You may have been doing it for decades, but is it start to look beyond your run-of-the-mill traditional tape measure? The ever-growing construction industry has sworn by the quality of their work thanks to traditional tape measures, and a thousand other sectors have them in the toolbox too. But have you heard the latest about what a laser tape measure may be able to do for you? Is it time to make the switch?
What is a laser tape measure?
Not everything ‘new’ is also ‘improved’, so it’s correct to be sceptical about replacing your traditional profit-making tools with a cool new gadget. In this case, that ‘gadget’ is a laser tape measure – which does away with unwinding a physical tape and jotting down the result, and replaces it with a hand-held electrical device that sends out laser pulses and shows you the result on a digital readout.
But before we tell you why to grab one for your organisation’s toolbox, let’s allay your fears about how difficult it will be to use compared to a super-simple traditional tape measure:
1. Turn it on
2. Place the device at one end of the distance you’re measuring
3. Aim the laser beam at the spot you’re measuring to.
That’s it!
But even if you’re no longer worried that it will be hard to use, we also understand that you might not actually see the benefit of making the switch from your trusty tape measure to its laser alternative.
Why ditch the traditional tape measure? How about 7 reasons?
1. Dead straight
Do you know how physical tape measures bend and sag? By using a laser, you know that your line is always very straight. Exactly straight, to be precise.
2. No misreading
Not only can you change your unit of measurement with the press of a button, you never have to worry that something will get lost in translation between the real-life reading and what your eyes see.
3. Faster
You may not think it takes a long time to stretch out that physical tape, but once you’re dealing with longer distances, the simple point and click of a laser are a lot faster. And over a workday, a project, a month and a year, that’s a lot of saved time.
4. Stay still
It’s not just that you no longer need to walk to and fro between the two points you’re measuring, you can do the entire job with one hand – and no need for a co-worker to be at the other end to hold the tape end.
5. Any lighting
How many times have you used a physical tape measure in the dark – without needing to illuminate the area somewhat? If the answer is ‘never’, that’s a big tick for the laser tape measure – because that backlit display and a laser dot, that’s all the illumination you need.
6. Any obstacles
You obviously can’t pull a physical tape through an object – you have to clear the path first, and items like rocks, pipes and cables, can’t be moved at all. But as long as your laser can zip from your device to your target, none of that is ever an issue.
7. No ladder
So far, we’ve talked mainly about measuring between two spots on a horizontal plane – but what if what you’re measuring is way above your head? With a physical tape measure, that means a climb. With a laser tape measure, save time and effort whilst remaining 100% safe by keeping those feet on the ground.
Need help choosing a laser tape measure?
Move over physical tape measures – because there’s a new kid in town! Make your organisation safer, more efficient and more accurate by stepping up your game to the exciting world of laser tape measures. If you need help navigating the ever-growing range of sophisticated devices to suit any needs and budget, get in touch with a helpful industry guide.