I have come to the conclusion that I have a severe case of measureitis - every time I measure something the result is different - measure twice and cut once definitely doesn't work for me Its more a case of measure five times cut oversize then sand and grind until it fits and then it still ends up wrong

And as for drilling matching holes - no chance unless I make them slightly over size.

I'm glad I never chose to be a precision machinist - I'd still be restricted to collecting the swarf for others.

And now another problem - I can't read verniers any more without a magnifying glass - guess I will have to invest in some digital measuring instruments even if their ownership won't help my problem.

Yeah I think I've measured one thing in my life that's been right when I cut it

Thats definitely me. I can seem to get a cut right at the first go. So i end up cutting it bigger and trimming as I go along with several trips between the worktop and trial fitting the item am cutting

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Originally posted by Ivan Its more a case of measure five times cut oversize then sand and grind until it fits ....

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Fantastic... Me too. There should be more posts like this. Most of the time I spend on this forum is spent feeling slightly inadequate, everyone else on here always seem so knowledgable, confident and competent

I struggle constantly with this. Nothing I cut seems straight - either in wood or metal. I am just plain rubbish with hand tools full stop. The only way I have found to overcome the problem is to use mitre saws or cross cut saws.

While I can happily measure stuff, I can only remember the size while I'm still holding the tape measure. As soon as I put the tape down or turn away from the piece, I will instantly forget what I've just measured.

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Originally posted by probablyleon
...Most of the time I spend on this forum is spent feeling slightly inadequate, everyone else on here always seem so knowledgable, confident and competent

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I'm sure we won't find the likes of Fred WB experiencing these problems

And yes Tim - my memory is also incredibly short for things like this - that's why a pencil & paper is always at hand.

[Edited on 23/3/12 by Ivan]

This is a well known disease and can lead to metricimperialitis where you take measurements in both formats ie its 567mm wide, 48 inches long then you mix the two up. Best to dose yourself up with 3 pints of Pedigree and a couple of vodka tonics and sit on a step outside the garage till it passes.
Cheers,
Bob

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Originally posted by Ivan

- that's why a pencil & paper is always at hand.

[Edited on 23/3/12 by Ivan]

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I'm sure we won't find the likes of Fred WB experiencing these problems

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^^^^ Even the best go wrong

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I managed to make a cabinet to fit into a space in my moms kitchen 300 mm too narrow. When measuring up I read the tape upside down so wrote 600 instead of 900 on the sketch.

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That is awesome - I still cannot see clearly through the tears....

I am so glad it is not a unique problem, but a very selective form of confidence reduction.
It gets everyone who likes to try and do a great job.

I definitly cut long and them trim to get a good fit. Lots of trips to the vice, workbench etc and the car.

Measure 3 or more times, change from metric to imperial and back again to get closer to the larger graticule lines on the rule, cut once, trim lots and lots of times. - then start again......

Len.

[Edited on 23/3/12 by avagolen]

On the days I'm allowed into the garage I get frustrated when cutting things at an angle.

If its a straight 90 cut its not too bad - i do what others do, but i invariable struggle when cutting something that has an angle on each end. I aways seem to end up with a part that has the right angle on each end but is 10mm too short. Frustrates the heck out of me and I can't see what I'm doing wrong. I'm almost tempted to get some form of dual ruler so it takes each measurement at the same time.

Love to know what i'm doing wrong.

I always figure that if NASA can get it wrong with the Hubble telescope, then mere mortals like ourselves are allowed the odd mistake or two......or several....

Glad I'm not alone. I now wear pound shop glasses to see the tape measure but if I walk across the garage with the glasses on I can't see where I'm going so I take them off then lose them. As my recently departed father-in-law said
'There's no future in getting old.'

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Originally posted by TimEllershaw

I moved house in October and my new garage walls are peppered with dimensions, sketches and cryptic notes from the previous owner. I'd love to know what they are for !

[Edited on 23/3/2012 by TimEllershaw]

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TIP: Never trust the 'hook' end of a retractable tape measure.....

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Originally posted by GeoffT
I always figure that if NASA can get it wrong with the Hubble telescope, then mere mortals like ourselves are allowed the odd mistake or two......or several....

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Originally posted by scudderfish

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Originally posted by GeoffT
I always figure that if NASA can get it wrong with the Hubble telescope, then mere mortals like ourselves are allowed the odd mistake or two......or several....

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Their error was 0.0022mm. I'd be happy with errors 1000x greater than that

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Geoff may have been thinking of the Mars Orbiter, where NASA used imperial and a subcontractor used metric measurements and it crashed

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i measure out to drill a hole, pick up drill, hold it to the piece, remember measure twice, cut ones, drill down, measure again, same result, check everything, all looks good, pick up drill, drill correctly, stand back, and its wrong... how does that work?!


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you wouldn't beleive how many times i checked, double checked and triple checked before drilling the holes for the side lights and indicators (i know they're tiny, but very bright) and they don't look symetrical...

I get really annoyed when I take a measurement, remember it, transfer it to whatever I'm cutting, suare it with the set square, cut it then it doesn't fit. Then I notice that the mark I'd squared isn't the correct one.......
And I'm having major problems with my memory. I can measure summat under the car, get up to write it down and think "that doesn't look right". So meadure again. So then I get up again but now I have two sets of numbers in my head so have to climb back under the car with a bit of chalk and write it on the floor as I always lose pens, pencils and paper!
I now struggle to see vernier scales so bought some £6 digi calipers from Aldi. Then I bought some more because I've forgotten where I put the first set.

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If its a straight 90 cut its not too bad - i do what others do, but i invariable struggle when cutting something that has an angle on each end. I aways seem to end up with a part that has the right angle on each end but is 10mm too short. Frustrates the heck out of me and I can't see what I'm doing wrong. I'm almost tempted to get some form of dual ruler so it takes each measurement at the same time.

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