they are also more expensive, bigger, and heavier. It's hard to walk around with a 25' tape measure in your pocket, or even clipped to your belt, but this smaller 12' one is very portable.
Helping Hand products are often sold at grocery stores and drug stores, so you may be able to find it in a local store. If you can find it for around $2 or $3 (it was $2 at the drug store I bought it from, but that was several years ago) it's a very good deal. You can buy it from the Helping Hand website, but it's currently listed for $5.99 -- way too much for this tape measure. For a new homeowner or someone who just wants to have a tape measure laying around, this one will fit the bill, if you can find it for a fair price. Amazon.com used to sell it, but it's unavailable right now.
This tape measure is great to keep around the house or even in a tool bag. If you don't need a longer tape measure for your project, the Helping Hands tape measure should do the job. I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
(Originally published on Helium.com, October 2010)
Sunday, July 13, 2014
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