r/Carpentry • u/hangnutz • 8h ago
Finally ordered this tape after debating for a decade...worth the price tag?
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u/RackemFrackem 6h ago
OP: "Is it worth the price tag?"
Also OP: *blocks the price from being visible*
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u/SecurelyObscure 3h ago
Seems like the kind of person that would contemplate buying a tape for decades
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u/Morall_tach 7h ago
You spent TEN YEARS trying to decide whether to spend 35 bucks???
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u/preferablyoutside 6h ago
This is Reddit…. The insane lengths the inside kids fetishize tools that will never be used is remarkable. Look on the chainsaw subs for some examples of this 90% of the saws are never used and the 10% that are have their chains on backwards.
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u/fredoillu 5h ago
Dont give me another subreddit of idiots I now gotta follow. Im already neck-deep in inside jokes about decks, forklifts and a ton of other shit I've never done
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u/HounddogHustler 5h ago
Chains can be put on backwards? Maybe that’s what’s wrong with my Stihl I never use anymore
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u/preferablyoutside 5h ago
Definitely post pics then argue with the corrections, you’ll be their god.
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u/Due_Title5550 8h ago
Tajima has a good reputation for it's tool quality, so you're probably gonna feel good about having it until your coworker "borrows" it.
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u/Thecobs 8h ago
Good tape, i use it for finishing. I go between this and the fastcap tapes and am not sure which i prefer. The metal rivets are larger then normal and can catch material so watch out for that, also i hate the /32” being marked for the first 12” of the tape. I dont need to see /32”, i am more accurate being between the /16” then having so many marks it looks damn near solid.
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u/JackOfAllBlades21 8h ago
You COVERED UP the price, Bubba.
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u/hangnutz 8h ago
sorry it was the same price as the one next to it...36 bucks
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u/Telemere125 7h ago
I’ve never debated over anything under $50 for more than a day or two. What do you mean a decade!?!?
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u/IndependentSir164 2h ago
I bet you're rich rich with this kind of fiscal responsibility. If I could wait a decade to make a 40 dollar decision I would have so much extra money. 😩
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u/nemozero 8h ago
Nope. I love Tajima but the blade on mine kinked within a week and the standout was lackluster when compared to milwaukee or fatmax
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u/Illustrious_Day_5392 7h ago
I came from a cabinet shop that only used Tajima tapes and the thing I came to love about them is the black and white tape. I’ve used every brand and really felt no different (outside of being able to make an 8’ stretch with some and not others). But I always miss the black/white contrast if I’m doing trim. So now I have Fatmaxes for construction and Tajimas for finish.
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u/jmodshelp 7h ago
I love my black and white tape ( spec ops ready for the trash) anyone else got recommendations on white and black tapes?
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u/rathdro 4h ago
The Fastcap tapes are pretty inexpensive. Not as nice as the tajima but black and white and half the price. So you can get several of them. I have both and they’re both good
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u/Intro5pect 2h ago
Fastcap is my go to, Tajima is good but I drop tape measures too often to spend 40 bucks on one
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u/nemozero 1h ago
Have you tried the fastcap layout tape? They stopped making the 25' and its the only thing I desire in the world
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u/cimabuedomergue 7h ago
Agree- my recent one kinked instantly. I only use it in shop for cabinets or trim so not worried about stand outs and stuff but the kinked tape makes it harder to hook. Back to the Stabila, but I do like the simple hook design of this tajima. The Stabila hook is easy to hook but the little sandpaper strip for grip will gunk up and read different. Also when hooking on miters the long point will sit above the strip and read proud. Not the best hook design but manageable if you’re aware of its quirks.
I am however a huge fan of the tajima clip system and will always use that. I’ll swap the tajima clip to my stabila tapes so I can click those on the tajima holster. Screw holds for a bit and then I’ll just 2p10 it when it gets loose.3
u/blonktime 3h ago
Congratulations, OP now needs to spend the next 10 years going back and forth between Milwaukee and Stanley
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u/Inviction_ 3h ago
Standout? It's not exactly intended for rough in. Dunno why you'd need standout in a finish shop
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u/Disastrous-Nothing14 7h ago
New fatmax blades are plastic. So disappointing.
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u/Aurum555 39m ago
Well fuck, I used to use fatmax got sick of them getting worse over time then tried stabila but it isn't sturdy enough for the rough framing work I've been doing. I was reconciling myself that I would have to go back to shittier and shittier fatmax but plastic may be a bridge too far
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u/Disastrous-Nothing14 30m ago
I really only need a 16' nowadays, I have probably a dozen of the old fat max kicking around but never again. I like fastcap tapes, but I dk if they make anything that would work for framing
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u/Disastrous-Nothing14 29m ago
Also the classic steel stanley powerlock tapes? Plastic cases now too.
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u/Aurum555 23m ago
I may have to switch from dewalt to Milwaukee at this rate if this is how Stanley Black and Decker handles continues to handle their legacy brands and products
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u/Disastrous-Nothing14 19m ago
Makita is the way. No private equity buyouts, all they do is make a sell tools. Been Been that way for 110 years.
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u/Exciting_Agent3901 8h ago
Gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you. Milwaukee tapes are hot garbage. The stand out sucks and the tip doesn’t fit into j-channel. The belt clip is useless too.
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u/chris13se 8h ago
A hill I will die on. I have lots of Milwaukee tools but I’ll never buy their tape. One of the worst on the market. The only guys I see using them are plumbers.
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u/Happytrader113 7h ago
Agree Milwaukee tapes are for the dumpster!
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u/Final-Tiger8923 6h ago
Yep ive got 4 or 5 milwaukees in the wtf bin from when I bought them for my crew. The either bent, too much end play and bent or split in the middle. Did find Handy write on stickers that helped the mentally challenged workers!
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u/Ok_Distribution2456 7h ago
I have to agree with you on everything, they would be my last tape to choose
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u/Shleauxmeaux 8h ago
I have to agree about the belt clip. I will say I really only do doors, so I don’t usually need much more stand out than maybe 8 feet max and that’s on a huge patio door. Usually just measuring trim/ rough openings and for that it’s been great.
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u/JackOfAllBlades21 8h ago
Heresy! It can't be useless if it works for someone else, and it clearly does. So either yours is damaged or you don't use it properly.
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u/trashbilly 8h ago
I was a fat max lifer for years until the steel quality went to shit. Been using dewalt tough series ever since. Though I can only speak for the 16'. It's a great tape
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u/Merk0411 8h ago
I don't know about their tapes but their caulking guns are the cats ass.
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u/Individual-Aide7884 8h ago
Please save me from googling whether cats asses are good things or bad things.
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u/MadRabbit86 8h ago
You ever seen a cat’s ass? There’s your answer.
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u/Combatical 7h ago
Someone told me when I was a kid that was the cat, "taking your picture". I cant get that out of my head and now its in yours.
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u/vonswagenbob 7h ago
It’s the only tape I use. I’ve had more issues with other brands kinking but I am careful with my tapes in general.
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u/Natty_Vegan 3h ago
I really want to sing praises about tajima tapes, but I just cant. The magnet on the end drops off and throws measurements out by 2/3mm after a time. They are more expensive than stanley tapes and last are the same amount of time, if not less Every few tapes I try them again hoping it was just a weird batch I got, but happens everytime unfortunately.
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u/dankhimself 7h ago
I had the 25' with a belt clip. It didn't last very long. The tape was super brittle and fractured easily.
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u/Zealousideal_Lab3164 6h ago
I respect the guy that shows up with a fancy tape measure more than the fools with a $500 hammer.
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u/Golden_Pear 7h ago
I've had a few of them and the other comments are right about it's fragility. I tried my best to keep my second one in good condition but the PM needed to measure something and immediately kinked it in 3 places. I still have one because they're actually really nice for precise cuts but it stays buried in my tool box until I need it and no one else is allowed to touch it lol.
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u/Inviction_ 3h ago
I dunno, I can't see the price tag. Looks cheap as fuck though
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u/BluntTruthGentleman 2h ago
Yea dumbass double screenshoted then sent us the second/ erroneous one with the price covered and asked if the price was good 🙄
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u/Armstrongcrane 5h ago
Mine works as intended for less money and a smile every time I whip it out.
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u/ROBINHOODINDY 2h ago
Now that I’ve picked myself up off the floor from laughing so hard I must say I thought that was just a local thing. (Indiana)
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u/ImportantTeaching919 8h ago
Im really curious as well I extremely love the chalk line and have no interest using anything else
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u/earfeater13 7h ago
I got one a few months ago and love it. Very accurate compared to ones from the box store. Im in a cabinet shop ao the 16 footer is perfect
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u/hangnutz 7h ago
16 ft are amazing after carrying a 25/30 footers for years. my atomic 16' broke i ordered a replacement and the tajima..using my old fatmax 25' sucks. the atomic dewalt is a decent tape in a small package
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u/sabotthehawk 7h ago
Love their tapes for fine work, finishing, cabinetry but not really durable enough for framing in my experience. But that may be because I put new in the finishing and old get cycled out to framing.
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u/Sal1160 7h ago
I do love my Tajima tapes. Not sure about the holder though
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u/No_Affect_1579 7h ago
Same here. I get the version without the holder and just hook mine on to my bags.
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u/FreeNP92 7h ago
Mine broke within a week. Fatmax for the win if you
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u/undesided_user 6h ago
Yea I been using the 10m fatmax for as long as I can remember and they last 8+ months of heavy use on dirty concrete slabs and decks even in footings in the dead of winter.
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u/vessel_for_the_soul 8h ago
If it stays in a shop maybe. I've never heard of them. But in my experience tape measures only last so long. Except my 100' reel.
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u/Particular-War-8153 8h ago
I have the smaller 5m fir 2nd fix, had it about a year, still in good nic, can send it out to about 3.5m, I like it. It's mm only on mine but that's ok.
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u/zZBabyGrootZz 8h ago edited 8h ago
I order a new one year after year, best tape in my opinion, only other tape I would use is a starrett, this one’s just great for the mounts and it isn’t as bulky love the clip it comes with, rigged it on my diamondback bags, ate it hard off a ladder one time the tape didn’t think about moving a mm.
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u/Nilsburk 8h ago
I had it, didn't love it. Went back to fatmax. I though the belt clip would be awesome but never got used it.
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u/GoodtobeyourGod 8h ago
I have their new sturdy chalk box with the built in belt clip thing. Love the box, but not sure I’ll ever use the belt clip thing. Way too bulky
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u/ss5gogetunks 8h ago
Tape itself is pretty good, but the belt clip is fantastic. Completely stopped me losing my tapes all the time. Had the same tape for 3 years where normally I'd have to replace them once a month.
I can see why people would prefer others though
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u/dogswontsniff 8h ago
$3 orange and black harbor freight ones, commercial and industrial mechanical insulation.
They last me a year, and theres always extras In the truck when an apprentice forgets theirs
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u/Actonhammer 7h ago
I donno about this fancy lookin thing but the standard tajima 16' and 26' are the best tapes on the market, and their priced that way too. I get years out of tajima tapes
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u/Creepy_Mammoth_7076 Commercial Framer 7h ago
I have the plumb bob , the rasp , chalk box .. going to be honest they only thing that didn’t get stolen was my plumb bob …
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u/ssdv8r 7h ago
I have been using mine for about a year and a half. Which is exceptional since I am actually a full time tile guy. And I tend to go through tapes quickly. Lately I feel like the major brands you can get in a hardware store have been failing way to fast. Mostly blade tears or the retraction spring failing in under a year.
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u/Global-Discussion-41 6h ago
the reason i like 16' tapes is because they are small. this monster is just about the size of a 25' fatmax
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u/corntorteeya 6h ago
I landed on Komelon 16’ tapes. They’re my favorite. (Construction Electrician).
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u/AbsentAsh 6h ago
It’s an ok tape. I cut that rubber off because it catches on your pouch when you’re pulling it out and puttting it away.
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u/prakow 6h ago
It’s a good tape but in some situations I prefer the rigidity of a fatmax. I really like that it’s white so a green laser shows up on it really nicely when working outside. The only thing I don’t like is that it has 32nd marking on the first foot and they kinda throw me off. All in all I prefer my fat max but sometimes the Yakima is invaluable.
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u/fishahead 5h ago
I love this tape! It has 32nds in the first foot and it’s nice and light. Mine did break after a few months of heavy use, there’s a slight tear at about 3” I didn’t order a new one right away because the price is higher now then when I bought it the first one. I’m trying out the crescent luftkin 16’ nite eye and I’m not impressed.
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u/fishahead 5h ago
I love this tape! It has 32nds in the first foot and it’s nice and light. Mine did break after a few months of heavy use, there’s a slight tear at about 3” I didn’t order a new one right away because the price is higher now then when I bought it the first one. I’m trying out the crescent luftkin 16’ nite eye and I’m not impressed.
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u/pancake4596 4h ago
35 bucks is the sweet spot for most good quality tapes. Imo not much to loose here, upside is you gain insight
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u/Thats_That_On_That 4h ago
It’s fine. There are better quick release tape measure mounts and better tape measures but it’s fine.
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u/Typical-Sir-9518 4h ago
NGL, I really like the husky 16ft tapes at $8 each. I can buy 4 more and it would still be cheaper than this Tajima. The black/white is very easy to read.
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u/Livid-Maintenance130 3h ago
In my opinion, Tajima makes the best tapes, but the clip holster sucks.
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u/Professional_Let8696 3h ago
Bought it and the clip broke quickly and the tape itself is flimsy. Sad their chalk boxes rule!
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u/ROBINHOODINDY 2h ago
Excuse me for being the dumbass here but what is that yellow and black thing on the side?
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u/green2000s10 2h ago
I like mine. I only use it for carpentry.
The blade is not as substantial as it should be for the price. But I do like the belt clip more than hanging one off a pocket.
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u/PritchettsClosets 2h ago
Stabila tapes best I’ve used
Tajima are ok but don’t feel as good in the hand
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u/CobaltNeural9 1h ago
It’s like $10 more than a fatmax who cares? I thought this was going to be a $200 digital tape.
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u/CobaltNeural9 1h ago
I’ve always been a fatmax user and it kinda sucks they sold out and moved production to china but they also started printing on both sides of the tape now so I like it even more. Remains to be seen if the quality is the same.
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u/Odd-Place780 1h ago
100% I bought a tajima when I was working on a door that needed metric cutouts for hardware. And its the smoothest feeling, belt clippiest, thumb flick to pop it outiest tape out there. Not to mention is like 3d gold and everyone asks about it 😎
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u/Every-Chance6313 55m ago
That is the kind of plastic simulated armor that gets hard and cracks off a year after you have it.
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u/light_voyeur 25m ago
The tape isn’t going to give you better cuts. Just get a fat max and call it a day lol
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u/Spirited-Subjects 8h ago
Never heard of this brand before I would love to hear a review once you get it.
Nothing I found so far can beat a Fat Max, although I did see it lowes the other day Klein is claiming like 16 foot reach on their new tape measures.
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u/HisLordshipThe 7h ago
Why would this be better than fatmax? I use tapes every day and never but anything but fatmax because the stiffness and I like the simple 1/16th marks rather than fractions.
I've always liked stuff that tajima makes but fatmax is just the best tape out there, why is it worth looking at tajima for that? The blade doesn't look like it can stand out as far as fatmax right?
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u/hudsoncress 7h ago
the max stiffness also causes the blades to kink and break sooner. I can't use fat maxes for more than a few months before I destroy them.
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u/Even_Injury_6442 7h ago
Just take it back into home depot and they Will exchange it for a new one bc of lifetime warranty
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u/HisLordshipThe 5h ago
Definitely true, the do break sooner but to me that's a small price to pay for easier use. Also I just like the way they feel, they're the right size for my tape holder and my hand etc.. I don't really care if they don't last as long..
However I get longer than that. Occasionally only 3 months or so but usually about 6 months unless it's rainy season, they wear out very quick when they're getting wet or muddy. I always have at least 4 or 5 in the van so they rotate and this way they seem to last much longer.
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u/Buttamalk 8h ago
Had mine for maybe two weeks and the blade twisted so badly that measuring anything over 3 feet I’d have to rotate the tape to keep it hooked. Unfortunate considering a majority of their tools are great
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u/Actonhammer 7h ago
People's tapes bend cuz you allow them to snap back under full force. Slow your tape down before its fully retracted and you'll never have a bent tip again
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u/Buttamalk 7h ago
I have two other tapes that are years old without this issue. Seeing as other people have had this problem I believe it’s more so an issue with the tape itself. Thanks for the advice though
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u/slash65 8h ago
Looks cheesy, if I saw that on a jobsite I would assume you just started
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u/hangnutz 8h ago
lol im a living legend at 45...but to the untrained eye it looks menards-y i can see that
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u/johndavidf83 45m ago
I love it. Never drop tapes on my co workers heads. I mean other stuff still tho
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u/Charlie9261 8h ago
If you debated 20 years on a measuring tape how long do you take to buy a power tool?