Bosch GLM 50 Professional
 |
The GLM 50 Professional with its packing and carry case |
Every time I get painters to paint the house, measuring the heights and widths of walls to calculate the area to be painted is a painful undertaking. Left to themselves, painters make a rough estimate which might be way off the mark. The alternative is to get hold of a long tape measure and do the measurements the slow, painstaking way.
Fortunately, there is a quick and easy way to take measurements in and around the house. The key is to use a digital distance measuring device like the Bosch GLM 50 Professional measuring tool.
The Bosch leaflet says: "Utilizing precision laser technology, the Bosch digital distance measurer kit provides fast, easy, and accurate measurements every time you use it. Pocket-sized for easy portability, this handy tool offers length, area, and volume measurements in inches, feet and inches, decimal feet, and metric units."
I bought this a few weeks ago and have since been amazed at the ease of making measurements. Wall areas are quickly calculated by three presses of a button - one press for the height, one for the width and one for area.
This simple device is amazingly versatile: it can measure lengths and in difficult situation calculate lengths through the triangulation method.
 |
| Measuring the distance between two walls is easy and done with the press of one button |
I have come to regard this tool as indispensable; it takes the grudge work out of large measurements and is often the only way to take complicated measurements.
For instance, to get the height of my building, all I needed to do was to use the triangulation method. I could do it standing outside my house by first measuring the distance to the wall and then measuring the distance to the top of the building; the GLM50 automatically calculated the height. It was that easy.
I plan to build a steel frame to cover my back verandah and this measuring tool is going to indispensable to get the correct measurements.
The GLM 50 is the smallest (and cheapest) in the Bosch measuring tool range: it can measure anything between 50 mm (2 inches) and 50 metres (over 150 feet), which is more than enough for most needs. Professional architects and surveyors would prefer the long range ones which can measure up to 250 metres.
Apart from taking large measurements around the house, within rooms and so on, I discovered that the GLM 50 could be used for a variety of woodworking applications as well.
 |
| The GLM 50 is useful in checking the alignment of the table saw blade with the fence and to set the cut width accurately |
Woodworking Applications
1. Checking Table Saw Blade Alignment
2. Setting Table Saw Cut width
3. Inside measurement of cabinets and so on
4. Inner diagonal measurement (especially to check for square)
The GLM 50 measures inches in increments of 1/32nd of an inch, which is perfect for woodworking. I rarely can get that kind of accuracy with my tape measure. This tool is going to be a huge help in my cabinet making.
The tool might be a bit pricey by Indian standards but for DIY work around the house and woodworking, I have come to believe it is incredibly useful and worth the cash.
Technical data: GLM 50 Professional
|
Measurement
range
|
0,05 – 50 m
|
|
Measurement
accuracy, typical
|
± 1.5 mm
|
|
Power
supply
|
2 x 1.5 V LR03 (AAA)
|
|
Weight,
approx.
|
0,14 kg
|
|
Street
Price
|
`
5,000 approximate
|
Indranil Banerjie
19 November 2014
19 November 2014
With accuracy of +/- 1.5 mm (0.059 inches) or 1/16 inch (1.5875 mm), the accuracy is somewhat suspect for tool alignment purposes; unless the (unreported) reproducibility of the measurement is dead on, I'd not trust it to align my table saw or any other tool. With my alignment of cutting tools, I use a dial indicator easily accurate to 0.001 inch (0.025 mm) and reproducible to +/- 0.001 inch at far less cost. It's a safety issue of some importance. Once aligned, the accuracy may be okay for setting the (properly aligned) fence to make a cut, as that's a different matter.
ReplyDeleteAs long as the error is consistent, there should be no problem. I did not notice any random variation on the measurements the tool generates. As long as the measure of far side of the saw blade is equal or slightly more than of the near side, there ought not to be any safety issue, especially if the saw is being used with a riving knife.
ReplyDeleteHow about DLE 40, its price is around Rs. 3500. I bought ultrasonic distance measurement tool for around Rs 1000, its gives good results if the surface on which we are projecting the waves is large and flat like wall.
ReplyDeleteGirish, the DLE 40 is much the same. What is the ultrasonic tool you bought? Any links to the product?
Deletehere is the link
Deletehttp://www.amazon.in/Gadget-Heros-Ultrasonic-Distance-Measure/dp/B00MTU3010/ref=pd_cp_k_1
If this link doesn't work then please try searching for "ultrasonic distance measurement"
But these are not useful for woodworking.. the minimum distance it could measure is around 1 m. and also if the opp surface is not wide enough it gives wrong results.