Remove temper

I

install4you

Joined
Dec 10, 2024
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Greetings to all.

Nubie here. I'll do an intro later (I know it's rude not to) but I'm in the middle of a project & hoping for a quick answer. If I chose the wrong place for this & an admin wants to move it, that's fine, but please let me know.

I'll spare you my long version. I want to flatten, uncoil, "despringify", i.e. untemper a tape measure blade without losing all the markings. I have the first 122" that broke off of an almost new tape & I want to fasten it on my 10' workbench. I've seen steel blades made for this purpose & they have no spring & lay flat. I just hate to waste what I have.

Someone suggested it must be heated and that would remove all the paint. I don't know about temps or when the paint would burn off.

I'd appreciate any advice, suggestions, or how to's. I'd be glad to swap info. I have 26+ years experience hanging stuff on the wall.

Sincerely, Eddie
 
Sorry to say, but you can't do it. The markings are paint and would burn off. You would need to heat it to around 1250°F and hold for a few hours, then slow cool at 50°/hr to 800°.

You can buy adhesive backed steel tapes to put on your bench. Check Woodcraft and Rockler.
 
I'd router a channel deep enough to accommodate the tape's curve, drop the tape in and fill the channel with clear epoxy....if I were married to the idea of using that tape, that is.
 
Thanks for replies. I would have answered sooner but I didn't receive email notification about your replies. I guess I messed up on settings. Oh well.
If I decide I must use this tape as mentioned I'll router a channel & cover with thin Plexi strips...but I probably won't.
Thanks again.
 
I forgot to welcome you to Shop Talk. Fill out your profile and tell us where you live and a bit about you. It helps with answers.

Sometimes the desire to re-use something by repurposing it is more costly and more work than just replacing it with the right thing.
 
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