In construction, crafting and assembly, measurement work is often repeated. This part of the work is definitely one of the most important factors directly affecting the end result. Obtaining a successful measurement result can depend on very different components. One of them is, of course, the measuring instrument to be used. A good second is the accuracy and precision of the measurer himself, and the measurer's ability to interpret the measurement result is the most important thing. This text deals with various measuring instruments.
By far the most common measuring tool used on a construction site is a tape measure . It is very compact and a sufficiently precise work tool, for example in house construction work. However, when using a tape measure, it must be remembered that the measuring tape of the tape measure is made of metal and is therefore susceptible to thermal expansion due to temperature changes. When performing his work, the measurer must assess the possibility of this risk and the possible distortion of the measurement result caused by it. Most of the time, however, the distortion of the measurement result has such small, even minimal consequences that no actual noticeable change occurs over short distances.
When using a tape measure, the biggest factor causing measurement error is the skew of the measuring line, twisting of the tape or even its bending. Problem situations like this can often be eliminated by interpreting the measurement result taking the factors in question into account. In practice, the distortion of the measurement is evaluated and reduced or then added to the actual measurement result.
A ruler, a square , or a combination of these is the most common measuring device used in carpentry. With the help of a ruler, it is a little easier to make short and more precise measurements than with a tape measure. The ruler can be plastic or, for example, made of metal. Of course, a metal ruler is more sensitive to temperature changes than a plastic one, but usually the measured lengths are so short that the change in thermal expansion is almost non-existent. A pencil is used for marking in woodwork. A pencil because its mark can be easily removed. In addition, the ballpoint pen's ink comes through several water-based surface treatments. In woods that require precision, a knife should be used to mark the measurement instead of a pencil. This is done because the tip of the knife is thinner than a pencil. The right angle makes it easier to install pieces perpendicularly, for example in carpentry. With the right angle, you can draw very precise sawing lines, for example for wood joints. The angle between the responses of the right angle is of course 90 degrees.
In carpentry, an excellent tool, along with a right angle, is a parallelogram. With it, you can easily and quickly mark straight lines parallel to the edge on the piece you are working on. A directional plotter usually works in such a way that its drawing tip is a knife blade or a spike. The response part of the directional protractor is placed against the straight side of the piece and transported calmly by pressing for the desired distance.
A distance meter is colloquially called a laser measure. The meter gives an accurate reading with the device and the other end of the beam. Even in cheap measuring devices, the tolerance, i.e. the error margin of the measurement result, is quite small. The distance meter is absolutely worth it, for example, when measuring long lengths (over ten meters). The laser measure is also useful when measuring large squares or, for example, when trying to fit a double bed into an alcove. If you use a distance meter in construction or installation work, you should be particularly careful with the measuring line. Even a small angle may cause a rather large distortion in the measurement result. On the other hand, when working alone, for example in the construction of a false ceiling, a rangefinder can be a great help.
Choosing the right tool in the right place brings luck in this matter as well. When you realize and understand the operating principle of different methods, you also know how to apply them in the right places. When choosing a measuring instrument, good criteria could be, for example: the desired accuracy, the material to be measured and the distance to be measured. When you know how to answer these criteria, even initially, the selection of the most suitable work tool becomes substantially easier.