I just completed my first succesful quest for knowledge on these forums. Thanks to all for their input. One of the responses from calvin mentioned an iOS app, graphpad. It didn’t turn out to be exactly what I was looking for but it got me wondering, what apps are used by anyone in the fine homebuilding community. I am a carpenter and I use the ConstructionMaster Pro app on my iphone. Quite a bargain at, I think, 9.99 on sale at the time. I also use My Measures, an app that allows you to take pictures then overlay text notes, dimensions, and angle measures. I just read a blurb about a similar app by Leica that can receive, via bluetooth, the measurements you take with your handy dandy $599.00 Leica laser distance measurer. I think I can type my measurements in manually for now….
So what apps (droid or iOS) do any of you find useful and for what field of work? On a semi related note has anyone come across any interesting podcasts? What ever happened to the Fine Homebuilding podcast? For both questions I intended for the responses to be trade related but if you can’t help but share how much fun playing Angry Birds is, feel free. I suppose it does provide a simulation for structures built with with stone, glass, wood……… and pigs.
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Mobile apps for construction pros
Check this article to find a list of just a few or useful apps available for construction pros . Many are available in Spanish and most are free or low cost: http://www.miconstruguia.com/en/mobile-apps/
thanks
Thanks for the reply, checked out the link. Not much there for me, I'm mostly interested in things dealing with the trade side, not so much the business side. Of the four or so listed the BuildCalc app had already caught my eye as a genius recommendation. From the video demos that I watched it looks like it could be a nice replacement for the construction master or at the very least a very good complement. Are there any that you've used personally?
drop
After being one of those square users and struggle through the math figurers............
I came upon a job that had a large gradual arc for a deck band. While the usual for me would have been to lay all the joists long, find something that would make a decent arc (maybe on edge Azek)-bend it to fit, mark and cut each joist in place, then wrap with layers of ply...................
I bought the Ipad version of Buildcalc.
At 20 dollars it paid for itself several times over with just one problem (my confidence in it's being correct).
Enter length of run-35', projection out at middle of band-2', 16 o.c., gave me each joist length from the house out. Cut, hoist up, fasten, done.
While not intuitive enough for this dimwit-the prompts/info/other aids, allowed even me to feel semi confident in it's use. With continuous use, even I should be able to fly through some of the more complicated calcs.............tho you'll probably find me "checking" the figures b/4 cutting confidently.
Calvin, you're a brave man, marching into the new order with your app. Personally, I think I'll stick to a flexible batten and trust my eye to establish those fair curves. Then use my trusty stanley tape to read the lengths. I may even measure twice so that I only have to cut once..... however, lately it seems I can't remember the measurements between taking them and marking the stock. Is there an app for that?
sap
I might have been brave, could have been stupid and probably just was inquisitive.
It worked. I was unsure the day I did it-I had emailed the developer of the application asking if I had in fact figured out 1st how to work the calculator and maybe if he would.............check my entries and confirm the answers........................
He didn't get right back to me, apologised for missing the email and when I did read his-it was the in the evening after we did the work.
phew!
He confirmed the numbers and no kidding-they were right on. The other complication which this did help with after we subtracted the lengths that weren't there.......the dropped landing on the end of the deck that continued (or was part of) the curve of the arc. I haven't looked, but am quite sure, that if seen from the air-that arc of the deck and the dropped landing are one big sweep.
Another part of the equation made figuring the post centers and rail section length. It gave us the length of the arc along.
In there somewhere I'm sure there's cosign/tangent/etc...............something I never mastered nor understood in school.
I'm convinced after over 40 yrs, that if you are going to be in this trade, using one of these construction calculators is the way to go. I know very few carpenters that know a framing square backwards and forwards, but that is another talent I recommend if for only laying out stairs. The accumulated error of stepping off should be avoided. But the numbers should be used.
Great topic. I'll be interested in reading the ratings of different apps by the users here. I'm not currently using any app that would be on topic, but I'm really a relatively new iphone guy. Most of the apps I'm using deal with boating anyway, not building. But, in the interest of this thread, I just looked at the app store and found one called Prexiso pro. This is a laser measuring app that is free. I haven't downloaded it yet, but I will later today.
Another app that I haven't used yet is one that turns ones phone into a level or plumb. A good friend has this and he uses it when he's doing an informal check on a new design situation. He also used it to check the plumb on my shop walls while we framed them. (I followed behind with a real level.) It makes for a fun photo to see him using an iphone on a 14' tall stud wall. A bit of levity belongs on every job site.