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Others have an optional external view finder that can give even greater magnification of up to 4x. If you’re doing this kind of work, use a magnified view finder which is usually available on some models. That makes it impossible to know if you’re measuring the right distance. When you’re measuring longer distances in sunlight, you can have problems seeing the red laser dot on the far object. You can use subtraction in a similar way to discover the possibilities of the digital tape measure, you should read the owner’s manual. Follow that by pressing the equal key to obtain the complete measurement across the house. After that, go to the other corner and press the plus key. If measuring the front of a house, for instance, you could go from one corner to a light. You’d use these for triangulation measurements where there’s no obvious target.
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Most people wouldn’t bother with these and will stick to the basics but they can be extremely helpful. Tip 3: Extra KeysĪ good laser tape measure will come with addition and subtraction keys. Some instruments will offer a choice between metric and inch readouts. Press the button marked “measure” and you’ll immediately have a readout of the distance. Just place it with the base against an object and aim the laser dot at the other object whose distance you want to know. Using a laser tape measure could hardly be easier. Go beyond that and a reflective target is necessary in order to obtain a measurement. Newer models can measure up to 300 feet in sunlight without the need for a target. When you work with distances beyond 100 feet, you’ll find it advantageous to use a reflective target. Even then, something as simple as a Post-It note will work as a target.
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Tip 1: Using A TargetĪs long as the laser optics can hit something, you usually won’t need a target when measuring distances less than 100 feet with your laser tape measure.
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This makes it ideal for those involved in construction but it’s also a wonderful item for every homeowner to have in his tool box. It is accurate to within 1/8 inch up to 300 feet and can measure distances up to 650 feet in some instances. A laser tape measure is a very simple device and a great technological advance on the old way of measuring distances.
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