Measuring Tape Repair

thingiverse

I have a 10-foot measuring tape that's been sitting idle for far too long because its center pin broke out and the spring no longer retracts the metal tape. I didn't want to see it end up in a landfill, so I came up with this fix, which has been serving me well for about a year. I've included the Autodesk 123D Design source file and three .stl files: MeasuringTapeGuide.stl is the drilling guide you can use to make the holes needed to keep the pin from spinning, while MeasuringTapePin.stl is the part that fixes the tape. MeasuringTape is an all-in-one version with an older design of the pin; if the top of the shaft won't fit through the hole drilled in the tape's case, use the straight shaft version instead. If your measuring tape's split pin breaks out and it unwinds inside, here's what you need to do: print this thing, then take the case apart by removing the two #1 phillips screws at the corners. Next, drill out the center of where the shaft was attached with a 7/32" drill bit and directly opposite it on the other half of the case. Push the shaft piece from inside the case onto the half you choose to mount it to. Fit the guide onto the shaft and slide it all the way down; use a 1/8" drill bit to start two holes in the case. Remove the two pieces and finish the holes. Insert the split shaft part through the large hole from outside, matching the two pips on it to the smaller holes you drilled. Thread the tape onto the split shaft and wind it around to tighten it up; it's best to do this with the tape extended to 10'. This should allow you to use the measure to its full potential. If it doesn't retract or extend all the way, you can push it out by a little bit so the pips clear the small drilled holes and carefully rotate it by hand, then snap it back into place when done. You can also stuff some scraps from printing (supports, raft, etc.) into the split to keep it from collapsing. To complete this fix, you'll need: 7/32" drill bit, 1/8" drill bit, and a drill.