Does anyone know if this type of tape measure exists?

[ColinPearson]

Hey folks: I'm looking for a 100' tape measure... I need it to be a small, closed type one (like you would be able to fit in a big pocket, not the large open reel surveyor type) AND I need it to be stainless steel with the numbering stamped into it (like the numbers on most framing squares). Hopefully I can find one WITHOUT any type of coating.

I work in refineries and I burn the paint/numbers off of at least one of these tapes every job when measuring circumference on in-service pressure vessels.

Anyone here seen anything like this before? Thanks!

 

[CANPRO]

I don't think you're going to get everything you're looking for. If you want the numbers stamped then the tape is going to have to be at least as thick as a typical tape...thats going to make a 100' tape very large. It sounds like you need a small diameter steel cable with reference marks on it. Steel cable is cheap, you could get creative and have yourself a handy measuring device if you put some time and thought into it.

 

[ColinPearson]

I had a similar thought and have already been googling for 1/2" wide thin SS material that I could wind into the existing tape measure case I have!

 

[btrueblood]

Closest thing I could find was (they offer pi tape and linear tape in an acid-etched stainless steel version)

http://www.pitape.com/products.htm

You might contact them to see if they have, or could produce, something like what you want. I've never seen pi tape in 100' lengths, though, that's mighty big pipe you are measuring.

 

[dhengr]

ColinPearson:
Stamped numbers and increments on a steel tape would make it very fragile and susceptible to breakage and fatigue, and kinking which is a problem with any long steel tape. Cable will stretch quite a bit more than a steel tape due to tension, but either will expand during measuring if they are allowed to warm too much. How accurately does this measurement have to be? In surveying we used to calibrate tapes at a specific tension and temp. and then make adjustments as a function of actual conditions.

Get a .25" wide x 120' long piece of ss strip, install a zero loop on one end, no markings, stretch it around the tank and mark its stretched length back at the zero loop. Lay it on the ground and measure it with a real tape. Certainly, not so quick and easy, but it’ll last longer and store smaller. Maybe mark it, then at the mark install some sort of small wheel to wheel (pinching the ss strip) measuring device which records strip length per wheel rev. Wind the strip onto your storage device and read the length when you get to the zero mark. They also have wheeled measuring devices which record distance per wheel rev. for measuring various construction lengths and distances. Might a small version of one of these work for you?

 

[ColinPearson]

Hi folks - My email went down so I didn't realize that I'd gotten so many responses. As it turns out, I found two German companies who make tapes that are etched as btrueblood says. Place the order today!

 

[ColinPearson]

dhengr - It needs to be pretty close, but he rub is that most of these vessels are carbon steel. As I said above, I've ordered a stainless tape but the first few times I use is, I'm going to use a carbon steel tape along with it, and adjust for thermal expansion. I keep an infrared thermometer and the German outfit I found does reference the temperature (and tension) at which the tapes are calibrated so I can have an accurate delta T.

thanks y'all!