Aside from containing a magnet and acting as a hook, the tang at the end of these magnetic tapes has the ability to limit or enhance its versatility.
They combine the functionality of traditional tape measures with the same level of accuracy on the blade. This helps keep the magnetic tape measure holding well on round ferrous materials like steel pipe. On the clock, Kenny dives deep to discover the practical limits and comparative differences for all kinds of tools. 
There is enough rubber overmold around it to protect the tape and enhance the grip. Youll notice the blade printing is also very similar, almost identical in fact, in these two magnetic tape measures. However, theres so much bow in the tape at that point that the measurement itself is statistically invalid. Quite possibly the STRONGEST tape in the world at 2100GS power. All of them were also able to support their own weight vertically and could reach a full magnetic 25 vertical standout. See our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. I was hoping that they would all be able to meet that requirement. Milwaukees tang was the most substantial and versatile of the entire group. Klein, Milwaukee, and Stanley (sort of) are all double hook designs. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Milwaukee just about has it all when it comes to features. I felt like they were less threatening to damage my belt yet were able to hold stronger. All of them made it possible to use any of the functions one-handed without a problem. We offer standard widths that are in stock and ready to ship, but we can slit or score our magnetic tape to a custom width based on your specifications. Were happy to help. For those, there is another way to compensate for using the outside of the tang. Klein has very clearly marked and very easy to read fractions every 1/8 on their tape measure. A few more examples of what you can use it for: The quality of our product is very high, and is checked during and after production for quality. Milwaukee boasts a 5 point reinforced frame. It has genuine 3M Adhesive backing for extra strength and durability. This is true even when the focus is on magnetic tapes. Lets take a look. Huge Selection. Sure, send them over, I said.
I dont know too many people out there that enjoy subtracting fractions. Thicker- 0.08 inch (2mm)Length- 12 inch (305mm)Width - 1 inch (25mm)Genuine 3M Adhesive BackingNon-ResidueEasy InstallationRare Earth Neodymium Powder 2100Gs (Magnetic Flux Strength).
If the magnet wasnt in the way, it likely would have given me better top hooking points. We want to see if having a magnet will lead to being able to use the entire length of the tape without having to have a second pair of hands to help you out. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment. Arguably one of the oldest tools known to humanity is the hammer. I have been looking for this feature, but so far no luck. Their second magnet is on the bottom of the blade. Stanley offered three solid points on the bottom of the tang and two very sketchy ones on the top.
Use anywhere around the home, garage and office, or even as a travel or staging accessory that can be used anywhere with a smooth flat surface, such as; porcelain, plastic, metal, tiles, glass and more. Its a two-pronged attack on durability with both Blade Armor and Mylar coatings on the blade help it a lot. [{"id":39562207494241,"title":"Default Title","option1":"Default Title","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"YL-7TDA-D493","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":false,"name":"Super Strong Neodymium Magnetic Tape Strips with Adhesive Backing (2 Strip Pack)","public_title":null,"options":["Default Title"],"price":2299,"weight":671,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"amazon_marketplace_web","barcode":"","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}]. Ergonomically, I didnt really hate any of the models. I felt like I had more control and its positioned to keep the edge of the blade from running against your finger. We brought in 6 magnetic tape measures from Hart, Klein, Lufkin, Malco, Milwaukee, and Stanley at the 25 length. Who makes the best magnetic tape measure? It would benefit from a stronger magnet and a double hook tang to make better use of both printed sides. Kleins magnets were clearly the strongest of the group. I like the 18 markings on the Klein model. In-depth instructions are included in the pack, read for best usage practices. At first, I thought I was looking at an issue with the strength of the magnets. Klein also does a nice job with making their tang versatile as well. Great question. This takes the guesswork or counting individual marks out of the equation. If there ever was any problem, youd simply takeRead more . Im going to go on record as saying that I think the horizontal standout length is one of the more useless tests you can do.
Yes, everyone wants to know whos got the best. As an Amazon Associate, we may earn income when you click on an Amazon link. Join our newsletter and get the latest tool reviews every week! Reviewing and choosingthe right or best tool belt or tool rig isnt hardif youre pickingfrom a few products. This way, no matter which way you use the magnetic tape measure, you get an accurate measurement. There are certainly other sizes out there that we could have chosen from. You cant talk about the best magnetic tape measure without addressingstandout. Theres really isnt anything to complain about when it comes to the features that it already has. Andwe'll even send you our "Best Tools for Your Hard-earned Dollars" white paper! Very impressive! Hart, Milwaukee, and Stanley have all designed their hooks to be mathematics-free (and there was much rejoicing!). Youll receive a bonus in that this is the only tape of the group to offer 1/32 markings. Milwaukee has a dual magnet system in place, but not two on the end of the tang. Copyright 2008-2022 Pro Tool Reviews, LLC. The irony is that were still trying to come up with new ways to improve it! With both companies living under the TTI (Techtronic Industries) umbrella, there are clearly some shared design ideas here. The best magnetic tape measure doesnt need to be fancy. Its also a function of how much weight there is on the blade. Curiously, I couldnt find any instruction on Kleins magnetic tape measure, but I measured it to be a 1/8 deduction. Using the Klein Compact Laser Distance Measure Range [], This review started off as a sort of bait and switch. Want more? Id like to see them keep up with Milwaukee by printing the bottom of the blade and making the tang more substantial. Indeed, this helped out most of the models. Klein runs away with the strongest hold with Malco and Stanley at least within sight of them. As it turns out, its actually that style of tang that seems to let them down before the others. Finding the bestmagnetic tape measure in a shootout seemed, in our minds, the nextlogical thing to do. How about one that doesnt have 1/4 of slop from the rivets?! Theres one key thing to note about Pro Tool Reviews: Were all about the professional tool user and tradesman! This is a solid choice for the pro that is looking for durability over features to keep the price down. I had 4 connection points with Kleins at the top, bottom, and bottom two corners. Required fields are marked *. the inside of the hook as well as the outside out the hook as well? Hart and Milwaukee each use a wire belt clip that I liked a lot more than the standard ones. Would love your thoughts, please comment. For normal hook use, simply measure as you always have. Kleins blade lock was the easiest to use both locking and unlocking without feeling like I had to overreach with my thumb to make it work. This means that in non-ferrous applications, they can hook from either the top or bottom. Malco puts together a nice tape that keeps it in the mid range of both features and price. Lufkin bucks the trend in tape measures by offering 1/32 marks on their tape as opposed to the 1/16 of the others. Another way to deal with the issues is simply to have a known amount that you need to subtract from your measurement to compensate. Pro Tool Reviews is a successful online publication that has been providing tool reviews and industry news since 2008. The Hart magnetic tape measures arent out yet, but will be soon. The only thing I would really like to see here is either a second or stronger magnet in the tang. The ability to standout using the magnet(s) is more than a measure of magnet strength. Then they add the ability to stick to any ferrous material which adds a huge measure of convenience around those materials.
Unlike other weaker tapes in the market, this does what it says and is built for more heavy duty applications. When it comes down to it, thebest magnetic tape measure is going to be easy to manipulate. The obvious difference in the holding strength of those magnets is what led me to see what they would do on a painted surface since those conditions lend themselves to a weaker hold. With maximum holding power on one side and pressure-sensitive adhesive backing on the opposite side, these magnets are powerful in addition to being flexible. I really like the fact that I have a blade brake on the Hart and Milwaukee models. The combination of features, some of which are shared with its distant cousin from Milwaukee, and price are tough to beat. Surprisingly, the most durable tape / best warranty I ever used was the Masterforce magnetic tape that Menards offered up until that changed the design this year, or the end of last year. When using the magnetic end, the attraction of the magnet pushes the tang in flush.
After [], Bosch GLM165-27CG Laser Measure Reaches New Heights Bosch is definitely no stranger to the laser measure scene and theyve recently introduced a few newcomers to their Blaze lineup. One of the biggest issues in creating a magnetic tape measure tang is accuracy. I looked at the standout distance of all 6 tapes like any good evaluation would. Each strip is 12 inches in length, 1 inch wide and 2mm thick. When it comes to finding the best magnetic tape measure, accuracy is still key.
There is one good reason for the standout: if you need to hook the end of the material without being able to reach it. When it comes totape measures, weve looked at traditional models before. To their credit, every one of the magnetic tape measures was able to get a full 25 foot run on non-painted, thick gauge steel. The best magnetic tape measure will have rubber overmolding for protection. Again, this is more of a bragging rights kind of measurement than anything substantial. All of them have a lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects. The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Everyones hand is going to be a different size, and mine is on the smaller side. However, if at any point you are not happy with it, simply return the product and we will fully refund your purchase. The extra 1/4 width of the blade gives it more standout ability than any of its competition. The Stanley Fat Max is a perennial winner of tape measure comparisons for good reason. Several also had nylon coated blades while the Stanley Fat Max has a combination of coatings. That leaves Hart, Milwaukee, and Stanley a notch above the other from the start due to their ability to rationalize inside vs. outside tang measurements with no math to do or fractions to memorize. If youre going to declare thebest magnetic tape measure, it needs to be accurate. This is especially true when there is additional information, like blueprint scales or cabinetry markings on the down side. Whats becoming more popular in almost every sector are magnetic tape measures. All of the magnetic tape measures tested were easily able to stretch to their 25 length when supported horizontally. As a bonus, the magnets are typically strong enough to double the tape as a magnetic pick-up tool, which several companies openly list in their features. Grabbing on the outside of the tang adds the thickness of it to your total measurement, so that needs to be deducted. While Harts brake button is well positioned, I actually liked the finger stop of Milwaukees a little better. Boschs 165-foot laser measures have come a long way since the GLM165-40 we reviewed back in 2018. One thing that surprised me was how much less unsupported standout the Hart and Milwaukee tape measures had. Printed fractions and the strongest magnets are the most obvious highlights. Its an all-around solid, durable tape measure. Today, the Bosch GLM165-27CG 165-foot laser measure boasts impressive technology []. While it might be a prehistoric tool, its unlikely to go extinct any time soon since most homes (at least in the USA) are still constructed out [], Klein Compact Laser Distance Measure Offers Simple Operation And Affordable Price The Klein compact laser distance measure (93LDM100C) has quite a few differences when compared to the discontinued 93LDM65 model and the laser measure built into the NCVT-6 voltage tester. That piqued our interest. All rights reserved. Durability is definitely a consideration for several of these tapes. Neodymium Powder is the strongest magnetic material in the world, and we've crammed as much as we practically can into a strip of magnetic tape - 2100Gs (Magnetic Flux Strength), making it one of the strongest tapes available. As long as The Home Depot is still carrying that two pack, this will be the one I tell my friends to go pick up. Your email address will not be published. Is simpler better? While several are in the mix, I came away feeling the best about Milwaukee when it came to durability. Holding ability is the reason that we started looking at magnetic tape measures to begin with. Simply clean the surface, peel back the adhesive backing and apply to surface as required. Their design is wider than the blade, meaning that youve got solid points to hook on the left, right, and bottom two corners as well as the basic bottom hook. Malco requires you to subtract 1/16 and Lufkin requires a 1/8 deduction. Functionally, Milwaukee gives me the greatest number of solid connection points on the tang, which is enhanced by the second magnet. Calculators for field strength, holding force, and unit conversions. Even though it is a very small width in most cases, most of the companies that we are looking at are very concerned about the accuracy of their tapes. Fast Shipping. For the single hook tape measures, only Malcos had anything over and above the basics worth mentioning. To do this, the magnet and hook are separate pieces. For my money, I really want to have a good left and right connection in case Im reaching and cant see the top of the tape in a natural position. Does anyone know of a magnetic tape measure that is magnetic in both directions (i.e.
Magnetic tape can be purchased in a variety of different holding strengths and widths to suit the needs of your application. In todays world of Internet news and online content, we found that more and more professionals researched a large majority of their major power tool purchases online. However, for the double-printed blades, I expect to have a solid connection when I flip the tape over so that I can actually read the reverse side. Buy Magnets Online. Others are simply hype. The combination of features, durability, and the fact that it comes with its 16 younger brother makes this my favorite of the bunch. Id like to see Klein add a solution that will eliminate having to subtract 1/8 on the magnetic measurements to give it a shot at the top spot. The tang itself pulls out slightly for accurate measurement when being used traditionally. I was able to hook the end of my material on 8 separate spots on the tang: top, bottom, both sides, and all 4 corners. This is my runner up of the overall favorites. For our evaluation, we used a Lixer MasterGage Block. NEW Milwaukee M18 Fuel Belt Sander | 2832-20 HANDS-ON, YouTube Video VVVuaFZUNTRHOWtOcXV3VDFfZDJaR1F3LkpEMS1NdjBFWk1r, Best Deck Screws for Pressure Treated and Composite Wood, 20 Best Plants That Repel Mosquitoes Including Zone Information, How to Use a Circular Saw From Setup to Cut, Klein Compact Laser Distance Measure 93LDM100C, Bosch GLM165-27CG Blaze Green Beam 165-Foot Laser Measure, Best Bubble Level Buying Guide for Pros 2022, Dickies x Traeger Ultimate Grilling Collection, Ridgid 18V Cordless Jobsite Fan Review R860721B, The Line: Saudi Arabias City of the Future Design, Tool Manufacturers and Tool Brands by Logo, Architectural Scale: 1/8 and 1/4 Scales. Ive been in the trades for over 30 years and have tried pretty much every different kind of magnetic tape measure or for that matter any kind of tape measure available. 2022 BuyMagnets.com. However, what I was really interested in was whether the magnets were strong enough to hold onto the full 25 distance. All Rights Reserved. Theres a lot of good things to say about Kleins magnetic tape measure. Its important to know that you only need to do the subtraction when youre using the magnetic side of the tang. You see, I was asked if I would like to review a tool beltor two for Pro Tool Reviews. Heck, even after theyre out of those, Ill still be telling my friends to get this one. 1150 Howard Street I noticed that the blades from Milwaukee and Stanley were significantly heavier than the others. It originally sold for $16.99, which was a few bucks less than any tape in its class, had a very sturdy, durable case, and a durable tape. Still, some extra features are nice to have. Here are some of those that I found. How are you supposed to keep the measurement accurate when you are now measuring from the opposite side of the hook? However, 25 is a popular length for a magnetic tape measure, but it tends to have some added frustration. Having said all that, is anyone really surprised that the Stanley Fat Max won? At just $13, Hart is our value winner. Contact our sales representatives to discuss your specific needs and interests. Remember the fantastic non-subtraction tang that I mentioned earlier on those two? Hart was the only double-printed blade that didnt offer a double hook design. The two square rare earth magnets held strong enough for me to eliminate all but an inch or two of droop in the blade. Weuse a super high-grade Neodymium Powder in our super strong magnetic tape strips, giving you the maximum bang for your buck. Once in a while, you get a feature that really pops out at you and makes you take notice. 12, 13.5, 18, 22.5, 24, 27, 36, 4.5, 54, 72, 9, 0.023, 0.047, 0.07, 0.094, 0.098, 0.117, 0.14, 0.146, 0.187, 0.195, 0.281, 0.585, 0.25 in, 0.5 in, 0.75 in, 1 in, 1.25 in, 1.5 in, 2 in, 3 in, Your email address will not be published. Thanks for helping us do what we love. Its also Hi-Vis orange, so youre not likely to lose it on the jobsite. Off the clock, his faith and love for his family are his top priorities, and you'll typically find him in the kitchen, on his bike (he's an Ironman), or taking folks out for a day of fishing on Tampa Bay. Malcos more compact design fits the best in my hand with Klein being a close second. If youre looking for the best magnetic tape measureat a bargain price, this is it. Elk Grove Village, IL 60007.