Can Home Depot Shoppers REALLY Read a Tape Measure? $100 Challenge!
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- čas přidán 30. 09. 2023
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#TapeMeasure #Challenge #DIY - Jak na to + styl
The issue was in your introduction at a hardware store "Hey man, wanna make $100?". Do this again but ask "Hey man, wanna WIN $100?". That way people don't think you're offering them a job to make $100.
This is a good point. Hopefully John will see this comment
Yeah sounded like soliciting 🤭
Yeah, at least need to make it seem less likely to be a sex thing.
Not being able to see his eyes behind sunglasses may contribute too.
My comment to him was people are afraid of someone coming up behind them while John distracts them; so it coincides with this, in that it needs to seem more professional, like he needs a booth set up if possible.
Exactly. That and the people that come up to talk to you at the hardware stores usually want to give you a free roof/window/siding inspection or they want to sell you solar.
You should have gave the first guy Jorge $100 for pointing out and making you correct your mistakes
or like 50 bucks
Speaking of pointing out mistakes…. “You should have GIVEN” is the correct terminology. Now I need my $100 since that’s ALSO your logic for someone else’s life.
I'd say $20, at the very least.
@@WTFisAuserFRCKINname Speaking of pointing out mistakes, you added an extra period to the elipses before your statement inside of quotation marks. You can pass that $100 over my way now please.
John can't read a tape measure either. LOL
I can see a couple of potential issues. One, when I go to home depot, I'm normally in the middle of a project and forgot something, so I just want to get what I forgot and get out. Second, every time I go to home depot, somebody stops me to try to get me to take a survey or try to sell me a kitchen or something stupid I don't need.
But don’t you want solar panels on your roof? It won’t cost you a dime…..just 36 months of $899.98😂
I'm especially not interested when a large guy asks me "wanna make a hundred bucks?" while reaching in his pants.
and none of its gonna be square@@itsm00t17
This was EXACTLY my thought. I absolutely hate going to HD on the weekend for just that reason.
Do it again, but bring a piece of wood for them to measure. Great video. I’m sure I would have failed under the pressure.
oh that's a great idea. mark a piece of wood and tell them to measure and then WRITE out the measurement. but that gets even more pushback.
To what accuracy?
Whatever they decide. He asked for ideas, I gave one.
"hey man, want to measure my wood?" Nah that ain't going to go better than this one...
@@tysonkoehn1 honestly tho all the trades guys would probably get a kick out of that and may be more willing after having a laugh about it.
You should have them measure a piece of wood like a 2x4 that’s 17-5/8” instead of finding the mark with the black tape. That way there’s no confusion of did you want me to read the back or the front of the mark. I’m just spit ballin ideas.
I'd suggest a few pieces at different lengths, so people can't tell their friends ahead of time to go do the tape measure challenge and give them the length.
John has me in my garage practicing reading a tape measure everytime im about to go to Lowe's
ROFL. I don't even live in the same state but I thought the same thing.
same
I forget that people who don’t know Malecki personally call by his first name
Nah dude. The thing is everything is so sketchy today. You have someone saying you can get $100 and then they worry someone will come up behind them because they’re distracted. The best way to do this is to ask the company if you can set up a booth so they know it’s real, or get a giant poster board instead of small print like you had. It might seem like big print but look how far away they were and it was constantly juggling up and down when you were walking.
The issue is Americans bud
In New Zealand we have Metric tapes, you just read the number and that's the measurement. Millimeters just count from 1 to 8000 on most metric tape measures. There are no fractions it's so simple 😅 So 17 5/8 would just be read as 447mm.
Bro everyone worldwide uses Metric just the US , Liberia, and Myanmar doesn't, yes it is way easier and precise, but i wouldn't make for a good video.😂
metric system truly op
I've seen that in the commonwealth people uses millimeters all around, is 44.7 centimeters. At least that is what makes sense to me. Main measurement is 44 and 7 millimeters for precision. I've seen some millimeters tapes and it's awful , all those unnecessary zeroes. Metronomy is a mess. Anyways, imperial is bullshit. I would like to know some tricks only applicable to imperial, in the meanwhile I'm happy with metric.
They would need the first 5 seconds to realize it is not their normal tape measure, so John would not give out any prize money if he used the metric tape measure. Would be fun to watch 😉
No one cares if you’re 8,000 millimeters short or not. 5’6” is still going to seem taller no matter the measurement. And no I didn’t do the calculations to see the difference, because milli-anything is whack.
It was your approach. Sadly, society today has most everyone (at least a little) paranoid of being scammed or pressured into something. As I remember it, it seems the one (and only) timeshare pressure session I was conned into began with someone saying, "Hey, wanna make a hundred bucks?"
Maybe lead with: “hey! Can you read a tape measure?”
That should hook their attention, and I think you’ll have an overall positive response to that question rather than offering money up front. Since people tend to be more skeptical when it comes to free money, leading with the topic at hand may be what piques interest.
Since you initiated a conversation with a question, and that question likely yields a positive response, their “yes” is sort of a universal license to proceed with your pitch.
“My name’s John Malecki, I have a CZcams channel where we build all sorts of really cool stuff, but we’re out here today trying to see how many Americans can read a tape measure, and for anyone who can read it correctly within 5 seconds, we’re giving them $100! Do you have 5 more seconds?”
Of course most people have 5 more seconds.
I hope this helps.
@tylervanmeter2851
Maybe a bit long-winded, but your suggestion is right on,
Do it again but this time using a metric system tape 😂
cant mess up a metric tape.
proof the imperial system is simply too difficult for the average human. Fractions such as 5/8, 10/16. 5 foot 5 and a 1/4.
448 mm +/- 0.33mm.
448 all day.
John won't do it..
Merica!! Hell yeah.
I've never understood why people use imperial system as people say u can't mess up mm but 17/64ths or 15/32nds a mean come on who hell can read that. Or even figure that out. 😬👍🏴
@TheWebstaff i mean we got to the moon using metric calculations! Just the instruments the astronauts read were "translated" in to freedom units so they'd understand the distances better!
Should have gave Jorge $20 for pointing out that your mark was confusing.
I'm not sure I understand where the confusion comes from. If you put on a tape to mark a...tape...you're always going to put the tape on the further part to have the first line mark the measure. ALWAYS. Whether you are right-handed or left-handed, whether you use metrics or inches. It is a human habit to mark the 'outside' of a dimension if it is possible.
Marking it with an arrow would only serve to remove pointless excuses.
@@kikixchannel You're saying the outside edge, yet in the video it was the inside edge of the tape. So you're proving my point that it was confusing.
@@Eidolon1andOnly Eh...No...You are proving that you are confusing yourself.
You measure something from the tip of the tape to some point on the tape. The INSIDE of the measure is the black tapes edge closer to the edge of the measuring tape, so the OUTSIDE of the dimension is clearly the first line of the tape. How is that so hard to understand is beyond me, but apparently you don't even know what 'inside' and 'outside' means.
Outside of the DIMENSION, not outside of the MARKING.
Basically, think about it like this. If you want to cut a square in glass and you use tape to mark it, will your tape stay on the square you cut out, or on the larger pane? I'm almost certain it will be on the remaining pane with the square being tape-free. This is the exact same concept, except there are only two ends (since it's one-dimensional measurement) and one end is already cut off (the end of the tape).
@@kikixchannel Also, in your example of cutting glass, I'd have the tape stuck to the square, not the remaining pane. This would not only protect the edge of the square I'm cutting from chipping, but if the cut wasn't exactly right, and cut larger than it should have been, I can always remove the excess material (can't add material to a cut) and it would also help protect the glass I'm intending to use from any scratches if the the glass cutter were to wander off the straight edge. That's a pretty bad example to use.
@@Eidolon1andOnly You can just use an example of drawing a square with a ruler if you wish. In the first place, I used this example only because when cutting with a saw the tape would get in the way so it would be done one by one, while in glass it's being cut from above, without taking into consideration the glasses physical characteristics, just like I never mentioned which part of the glass you actually care about (for all you know, the glass square is just garbage).
If I'd play with more specialized tools (like jigsaw), then with how you seem to try and grab into the smallest bits you could also argue plenty like...'but I don't have a jigsaw, so I would cut it with a normal saw' and what not.
You also didn't respond to anything beyond that example whose only purpose was to help visualize the process, huh. I wonder why...
Set up a kiosk next time. Looks more official.
Keep like 40 or 50 tape measures and have a demo poster set up. That will keep it random (and prevent people from cheating), allow people to "play with friends" and it keeps you shaded.
What does he look like?! A man who can spare $100 for a kiosk?!
had the same thoughts
My father taught me to read a tape/ ruler as a kid (5-6 years old), and it baffles me that there are adults that cannot never mind people at a home depot to lowes.
I appreciate your idea of this simple test.
At 19, I felt like a complete knucklehead not reading a measuring tape correctly.
It’s one of the most important tools and prior I would just mark the tape with a pencil.
It’s embarrassing when you’re asked to do a task you were taught in grade school and answer incorrectly.
Hopefully this upload will inspire people to just refresh themselves.
😊✌🏼👍🏼
My apprentice would say 17” and 2 lines past the half mark. 😂
Right Patrick
I think this answers the metric vs. Imperial argument 😂
My son first learned about fractions when he dumped my socket set & I made him put them all back in the correct place. then after he realized it wasn't just punishment but that he had learned something he started asking more questions & I gave him an extra tape measure I had & he was going around the house measuring everything
As my wife would say 17 and like 8 little notches haha
Like 17.8 inches. The 17 5/8 is strange way to count.
I would love to see you do this again, maybe with a booth and more official looking signage next time. Should lower people's guards, at least some of them lol.
Yeah. He did look like a homeless guy.
And “would you like to make $100?”, sounds like he was looking to hook up. lol.
@Nilumbra: You make a very good point!
One suggestion, before you hand the contestants the tape measure, maybe pull the tape out facing away from them/towards you so they can't see the numbers but they can see where the mark is(mark it front & back). I think part of the problem is people having no idea where the mark is going to be so they're initially wasting time hunting with their eyes for the mark instead of focusing on reading the mark. If they have an idea where they need to look to find the mark, I think you'll see more people bring it in within the 5 seconds.
I think its not just looking for the mark but also having to process what part of the mark to use from only verbal directions. And if you don't want to show the mark(even from the back) for some reason make an earlier mark at like 6in with a colored tape where you can show what you want but not give away where the black mark is.
Guess that will teach me to get annoyed with a video and comment before finishing, just got to the lowes part.
@@will4383 lol, happens to the best of us
‘Hello, I’m former NFL offensive lineman for the Steelers, John Malecki, I’ve got a CZcams channel and today we’re asking if Home Depot customers can read a tape measure. If you can, you’ll win $100’ Bang. Everyone stops, you’re out a ton of money lol
I think it might be a little intimidating having a big gut walking up to you in a parking lot asking you if you want to make $100, I know I'd be thinking; "What kind of kinky shit is this fresh hell?!"
Awesome idea! Was hoping to see my old man hahaha IMO I'd take off the sunglasses when it's not a friend or fan. People find ya more approachable when they can see your eyes. Thanks for the entertainment!
I'm gen X, and I was raised on the mantra "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." Since I follow you, I probably would have tried. But someone I didn't recognize as being legit? Hard pass.
Same here. That’s the gen x mindset!
Yeah, he’s also in the Pittsburgh area so we’re accustomed to just saying “No” before hearing anything.
I probably would have walked back to my truck one aisle over to make sure I didn't have to tell him "no" again.
that's just called living in fear.
@Tlavite it's called not being a fool
Can I read a measuring tape? Yes. Could I do it in a parking lot with a camera on me in 5 seconds ?No. Also, I tend to default to No when people approach me in parking lots. There are so many scammers out there and you keep hearing stories of people trying to distract you to grab wallet/purse etc.
Your segway into the betterhelp ad was the better help I needed this morning LOL Genius!
This is mindblowing for me. Give a child a metric unit tape measure, it will read it with, no issues, in less than 2 seconds.
Yes, kids learn that in school most 12 year olds here in sweden have no problem measuring or convert between all different units.
There's too many scammers out there for people to take you legitimately. I think if you worked with the store to set up a booth people would've been less suspicious
Jorge deserved the $100.
the editing and cut aways on this channel always make me crack up! keep up the good work
I use a Crescent Lufkin tape measure that goes down to 1/32 measurements. After using that, I can't go back to the more blunt 1/8 and 1/16 tape measures.
Great video John funny to watch people under pressure
Massive missed opportunity to hit up the Lowe’s/Home Depot combo in Butler. Massive turf wars up there.
Huge fan of the show. I’m a local. Appreciate the content. Keep on keeping on!
I teach 8th grade math and reading a tape measure is a skill that I go over towards the end of the school year. It is just a basic life skill for any homeowner or someone who wants to hang a picture. Great video.
Wow, that late? I must be a nerd. By 11th grade, back in the mid-'80s, I had an easy summer job working as a draftsman in a metal machine shop. I wasn't measuring with a tape measure; it was a steel ruler and calipers. They found me through a teacher of mine at school.
Good for CZcams, promoting actually useful and responsible Services in there adds like better health.
I would be afraid to fail on camera, that’s my guess as to why so many people said no.
Drove by your shop off the turnpike today on my way to Indiana. Had to tell myself it’s weird to stop at a youtuber’s shop just to say thanks for the great content.
Please make a video on how to read tools! Your humor would be the best!
Can’t wait to see more updates an projects and many more videos soon my friends. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work my friend. Fab On. Weld On. Stay Squirrely. Keep Making.
I can read both Imperial and Metric, however 3 years ago I bought a 1 metre steel rule and between 430mm - 440mm there were only 9mm and not 10mm. When I found it I did laugh as I thought if you can't trust a steel rule then it's crazy. Good post and easy money 💰👍
Was flipping through my tv and came to "This Old House" , which I love to watch....and there you were! 😮 I did not know you were on that show.i was so excited! I been following you for a while now on CZcams!
To anyone who feels embarrassed in this video, I didn't even remember that the inches were split up by eighths. I would have to count how many lines were there before I'd have known. I don't do woodworking, I just like to watch it on youtube 😅
This was so funny to watch. Great video. You should definitely try this again.
Like the video. Surprised at how many would not try. I have never seen a video of yours, but you've got a like and a sub. Thanks!
My dad uses imperial but I served my time using metric so I know how to read both. It surprises me how many can't read a tape
Watching this has made me aggressively want to reteach myself how to read a tape measure. Thanks man. Lol
The last time most of us looked at fractions was in 4th grade, and the once a year we pull out a tape measure.
I switched to a metric tape, it's so much easier.
As an experiment, you should try the "Change my Mind" table setup and make people come up to you. It might legitimize the look of the operation because, lets face it, if someone approaches you in the parking lot, chances are you're not reading their sign. People are too on edge to take their eyes off of the actual "threat" to look at a sign. It sucks, but that's where we are as a society. Plus, it would make you seem smaller for anyone that would feel intimidated by your large stature.
The clips you use in between. William DeFoe and the guy fishing 😂😂
great idea and enjoyable video !!
I wonder if any of the employees at either location would have been able to read a tape measure?
just some thoughts, it would be better if you maybe stayed in one place, near the entrance to catch people as they are going in, have a nicer sign, easy to read and stationary, not held in your hands. you can still walk around, buy guide people pack to your table. Definitely good job on clarifying the mark with an arrow, those first guys were absolutely correct. Showing the example first is very smart. $100 might have been to high to be believable, maybe have two marks and $50 each?
and thank you for sharing about BetterHelp, we all need help sometimes.
John: "We're losing daylight!"
Sun: "It's literally noon."
I am often approached in Lowes/Home depot parking lots by people begging or telling me some kind of story about how their girl left them and they have no gas or place to stay blah, blah, blah. I can totally understand why most people didn't even bother to hear you out.
There’s been a lot of scammers lately in HD parking lots. The best thing to do is not engage. I don’t blame people for being skeptical at all.
One of my favorite stories my dad (lifelong construction adjacent dude) told me a million times was when he was on a site working, and there was a carpemter and an apprentice finishing up the final touches of the framing job.
The carpenter told the apprentice to go measure a certain spot, probably for a block between studs or something. So the aprentice walked over, pulled out his tape, and then yelled, "15 and uh..... 3 lines"
The carpenter was not pleased.
I did that exact thing at age 18. I knew nothing about fractions. Now, after 25 years in the industry it’s a second language to me. I often remember that moment when I told my boss that!
Good video and a good sample
It speaks to the lack of trust even in broad daylight in a public place for how many people just don't want to engage.
I’m convinced it was the pressure of the time constraints and being on video. It’s very difficult to do anything under pressure like that.
this entertained me more than i thought it would
I had a employee who couldn’t read a tape. I cut out a 16” piece of sheet metal, marked it every Inch and wrote 1/16, 1/8”, 3/16”…etc and made him carry it around all day.
PLEASE do this at a college. Preferably in front of an engineering or architectural school
The fact that you had so much trouble getting people to try when you walk up to them with a sign, a camera, and just say "wanna make $100?" is without question the LEAST surprising thing about this video.
I’ve been in construction for almost 10 years, and my betters would quiz me on my tape skills all the time when I first started as an apprentice. And I think (with some degree allowed for error) that most contractors will go to Lowe’s, and Home Depot is more for the diy/ weekend warrior crowd.
Measuring something seems like it would be a lot easier than looking at a measurement and having half the area you're trying to read blacked out with tape. As a plumber, I read quarter and eighth measurements all day but that's when I'm comparing it to pipe sitting behind the tape, not in front of it.
You were at your local Home Depot and Lowe's, you have 874000+ subscribers, not one person recognized you. Are most of you subscribers out of state? lol. But I might have failed the challenge myself, so big ups, and it takes a lot of metal to just walk up to strangers and get them to be on a CZcams vid, even for money, so good job Malecki!
It’s how you’re approached them, almost everyone asking something has a gimmick, so they are thinking it’s a scam or a time suck.
I'm amazed how many people said no to reading the tape... If it would be me I'll be right there even if I fail :) Nice video idea John!
Bring back the building trades in High School. With what you showed the trades are in trouble for the near future. Stay safe.
i really like these types of videos
I'd kill to have a Home Depot close by, and here's John with more than one, rubbing it in my face.
I will start reading tape measures now before I go to HD or Lowes
I'd be curious what would happen if you went to a wholesale shop where contractors go.
This was a cool idea! I’d love to see more like this… hopefully you fly to my town and do it in the parking lot of my local home center 😂
Love your videos love the content. The challenge between the different Shoppers at different stores would be interesting. However at the end the comment who is smarter is not the correct comment in my opinion it should be who is more skilled
I can read a tape measure, but I'd mess it up under the time crunch. Especially being on camera
Holy cow, I went to Slippery Rock HS. I self-taught myself how to read one so that's part of the problem. No one really teaches it even when I took shop, I do not recall being taught how to read one. Heck, my first real use of one was trying to do a DIY alignment on my Jeep when I was 17. That was just counting the lines on the tape, not even knowing the fractions LOL
You should test who knows more about basic home improvement projects, Home Depot or Lowes employees?
This video might be the best advert for a superior metric system.
10/16ths haha What a guy.
Based on how well these guys are doing that know and/or follow you, I'm starting to think you should put out a video on how to read tape! haha
This is why so many people are looking to buy the elusive board stretcher.
"Wanna make $100" at a hardware store sounds like you want to hire them for day labor. "Wanna win $100" makes it sound like it's gonna be more fun and take less time
Good shit man, hilarious 😅
I think you guys should do a test of the different areas around the Pittsburgh area. You mentioned cranberry at one point but I would interested to see the difference at Monroeville, Greensburg etc etc
I used to work for a construction company that had a tape measure test when you got hired all it was you had to draw a line from the number given to the place on the tape measure me and my other foremen working there it was such a pleasure to sit around and read these tape measure test unbelievable that the average person has absolutely no idea how to read a tape measure
As a mechanical contractor I do something like this with every new hire and it amazes me that they can not read a tape/ ruler!
I leaned to read a ruler in 3rd grade and it seems that they just don’t teach this anymore!
@ 12:00 ---------> That man had me in stitches...! "Seven twelfths" !
On the job site I love to yell out when other trades are around “ It says 17 and 10 of those hatchy things” always gets funny looks
Can we get some epic build videos soon?
Over 20 years ago while filling out a 4 page job application for a marine metal fabricator, I flipped to page 3 and found a large, close up drawing of a 6" to10" section of a tape measure. Above and below this section of tape were empty circles with arrows pointing to specific measurements on the section of tape. The applicant needed to write those specific measurements in the circles provided. My first reaction was to LOL because I thought that anyone unable to do something as basic as accurately measuring material should choose another line of work. I thought we had problems in the workforce back then. Doesn't seem like things have improved much.
A couple of them were subscribers who got it wrong. Eeeek. Maybe a quick tape reading lesson for your viewers before the next try. We take for granted that we learned this at a young age but both my nephews helped me build a deck over the summer and every measurement was 10 inches and 5 of those little marks. Hahahaha. I had to stop and have a tape ready class before we moved on. Teach them folks my man. You got the platform for it.
I work in a production company building walls you would be amazed on how many people actually can't read a tape correctly... wish I was in one of those parking lots... would have had a new tool for free...lol love your videos... FYI peeps most tapes unless stated otherwise on the tape are 16ths of an inch meaning each line is 1/16 worst comes to worst count the lines and do your fraction conversion for even number lines.... 8/16 is 1/2
Many people are intimidated by people they do not know. Unfortunately for them they do not know or recognize you
You should try it here in Utah. You would be really surprised on how many can't read one. I've had to teach more than one at every place that I've worked at here
Try the Home Depot on the Eastern Panhandle of West VA
Tim Dillon has the best Better Help ads.
Harbor freight too, maybe menards if there is one near you.
I am curious to see if you would get a different response on McKnight or in Monroeville vs Cranberry.
Another thing you can do is to grab a few tools and ask them if they can name it. Or bring some router bits and ask them if they know what it is.
Or tell them "tell me 3 joint types"