RLM wrote:
On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:12:57 -0400, Richard Evans wrote:

Can anyone recommend a laser tape measure for under $50? I don't
need
to survey my two acre lot, just measure some room dimensions.

For that matter, are laser measurers truly useful or just a gadget?

Lowe's had two (don't recall the brand) but both had been opened,
resealed, and put back on the shelf. That led me to believe that
they
had been sold and then returned by dissatisfied customers.

I have a "Houseworks Digitape" ultra sound measuring tool that I'm
happy
with but could only find references to the patent. The Zircon 58429
DMS50
50 Ultrasonic Measure at this site looks much the same.

http://www.amazon.com/Sonin-10045-Mu...ef=pd_sbs_hi_4

Don't count on it being the same. Reading the patent on which your
Digitape and the Stanley Intellimeasure (at least one model--before I
paid money for it I'd want to make sure that the one I was getting did
list that patent somewhere) and the reviews of the older model
Intellimeasure on Amazon, it appears that for what is was designed to
do it's surprisingly decent. Enough so that if I wanted such a device
I'd risk the 20 bucks.

Note that Stanley is also selling a "TLM-100 Trulaser"
http://www.amazon.com/CST-Stanley-77...6682863&sr=8-1,
which is a poor man's Disto--it was designed in partnership with Leica
and uses the same technology, with some corners cut to bring the price
below 100 bucks at the cost of shorter range, poor direct sunlight
performance, and reduced accuracy (1/4 inch vs 1/16 inch).

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)