Spent $40 on a fancy tape measure that only lasted 2 months

Bought one of those magnetic self-locking tape measures from the hardware store in Austin. Dropped it off a 6 foot ladder onto concrete and the lock mechanism jammed up completely. Anyone else ever overpay for a tool that broke way too fast?

2 comments

2 Comments

jamieburns5d ago

You had the same thing happen to me with a Milwaukee tape last year? The magnet is nice for drywall work but the lock pin on mine gave out after one drop from a step stool. I started taking the cheap 10 dollar fat max tapes instead and just replacing them when they break. Honestly for how much I drop stuff having a backup in the truck saves me more time than the fancy features.

laura_knight545d ago

$10 Fat Max tapes are the way to go honestly. I dropped one off a 12 foot ladder last month and it still works fine. The Milwaukee one I had before that broke after falling off my workbench, maybe 3 feet tops. For the price difference I'd rather just buy a new tape every few months than cry over a $30 magnet that stops latching. Plus with the cheap ones I don't feel bad when I leave one in a ceiling or loan it to a guy who never brings it back.