Spike Laser Measuring Tool and Sign Surveys

[Hal Smith]

Does anyone here use the Spike Laser Tool to get sign measurements, or for any other purpose? Looks like it is very good, but always good to talk to someone who uses it before purchase. Their website for sales shows them using it in a lot of different ways, and claiming accuracy "Spike brings unparalleled accuracy to smartphones and tablets. Spike’s laser rangefinder is accurate to ± 5cm (2in). Photo Measurements are even better at ± 1%; and Point-to-Point Measurements clock in at ± 3%."

For doing sign surveys looks like it would beat the **** out of climbing a ladder, tape measures, and service trucks to get an estimate out.

For paid survey work looks like it would speed up time (we used to do a fair amount of sign surveys for some of the national companies) and for our selves depending on what % of sold jobs vs bids could save some $$ from sending out the bucket truck to measure.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Looks cool... but it wouldn't change anything for me. Part of the survey is going up to a sign and actually removing retainer to measure CUT size. And also inspect the cabinet and look at the lighting. Can't do that with this thing. And I doubt the measurements would be accurate enough

 

[Tessellate]

We got one for a song and a dance from another shop. They really aren’t that good for the reasons listed above. 2” to big on a sign face is a trip back to the shop and an unhappy day. We have indeed used it for estimation purposes for large wall graphics but the accuracy just isn’t there for our industry.

Say a painter where a few extra sq/ft really wouldn’t make much of a difference - that’s where this tool really shines.

 

[Hal Smith]

Looks cool... but it wouldn't change anything for me. Part of the survey is going up to a sign and actually removing retainer to measure CUT size. And also inspect the cabinet and look at the lighting. Can't do that with this thing. And I doubt the measurements would be accurate enough

I agree re needing the cut size, inspection and lighting, I was thinking of using it for a generating an estimate without having the bucket truck go out until the job was locked in, we used to use the sticky yard system (if it is still available but it was very inaccurate) for quickly generating estimates, to bid jobs, then send out the bucket truck for a complete survey of the sign. Not sure what % of sign reface, or replacement business bids in todays world we would sell (seems like we sold 25% or so of general bids made years ago of sign faces, not complete install from ground up)

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

It might be fine for that... seems to me it'd just alot of playing around. I usually just measure the ground from the pole and get an idea of the width... or if lamps are exposed you can count the spacing.

 

[Retro Graphics]

I will use it for box trucks for an overall rough measurement. I did buy it to check it out and it's not too shabby, however I have noticed there are issues when measuring things that aren't square. It will sometimes mark both the short and long side with the same measurement.

 

[ewded]

We had to measure up these the other day, can't imagine how it could have been done without. Saves a lot of time for quick quote as well, you don't need two people taking exact measurements for every survey.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

We had to measure up these the other day, can't imagine how it could have been done without. Saves a lot of time for quick quote as well, you don't need two people taking exact measurements for every survey.

View attachment 152090

Something like that I'd take a straight on photo of the wall and measure one of those window panes and scale it in Flexi. Obviously you have to go back to a computer to do that and I guess that Spike thing you can do right in the field... but I wouldn't be pressured to come up with a quote on site anyway.

 

[visual800]

We had to measure up these the other day, can't imagine how it could have been done without. Saves a lot of time for quick quote as well, you don't need two people taking exact measurements for every survey.

View attachment 152090

Also could have measured the height of the siding as a reference for signage

 

[ewded]

Also could have measured the height of the siding as a reference for signage

How do you measure the siding exactly?

 

[ewded]

Why is old peoples first reaction to deny the advantages of new technology?

 

[bigben]

Buy a leica disto X4 with the p2p package to make survey. Alot more precise and easy to use. But expensive.

 

[visual800]

How do you measure the siding exactly?

Well you get a ladder go up there and measure 1 strip of siding, how high it is, that way you can "estimate" the size of the signage in comparison to those measurements. Same as measuring windows or doors that are near any signage

Why is old peoples first reaction to deny the advantages of new technology?

Because we are old! I have been brought dimensions from these new fangled cell phone measurement apps and they are wrong BUT it was not on me.
I have a tape measure, well I have several but they do not lie and they are accurate. I wanna get out and climb up as far as I can for a quote I do not want to guess

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Why climb anything when you can measure the windows? I guess there must be some hot receptionist that you need to impress by carrying your extension ladder over there...but they are not interested in your old ass.

 

[Dan360]

We have one, it gets used for quotes occasionally but that's about it. Always have to double check before going ahead with the job.

Also it doesn't work on glass very well or any surface that may deflect the laser.

I dabbled with the cell phone apps but the cameras in phones can't properly measure yet. Once AR becomes more prevalent I can see them being used the same way.

 

[MikePro]

$500 tool for imprecise measurements? seems legit.

square-on photo, and a measurement reference, and I'm already more accurate than the +/- 3% phone app. No need to climb ladder in photo above, bricks are ground level and can be used for scale. And then use it to find dimension of the siding, for use to scale the adjacent wall.

 

[ewded]

$500 tool for imprecise measurements? seems legit.

square-on photo, and a measurement reference, and I'm already more accurate than the +/- 3% phone app. No need to climb ladder in photo above, bricks are ground level and can be used for scale. And then use it to find dimension of the siding, for use to scale the adjacent wall.

Sure. You're right

 

[carlealdrete]

I use it all the time and I have been for years. It rounds off to the nearest inch so when I can, I pull out the tape measure for some fine detailing. For our business: murals, window graphics, event signage, etc, it works great. When I export images, I often add more precise measurements on top when my team needs details. When shooting at glass, I point the laser at a mullion. --

WHAT I NEED, is a process and a price for these sorts of surveys. When someone from out of state is planning an event at a venue and not enough data exists, I need to provide images and measurements but I often uncover something interesting that the clients want me to go back a second time for additional signage opportunities. Sure, I love an upsell but how do I communicate the cost for my time?

PS > I'm about to be 57. Does that make me old? I embraced the hell out of this thing but the younger sales reps haven't.