Does anyone know if/how to repair a tape measure when the recoil stops working,
I know I could get a new one but I inherited one from my grandfater its a stanely 12′ seems a little old but not exepionaly, sentimental value more then anything but the thing is pretty stout besides the lack of recoil?
Replies
I have also repaired a sentimental value tape measure, a gift from my cousin when he left his trade. You can buy replacement blades for most tape measures. I'm pretty sure the Stanley ones come with new springs(a cartridge-like deal), but I'm not totally sure. I checked out http://www.mcmaster.com/ and they sell 12 foot replacement blades for around $5, depending on width, but didn't say whether they included the spring. you can give them a call at 732-329-3200 and as them to fax you further info.
Hope this helps. Rich.
Boy, it has been so long since I bothered, but Stanley has replacements blades you could drop on in.
In your case I would try to make what you have work. I suspect the spring is dirty/rusty, and you might want to pull the case apart. Blow it out and squirt it with something like WD 40, bomb it, direct the spray under the cartridge cover, get real brave and remove the cartridge and spray it from the bottom. Put it back together and pull the tape out, and return, tap the case to get it to return. Repeat a zillion times, you should be alright. When all is good, remove the cover, pull the tape out to the max to wind the spring, and blow the excess oil out of there, replace the cover and wipe the tape off as it returns.
Be careful when the cover is pulled, one wrong move and you have spring all over. If all goes Murphy, don't worry, they can be put back together again, I've done it. I've done a lot of weird things.
CAG
Just like repairing anything else, the first step is to take it apart and see what makes it work. Careful with the spring though.
When I was young my dad had a bunch of old stuff he would let me tinker with, motors, turntables, irons, lawnmower engines, etc. I can't tell you the thrill I had as an 11-13 year old taking something down to its singular parts and reassembling to working order.
The best part is you'd always have some psrts left over after you re-assembled what you took apart, and it worked. That always happened to me.
Tom
TOMCHARK
"The best part is you'd always have some psrts left over after you re-assembled what you took apart, and it worked"
I guess you and me were just smarter than the manufacturers, to make things work with less parts.
I still have some of those "leftovers" in my workshop
I remember as a little kid I had some strange compulsion to take apart alarm clocks, specifically the wind up ones. Seems like there was a fair supply of them in a nonfunctioning state at our house. Just three or four in reality, but I spent a lot of time trying to make heads or tails of them with no success. I remember getting so far and being unable to find any methods with which to continue disassembly, so I would take it outside and throw it at the brick wall hoping something would come loose!
Many years later, when I managed a Domino's Pizza shop, our mechanical scale stopped working. A few days later, during a very slow time, I walk into the store and one of the employees (grew up on a farm) had taken it apart. I asked what he knew about scales. He said "Nothing. On the farm, when something doesn't work we take it apart. Usually we figure something out".
Didn't help the scale any, but changed my attitude.
Rich Beckman
Another day, another tool.
I worked in a bank about a million years ago where the branch manager (a retired army colonel who was missing a few screws) decided to "tune up" the time-lock mechanism on the main vault. This thing had about five or six little mechanical clocks that had to be individually wound each night to set the locking system. After an hour or two of work, there were more little tiny springs and gears and assorted parts on the floor than I would have believed could fit in the vault. Needless to say the vault wouldn't lock that night. The bank had to hire a couple of rent-a-cops to sit there alll night and pay for an emergency service call to the vault company to install new timing mechanisms. He didn't get fired, but I'm told the boys at the main office were not amused....
=====Zippy=====
As far as lubrication I have had great luck with silicone spray.
They have really improved that inner cartridge over the years. I have had the full range of success/frustration with tape repair. Good luck.
"Does anyone know if/how to repair a tape measure when the recoil stops working?"
I take mine back to Sears and get a new one, no questions asked.
Scott cant do that because its a stanely and Im trying to fix it because it has sentimental value so replacing it would defeat purpose
I was wondering about this, did what I say not make sense?
I've ripped these tapes apart more than I want to admit, and you don't have to worry that I don't appreciate it was grandpa's tape. We can save that for a whole 'nother story.
Nope, made perfect sence, just havent had a chance to do it yet, was going to give it a try and come back let ya know how it turned out.
Cool, I hope you can make this tape work with what is has. If you drop a cartridge in it you only saved the case.
I was named after my grandfather, named my daugher after his wife, the geezer was worth a zillion, (named the girl way past when anyone but me cared, thank you). Well, when the family picked the bones I got, get this, a $2 soldering iron.
Best son of a bitchin soldering iron you will ever see, and you can bet your arse I will keep it working.
Being the fourth in the line, I was named I guess orginally after my Great Grandfather, My grandfather wasnt worth much in a monetary sence but had a TON of tools, My dad is... lets say less then handy and his other sons didnt have much interest in them
I got first shot at the tools and cleaned them out pretty well I have a lot of tools Im not willing to use because I dont want them lost or stolen or broken
I bought him a 12v Milwaukee cordless for his birthday years ago, he always left all his tools in his pick up, but said that one was speacial to him so it came inside with him everynight, It made it back to me and now sits in my bedroom only used in a rare instance.
Don't even get me going about dad. Let me start by saying that dad is the greatest person I have ever known, but...
He ain't no carpenter, lol.
I swear, he sets up jobs for when I drive by, rip off this, put a plank up there, etc. So I drive up on my way somewhere and end up spending two days.
I never said he wasn't slick, but he is a keeper.
lol
My dads a CPA and a damn good one, but get him around a hammer or screwdriver and your hosed.
I get a call at around 10 one night, my Mom is asking me how to put the door back on the dryer, apperently it was swinging the "wrong" way and the directions say you can reverse the swing.
So dad heads out the garage gets a philips and proceded to take the door off, this is around lunch time on a sat, my mom finaly calls me to ask how to put it back on cause she wants to do laundry and hes still in there fumbling around trying to get it to work.
Finally decides to say F-it and goes to bed, next day Maytag guy shows up and puts the door, on in less then 15 min, God I would have loved to seen this guys face
Update :)
looks like the unwound spring from my hitachi nail gun. Caught me by surprise. My helper dropped it off a roof, I was trying to straighten the magazine, so I had to remove it, the one last allen screw......ZZOOOIIIIINNNGGGGG......
finally got it bck togther, what a pain in the a$$
yeah got a feeling Im going to be busy tonight, finaly got the spring straightened out and the end is broke off where it attaches to the tape, think Im going to go buy a new 12' tape scrap it for the spring and be done with it. That is if I dont kill my pup who thinks the mess on the floor is his new found toy
How are you making out with this?
Thanks for the interest, after I lost my temper , a few beers, and numerous cigarettes, I shelved it until this weekend, So I'll let you know tomorrow.
I tried just replacing the cartridge with a new one and was going to attach the old tape to the new spring which was worn out. So all that would be new was the spring. But the cartridge didn't fit. So,,,
I busted it apart to get at the spring which flew out and hit me in the face starting it off real good. Straightening out the spring took about 30 minutes the first time, but I lost grip and it flew apart again. The following 3 attempts took much less time But...
Getting the new spring into the old cartridge is a bear to say the least. So after all this taking about 3 hours I had enough and decided to try again tomorrow.
It will be done sometime soon, I'm not going to let a stupid piece of metal beat me.
Probably to much info, but ya busted me last time I didn't provide enough :)
Hey CAG you repair watches too? Cute puppy, have another beer, play with the pup and go buy a new tape you'll live longer without the aggravation.Harry's Homeworks
Rhode Island
Watches, I dont repair no stinken watches :)
I have several tapes, this only a little 12 footer that belonged to my grandfather, which has sentimental value to me, I like to keep it around with me as kind of a reminder. It was one of the first tools he gave to me and it was one he used before it was mine.
CAG,
Don't give up yet. The inner parts, (as you have found out), are likely to have changed over the years. But... that doesn't mean that some manufacturer of cheaper tapes hasn't bought the tooling, etc, and is using similar parts for other tapes. Look around at other brands of tapes. Go to those really cheapo import tool stores and look at the tapes they have there. Don't limit yourself to the same manufacturer.
Yes, I have fixed tape measures before.
Quittin' Time
Luka,
Thanks didnt think to look into other tapes as a source of parts
Harry,
I noticed in another thread you mentioned you grew up in st louis, just wondering what part, I use to live in chesterfield?
Hey CAG, I started in south St. Louis, we moved to St. Clair, Mo. where I spent most of my childhood then moved to Fenton, Mo. where I lived for about 8 years before moving to L.A. My aunt still lives in south St. Louis. I've been trying to get her to move here with us but she's been in her house for about 50 years and doesn't want to leave even though the neighborhood has really gone down the toilet. Don't know if you get to the Chesterfield anymore but it's really grown since I lived in the area. Glad to know you're a fellow "show me".Harry's Homeworks
Rhode Island
Harry,
Where in south st louis? My best friends grandmother lives in jennings, it was a nice area back when she moved in, but I wouldnt want to be there at night these days. Lived there all here life and refuses to move.
My parents lived in chesterfield up until about a year ago, moved there in 85 or so, where we lived there was nothing, chesterfield mall, a few grocery stores etc. They moved right after a lowes, walmart target and a ton of resteraunts popped up around there house. The area grew immensly in the time I lived there
Also glad to know I have a fellow friend here from back home.
Ya, know what you mean about being there at night.Get out of town before sun sets.
I was born in old St. Anthony's hospital,gone now, lived on Minnesota 3600 block, taken over by drug dealers now. I saw somewhere recently that St. Louis is the most dangerous city in the US to live in. Damn shame, used to be a nice place.Harry's Homeworks
Rhode Island
It can still be a nice to live, just have to be in the right area. The city is dying though, my dads an international tax cpa, he moved to houston because all the big companies are moving away, either bought out or moved to a different city. People are moving out of the city and into the county at a pretty good rate, I cant remember exactly what it is. I wanted to move back there after I graduate but with no family there anymore and the city slowing grinding to a stop not sure I'm going to. its a shame, a lot of good memories from there...
Unfortunately most problems like that are the fault of the city administration. You have to have strong city gov't. commited to clean up the city and attract and keep business and make it a safe and interesting place for people to live and raise their families. First step in St. Louis, IMO, is to get city officials together with business leaders, Busch, Monsanto, etc. and identify the problems and put together a plan to solve and begin rebuilding. Many cities have done it.
Harry's Homeworks
Rhode Island
I had it!!!!! I Had it!!!!
Then, I let it go while reaching for the phone :(
But at least I know I can do it
Man I didn't think this would be a several week project
Find yourself some thin aluminum, and make yourself some sort of tool, or simple plate. Something, that will hold everything in place, once you put it there. Then, the critical moment will be holding it all together yourself while you remove the plate, and put the other half of the cover back on.
This plate would not have to be anything other than a thin piece of bar stock with a hole in it for the center screw. It doesn't have to be circular in shape, and doesn't have to cover the whole tape assembly. Matter of fact, better that it doesn't. Gives you space to feed tape.
Just something to take place of the hand that is getting very tired trying to hold everything in place while you feed the tape back in.
Quittin' Time
Ok while you have it rolled up............
Just let me see if I can...............
Now put the top on like this and..............
SPROING.
Oh nuts!!!!! Sorry dude!!!!!I'm all here....... 'cause I'm not all there!
jet,
You must have a camera in my room, because thats pretty much how it goes. Try again tomorrow. :)
I finally beat the SOB, its back together, has a new spring, but everything else is the same. Works great, could probably use a little wd 40 but to hell if its coming apart again.
Thanks to everyone for their suggestions
I will never do this again, but the end result was worth it.
Glad to see you whupped it. Round here a new tape is 11 beans, guess I just have a warped sense of humor, but you still crack me up! EliphIno!
Well I have several tapes, but this one was one my grandfather gave me, and it has more then just measuring value to me. I just wanted to keep it working.
Makes a difference when all the info is imparted. Glad you got it working. Don't let the kids in the classroom play with it! EliphIno!
26737.10 in reply to 26737.9Â
Scott cant do that because its a stanely and Im trying to fix it because it has sentimental value so replacing it would defeat purpose
?1?1?!
You crack me up...
Best of luck!
EliphIno!
Edited 1/31/2003 8:25:55 PM ET by bucksnort billy
Thanks for the luck, but whats so funny?
CAG, if the end of the spring is broken off where the tape attaches, you can cut a new V shaped notch on each side of the spring near the end, and reattach the tape. Then just rewind the spring and put it all back together.Good Luck
Buic,
Thanks, the spring is completly shot though, no recoil left in it, the tape has to be about 25 years old or so from my estimation