Cheap but okay tape measure… in bulk maybe?

[scbk]

Doesn't matter; they could even have the markings at random intervals completely unrelated to any world measuring system, so long as you use the same tape to measure the gap and measure the wood for cutting to go in it..

..but yes, it's nice to have a quality tape that has a good curvature so it'll self support as you reach it over a 4 metre gap, magnets on the hook, a screw cutout, and a decent return spring

But the op says they are constantly losing tape measures, so if they measure the gap one day and write it down, then come to cut the wood the next day, using a different cheapo tape............good luck to them

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

But the op says they are constantly losing tape measures, so if they measure the gap one day and write it down, then come to cut the wood the next day, using a different cheapo tape............good luck to them

Point is if you have ten tape measures all the same make from the same batch (I'm gonna go out on a limb here) they will all measure near enough the same. The OP can't have it all. He buys ten Stanley Fatmans or ten cheapy ones off Amazon and accepts perhaps a bit of inaccuracy.