Alternative To Measuring Wheel
 

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?

laser tape measures work on the inside of rooms.

you'd need to have a known reference length in the shot to measure sizes,
then just do it by ratios. you won't get too accurate a length that way
though, so it depends upon how accurate you have to be.

"Dick" wrote in message
...
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?

Dick wrote:

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?

What sort of accuracy are you reqired to maintain?

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"As long as there are final exams, there will be prayer in public
schools"

they make rangefinder scopes for hunting, so you can adjust telescopic
sights.
The type made for bow hunting might have enough sensitivity at the distances
you're talking about.
You could stand at some zero point and range on the next corner of the
house, etc.
bill

"Dick" wrote in message
...
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?

Dick wrote:
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?

Get yourself one of those sticks you see in all archeological pictures, or
make your own: Three foot long, alternating black and white bands each foot.
Take pictures with the stick in view - perhaps multiple shots down each
side, from as far away as is convenient (to minimize distortion).

Print pictures. Measure.

You can test this process on a house of known size - see how close you get
and whether the difference is tolerable.

If you got one of those driveway reflectors on a stick and virtually any laser
range finder you could measure the gnat's ass

On 2-Feb-2005, "Dick" wrote:

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?

Golf shops stock optical rangefinders that might suit. Some tool
shops stock a similar version.

Mike

In article ,
(Greg) wrote:

If you got one of those driveway reflectors on a stick and virtually any laser
range finder you could measure the gnat's ass

Those laser range finders are +/- a yard and usually don't work at less
than about 60'

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

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

Dick wrote:

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?

This is possible, but it might be a bit expensive. They use digital
cameras and special targets in some high end industrial measuring
systems. I looked into them about 7 years ago for a project I was
working on at the time. When I looked into the system they used special
cameras at about $35,000 apiece, plus the accessories were expensive,
and the special software cost an arm and a leg. As I recall the system
I would have needed would have been in the neighborhood of $100,000.

The price may be starting to come down, because I recently saw an
episode of "Home Time" in which their tame counter top maker used a
similar system to get the dimensions for the counter top they installed.
It seemed to have worked pretty good, but I don't know what kind of
price they were talking about.

Bill Gill

In article ,
Dick wrote:
-=-=-=-=-=-

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?
-=-=-=-=-=-
[Alternative: text/html]
-=-=-=-=-=-

I don't understand why you can't continue to use the measuring wheel,
regardless of the weather. What am I missing here, other than you'd
rather not walk in the snow?


--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

Those laser range finders are +/- a yard and usually don't work at less
than about 60'

HUH?

Look at this one. 650 feet +/- 1/16"

http://www.professionalequipment.com...qx/default.htm

willshak wrote:

snipped

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.

I stopped myself from suggesting that because he wrote, "without having
to trudge through the snow to do this?".

Did I miss something?

Jeff





--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"As long as there are final exams, there will be prayer in public
schools"

Lawrence Wasserman wrote:

In article ,
Dick wrote:

-=-=-=-=-=-

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?
-=-=-=-=-=-
[Alternative: text/html]
-=-=-=-=-=-


I don't understand why you can't continue to use the measuring wheel,
regardless of the weather. What am I missing here, other than you'd
rather not walk in the snow?



We had 26" of snow in one day here in Massachusetts (where the OP is
too) two weeks ago, with drifts at least four feet high against some
parts of my own house.

How the hell is anyone going to get any kind of decent measurements
pushing a measuring wheel through that unless someone does a heck of a
lot of shoveling or snow blowing first?

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"As long as there are final exams, there will be prayer in public
schools"

Yeah, you missed the clue train about 45 years ago.

On 3-Feb-2005, Jeff Wisnia wrote:

How the hell is anyone going to get any kind of decent measurements
pushing a measuring wheel through that unless someone does a heck of a
lot of shoveling or snow blowing first?

Run it along the wall?

Mike

Ah, I love a simple answer written by a man who understands the real world.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"Jeff Wisnia" wrote in message
...
I don't understand why you can't continue to use the measuring wheel,
regardless of the weather. What am I missing here, other than you'd
rather not walk in the snow?



We had 26" of snow in one day here in Massachusetts (where the OP is
too) two weeks ago, with drifts at least four feet high against some
parts of my own house.

How the hell is anyone going to get any kind of decent measurements
pushing a measuring wheel through that unless someone does a heck of a
lot of shoveling or snow blowing first?

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"As long as there are final exams, there will be prayer in public
schools"

A college professor asked the class how to measure the height of a
skyscraper using a barometer.....

I am reminded of the story about a student who protested when his answer was
marked wrong on a physics test.

In answer to the question, "How could you measure the height of a tall
building, using a barometer?" he was expected to explain that the barometric
pressures at the top and the bottom of the building are different, and by
calculating, he could determine the building's height. Instead, he answered,
"I would tie the barometer to a string, lower it to the ground and measure
the length of the string."

His instructor admitted that the answer was technically correct but did not
demonstrate a knowledge of physics.

The student then rattled off a whole series of answers involving physics -
but not one using the principle in question: He would drop the barometer and
time its fall. He would make a pendulum and time its frequency at the top
and the bottom of the building. He would walk down the stairs marking
"barometer units" on the wall.

"You tie a long piece of string to the neck of the barometer, then lower the
barometer from the roof of the skyscraper to the ground. The length of the
string plus the length of the barometer will equal the height of the
building."


"Firstly, you could take the barometer up to the roof of the skyscraper,
drop it over the edge, and measure the time it takes to reach the ground.
The height of the building can then be worked out from the formula H = 0.5g
x t squared. But bad luck on the barometer."

"Or if the sun is shining you could measure the height of the barometer,
then set it on end and measure the length of its shadow. Then you measure
the length of the skyscraper's shadow, and thereafter it is a simple matter
of proportional arithmetic to work out the height of the skyscraper."

"But if you wanted to be highly scientific about it, you could tie a short
piece of string to the barometer and swing it like a pendulum, first at
ground level and then on the roof of the skyscraper. The height is worked
out by the difference in the gravitational restoring force T =2 pi sqr root
(l /g)."

"If you merely wanted to be boring and orthodox about it, of course, you
could use the barometer to measure the air pressure on the roof of the
skyscraper and on the ground, and convert the difference in millibars into
feet to give the height of the building."

"But since we are constantly being exhorted to exercise independence of mind
and apply scientific methods, undoubtedly the best way would be to knock on
the janitor's door and say to him 'If you would like a nice new barometer, I
will give you this one if you tell me the height of this skyscraper'."

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"Dick" wrote in message
...
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?

The problem with running it along the wall Mike is that most houses have
shrubs jutting out which would make that very difficult/inaccurate.

"Michael Daly" wrote in message
...
On 3-Feb-2005, Jeff Wisnia wrote:

How the hell is anyone going to get any kind of decent measurements
pushing a measuring wheel through that unless someone does a heck of a
lot of shoveling or snow blowing first?

Run it along the wall?

Mike

On 2/3/2005 3:10 PM US(ET), Jeff Wisnia took fingers to keys, and typed
the following:

willshak wrote:

snipped


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.


I stopped myself from suggesting that because he wrote, "without
having to trudge through the snow to do this?".

Did I miss something?

Jeff


I was thinking more of him trying to push a measuring wheel through 2'
of snow up in Mass., which would not be too accurate. Even without snow,
the measuring wheel is really not that precise rolling over grass, dirt,
stones, etc., and absent a perfectly straight path for the wheel.
He still has to trudge through snow to get photos of all sides of the house.


--
Bill

And all this time we all thought you loved simple men who write to you
in the real world.

In article ,
Jeff Wisnia wrote:
Lawrence Wasserman wrote:

In article ,
Dick wrote:

-=-=-=-=-=-

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?
-=-=-=-=-=-
[Alternative: text/html]
-=-=-=-=-=-


I don't understand why you can't continue to use the measuring wheel,
regardless of the weather. What am I missing here, other than you'd
rather not walk in the snow?



We had 26" of snow in one day here in Massachusetts (where the OP is
too) two weeks ago, with drifts at least four feet high against some
parts of my own house.

How the hell is anyone going to get any kind of decent measurements
pushing a measuring wheel through that unless someone does a heck of a
lot of shoveling or snow blowing first?

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"As long as there are final exams, there will be prayer in public
schools"

Uh, can't he run the measuring wheel against the HOUSE?


--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

Michael Daly wrote:
On 2-Feb-2005, "Dick" wrote:

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?

Golf shops stock optical rangefinders that might suit. Some tool
shops stock a similar version.

Unless he plans on carrying around a regulation flag stick, those
optical finders aren't any good. They measure based on a flag stick of
known height.

See my earlier response to Mike Larry
"Lawrence Wasserman" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Jeff Wisnia wrote:
Lawrence Wasserman wrote:

In article ,
Dick wrote:

-=-=-=-=-=-

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?
-=-=-=-=-=-
[Alternative: text/html]
-=-=-=-=-=-


I don't understand why you can't continue to use the measuring wheel,
regardless of the weather. What am I missing here, other than you'd
rather not walk in the snow?



We had 26" of snow in one day here in Massachusetts (where the OP is
too) two weeks ago, with drifts at least four feet high against some
parts of my own house.

How the hell is anyone going to get any kind of decent measurements
pushing a measuring wheel through that unless someone does a heck of a
lot of shoveling or snow blowing first?

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"As long as there are final exams, there will be prayer in public
schools"

Uh, can't he run the measuring wheel against the HOUSE?


--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

Ancient Egyptians were sometimes confronted with this same problem.
There were some small differences - it was usually (but not always,
depending on if that **** moses was around or not) sandstorms, and not
snowstorms; they wanted to be able to stay in their chariot, instead of
their car - and it wasn't houses they needed to measure, it was
pyramids.

Knowing this, they devised a simple, economical and efficient system
for taking measurements.