Net Height measuring tool... suggestions?

[TimTaylor]

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

Unless you use your net chain as an emergency car tow chain, the only reason I could see for it to change length would temperature. Metals contract and expand according to temperature just like any other material. Perhaps if you used the same chain at 120 degree beach volleyball matches and 65 degree indoor matches, it would vary in length (depending on the metal used and the construction of the chain). But certainly not very much.

Lets assume mild steel or similar ferrous alloy. The thermal coefficient of linear expansion is approx. 0.0000073" per inch of length per deg F. Using BITS's numbers (65-120) the net change in length of a 88" chain would be would be approx. 0.035332" - hardly significant. For aluminum it would be approx. 0.059532", brass would be approx. 0.050336".