Hey guys, I just got a 50' Spencer loggers tape, it's made really well and looks like it would work fine, BUT, what they didn't mention is it weighs 897 pounds!!! KRYKEE!! I really hate stuff that weighs a ton, especially if it will hang from my belt... It would be one thing if I was going to wear this thing daily on the job or something, I get it. But I will wear it 3 or 4 days a year, and just need something lightweight with similar functionality. Anyone know of a lighter weight loggers tape? I actually only need about 10 o 20 feet long, and it doesn't need to be so robust. Any idea?
The trick is to try to "hook" a normal tape measure on the end of a log, I have a hard enough time getting the nail set just right so it will flip off but not come out on a loggers tape. I've been searching for years for a wood magnet.
More problems with the "Spencer or Husq tapes is, they are marked with a little TINY red dot at 16" intervals. First, at 54 years young, my eyes could not find the little red dot WITH my reading glasses on, and worse I don't wear reading glasses when in the woods cutting firewood!! In addition, they are marked at 16" intervals, I cut my firewood at 18" intervals for my PH stove which can accept up to 22" at it's widest point. soooooooo, after thinking about this for 2 days, searching for a solution, I GOT IT!!!! I went to a Pet Supply store, for $20 I bought a 16' dog leash real I see people with them walk buy my house all day long with them. It's a plastic reel about 3" round that retracts and a has a brake/lock, much lock the spencer. It has a black nylon "tape" with no markings on it. I'm taking off the leash clip on the end, and installing a simple snap ring I can put a nail on. Then I'm going to paint it with a bright orange fluorescent 1" thick stipe every 18", and put the clip on the handle so it will attach to my belt leather wedge pouch just like the spencer does. This thing weights about 1/10th the weight, the nylon will last just as long as the metal tape if not longer, and my markings will be exactly where I want them in big bright marks!! I actually think this will work better than the $60 spencer tape. Here is the unit I bought, but in grey and it was only $21. Youzaaaa!!
Done! I painted the "tape" with bright orange paint in 2" long bands at 18" on center. Then I put an eye bolt thru the handle and put a clip on the eye that will attach to the loop on my wedge pouch, just like the spencer. I twisted and bent a Romex nail and attached it to the loop on the end of the tape that sticks into the log nicely. Super light, retracts very well, has a hard stop at the end so you can't pull it out too far and get it stuck. It's about 16' long so I got 10 marks on it. Works like a charm.
Are you using it to mark logs into firewood length? If you are what you need is a mingo marker. Mingo Marker - Measure And Mark Firewood, Chainsaw Accessory, Fire Wood
unless you are making hundreds of rounds a day an 18" stick a piece of chalk will get the job done for $Free.99. Also, what increments did you mark on your hand?
It depends on how fast you want to get the job done or how much you will use it. Not sure what you are talking about?
I'm glad you found a solution! Great ideas. FWIW, I love my Spencer tape, but yes it is heavy. I think I shot a little bit of coffee through my nose when you said "it weighs 897 pounds!!!" In contrast to you, I cut my wood at 16" as my firebox is 18" x 16". The key is that I got the metric and English tape on mine. The metric side is marked in 10 cm intervals and turns out that 40 cm is almost exactly 16", so I mark out my logs as 4, 8, 12, 16, super easy and super clear on the tape.
I hate those markers with a passion! Spray paint, really? If I had one dollar for every FULL can of spray paint I have had to throw away over the years because it did not spray, I would be a millionaire! Yea sure, "When finished, turn can upside-down and spray until it comes out clear....". That works about 1 out of 10 times, usually it never comes out clear, or, it comes out clear and a month later you try to use it and NOTTA, it's all clogged anyway! There should be a law for every fuggin spray paint can to be makred CLEARLY: "ONE USE ONLY" Coincidentally, the orange paint on my thumb Hookedup joked about came from a can of orange spray paint that did NOT work. I ended up making a puddle of paint with it, and painting the tape with my fingers (dipping into the puddle)…. which explains the paint all over my thumb. And of course all over the not pictured ruined bluejeans, T-shirt and gloves!
oh, and by the way, I had 2-3 cords of wood delivered by a tree service last week, most of which was in about 6' pieces. My new setup worked awesome!! I bought a thick leather belt, a Grizzly Peak axe scabbard, and a wedge pouch with the clip to clip on my homemade loggers tape. All worked like a charm. Happy camper now. Almost look like I know what I'm doing! ALMOST!!
I take the spray buttons off and store them in a glass relish jar with a couple inches of paint thinner . No more unused spray paint. Works like a charm ! You owe me $1 for every one you've thrown away !!! Awesome creativity on the Dingo Marker!
hmmmm... I'll have to give that a shot. BUT, I don't think it is the nozzle that gets clogged up most of the time, it is the tube inside the can.... I say that because I've swamped out brand new caps and put them on used cans and still no go.....
I'll give you $20 for your old spencer loggers tape since you don't need it anymore. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
