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Tips & Techniques

Simplified Measurements

Dividing complicated fractions can be easy if you just tilt your tape measure.

Issue 221
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It’s a lot easier to divide 12 in half than 11-13/16. Here’s a method that makes it easy to divide the more complicated number. Decide how many equal-size segments you need on your workpiece and then pick a number of inches on your tape measure that is slightly larger than the total width of the material and can be divided into whole numbers by the desired number of segments. Then all you need to do is hook your tape measure on one side of the workpiece, tilt the tape until the chosen number of inches is lined up with the other side of the piece, and make marks at the whole-number intervals that you get when dividing by the number of segments.

David Kalin, Kaneohe, HI

Edited and Illustrated by Charles Miller

From Fine Homebuilding #221

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View Comments

  1. smslaw47 | Apr 10, 2021 05:20pm | #1

    I use a metric tape measure and avoid the problem entirely.

  2. FromMyWoods | Apr 10, 2021 08:07pm | #2

    Using metric eliminates fractions but you still have complicated math. Say you want to mark/rip 235mm (the width of a 1x10) into four (or even two) pieces? Still easier to work off of 240mm.

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