On July 14th, 1868, 151 years ago today, Alvin Fellows, of New Haven, Connecticut, patented his "new and useful improvement in spring measuring tapes." Though not the first, Fellows' design is widely ...

You've no doubt encountered a number of measuring tools in your lifetime. Common tools used for measuring range from the familiar 12-inch wooden ruler that we used in grade school to precision ...

You already know that the highlighted numbers (16, 32, 48…) are for laying out studs, joists or rafters every 16 in. But what’s the deal with those little diamonds or triangles? They’re ‘truss marks’ ...

You’ve no doubt heard the carpentry proverb “Measure twice, cut once” and may even have made it a mantra for your own projects. But unless you know how to use a tape measure and correctly read its ...

The tape measure doesn't seem like a jack-of-all-trades device, as its main function, measuring things, is in the name. It is among the tools that no DIY enthusiast should be without. Everyone tends ...

“A tape measure is absolutely crucial, whether you are measuring for a future piece of furniture or planning out something more detailed like a kitchen cabinet,” says Ming Thompson, principal of New ...