Just a heads up to anyone who may have purchased one of the yellow 8 foot stick down measuring tapes from Mud Hole a few years back, I had never checked mine against another tape measure until yesterday and to my disbelief it was a little over an inch off. I checked it with 2 tape measures and got the same result.

After emailing for support at Mud Hole I was told in a reply that the yellow version of the tape either shrunk or stretched during production. When they found out about the problem they discontinued the yellow tape and came out with a new, accurate, 2 piece white version. The problem is that, as far as I know, they did not tell anyone else. I have been using this tape for guide measurements and placing for at least 3 years. I am not happy about no communication or recall of a faulty product. Hopefully I am the only builder that was in the dark in all this.

Don,
Don't you keep a half dozen measuring devices around the shop?

With everything that I do over the course of a day - I need a measuring device here, there and everywhere. One in each room, and one in each vehicle.

Take care

I do have a few tape measures and that's why I bought one that stuck to the bench so I wouldn't forget where I put it!

Don,
I hear you.

Same as I have done with a tape measure that is stuck to my boat for measuring fish.

Be safe

I have a 2" wide 6 ft wooden rule

[www.rodbuilding.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2017 01:52AM by Barry Thomas Sr.

I use a workforce 25' carpenters tape measure 1" wide so it stays straight at a certain length
On a table or floor and you can measure almost or most complete rods

Bill - willierods.com

I use the stick down tapes on many of my work surfaces for convenience, checked mine just now, all OK. I think it beats having to find a tape measure and pull it out on a surface.

if it works Phil Go for it LOL

What about a tape from a sewing kit ?? They ? any better

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2017 07:00PM by bill boettcher.

Wait, give a guy grief cause he bought a measuring device that doesn't measure!

Hate to say --- but all things now a days have to be checked to make sure they are what they say they are ??
GOD BLESS AMERICA and foren trad products ?? LOL

Bill - willierods.com

will the rod cast any better or worse ????? prof in the pudding that is what counts I think

William Sidney
AK

Don

I am curious as to what made you check the tape for accuracy? Unless you use the tape over the entire length it would be hard to notice the error. If the tape is 1 inch longer over the 8 foot length and is linear then the error is approximately .010 inches per inch. Which means the more of the tape you use the greater the error.

The good news is if the rods were built with the same tape you would have a longer rod but all the guides and fittings would have the same proportion. This may not give you a warm and fuzzy feeling but, though tragic it is not fatal.

Thanks for sharing your experience with us. It was a wake up call for taking things for granted.

90% of my money is spent on fishing equipment the rest I just waste.

Good Luck

John

Don,
The good news is that the tape that you are using is producing perfect rods.
I expect that you are using this tape to set up your rods and guides for perfect action.
I am sure that they are perfect.

The key thing about a measure is that the absolute value of the measure is less important - for a single user than being absolutely correct with other users.

As far as you are concerned, if you continue to use the same measure, you will still continue to produce perfect guides according to your standard.

Good luck

I have a stick down tape on my work table made by the starrett co they make measuring equipment . You have to watch what you use to measure two guys near me got fined by the game wardens for under size fish they told the wardens that they measured the fish on their cooler the warden said " igloo makes coolers not rulers"

John,

The reason that I checked the tape was that I used a regular tape measure to measure a rod that I was wrapping. When I noticed a discrepancy in the measurements between the tape and the stick down I actually grabbed another tape measure to see which one was correct. Everyone is correct in that it is not a fatal issue and the rods that were measured on the tape are fine.

I would just appreciate honesty from suppliers and action taken when there is a problem. Everyone makes mistakes so why not admit the error to all concerned and then make the corrections. Being truthful and fair.......

I just checked my yellow tape from Mud Hole. It's off by 1/8" per foot.

my question is can you tell the difference on the build ? , I don't think I could,
1/8 inch per FT is about 1% off I think ,

William Sidney
AK

Wait a minute --- I thought all you guys are going for - PERFECTION ??? So that is not PERFECTION - if you let that go - what else do you let go buy - Where does it stop ??

Bill - willierods.com

Necessity knows no rules.

I guess that the lesson of the day, is for a new item - if there is calibration involved - it is a good idea to check the standard against another standard.

Good luck