On 2/2/2005 5:09 PM US(ET), Dick took fingers to keys, and typed the
following:

I do home inspections (here on Cape Cod) & with the snow I can lo
longer use my measuring wheel to measure the size of the homes I'm
inspecting. Is there such a thing as an optical, sonic or laser device
that would enable me to measure *exterior* walls without having to
trudge through the snow to do this?
Even better (since I have to photograph the homes anyway) does anyone
know of a camera based tool that would take digital pictures plus
display (or make possible for me to figure out) wall dimensions?


100' roll up tape measure, and some sticky tape to tape the 'stupid' end
to the corners, or initial measuring points, so it doesn't fall off.
You can't use a laser measurer unless the target is a flat surface that
the laser beam can hit, so it might work on inside corners, but not
outside corners, because the beam will not have a target to stop it and
will go right past the corner. You could set up a target board or panel
to make the outside corner an inside corner, and use the board as the
target. Prop the board flat up against the side of the building with
enough sticking out past the corner that the laser can hit.
Never heard of a camera that could determine dimensions from a photo,
but wait a few years.

--
Bill