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The Tape Measure Feature You Didn't Know You Needed For All Your DIYs
By RON BAKER
The slot on your tape measure’s hook is not just decorative — it’s a very useful feature designed for holding onto the head of a nail or screw, allowing you to measure accurately.
It’s hard to hook the end of the tape on things like rounded wall studs when you’re working alone, as it keeps letting go, even if the tape’s blade can stretch far without bending.
The way to get around this is to drive a nail into the point where you want to measure from and hook the nail grab slot onto its head. It'll hold firmly and let you move around.
You’ll be able to measure more accurately from the nail to whatever point you choose. You also can draw accurate circles up to twice the diameter of the tape measure's length.