284: Tape Measure - Revision history

2A00:23C8:3309:F01:11B3:55C4:6295:924B: /* Explanation */ typo correction

2026-02-05T13:14:47Z

‎Explanation: typo correction

Lettherebedarklight: /* Trivia */ add Category:Comics with a Spanish translation

2025-12-15T09:00:36Z

‎Trivia: add Category:Comics with a Spanish translation

BobcatInABox at 16:14, 8 September 2025

2025-09-08T16:14:44Z

BobcatInABox at 16:14, 8 September 2025

2025-09-08T16:14:26Z

Vandof: Fixed "threshhold" -> "threshold"

2025-01-23T09:27:57Z

Fixed "threshhold" -> "threshold"

172.71.178.22: /* Explanation */ Heavily edited the previous version of "parenthesis paragraph" to add more oomph, detail and personal speculation. Probably could be tweaked(/corrected), but looks Okish at first outing. (Yep, just before saving, corrected a typo!)

2023-11-19T13:17:05Z

‎Explanation: Heavily edited the previous version of "parenthesis paragraph" to add more oomph, detail and personal speculation. Probably could be tweaked(/corrected), but looks Okish at first outing. (Yep, just before saving, corrected a typo!)

172.69.194.245: Disagreeing with the last editor, as he's not behaving like a young goat. Try this, instead (by way of "acts like a child", before using the more compact phrase).

2023-11-19T12:18:27Z

Disagreeing with the last editor, as he's not behaving like a young goat. Try this, instead (by way of "acts like a child", before using the more compact phrase).

172.70.175.124: /* Explanation */ changed wording from small boy to kid. This better words it as young instead of small in size.

2023-11-19T01:27:15Z

‎Explanation: changed wording from small boy to kid. This better words it as young instead of small in size.

172.70.130.164: Fixed a broken link

2023-11-13T23:09:28Z

Fixed a broken link

Jacky720: rv

2022-05-04T21:10:57Z

Show changes

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 [[Cueball]] acts childishly, finding a tape measure and then playing with it. He then extends it to 8 feet (approx. 2.5 meters), wondering whether or not that was a record, which makes him imagine a sport where extending the tape measure as far as possible was the goal.
-{{w|Tape measure}} strips, of the 'spring metal' kind are manufactured with a slight inherent curve upwards, laterally, where not curved along their length (e.g. whilst still on the spool). Extending the tape straight out from the spool, the sideways curve dominates and adds structural strength to ''keep'' the relatively light tape-strip supported against gravity. By doing so, it allows fairly easy operation to extend a tape upwards (e.g. from the floor to the ceiling of a room) or for a smaller distance sideways (e.g. the width of a picture-window) without needing a second person or the extra effort of hooking the 'end hook' over something at the 'end-point' before pulling the case back fowards the 'start'. The tape can also still be bent around corners or circumferences, at the loss of local longitudinal strength and perhaps some accuracy, if a single straight-line distance isn't desired. It is this combination of flexibility and rigidity that makes such tapes so useful for common household and maintenance measurements larger than a piece of paper (for which a rigid ruler is more useful) but smaller than a property's yard area (where a surveyor's non-sprung metal tape might be laid out) and not habitually involving curves (as with a draper's cloth tape).
+{{w|Tape measure}} strips, of the 'spring metal' kind are manufactured with a slight inherent curve upwards, laterally, where not curved along their length (e.g. whilst still on the spool). Extending the tape straight out from the spool, the sideways curve dominates and adds structural strength to ''keep'' the relatively light tape-strip supported against gravity. By doing so, it allows fairly easy operation to extend a tape upwards (e.g. from the floor to the ceiling of a room) or for a smaller distance sideways (e.g. the width of a picture-window) without needing a second person or the extra effort of hooking the 'end hook' over something at the 'end-point' before pulling the case back towards the 'start'. The tape can also still be bent around corners or circumferences, at the loss of local longitudinal strength and perhaps some accuracy, if a single straight-line distance isn't desired. It is this combination of flexibility and rigidity that makes such tapes so useful for common household and maintenance measurements larger than a piece of paper (for which a rigid ruler is more useful) but smaller than a property's yard area (where a surveyor's non-sprung metal tape might be laid out) and not habitually involving curves (as with a draper's cloth tape).
 However, as a tape measure is extended (especially horizontally), the weight of the strip eventually does overcome the support offered by the bend, causing it to collapse. As cleverly depicted in the comic, a single point tends to 'crumple' (often where vibrations from the handling induce a resonance; and tending towards where the cantilever forces are greatest, near where the operator is currently drawing the tape out) and this then causes a collapse in which other bends introduce themselves from the dynamics of the tape in motion and the force of its impact on the ground/other objects.

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:00, 15 December 2025
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	[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]		[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
	[[Category:Tape measures]]		[[Category:Tape measures]]
		+	[[Category:Comics with a Spanish translation]]

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 {{comic discussion}}
 [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
-[[Category:Tape measures
+[[Category:Tape measures]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:14, 8 September 2025
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	{{comic discussion}}		{{comic discussion}}
	[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]		[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
		+	[[Category:Tape measures

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 However, as a tape measure is extended (especially horizontally), the weight of the strip eventually does overcome the support offered by the bend, causing it to collapse. As cleverly depicted in the comic, a single point tends to 'crumple' (often where vibrations from the handling induce a resonance; and tending towards where the cantilever forces are greatest, near where the operator is currently drawing the tape out) and this then causes a collapse in which other bends introduce themselves from the dynamics of the tape in motion and the force of its impact on the ground/other objects.
-Skillfully and steadily holding the tape measure at an angle can redirect some of the weight load, reduce the momentary tendencies to cross the 'bending threshhold' and allow for a longer total extension. Vertically, it is likely that most such tape can support itself (with minimal care) against collapse, but would reach no length at all in a sideways direction. The ultimate aim of those who attempt idle 'tape extending' challenges is often to achieve the longest ''horizontal'' extension. Or the highest 'figure' revealed from the tape, whilst doing so, which would actually be the length of the slightly arced diagonal, but would be fairly close to the slightly smaller 'reach length' attained, and usually good enough for idle entertainment. However, it is implied that this technique can be explored to the point of becoming its own sport, at which point one presumes that professional "competitive tape extension" would rely solely upon the observed horizontal extension (without, or prior to, hitting the ground), with competitor's chosen extension techniques with their standard (competition-grade) tapes perhaps even making on-tape graduations unnecessary and totally irrelevent.
+Skillfully and steadily holding the tape measure at an angle can redirect some of the weight load, reduce the momentary tendencies to cross the 'bending threshold' and allow for a longer total extension. Vertically, it is likely that most such tape can support itself (with minimal care) against collapse, but would reach no length at all in a sideways direction. The ultimate aim of those who attempt idle 'tape extending' challenges is often to achieve the longest ''horizontal'' extension. Or the highest 'figure' revealed from the tape, whilst doing so, which would actually be the length of the slightly arced diagonal, but would be fairly close to the slightly smaller 'reach length' attained, and usually good enough for idle entertainment. However, it is implied that this technique can be explored to the point of becoming its own sport, at which point one presumes that professional "competitive tape extension" would rely solely upon the observed horizontal extension (without, or prior to, hitting the ground), with competitor's chosen extension techniques with their standard (competition-grade) tapes perhaps even making on-tape graduations unnecessary and totally irrelevent.
 The title text refers to a future where this sport exists, and this comic is a representation of the origin of this sport.

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ==Explanation==
-[[Cueball]] acts childishly, finding a tape measure and then playing with it. He then extends it to 8 feet (approx. 2.5 meters), wondering whether or not that was a record, which makes him imagine a sport where extending the tape measure as far as possible was the goal. (Tape measure strips are bent upward lengthwise to support itself when oriented correctly, much like how one can better hold a sheet of paper horizontally by creating a slight dip. However, as a tape measure is extended, the weight of the strip eventually overcomes the support offered by the bend, causing it to collapse. Skillfully holding the tape measure at an angle can redirect some of the weight load and allow for a longer total extension; it is implied that this technique can be explored to the point of becoming its own sport.)
+[[Cueball]] acts childishly, finding a tape measure and then playing with it. He then extends it to 8 feet (approx. 2.5 meters), wondering whether or not that was a record, which makes him imagine a sport where extending the tape measure as far as possible was the goal.
 The title text refers to a future where this sport exists, and this comic is a representation of the origin of this sport.

@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 ==Trivia==
-*During the real-life meet-up at the time & place mentioned in [[240: Dream Girl]], fans [http://thephoenix.com/Boston/News/48208-wisdom-of-crowds/ participated in a tape-measure length competition].
+*During the real-life meet-up at the time & place mentioned in [[240: Dream Girl]], fans [https://web.archive.org/web/20160605010651/http://thephoenix.com/boston/news/48208-wisdom-of-crowds/ participated in a tape-measure length competition].
 {{comic discussion}}
 [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]