Lay the newly cut ribbon on a flat surface. and I believe that this is the best outline on how to read a tape measure. Its design allows for a measure of great length to be easily carried in pocket or toolkit and permits one to measure around curves or corners. The ticks in the middle of the inch markings are half-inch markings, and there is 1 ⁄ 2 ” between each inch marking and half-inch marking. 60 inches and 7/16ths of an inch would be written as 60-7/16.". 1 inch= 25.4 mm. This coincides with the thickness of the hook. In this case, you need to use the markings on either side to guide you. Last Updated: September 3, 2020 Step 2 Secure a tape measure anywhere on the circle and pull the tape measure to a point on the opposite side of the circle. You can use compressed air or a microfiber cloth. Taking accurate physical measurements is crucial for any projects like surveying, construction, garments, mechanical projects, etc.. The diameter of a circle is the distance from a point on one side of the circle to a point on the other side going through the center. The tape measure should be horizontal around your body and should not drop in the back. This measuring tape has a classic design with a very handy top reader facility. A machine that prints or etches the markings on the blade inaccurately can ruin the accuracy and precision of the measuring tapes. There are a lot of measuring devices for woodworking, but most people don't think of a tape measure for woodworking. Thanks. A little more difficult. Then, look at the point where the tape meets the end of the item you're measuring and read the nearest large number. For example, let's say that we want the answer above in metres. If it sags, you won’t get an accurate read. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. The idea of taking and keeping measurement predates ancient civilization like Egyptian and Romans. "I've sent this to my sons who are just starting in the construction business. Accurate measurements require measuring only the body, not additional layers of fabric. To find the middle of these two numbers, multiply the denominator by 2. You’ve probably also noticed the slot or hole in the front of many tape measure hooks. Use the same pattern for recognizing these miniscule measurements. Read a tape measure’s incremental marks for the metric system. Find the closest number and put it in terms of 32nds. It is a common measuring tool. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b6\/Read-a-Measuring-Tape-Step-1-Version-6.jpg\/v4-460px-Read-a-Measuring-Tape-Step-1-Version-6.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b6\/Read-a-Measuring-Tape-Step-1-Version-6.jpg\/aid4365-v4-728px-Read-a-Measuring-Tape-Step-1-Version-6.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":259,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"410","licensing":"