We just came across something surprising and new – Dewalt tape measures that are said to be built in the USA with global materials. There are three sizes – 16-foot (DWHT33924L), 25-foot (DWHT33975L), and 35-foot (DWHT33976L).
Features include a 1-1/4″ blade, ToughCase housing with “more rubber, more metal, more screws,” a high carbon steel ToughBlade blade with 13-foot standout, large and easy to read markings, 3M heavy duty thermoplastic and Mylar blade coatings, a large multi-sided hook, and an oversized metal impact wear plate. There’s also an integrated lanyard slot.
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All of the new tapes are specifically said to be built in the USA. Made in the USA would be better, but Built in the USA is still nice to see.
Pricing: $20 for the 16-foot, $25 for the 20-foot, and $35 for the 35-foot tape measure.
Buy Now(16′ via Amazon)
Buy Now(16′ via Home Depot)
Buy Now(25′ via Amazon)
Buy Now(25′ via Home Depot)
Buy Now(35′ via Amazon)
Buy Now(35′ via Home Depot)
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First Thoughts
It will be interesting to see how these tapes will perform, especially since during some holiday seasons you can get a Dewalt small parts organizer and 25′ tape measure for less than the price of the new 25′ tape. For the extra money, I expect a smoother blade, and not just a tougher case that’s simply said to have “more rubber, metal, and screws.”
A while back I compared Milwaukee and Dewalt tape measures, and really liked the Milwaukee a bit better. Since then, I have almost exclusively used Milwaukee 16-foot and 25-foot tape measures. That these new tapes are built in the USA isn’t enough to sway my preference, but if they perform as well – or better – then maybe they’ll be worth the extra premium.
I’m still hesitant to spend more than $10-12 on a tape measure, but greater usability and durability can often justify prices as high as $25 for a 25-footer.
It is probably no coincidence that these tapes were priced on the same level as Milwaukee’s magnetic tape measures, although these tapes have regular non-magnetic hooks. It seems that Dewalt conducted a bit of field research, and found a similar pricing ceiling that users would pay for premium tapes.
fred
Tape measures are probably one of the “most lost” tools on the jobsite – easy to put down and then not remember it. I suspect because its easily pocketed – some may disappear by a more nefarious route. I also guess that neon colors may help them not getting actually lost. Your prior post about US Tape making ones in the USA for Harry Epstein – gives those who would like a “made in the US” tape an option. Zoro also carries US Tapes – and if you wait for one of the Zoro 30% off deals (like they had yesterday) – the price will be much better. Yesterday’s evening news about a freaky and tragic accidental death at a construction site in NJ, was a sobering reminder that even an innocuous tool like a tape measure can be deadly if dropped from elevation. The poor soul who was killed was reportedly on the site making a delivery. With no hard hat on he was struck in the head by the falling tape.
SteveR
The poor soul should have seen a sign somewhere around the site that stated, “Danger–Hard Hat Area”. If there weren’t several signs, one of which should have been at the entrance to the site,then it was the Safety Officer’s (for that project) fault. If he did see one, but walked in anyway, thinking, “I’ll just go in and leave quickly; what’s the worst that could happen?”, then it’s his own fault. He won’t be the first (or last) poor soul to have tried this.
UPS, Fedex and other carriers have safety programs in place, and the driver should have known the risk. He should have either donned his own hat or asked for one as he walked in. If he was a local retail merchant’s employee, OSHA should find out what that merchant’s safety policy is for drivers; OSHA could take action against his employer if he wasn’t trained on how to enter a construction site. We may never know the full truth, only what OSHA uncovers in its investigation, which may be inconclusive.
If he walked in and no one stopped him, or yelled at him that he should be wearing a hard hat or leave immediately, then anyone within contact distance could be held liable for his death. OSHA may restage the accident by having everyone involved at the work location stand where they were at at the time to determine what occurred. All too often, we see people doing dumb things and do nothing to stop them, hoping they will get hurt for our own amusement. Or worse, they simply shake their head and mutter under their breath about how stupid he (or she) is.
firefly
“…then anyone within contact distance could be held liable for his death”
I think any kind of law that put that put the onus on a bystander shouldn’t exist at all. First it doesn’t solve any problem, if the poor soul is dead ruining somebody else life won’t bring him back. And whatever happen to being responsible for one’s action? American is being such a sue happy state that people sue company for spilling hot coffee on their own lap. Geez…
Plus have you ever yelled at somebody because they are doing somebody dumb and got a nasty reaction? Should we then have law to heavily fine them? Because such event would reduce the likelihood for you to yell at the next guy doing something dumb and reduce the likelihood for you to save his life? 🙂 My point is that passing such law rarely solve and problem but rather create more.
It’s true that we should care more and every safely training should remind people to be on the lookout for other. But that should be the extend of it.
Eric Hamilton
While I love DeWalt and most of their products, a few of their hand tools have left me kind of disappointed, specifically the tape measures. My brother and I bought a couple last year, and between then and now, we’ve managed to break them both. One of them got the tape broken on it, while the other stopped retracting. You would have to manually feed the tape back into the tool. Our tools get used everyday, and they certainly have a hard life at times, but I found this to be kind of unacceptable. Especially from DeWalt. I hope these are an improvement.
Joe M
This appears to be the second-generation Tape Measure from DeWalt. I think the first ones were rebranded Stanley tapes to test the market for DeWalt hand tools.
Now that DeWalt knows what the DeWalt market is for these tapes, I think we’re going to start seeing the ACTUAL DeWalt Hand Tools more often. I would buy these new ones, hopefully in Canada soon.
I wouldn’t compare it to Milwaukee, personally. It appears DeWalt is going a different direction with these. Fewer gimmicks, more usability and durability. I’ve always found Milwaukee to be the “We did it first!” company. They do a lot of things, some fail, and we never hear from them about that gimmick again. DeWalt, and this is one of the things I trust most about the company, tend to say “Okay, we took our time and did this right for DeWalt.” Sometimes they screw with this formula, and we get the cheap, easily destroyed hand tools they first released. The rest of the time, it’s DeWalt quality tools.
Stuart
All brands have their flops.
Dewalt’s locking pliers never hit the market (https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/dewalt-locking-pliers/%3C/a%3E%29, and their radar scanner was so bad it was pulled from the market shortly after release (https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/dewalt-12v-radar-scanner/%3C/a%3E%29 due to user complaints. Dewalt’s heated jacket design, which hit the market last year, received a few tweaks and improvements. All companies learn as they go along. Sometimes no amount of in-house testing could substitute for retail users’ feedback.
I had two Dewalt 25′ tape measures. The first was a very early production model, and it was horrid. The second was quite decent, but I found I preferred Milwaukee’s better.
Joe M
Exactly my point, Stuart. Every brand has their flops, but I find the thing that Milwaukee does most OFTEN is to jump in first on stuff. Magnetic blade on their tape measures, for example. Or thin-wall impact sockets. Some of it sticks, and we see lots of it, but so very often we never hear from that particular feature ever again.
Every company fails at something or another. DeWalt jumped in first with their Radar Scanner, and THAT failed. I’ve found when DeWalt goes first, it fails at it. I find that Milwaukee goes first most often. There’s the odd Bosch or Makita gimmick that is new to the market (the new contact-free charging comes to mind.) but that is a rarity for any other company other than Milwaukee to have gone that direction first.
If you like Milwaukee, and Gimmicks, then you REALLY like Milwaukee. If you have to have the newest and the most experimental, you like Milwaukee. But, if you’re anything like me, and you can’t afford to play the “it might fail” game, you wait for the next generation to come along. And in those cases, DeWalt is usually there for you.
If DeWalt comes out with a new Radar Scanner? I’m there. Not so much the Hand Tools, but I’m in Canada and Stanley/FatMax are more common in Hand Tools here. And I have 2 DeWalt Heated Jackets at this point. They have the features I want, and Milwaukee, Bosch, and other companies don’t. In the case of the jackets, it doesn’t matter as much as the rest of the tools that this is true.
fred
@Joe M
You’re spot on with you comments – and its just these differences in both human and company behavior that “makes the world go ’round”. When I worked for a living – we liked to try many new tools that seemed to hold the promise for improved performance, increased productivity, safety enhancement etc. We would buy one of a new tool – pass it around among the crews and then decide what we thought. Several Milwaukee M12 tools that we bought this way – became one-only tools relegated to the tool room – others became mainstays of our operation – where we bought dozens. The same could be said for some of the Makita LXT, Ridgid, Bosch and other manufacturer’s tools we bought. We were not so driven as to need to try out everything that was new but like to think we took guidance from that old maxim : “be not the first by which the new is tried – nor yet the last to set the old aside.”
firefly
I can certainly chime in with this sentiment. My two Dewalt tape are piece of crap. Well taken care of, barely got used and one day they just stop retracting. Needless to say I wasn’t impressed.
I will try out the Milwaukee based on Stuart recommendation 🙂
Stuart
If you do, don’t forget about the current 2-for-1 promos. =)
firefly
Stuart, I couldn’t locate the 2 for 1 promos that you mentioned…
Stuart
This is the new deal: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/milwaukee-tape-measure-deal-102014/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
And this is a returning deal: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/milwaukee-tape-measure-deal-042014/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Essentially, through the two deals, if you buy a 25′ or 16′ tape measure, you get a bonus 16′ tape for free.
joe
Nov 6, 2014
Did you expose them to severe humidity, since the spring is naked metal that will rust easy and rust by even one single drop of water….even el-chepo 5 dollar tape measurer has the same spring as all tape measures do unless they specifically say that the spring is coated with water proof coating…IOW, i’m guessing Milwaukee has the same iron metal spring coated with some type of oil like all others. 🙂
fred
Komelon makes tapes that claim to have “all metal components made of stainless steel”
http://www.amazon.com/Komelon-SLSS125-Stainless-Self-Locking-Measure/dp/B002FCLEJC
firefly
thanks Joe and Fred,
I leave them in a tool drawer in the garage and I live in the Dallas TX area. So I am very certain I didn’t expose them to extreme humidity it probably be a good idea to get a tape that can handle that kind of weather just in case.
Matt
I might pick one up and compare it to my Milwaukee tape. It’s going to be hard to beat the current Milwaukee. I don’t leave home without it!
Matt
I really wish Milwaukee would put out a 12′ tape………………………..
fred
At one time Komelon was our go-to tape measure company. You might want to try their 12 foot tape:
http://www.amazon.com/Komelon-Premium-Measure-Retrieval-SL2812/dp/B000BQ7WGI/
Boyd
Hard to beat the Milwaukee!
joe
The stanley fatmax has a 1-1/8” blade, and I mentioned, I can do 14′ stand out. With this one I can do more than 13′ from the looks of it (blade size 1-1/4”).
I own about 5 tape measures and none are Milwaukee and have no need to jump in the Milwaukee band wagon.
BTW, you can set the retraction tension to all measuring tapes if you open them up and see how they work…basically to lower the tension just open one up and unwind one turn to get les tension since what retacts the take blade is just a curled up spring…just saying.
Joe W.
FYI, last time I was in Lowes I spotted an endcap full of Stanley ‘Made in USA’ (from global components) tapes. My store had 16′, 25′, and 30′, but Stanley’s site also shows a 35′, also US made. I didn’t grab one, have plenty of tapes currently (Milwaukee and Komeleon,) but it caught my attention since US made tapes seem to be rare.
16′ http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp?CATEGORY=HT_TAPES_FATMAX&TYPE=PRODUCT&PARTNUMBER=33-716&SDesc=16%27+x+1-1%2F4%26quot%3B+FATMAX%26reg%3B+Tape+Rule
25′ http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp?CATEGORY=HT_TAPES_FATMAX&TYPE=PRODUCT&PARTNUMBER=33-725&SDesc=25%26%2339%3B+x+1-1%2F4%26%2334%3B+FATMAX%26%23174%3B+Tape+Rule
30′ http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp?CATEGORY=HT_TAPES_FATMAX&TYPE=PRODUCT&PARTNUMBER=33-730&SDesc=30%26%2339%3B+x+1-1%2F4%26%2334%3B+FATMAX%26%23174%3B+Tape+Rule
35′ http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp?CATEGORY=HT_TAPES_FATMAX&TYPE=PRODUCT&PARTNUMBER=33-735&SDesc=35%26%2339%3B+x+1-1%2F4%26%2334%3B+FATMAX%26%23174%3B+Tape+Rule
Jon
Although the cases are different, this seems to be another incarnation of what started as the “fatmax extreme”, and was then rebranded as a bostitch tape measure. In my experience, these were never a step above the fatmax tape because the larger hook end tended to cause premature wear, whether it be rivet failure or damage to the blade from the hook getting caught on things. Hopefully this has been remedied.
Larson
Look like nice tapes, as Joe mentioned I’m glad to see them coming out with some actual new Dewalt ones instead of the Stanley rebrands. Most of their first hand tools were pretty basic but I would give another look if they start doing some actual unique ones
chris
Nice looking tape, but I have 3 or 4 now and don’t need anymore… I tried the Milwaukee though at home depot and put it right back, it made such a horrible noise I couldn’t stand ever using it on a daily basis
Nathan
in noticing the 2 threads about the tape measures – has the milwaukee vs dewalt tape debate been re-tested with the 2014 models. since it seems – at least the dewalt device looks different.
or am I seeing things
skye
I would love to try these or the Milwaukee ones out but I won’t until the front is flat like the fatmax which allows a piece of laminate to be glued to the surface making a scatch pad. The dewalt and Milwaukee ones have big embossed logos, you can’t stick anything to it. . No thanks