# Laser tape measure, worth having?



## MVH (Jun 24, 2007)

Ed the Roofer said:


> How well does it work on exterior measurements, like roofs?
> 
> Ed


I don't think it would work too good. You need flat surfaces to bounce the dot off. If you had someone to hold laser targets at points you wanted measured, it would work. But, that defeats the whole concept.

I would think http://www.eagleviewmeasurements.com/ is as good as it gets.

Mike


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## Michaeljp86 (Apr 10, 2007)

How do they work in sun light? I cant see a laser level in bright sun, would that screw up the laser?


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## Ed the Roofer (Dec 12, 2006)

MVH said:


> I don't think it would work too good. You need flat surfaces to bounce the dot off. If you had someone to hold laser targets at points you wanted measured, it would work. But, that defeats the whole concept.
> 
> I would think http://www.eagleviewmeasurements.com/ is as good as it gets.
> 
> Mike


I did a test trial with them and they gave me a diagram for a house that wasn't the one that I submitted an address for, plus, at $ 50.00 per building, it sort of takes the fizz out of it. 

The Sad thing about that instance with EagleView, is that even after I notified them of the incorrect address, they never got back to me, even with an explanation.

A few months later, when they were advertising in a roofing forum, I asked the guy in the forum about it and all he said, was, "Well, we switched to a better viewer and that problem is corrected."

WTF, Why couldn't they have told that to me when I first informed them, if that is really true?

If it were large commercial buildings, it would definitely be worth it, but not for individual houses.

I also have been in touch with a company called Pictometry too, who actually supplies the Ariel Photo Views to EagleView.

Ed


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## MVH (Jun 24, 2007)

Michaeljp86 said:


> How do they work in sun light? I cant see a laser level in bright sun, would that screw up the laser?


I have only used this tool inside to generate existing floorplan layouts. But just for you, I brought it outside on on a hot Saturday (110º) for testing.

Test conditions - temp: 110º, humidity: 5%, lighting: searing Arizona sunlight
Test subject - faded (see lighting) white fiberglass siding on Artic Fox truck camper, Bosch DLK165 (you asked earlier $125)
Test results - testers back to sun, twenty feet from target: see laser dot... No, six feet from target: see dot... yes

Your mileage may vary, tax and license not included.

Mike


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## MVH (Jun 24, 2007)

Ed the Roofer said:


> I did a test trial with them and they gave me a diagram for a house that wasn't the one that I submitted an address for, plus, at $ 50.00 per building, it sort of takes the fizz out of it.
> 
> The Sad thing about that instance with EagleView, is that even after I notified them of the incorrect address, they never got back to me, even with an explanation.
> 
> ...


That's too bad. I think the service is innovative and useful. It's unfortunate they forgot it is a (customer) service they offer.

Mike


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## Ed the Roofer (Dec 12, 2006)

MVH said:


> That's too bad. I think the service is innovative and useful. It's unfortunate they forgot it is a (customer) service they offer.
> 
> Mike


I agree.

I think it is one of the MOST Brilliant products to ever hit the market.

I would imagine that other companies wil reverse engineer the methods used to offer this service and it will be much more residential friendly, price wise.

I sincerely wish that they would have followed through. That aspect, even though they came up with the incorrect house plotted, would have meant so much more to me as far as I would have been able to place faith in them and their service.

But, since they did not, they revealed their biggest short-coming to me.

Ed


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## cadanywhere (Jul 25, 2008)

Michaeljp86 said:


> I seen a add for a laser tape measure that was supposed to be accurate to 1/16". Ive seen these a few years ago and they were pretty expensive and accurate within 3". I know this came up before on here about these but I was wondering since then if anyone has one and what they think of it.
> 
> I need to figure up a price for paint and siding on a barn and was looking up about 25' and thinking I could really use one of those right now.
> 
> I thought I would see what you guys think before I buy some $200 POS.


The Leica Disto range and the Hilti PD38's are as good as you can get5, both are accurate to within the tolerences you require, so much so that the Leica Disto A6 and the Hilti PD38 are the laser measures of choice for many drawing and survuying programmes now developed to work via the built in bluetooth feature.

Neither are cheap, the Hilti PD38 even more expensive, but it is the best of the lot, much faster in operation than any others I have come across on the market and works on dark surfaces too, sometimes this is important.

My personal choice is the Hilti PD38, although I have both and for some things, for example tracking the Leica Disto A6 just beats it.


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## cadanywhere (Jul 25, 2008)

J F said:


> It's not only how _accurate_ it is...it's how _quick_ it is to get the measurement.
> 
> J



The Hilti PD38 is the fastest if the lot, millisecond response time.


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## Bill (Mar 30, 2006)

What I need for my guys is one that is laser with a voice that comes on and gives the measurement!


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## cadanywhere (Jul 25, 2008)

Michaeljp86 said:


> No I dont really need something that accutate for estimating but at the time I didnt think it was worth the money for something that could be 3" off. 3" isnt much but measuring something larger 3" could add up to a few hundred bucks.
> 
> 
> 
> Thats what popped into my mind looking at the barn. Measuring the barn isnt a problem but it would cut down alot of time.


The two I mentioned upthread are now within 1.5mm 1/16th maximum, in fact I use them both with the Sitemaster drawing programme and can get the tolerences down to virtually zero over say 20metres. For estimating purposes it is way way more accurate than you need.


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## cadanywhere (Jul 25, 2008)

USP45 said:


> What I need for my guys is one that is laser with a voice that comes on and gives the measurement!



No you don't because if your guys have to write down the measurements, they will make mistakes, what you want is one with Bluetooth like I use that talks to the software programme and enters the data directly, no human intervention necessary, therefore NO mistakes.  forget writing down measurements and taking hand sketches, its a thing of the past


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