I just scored my first tape measure

[hickory n Steel]

My first tape measure was a little 6ft lufkin with a wood grain pattern on it.
I remember I was about 8 and my dad have it to me out of a jar of bits n bobs he was going through in the garage.
There was nothing special behind him giving it to me, but that was " my tape measure " and I  used on many projects throughout my childhood.
One day when I was about 16 I was using it and the screw fell out, it sprung all over the place and I could just not get it wound back up.
Needless to say I was unhappy.
I think my dad gave me some 10ft cheapo to replace it till I wound up with another vintage Lufkin that I loved till it's already damaged tape eventually broke.

I've wanted another for a long time, but didn't know the model and it just never ended up on the top of my list.

Long story short I was browsing Ebay yesterday scored this lot of 4 vintage lufkins for pretty cheap.

I love Lufkin tapes, Stanley tapes were fine but their small tapes don't seem as solid as the little Lufkins.

EDIT:  I just realized that the Lufkin ruler shown with them is also included , I thought that was just for scale.

[bonneyman]

Lufkin tapes are great! I have some...and they keep multiplying! 

[muddy]

That wood panel one is cool!

Sent from the twisted mind of the Mudman

[hickory n Steel]

Well when I was browsing on EBAY I had glanced at a few other Lufkin tapes and just got a message from a seller offering me a discount on this one because " i showed interest in it " and for $17 shipped I couldn't pass it up.




It just now dawned on me though that since it's not that old, the case could be vacuum metalized plastic and not actually metal.

The same seller has a bunch as do a few other sellers, so I'll let you guys know if it is actually metal in case any of you are interested in getting one.

[Davethorik]

Nice finds! I have quite a few Lufkin tape measures, machinist tools, and other odds and ends. I believe that tape is the chrome plastic like a modern Stanley powerlock, but i could be wrong. Still a good tape, i have a couple somewhere.

I do prefer the original Lufkin before Cooper but it's a challenge to find them that age in usable shape. I do have a nice collection of NOS or unused tapes in original pasteboard boxes. I have been collecting Lufkin longer than any other type of tool, 15 years ago I found a 0-6" depth mic set in a wood box for $2 at a yard sale and down the rabbit hole I went.

[hickory n Steel]

Nice finds! I have quite a few Lufkin tape measures, machinist tools, and other odds and ends. I believe that tape is the chrome plastic like a modern Stanley powerlock, but i could be wrong. Still a good tape, i have a couple somewhere.

I do prefer the original Lufkin before Cooper but it's a challenge to find them that age in usable shape. I do have a nice collection of NOS or unused tapes in original pasteboard boxes. I have been collecting Lufkin longer than any other type of tool, 15 years ago I found a 0-6" depth mic set in a wood box for $2 at a yard sale and down the rabbit hole I went.

I feared that, but I'll see when it arrives.
I don't like VMP tape cases, so if it is I'll gift it.

[bonneyman]

Well when I was browsing on EBAY I had glanced at a few other Lufkin tapes and just got a message from a seller offering me a discount on this one because " i showed interest in it " and for $17 shipped I couldn't pass it up.

That happens more than you think.

[hickory n Steel]

Well when I was browsing on EBAY I had glanced at a few other Lufkin tapes and just got a message from a seller offering me a discount on this one because " i showed interest in it " and for $17 shipped I couldn't pass it up.

That happens more than you think.

Yeah, it's happened to me multiple times on items with  offers available.
It seems they do it because you cannot then offer less,  but its generally on a low priced item anyways so I don't mind a minor discount when I could have potentially saved more.

[bmwrd0]

Did you put the item on a watch list? When you do that some sellers set it up so that they offer a special deal to sweeten things, get you to buy. I often put things on a watch list just to see if I can get a better price on something.

[Lookin4_67GalaxieConv]

I always pick up those little metal tape measures if I see them for just a couple bucks.

[hickory n Steel]

Did you put the item on a watch list? When you do that some sellers set it up so that they offer a special deal to sweeten things, get you to buy. I often put things on a watch list just to see if I can get a better price on something.

No, it wasn't on my watch list.

[hickory n Steel]

I should have my first tape measure in hand again tomorrow,  and I can't wait.

[hickory n Steel]

 
Well the w9212 I got in this lot is chromed plastic,  so this tells me that the w9210 i bought will be too.
Oh well,I'll gift that one and maybe find a use for this 12fter.

The 12fter at the very top I quite like but it has no return left and I could not rewind the spring and make it work properly.
I do quite like it though so I'm just going to use it like a manual return, no big deal.

The w616 works great.
The other measurall 6ft has no spring left either,  and doesn't come apart.

I do not know why, but I can take apart a perfectly functioning tape and put it back together just fine, while I try to rewind a limp spring and I always end up with a tape that either will not pull out very far or will not go in all the way no matter what I do.
The only thing i can do to get it usable is leave out the spool disks.

[DeadNutz]

Here are some of my tape measures that I use.
First pic is the smalls. Top left is 6' Lufkin that the tape reads from the bottom which is handy measuring across something and comfortable to hold, Zippo 6' that has a gray blade, the bottom is an 8' Stanley leverlock that I like the lock on the bottom.

Second pic is large tapes that I like to use. The Starrett was free with some stuff I bought from a vendor and it is amazing how often I use the 100' Lufkin and would be lost without it.

[hickory n Steel]

Here are some of my tape measures that I use.
First pic is the smalls. Top left is 6' Lufkin that the tape reads from the bottom which is handy measuring across something and comfortable to hold, Zippo 6' that has a gray blade, the bottom is an 8' Stanley leverlock that I like the lock on the bottom.

Second pic is large tapes that I like to use. The Starrett was free with some stuff I bought from a vendor and it is amazing how often I use the 100' Lufkin and would be lost without it.

I've got the 12 foot #30-513 leverlock , my all time favorite tape though I wish it had a metal case for sure.