FastCap Flatback Story Pole 16 Foot Tape

by Fastcap

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

FastCap Flatback Story Pole Tape is the flat foot of tape measures. The flat blade allows the blade to lay flat on a panel and easily measure around curved surfaces. The storypole blade layout allows you to write on the blade with a pencil and then simply wipe off with your finger to rewrite again. (16 Foot)

Product Description

FastCap Flatback Story Pole Tape is the flat foot of tape measures. The flat blade allows the blade to lay flat on a panel and easily measure around curved surfaces. The storypole blade layout allows you to write on the blade with a pencil and then simply wipe off with your finger to rewrite again. (16 Foot)

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6 x 5 x 2 inches ; 5.1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00066YARM
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: PSSP-FLAT16
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,179 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
  • #47 in Home Improvement > Power & Hand Tools > Measuring & Layout Tools > Tape Measures
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I would give it six stars if I could!, March 3, 2006

By 

Scott Pointon "Former Marine, Librarian, Wood... (Crest Hill, IL United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: FastCap Flatback Story Pole 16 Foot Tape (Tools & Home Improvement)

Since I am a woodworker and do most of my carpentry work in a workshop, I have never been satisfied with the results I get from a standard tape measure. The crved blade and loose end hook add up to a lot of potential for inaccuracy. This fast cap tape is a FANTASTIC solution. The flat tape means that I no longer have to wrestle with the tape to get it to lay flat so I can mark a measurement. It can even be wrapped around a round object to accurately give a cirumference measurement. I also appreciate the easy to read and accurate scale on the tape. The hook on the end of the tape has 4 rivets and does not have the any of the slop found on construction tapes. The plastic case has an over-molded rubber coating that is pleasing to the hands. If that were all there was to this tape, it would be enough to justify its cost, but there is more. The built in pencil sharpener is really handy and the small white space on the side of the case is an ingenious place to jot down measurememnts before you forget them.

All in all, its hard to imagine a tape measure that changes the way you work but this thing has been a godsend in my shop. At this price I highly recommend it to all woodworkers.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Feature-packed, economical workshop tape measure, May 23, 2007

By 

James L. Morgan (Providence, RI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: FastCap Flatback Story Pole 16 Foot Tape (Tools & Home Improvement)

The Fastcap Flatback Story Pole tape is a flexible measure designed for taking and transferring outside measurements. The tape features a fixed hook, which contributes to precision, a built-in pencil sharpener, both a thumb lock and a finger brake (for slowing the rewind or temporarily braking the tape while extending it), a write-on/wipe-off tape for recording notes and story pole marks, and a note pad area on the outside. All this for about half the price of most standard tape measures. In my opinion, this is a very well thought out product.

The tape does have some limitations. In particular, the fixed hook on the end of the tape and the lack of stand-out make this tape unsuited for inside measurements. On more typical tape measures, designed for both outside and inside measures, the hook is designed to slide to compensate for the thickness of the tab on the end. However, this is usually a source of imprecision. Moreover, you have to add the length of the case to the measure that shows on the tape. On some tapes, this is 2.5 inches; on others, it is 3 inches. Another tape measure that I recently bought has a case that is 2.75 inches, more or less. That "more or less" also contributes to imprecision.

A better approach to getting accurate inside measurements is to use a bar gauge. In its simplest form, this is just two sticks that are slid in opposite directions until the opposing ends are in contact with the inside surfaces. The sticks are then clamped together, and the distance between the two ends can be measured (or transferred) as an outside measurement. Lee Valley/Veritas makes a set of bar gauge heads that clamp together two .75 by .25 sticks, but it is fairly easy to make a bar gauge with a couple of carriage bolts, wingnuts, and a couple of pieces of straight-grained stock - just rout stopped grooves down the middle of the stock to accommodate the bolts.

Tape measures are printed using a tire fitted on the rim of a large wheel, kind of like a tire on a band-saw wheel. If the tire is not evenly tensioned, the marks on the tape will not be accurate - some too close together, some too far apart. This can occur with any brand of tape, but it certainly is a manufacturing defect. It's always a good idea to check a new tape measure against other measures before using it for this first time.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, not accurate, March 12, 2009

By 

Kenneth C. Reed (Forest Ranch, California United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: FastCap Flatback Story Pole 16 Foot Tape (Tools & Home Improvement)

While this tool has a place (mostly for measuring around curved surfaces) it is difficult to be very accurate because the lines marking the distances don't extend all the way to the edge of the tape so you have to guess a bit. It would be more useful, I think, if the story pole feature was only on one edge of the tape so the lines could extend to the other edge.