ROE Steel Measuring Tape

My friend Dodd Talbot dropped this tape off at my shop while he was towing what could have been the biggest boat I've ever seen from Orlando, Florida to Whitefish, Montana. It just about killed his transmission, but that's a story for another day.

The tape was his grandfather's and he knows of my affinity for antique tools; I hate to see them thrown away. This tape has long since outlived its usefulness, but it sure makes a pretty picture. Again, if only it could talk. The mechanism still works well and winds up nicely, but the actual tape has seen better days. I have a few ideas to get some cool shots of it when I have the time. For now, here it is. And below the picture, there's a link to an interesting article about the ROE company from another site.

To learn a little about the history of this tool: CLICK HERE

 .