Calculation to the 3rd Power – The Construction Master Pro Series

Look in the toolbox, or better yet, the hand of any guy on a construction site and you’ll find a calculator.  It’s standard equipment.  Hard hat, work shoes, power tools, gloves, calculator, and the rest.
 
If you’re without your calculator, then your probably like this guy. 

Your numbers on the job would be iffy, at best.  Everything would be getting done manually. And you would be behind schedule for sure because you would have to measure, and then re-measure practically everything.  

 

That’s if you even won the bid.  Because without a reliable calculator, estimates are just promises you break.  Your prices would be off cause your calculations would be inaccurate.  You would lose bids, time and money.

 

But which calculator would fit your criteria? 

Two New Windows Applications Bring Calculated Industries Top Calculators to your PC

Any construction worker or machinist knows how much math is involved in getting a project done right.  And if you’re like me, you have a specialized calculator to do the math for you.  How else are you going to draw up plans for stairs, calculate dimensions of a building, or know exactly how many rafters are needed without manually crunching numbers? Need to know the exact angle for a beam or figure out the percentage of the slope behind that property?  Easy… just punch it into the calculator.

It’s a great relationship, at least on the job site…

But what happens when you’re at your desk working on the PC doing a job bid? Or when you’re in CAD and need to verify that certain parts of the plan are even feasible.  Maybe you just need to crunch numbers to make sure the accounts are in balance with your other financial programs.

If your calculator is outside in the truck or one of your ill-prepared colleagues has borrowed it for the umpteenth time, you have to save the file, go out to the truck, get the calculator, head back into the office, and pick up where you left off.  It’s a pain and waste of time.

Calculated Industries has the solution. Finally, the power of their Construction Master and Machinist calculators on your Windows computer! 

 

Construction Master Pro for Windows - 4109  – A virtual combination of  Construction Master Pro - 4065 and Construction Master Pro Trig - 4080

 

Machinist Calc Pro for Windows - 4085 – A fully functional virtual version of the Machinist Calc Pro - 4087

Topcon OS and ES Series Exclusive Features – What Sets it Apart from Other Total Stations?

Wise consumers often look for that so called “X-factor” when buying certain things. A survey conducted by a Finnish telecommunications company known as DNA suggests that new features are a great motivation for buying a product*.  In fact, a mobile phone with outdated features is the second most important reason why people acquire a new one. 

The same principle applies to choosing a total station! 

In the survey industry, it is hard to stand out in a crowd full of impressive land surveying equipment. That is why Topcon created its arsenal of exclusive features to make surveyors feel more privileged to own their field instruments. But this isn’t a marketing gimmick; it is groundbreaking technology with only one goal in mind – to produce a reliable device that easily records the most accurate distance and angle measurements.

The New GTS-250 and SET-60 Series Total Stations from Topcon and Sokkia Offer a Straightforward Measuring Solution

As the sun sets slowly in the West, the days of using theodolites and tapes are also waning – all thanks to the invention of Total Stations. Although the former are used regularly on site, total stations are extensively used in surveying and construction because they can measure both distances and angles. 

By combining both angle and distance measurement in the same field equipment, it offers amazing advantages to the surveyor:  

Ditch Your Bubble Level, Plumb Bob and Pencil – Leica Lino Dot Lasers Have it All

Have you ever tried installing a window or partition wall? How about a sprinkler system? Laying the perfect tiles you’ve just found for that new bathroom? No? Well, me neither. But I’ve encountered many contractors, plumbers and electricians in my line of work – enough to feel as if I’m the one doing the actual work! Ok, well maybe as the real construction professional here, you wouldn’t agree, but one thing I have certainly learned along the way is – perfect leveling and alignment is everything in this business. So, when searching for the ideal laser level to efficiently aid in these types of tasks, you’ll need a reliable and accurate tool. For a range of highly functional interior construction lasers, consider the Leica Lino line – all simple to operate and equipped with practical features.

Do you ever feel like your ceiling is sloping down? Why the Leica Roteo Construction Laser is your Solution

Well, it has happened to me. The contractor was working on plans for renovating the kitchen and all he needed was to take one look. He said it is a fairly common issue for walls and ceilings not to be level in older homes. Which makes sense; after all, in those days Leica wasn’t around to manufacture their Roteo Self-Leveling Lasers.

Working in construction nowadays means being equipped with the right tools. Not only that, you want compact tools that can be used for multiple applications. Because nobody likes to schlep more than they have to, right?

Spectra Field and Office Software Gets an Unlikely Comparison

While taking a trip down memory lane, I remembered how stressful my last year in college was. Teachers bombarded my class with requirements we had to submit before we could even graduate. While I struggled to fulfill each of my teacher’s demands, making a thesis was probably the most tedious of all.

Writing a thesis is tough. It doesn't really take a genius to figure that out but if you are, then your classmates must have uttered a little prayer so they could team up with you. Despite all the pressure regarding the deadline, my anxiety was greatly reduced by the fact that my thesis in college was in fact a group effort. To be honest, I disappeared in the middle of the project and then was pushed by my colleagues to present the findings during the final presentation – a very good punishment. Sigh!

Anyway, bringing life to a construction project is actually a lot like creating a thesis. In fact, both of them undergo the same basic process before a good outcome can be achieved.

For instance:

Topcon’s New MAGNET Software Streamlines Surveying Communication Between Field and Office. Why Are You Still Carrying Around a USB Stick?

As an amateur land surveyor or design engineer, you don’t want to look like a complete newbie on the jobsite, do you? Recording accurate measurements, knowing how to handle field equipment or producing field designs and maps is a must – that is if you want your fellow surveyors to take you seriously.

Confidence is the key to everything! That is why MAGNET Field and MAGNET Office software were created to provide a hassle-free data collection and data processing experience for professionals and non-professionals alike.


But what exactly is MAGNET Field and Office?

Featuring the New Topcon FC-2600 Data Collector – Keyboard, Touchscreen or Maybe a Little of Both?

In the surveying world, there is a showdown much greater than iPhone vs. Blackberry. It is between the 'must have' touchscreen handheld field controllers that are set to make land data collection much easier and surveying data collectors with keyboards. Topcon Positioning makes both, but is the new FC2600 tempting enough to lure you away from the touchscreen crowd?

Are You Seeing Double? Bosch’s Laser Distance Meter Keeps Getting Better with the GLM80

Just when you thought you’ve seen them all…the Bosch GLM80 steps in. The Bosch GLM80 Laser Rangefinder is not just your typical handheld measuring device that reads distances and makes calculations. Don’t get me wrong – that’s a big part of this innovative digital tool, considering its 262-foot range and accuracy to ±1/16 inch. But, the Bosch GLM80 digital measurer is all that – and more. It brings new features to the world of digital laser measuring, such as a lithium-ion power source, rotating screen and probably most impressive of all – the ability to transform into a digital level using the included R60 Measuring Rail.






Let’s start with the GLM80’s dual role, then we’ll backtrack to the device itself.

Spring is almost here, Now is the time to prepare!

Grab a real bargain! - This best seller automatic level is now 30% Off!

Celebrate Our Open House

 Celebrate Our Open House Surveying & Construction Instrumentation and Supplies

The Secret Reason Why You're 40% Less Productive Than Your Surveying Competitors - And What To Do About It

There's a secret to compiling nearly perfect measurements in very little time.

Every successful surveying company knows the secret, but many companies...well, they're clueless. Whipping through survey job after survey job, without hiring any extra staff - it's a kind of mystique that leaves you feeling like you've been left in the dust again by the Roadrunner.


Not any more.

Today I'm going to share with you that secret. The secret to banging out more than 400 points per day has less to do with being experienced or putting more men on the job - but it does depend on having one sneaky tool that weighs about as much as the average household cat...a robotic total station.

Sounds too easy, doesn't it?

Experience the Topcon Tesla Field Controller – Is Bigger Really Better?

It’s a challenge to stand out in the surveying and construction global market when most brands are equipped with the latest field innovations. Topcon, however, has done just that with their release of the largest screen data collector on the market! With their exclusive LongLink technology, wireless communication is possible with total stations up to 1000 feet away.

As one of the latest additions to the company’s comprehensive range of surveying field controllers, the Topcon Tesla is unique with its impressive 5.7-inch touchscreen display. The large screen offers better visibility and lets you view maps vertically or horizontally. It is also strategically placed in the perfect location for finger scrolling and accessing all graphical controls, allowing you to perform many screen functions with ease.

Mark your calendars for the celebration of National Surveyors Week, March 17-23, 2013.

National Surveyors Week is celebrated annually about the third week in March.This year that falls out on the week of March 17-23. GPS Day is held in conjunction with National Surveyors Week, and will be held on March 16 as a lead-in to the week. During that week, hundreds of surveyors nationwide are planning activities, like visits to schools and contacts with local media about the importance of the surveying profession.

 The practice of surveying goes back over three thousand years; that’s when the Egyptians first divided plots of land for the purpose of taxation.  Two hundred years later, the Greeks standardized procedures for surveying, incorporating the principles of geometry for precise demarcations and developing the first instrument used for surveying. In the 19^th Century, surveying proved crucial for planning the infrastructure of the burgeoning countries. While plane surveying continued for smaller areas, for larger areas, surveyors started to apply geodetic principles to obtain a more accurate measure over larger areas. Instruments became more precise, as was required for planning roads, railroads, and canals.

  Today surveyors still meet the needs of property owners and developers, but they do much more, as well:

• Hydrographic surveys are important to the use bodies of water;
• Engineering surveys are utilized in the study and selection of engineering construction;
• Geodetic surveys determine precise global positioning for such activities as aircraft and missile navigation;
• Cartographic surveys are used for mapping and charting as well as photogrammetry, the science of using aerial photographs for measurement and map production.

In the National Society of Professional Surveyors press release, Curt Sumner, executive director of NSPS, notes, "there are over 45,000 professional surveyors in the United States. The value of their work remains vital to the future economic growth of our nation."  Without their professional skill to determine boundaries, the American dream of owning land would not be sustainable.  

 American surveyors include some very famous historical figures. The father of this country, George Washington, was a surveyor as a young man; he was one of the principals of the Ohio Company. Thomas Jefferson used a surveyor’s chain, “circumferentor” compass, and theodolite to survey land and elevations. Abraham Lincoln, worked as a surveyor, as well as a postmaster and storekeeper while studying law. Henry David Thoreau considered surveying as “a noble employment.” Walden Pond, which he immortalized in his famous book was also the subject of his surveying work. During the winter of 1846 Thoreau set up a grid on the frozen surface. At specific point, he bored through the ice to let down a weighted string to plumb the varying depths of the pond. 

Surveyors no longer have to clamber over ice to measure ponds.  Surveying equipment has grown high-tech with advanced instruments that work in conjunction with computations power for data collection, storage, retrieval, and sharing.  Satellites also come into play, as they are used to gather data on physical features that were previously beyond human reach.  One of the key pieces of equipment professional surveyors have grown to depend on is a Total Station.

Tiger Supplies always serves the needs of professional surveyors with the very latest equipment at the best prices.  Surveyors have the option of placing an order online from anywhere or dropping into the New Jersey showroom where they can see the range of instruments and accessories in the flesh.

As a special salute to the professionals honored during National Surveyor Week, Tiger Supplies is offering an unprecedented promotion: Buy the total station of your choice and get a starter kit valued at $695 as a gift. The free kit includes all those accessories you need to get started, like the prism, prism pole, and tripod. This is an exceptional value extended only for a limited time. Of course, Tiger Supplies always has the best prices on whatever you need for a surveying job.

Celebrate National Surveyors Week and celebrate savings at Tiger Supplies.

New and Exciting Updates to the Leica Disto Laser Distance Measuring Line on their 20 Year Anniversary!

Leica was the pioneer in designing, developing and releasing the first ever handheld laser distance measuring tool in 1993. Twenty years later, as a leader in construction laser tools, Leica has managed to stay ahead of the game by being the first to introduce new Apple, Android and Windows-integrated technology to their Disto laser distance measuring line.

Tiger Supplies has had a long relationship with Leica as an authorized dealer of their entire Disto line and many other Leica construction and surveying tools.The innovative technology that Leica now brings to the market is available for Leica’s indoor D330i, their top-of-the line and recently price reduced D8 and their brand new E7500i.

By downloading a Disto Transfer app and Disto Sketch app to your Android or Windows handheld device, your existing Bluetooth 2.1 enabled D330i and D8 laser distance meter can sync instantly with your tablet or smartphone.

Have an iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone with Bluetooth 4.0?

Introducing the New Spectra T41 Data Collector – A Surveying Tool for the Modern Age

Spectra Precision, known for delivering quality products to the construction and surveying market, recently released the T41, a new handheld field computer that combines data collection with smartphone functionality. The high-portability and easy-to-use interface of this device makes it the ideal survey tool for professionals and even non-professionals looking for a more convenient method of data collection.

The new touch-screen handheld tool has a built-in GPS receiver, Bluetooth for transferring data wirelessly and connecting to other field equipment, Internet capabilities and your choice of Spectra Survey Pro data collection software. It also has an integrated 8-megapixel camera with flash and geotagging. 

Keep in touch with your project manager and clients outside the office with the SMS and call capabilities of the Spectra T41 Data Collector. This convenient handheld device is a topographic field computer and a smartphone in one! It also runs your favorite Microsoft programs wherever you go with Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 operating system. With this portable field controller, you can use mobile versions of Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office 2010 applications such as Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Excel. 
Weighing less than 1 pound and operating up to 14 hours, you can carry this mobile data collector wherever your survey project takes you. Its impressive IP-65 rating will protect your valuable field data even in the harshest weather conditions. In addition, its touchscreen display is protected by Gorilla Glass and can be viewed easily in bright sunlight. 

Tiger Supplies is the popular destination online for people in search of Total Stations, Theodolites, Electronic Levels, Pipe Laser, Rotary Lasers, Laser Distance Measure, and other supplies and equipment dedicated to the surveying, construction, architectural and engineering fields. The company is committed to delivering quality service to their valued customers with their highly-trained professional staff. As an authorized dealer of Spectra Precision products and other major brands of land surveying equipment, customers can get discounts up to 30% off regular retail prices! 

Eliminate the hassle of carrying multiple devices; the Spectra T41 Data Collector, available now on Tigersupplies.com combines all the functionality needed to optimize workflow in any construction or survey project. We are confident that the features integrated within this surveying instrument will simplify field data recording.


Further Reading:
Spectra Precision Introduces New and Updated Products 

Leica Introduces Next Generation Disto to its Product Line. Keeping up with the Times.

With all the amazing innovative products Leica has come out with over the last 20 years, you’re probably wondering, how can they top themselves? Well, they just did. Today, Leica introduced a new laser distance meter to their already extensive Disto line of products. The new and exciting breakthrough technology of the E7500i is the first of its kind to communicate with Apple-brand products. Using Bluetooth Smart 4.0, the E7500i laser distance measurer can connect to the new 3rd-generation iPad, iPad mini, iPhone 4S, 5 and iPod Touch. In conjunction with a free Leica Disto sketch app, you can instantly photograph, sketch and input precise dimensions right on your Apple device!

                               

     Following are 5 steps to using this app in conjunction with your Disto:

• Obtain your measurements using the laser for indoor use or the digital Pointfinder with 4x zoom for outdoor use
• Take a picture of your target, or create a floor plan on a grid map. Both instantly appear on your Apple device
• Use the touch screen to draw line segments anywhere on the screen
• Drag your measurements that are already saved on your Apple device to any point on the screen
• Save your results for further calculation or send via email. It’s that easy!

The Disto E7500i still incorporates all of your favorite functions and features that you come to expect from Leica, such as a durable and rugged water-resistant and dust-proof design, a full color outdoor touch-screen display, up to 5,000 measurements on a single set of batteries, 360-degree tilt sensor, 1/16 inch accuracy, 650-foot range and much more. Some new features of this laser distance meter are the “hot keys” – two customizable shortcut keys for your most commonly used functions and an integrated help menu.  In addition, the handheld device uses a modern interface specifically created to mimic the easy and intuitive design of smartphones. The E7500i is also the world’s first and only laser distance meter to conform to a new ISO industry standard for accuracy and range (ISO 16331-1). All of this comes with a 3-year warranty when you register your product online.

With all of these amazing features, it’s a wonder that the E7500i is still small enough to fit in your pocket. Tiger Supplies is an authorized dealer of Leica products and one of the first to offer this new distance meter for sale. Not only that, but we are offering free overnight shipping and free red laser glasses! To purchase, or for more information about the E7500i and to view a detailed video about the innovative Leica Sketch app, visit our website at www.tigersupplies.com We also have a full-line of accessories for handheld distance lasers.

Why Every Total Station Needs a Right-hand Man. The Ideal Surveying Accessory.

Land surveying techniques have been around since almost the beginning of recorded history. As a matter of fact, it can be traced back to as early as 3000 BC in ancient Egypt after the Nile River overflowed and farm boundaries were re-established using simple geometry. Surveying technology has come a long way since then and living in a modern civilization requires a more sophisticated and accurate method of collecting field data in order to build advanced and safe structures such as highways, railroads, skyscrapers, large irrigation projects and power plants. This requirement is filled through the use of data collectors, otherwise known as surveying detectors or receivers.

The land surveying equipment used today is a far cry from the ones used by surveyors’ decades ago. Electronic data collectors are now widely used to record precise measurements of coordinates, angles, distances, elevations and more. This battery powered handheld field computer with LCD touchscreen display and user friendly on-board data collection software takes the place of a tape measure, smartphone and other basic surveying equipment in gathering field data, all in the palm of your hand.

Gun safety begins with a safe

Whether you own a single pistol or a whole collection of rifles, it is essential to keep your gun secure from theft, the reach of children, or fire damage.  This is one area in which it does not pay to stint. The damage that can result from relying on an insecure safe goes far beyond the loss of a gun if it gets into the wrong hands.  Think about the key features of a gun safe and then make the right choice with the Tiger Supplies selection that guarantees top quality at the lowest prices with free shipping.

Gun theft
While many people acquire a gun for the sake of protection, the gun itself needs to be protected from theft.  According to the latest statistics on gun theft in the United States from the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), approximately 1.4 million firearms in total were stolen from 2005 through 2010.  That amounts to “an estimated average of 232,400 firearms stolen each year.” Handguns top the list of stolen firearms for that period. “At least one handgun was stolen in 63 percent of household burglaries.”   What those statistics mean is that there is a very good probability of having your handgun stolen out of your home.  Buying a safe to protect it is an essential move to averting an established risk.  Doesn’t it make sense to take the necessary steps to keep your gun safe and out of the hands of criminals?

Guns and children
Aside from the risk of robbery, there is the very serious risk of a young child getting hold of a gun that has not been safely locked away. In Unsafe Gun Safes Can Be Opened By A Three-Year Old, Mark Weber Tobias demonstrates that a child that young has no difficulty in getting a small gun safe with an electronic lock open in under a minute just by lifting it up a bit and dropping it enough to jar the mechanism. It was just that kind of safe that Ed Owens was issued by the Clark County Sheriff's Office to keep in his home. In 2010, Owens’ three-year-old son, Ryan, was killed by the gun that was locked in the safe.  In the Owens case, the department had opted for economy – by purchasing $36 gun safes – over true safety, with tragic results.

Compromising on safety is false economy

Tiger Supplies only carries top quality gun safes that cannot easily be opened by children or even expert burglars. They also hold up to fire, smoke, and water to keep your property intact.  Hollon gun safes products are designed and thoroughly tested for durability, so that not only meet but exceed industry standards.  Tiger guarantee the absolute best prices on Hollon gun safes with the added bonus of FREE shipping. 

Safe Lock
While not all electronic locks are as faulty as those used in the cheap Stack-On model, in general they are not quite as durable in the long term and require more attention than traditional locks. You would need to remember to change the battery on the safe and test that it is still in good working order.  For no worries, and longer life, you’re better off with a mechanical dial lock. A good quality manual lock will outlast an electronic one. All the gun safes carried by Tiger Supplies feature super-secure manual locks.

Safe Anchors
Even a fairly heavy safe can be removed from your home to allow a burglar time to work on how to crack it later. Consequently, the only way to truly secure your safe is to bold it down. That’s the reason why well-designed safes, like the ones you’ll find in the Hollon line, come with holes in place that allow you do just that.

Fire, Smoke, and Water Safety
All the gun safes that Tiger Supplies carries are fire rated for at least 1 hour of protection at 1250°F. Because a fire also produces smoke, and fighting a fire calls for water, the gun safe has to keep those out, as well. That’s why the safes that offer the best fire protection also feature a heat activated, expandable door seal.

Safe Size
Tiger Supplies offers a range of gun safe sizes to choose from. If you’re undecided about which size to get, opt for the larger size. Why? You get more use out of a larger safe.  While you may think, that you have only a small number of guns, so they should fit well into a 22"wide safe that indicates a capacity of 16. However, if your collection includes bolt action rifles or guns with scopes mounted on them, then you’ll find it a bit of a squeeze even for nine.  And if you acquire another rifle down the road, you’ll find you are out of room. At that point, you’ll need to buy a new safe.

Unless you’re absolutely positive that you will never add another rifle, shotgun, or pistol to your collection, the safe that allows some room for growth will prove the more economical choice. Even if your gun collection remains the same size, you can always use the extra space as you would any other safe – to store your valuables and documents you want to keep protected from theft and fire.  Better safes already include adjustable shelves, and some even offer a pocket door organizer.

For more information about the line of gun safes or any of the other Tiger Supplies items, call our experts at 888-844-376.5