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4 Measuring Tools Every Trim Shop Needs

May 9, 2013 By Naseem Muaddi

The Hog Ring - Auto Upholstery Community - Measuring Tools

Measure twice and cut once – it’s good advice, especially for auto upholsterers who are short on time and hate wasting money.

Sound familiar? No worries, I’m the same way. In fact, it often feels like the bulk of my days are spent measuring and re-measuring before making any cuts at all. (My father says I’m a perfectionist to a fault!)

While a yardsticks and carpenter’s square is how I tackle some projects, many times they simply don’t cut it. They’re big, heavy and nowhere near as flexible as I need them to be in order to ensure accurate measurements.

Over the years, I’ve bought and experimented with a range of nontraditional measuring devices that promised to save me time and aggravation. While some were junk and others were just okay, below are my four favorite.

I’d recommend these to any professional trimmer…

1. Tailor Tape

The Hog Ring - Auto Upholstery Community - Tailor Tape

Come to my shop and you’re sure to find me with 120” tailor tape slung over my shoulders and a white pencil behind my ear. In fact, tailor tape is probably the most used tool at my shop – mostly because it’s so versatile. It can be as large or small as you need it to be, fits into tight spots, is easy to transport and much more flexible than a ruler or retractable tape measure – which means it’s also great for sizing up curves.

Price: $4.00 at Amazon

2. Center Finder Ruler

The Hog Ring - Auto Upholstery Community - Center Finder Ruler

A center finder ruler has two scales. The first is your standard scale, starting with zero at the left end of the stick. The second scale’s zero mark is located at the center point of either the 24” or 48” ruler. While it’s easier to find the center point of a panel using the first scale, the second allows you to mark for pleats a lot quicker than using a traditional single-scale ruler.

Price: $21.99 at Mobile Solutions

3. Point 2 Point Layout Tool

The Hog Ring - Auto Upholstery Community - Point 2 Point

If you find yourself reaching for a calculator when attempting to divide a panel into equidistant sections, buy a Point 2 Point Layout Tool. It eliminates all measuring by extending eight stainless steel points over a maximum distance of 24”, while maintaining an equal distance between each point. No other tool can mark for pleats or center points faster than the Point 2 Point. (Video: watch the Point 2 Point in action!)

Price: $22.95 at Garrett Wade

4. Flexible Curve Ruler

The Hog Ring - Auto Upholstery Community - Flexible Curve Ruler2

Another great measuring tool to keep handy around your shop is a flexible curve ruler. While it’s useful for measuring and marking curved surfaces, it’s most ideal for repeatedly scribing curves – as it holds its shape after being bent.

Price: $12.86 at Amazon

Add more to the list! We’d love to hear about the different measuring devices you use at your shop. Please tell us about them in the comments section below.

Filed Under: Archive, Products & Reviews, THR Favorites Tagged With: Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, Carpenter Square, Center Finder Ruler, Flexible Curve Ruler, Point 2 Point Layout Tool, Tailor Tape, Yardstick

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. tinabanana says

    May 9, 2013 at 7:09 pm

    great article, i love #2 and #3 (own #4). im definitely buying #2 asap.

    • Nadeem Muaddi says

      May 10, 2013 at 12:03 pm

      Awesome! Definitely go for a 24” or 48”. The 12″ is way too short.

  2. DaneDobrinska says

    May 9, 2013 at 9:19 pm

    This is why I love this site! I have never seen, or even heard of #3. And #4 is something I have wished existed, but assumed it didn’t because I’ve never seen one.

    • Nadeem Muaddi says

      May 10, 2013 at 12:00 pm

      Thanks for following The Hog RIng Dane! We’re glad this article turned you on to new products. Naseem’s really good at experimenting with new tools and spreading word about the ones that hit their mark.

  3. johnnyhenry says

    January 29, 2014 at 4:22 am

    you guys need to check these tools out. i use these almost on a daily basis. All these tools are found at mobile solutions-usa/com

    accuscribe pro
    http://mobilesolutions-usa.com/smartparts/images/MC-ACCU_lg.jpg

    profile transfer wheel kit
    http://mobilesolutions-usa.com/smartparts/images/MC-424-3414_PKG_lg.jpg

    adjustable curves
    http://mobilesolutions-usa.com/smartparts/images/MC-AAC24_sm.jpg

    sorry couldn’t get pics to work. all of there smart templates i use for fabricating as well saves days off of my builds

  4. johnnyhenry says

    January 29, 2014 at 4:28 am

    also forgot one thing pro carpenter measuring tape the gray one. its flexible so u can measure around things. it has a side piece to write on a pencil sharpener and you can write on the tape measure it self. i have all of the selections and everyone that works for me only uses that tape measure. there also found at mobile solutions-usa.com

    http://mobilesolutions-usa.com/smartparts/procarpentertapes_1.htm

    heres a link to them

  5. Steve says

    July 19, 2014 at 5:37 pm

    Make sure if you use a Taylor’s Tape it is a cloth one, the vinyl ones shrink and stretch.
    I’m with Johnny, since I got some smart templates from Mobile Solutions it had cut way down on build time.

  6. Timothy Cardon - Velocity Upholstery says

    July 19, 2014 at 8:39 pm

    I saw this and just ordered the 28″ Point to Point measuring tool! Very helpful and time saving!

  7. brent parker motor trimming says

    January 6, 2015 at 8:39 pm

    Im going get that point to point one for sure

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