How To Fix A Tape Measure, How To Repair A Tape Measure, Home DIY
Тәжірибелік нұсқаулар және стиль
How To Fix A Tape Measure, How To Repair A Tape Measure, Home DIY
Having used the tape measure and pulled it out to full length it now won’t retract properly.
As I can’t get out to buy a replacement, and don’t have time to order a new one, I thought I would take the tape measure apart to fix it.
Generally tape measures only stop working due to a couple of things, and the most common cause is that the internal spring coil has popped out and become loose.
Tools required:
Screw driver
So long as you have a little bit of patience this is a pretty straight forward job.
Unscrew the casing of the tape measure and put the screws in an order so you remember which screws went where.
Carefully prise apart the case, being careful just in case the tape pings out of the fixing pin. Remember the tape is made of metal and can easily cut.
Take out the fittings, the guide rail, the button and tape fixing thing but keep the tape, coil and reel in place so you know what you need to fix.
If the metal coil has come loose then it needs to be slotted back into the central fixing pin.
If the coil has now been put back into the fixing pin, or if the tape is just loose, then it now needs to be wound tight.
To tighten the tape:
Hold the case of the tape measure in one hand and using the other hand turn the tape measure cassette in a clockwise direction.
I don’t know if there is a specific number of turns to make the cassette tight again but I tend to wind it until the coil appears tight. Once the coil is tight carefully reassemble the tape measure. Try the tape measure to see if it retracts by itself. If it doesn’t work then unscrew the tape measure again and tighten the coil by some more turns. Reassemble and try again.
Your tape should now be fixed and retract by itself.
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Пікірлер: 16
Nice to know. I love that pride smile knowing you have accomplished a goal!
@diyhomeandgardening
2 жыл бұрын
Exactly👍
i got a kobalt compact 25' which is so shagged the spring broken twice worst tape
@diyhomeandgardening
3 жыл бұрын
Definitely time for an upgraded tape measure then. Put it on your list for Santa😂
Mine not only doesn't want to retract, it actively wants to uncoil and push the tape out. This happened after I accidentally cut the end of the tape with a mattock and it wound back inside itself with a "buzz" inside the case for a few seconds. Is it just a matter of retightening the spring? It's weird that the spring now goes the other way.
@diyhomeandgardening
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the message. If you have cut the end off then you probably need a new tape measure. Not only do you need the end to provide accurate measurements but the end also stops the tape measure from totally recoiling. If the tape has spun itself totally slack inside the housing then you will need to undo the housing as normal and tighten a lot whilst trying to get the tape back into alignment. In your situation just get a new tape measure 😂😂
@yggdrasil9039
3 жыл бұрын
@@diyhomeandgardening Thanks I probably will, but yeah I figured that it had gone slack and wound so far back it was pushing the tape out rather than pulling it in. It's a shame though - I loved that tape measure!
@diyhomeandgardening
3 жыл бұрын
@@yggdrasil9039. It’s funny the attachment we get. The tape measure in my video is about 10 years old and I have re tightened it a few times now, as the internal coil gets less springy. Yet I have 2 other, almost brand new, tapes that barely come out the shed🤣🤣 One day they will have their time. Have fun shopping.
You see how your tape falls off to the left in the first part of the video. is that fixable?
@diyhomeandgardening
2 жыл бұрын
Do you mean how the tape twists as it retracts? If so then no as it’s due to the tape guide wearing.
@pulloutski01
2 жыл бұрын
@@diyhomeandgardening no I have a tape and when I extend it out it curves off to the left because it got stuck in a bale of timber and was bent and everytime I extend it out it falls off to the left and drops to the ground
@diyhomeandgardening
2 жыл бұрын
@@pulloutski01. Ahh okay. Only if you can straighten/bend the tape straight again with pliers or in a vice. The metal used is so thin that any slight kink causes the tape measure to bend in a direction.
hey, any idea how to fix one with two sprockets?
@diyhomeandgardening
4 жыл бұрын
Hi. Sorry but no. Luckily I’ve never had one like that. If you know the make there may be something on their company page.
Thanks for sharing, very helpful! I subscribed! Check out my content if your into making and fixing thing. Thanks.
@diyhomeandgardening
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the feedback, and glad thee video was helpful for you. I’ll take a look at your too.