Accuracy of Numbers and How You State Them

Back when I was an Instrument Man working for a Land Surveying Firm, I was spending most of my waking hours in the woods or on a construction site. I was shooting points using a Total Station, and Data Collector, along with all the other essential equipment like a Tripod, Bush Axe, Walkie-Talkie, and Canteen. I was taking notes on a construction site one day and I was still new to the job and the Party Chief noticed some of my notes were showing measured distances to be written with only one place past the decimal point (tenths). He quickly jotted down three numbers on his hand, 25, 25.0, and 25.00 and then asked me what the difference was between the three numbers. I was instantly thought that this has to be a trick question, I mean they are all the same values right? I asked him if it were a trick question and he said no its not. The three numbers are all different values to me he said. He told me that if I put 25.0 then it told him I had measured to the accuracy of only a tenth. He then said if I had put 25.00 then it would have known I went to the effort and had measured to two decimal places (hundredths). Instantly I knew what he was saying to me and I realized that I had not gone far enough with my note taking. Yes I was new on the job but quickly learned the accuracy of numbers and how they are stated (displayed) can make all the difference.

Drafting Table Lamps

Illuminate your work with light! Reduce eye strain and increase productivity with a high-quality Drafting Lamp.

Drafting Compass and Divider Sets

If you're looking for a quality Drafting Compass Set, Drafting Dividers, or combinations of Dividers and Compasses, then we have a selection to choose from. These brands are well-known in the industry for Quality and Reliability.

DutchHill Tripods Price Break!

We have lowered our prices on Dutch Hill Surveying Tripods substantially. The Dutch Hill Brand is known for its heavy-duty ultra reliable Surveying Tripods. They are made of composite and carbon materials that make them light-weight and ultra reliable, and rugged. The construction allows for greater accuracy when taking surveying measurements and allows for easier carrying. Anyway, if you want an excellent tripod at an excellent price, now is the time to buy a Dutch Hill.

Measuring Tapes Explained

Ever wondered about which type of Measuring Tape is recommended for certain tasks? or needed to know more about how Measuring Tapes are made before you buy one? Read our article and find out today.

Engineering Drawing Paper

We do have a nice selection of engineering type drawing paper, isometric paper, quadrille paper, for engineering, architectural renderings, and cross sections.

EngineerSupply and FireKing

EngineerSupply becomes a Factory Authorized FireKing Dealer. These are great for storing media, papers, files, and original documents. FireKing manufacturers Fire Safes, Personal Safes, Media Safes, and Fire Proof Filing Cabinets.

The Keson ST181003X Measuring Tape

You can't beat a 100-foot Measuring Tape with 3x1 Gear for Quick Rewind. High-impact resistant case with full-rubber non-slip grip makes the Keson ST181003X Measuring Tape is a very handy measuring tool to have with you.

Surveyor Brush Axes

We now have Surveyor Brush Axes which make quick work out of clearing a line of sight for surveying. I have worn many a blister on my hands using one of these. When I was an instrument man, I usually had what we called a "briar blade" (which is the Ditch Bank Blade that we sell) in one hand, the tripod (with mounted total station) on my shoulder in the other hand, a radio on one hip, a canteen on one hip, and a compass around my neck.

I first started surveying, I quickly learned from watching the Party Chief that had been surveying for 25 years. He walked at a good pace through the woods and would alternate the axe from hand to hand (remember he had me behind him carrying the tripod) and would hit small branches and trees at just the right speed, angle and height, and it seemed like effortless motions for him. I guess after 25 years you get really good at what you do for a living and I can certainly say he had taken brush chopping to a new level.

Carrying a brush axe while surveying proved to have many uses, such as, killing snakes, poking in the ground for corner pins and markers, balancing your way through a creek while stepping on rocks, and once I remember the axe was something we had in our possession when an angry land owner (with his 12 guage double-barrel) approached us down in the woods. He had the idea that we were trespassing when his brother had failed to tell him the farm was going to be surveyed.

Theres my story about brush axes. I imagine many of you can relate.

Taking Time to Explain Laser Line Generators

Line Generators or Cross Lasers project a horizontal and vertical line onto a single surface. This “crosshair” pattern projects plumb and level reference lines. Line generators help with various tasks like leveling, tiling, plumbing, machine control, excavation, landscaping, swimming pool construction, concrete leveling, home building and more. Line generators can be separated into 2 main groups, indoor and indoor/outdoor.

Although rotary lasers and line generators both project a horizontal plane, they differ in size, distance and projection. Line generators are compact enough to fit into a belt case. Rotary lasers are bulkier and can weigh up to 10 lbs. Some line generators can travel up to 200ft (with a laser detector) whereas some rotary laser models can project a beam up to 2800 feet! Line Generators usually project a horizontal and vertical line onto a single surface, while a rotary laser will project a horizontal or vertical line in a full 360 degree radius.

Interior line generators do not need to be as powerful as exterior line generators because of lower lighting conditions and smaller project areas. Laser Line Generators can be placed on common surfaces like a tool box, step ladder, or staircase. For a sturdier mounting option consider a laser pole or wall mount. Laser poles suspend the laser on an adjustable pole that stretches from floor to ceiling

Distance and accuracy are important features in exterior line generators. The product description will list the specifications for each laser. Most Laser Line Generators travel up to 100 feet without a detector. A detector (also sometimes called a receiver) will identify the laser at longer distances and during outdoor (bright) lighting conditions. Detectors can possibly double the distance the laser will travel outside. Consider the accessories needed for exterior use. Some lasers come in packages that include a detector, tripod and protective case.

Other features include auto-level, out of level sensor and auto-level override (for diagonal lines). Consider the line’s fan angle. This is the radius the line will reach from the projector. Some generators will only project lines forward while others lines will stretch the line from above to below, left to right. Also consider what types of mounts come standard with the product. Is there a wall mount? Will it mount on a tripod; does a tripod come with it?

Dahle Paper Trimmers and Paper Cutters

Whether you love to scrapbook or need to cut paper at the office, Dahle has paper trimmer to meet your needs. Dahle paper trimmers feature built-in safeties. The blades self-sharpen to provide crisp clean cuts. The list below will help you chose the best paper trimmer to meet your needs.

A personal paper trimmer is a great tool for crafts and scrapbooking. Paper trimmers can provide straight or specialty cuts. The Dahle Trim Ruler and The Dahle Card Maker come standard with a cutting mat and alternate blades. The Trim Ruler will cut straight, wavy or perforated and the Card Maker will cut straight, deckle or scoring. The paper trimmer blades are enclosed for safety.

If you are an ad agency, photographer, graphic designer or need to cut a broad range of items The Dahle Professional Rolling Trimmer is a great choice. This precision paper trimmer will cut up to 20 sheets of paper at once. The durable metal base has a built in grid for exact measuring. The blade on this rotary paper trimmer is completely enclosed for safety. A clamp holds the paper in place so you don’t have to put your fingers near the blade or worry about the paper shifting. This rotary paper trimmer can be wall mounted and comes with a lifetime warranty (excluding wearables.)

The Dahle Premium Guillotine is the perfect addition to any office. This professional paper trimmer will cut paper, cardstock, cardboard, film, vellum, illustration board and many others items making it prefect for almost any environment. The lever will never unexpectedly fly up or down and is built for maximum safety. The metal base is printed with a grid for accurate cuts and will cut up to 35 sheets at once. The rotary safety guard covers the blade and prevents personal injury. This guillotine paper trimmer comes standard with a manufacturer’s one year warranty.

Click here for a complete list of Dahle Paper Trimmers and what they will cut

Mayline Drafting Tables, Mayline Office Furniture

If you work in the AEC (Architectural, Engineering, Construction) Industry then you've most likely heard of Mayline Products before. Their line of Mayline Blueprint Storage Racks, Blueprint Stands, Blueprint Hanging Clamps, Office Furniture are all built for professional and commercial use. I got started in High School Drafting Class on a Mayline Four-Post Drafting Table, then moved on to using AutoCad in college. It may sound strange to some, but even after I started working full-time, I worked at a cad station that was built on a four-post drafting table. When I changed jobs and started working at a regular height cad station desk, I quickly realized that I missed the drafting table height. Working at drafting table height on a drafting stool allowed me to easily stand up and walk to a nearby reference table or go collaborate with coworkers about a project. It was easier on my back, and allowed me to stretch my legs and body out straighter while at the drafting table height. Also, the size of the drafting table allowed me to lay my drawings out while working in cad. The mix of old school drafting and cad were a natural fit to me.

Clear Vinyl Blueprint Protector Covers

Clear Vinyl Blueprint Protector Covers protect valuable documents from dirt, dust and moisture. Great for commercial or marine applications. Notations can be made on the Clear Vinyl Covers by using a grease pencil or waterbased felt pen and wipes clean with either a dry cloth or soap and water.

Measuring Rod Rulers

Measuring Rod Rulers are some very handy tools to have if you're measuring the height from the ground to the underside of overhead utility lines, underneath bridges, or underneath overhangs.

Measuring Rods are dual-purpose tools since they have special measuring ruler scales on their backside which will permit users to read heights. To use a measuring ruler, just extend the rod up until it hits the desired length (underneath an overhang or bridge for example), then read the measurement at the smallest unextended section which is at eye-level. This will give you the distance from tip-to-tip of the rod. Great tools to have in certain situations.

David White Builders and Surveyors Products

The David White name is well-known in the Builders and Surveying Community. It's an old name that is associated with high-quality instruments. David White Instruments are built for Leveling, Layout, Construction Stakeout, Accident Reconstruction, and many outdoor and construction measuring or surveying tasks. We become a full-line David White dealer a few years ago and have been pleased with the quality of their products.

Product Guide Page Helps Explain Complex Products

We regularly publish articles on our Product Information page. The page has articles on How-to's, Product Information, Product Reviews, Comparisons, Helpful Tips, and anything we feel is helpful to the AEC Industry. Anytime we feel that a category or product needs explaining better, we publish a helpful article in hopes that we can help customers explain how the products work that we represent and sell. Being a web retail store, we understand not being able to touch the products before you buy them can be a challenge. With products that are sometimes complex, such as surveying equipment, or some storage solutions and tools, we can better help our customers by further explaining the products.

Distance Measuring Wheels

Measuring long distances quickly is now as easy as taking a stroll in the park. Just roll a distance measuring wheel along a line and it counts the distance. These days, many different sizes and models of measuring wheels are available. So how do you know which model best suits your needs? The most important thing to consider when selecting a measuring wheel is the terrain you need to measure.

If you are a realtor, appraiser, insurance adjuster, floor installer, or a home owner who needs to measure an interior surface you need a small measuring wheel. To get the most accurate measurement inside the wheel must be placed as close to the wall as possible. The Road Runner RR112 Measuring Wheel is a great choice. This Keson Measuring Wheel will measure curved, horizontal and asymmetrical surfaces for almost 2 miles. It weighs 2 lbs and folds down to 17 inches, fitting into a briefcase or toolbox. It also comes standard with a 6 year manufacturers.

If you are a surveyor, engineer, utility worker, landscaper, golf course attendant, construction worker or anyone who needs to measure an outdoor distance, consider The DuraWheel DW-1000 as this wheel will measure up to 10,000 feet. Weighing 5 lbs it can fold to 19 inches for a compact storing and transporting. It features a debris scraper, hi-traction tire, folding stand and sealed roller bearings. The counter will subtract distances when it is moved backwards. It comes with a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty.

The Rolatape 400 and Keson 401 is built to handle the toughest terrain conditions like construction areas, large commercial operations, utility operations and land surveying. There are even models with dual counters that will count both individual segments and the measured total.

Laser Measuring Tools

Without a Laser Measuring Tool, you have to take a measurement, write it down, do the math, and enter it into a program. Want an easier solution? Laser Measuring Tapes can do all these things automatically. Measuring can be done in less time and more accurately. Eliminate the hassle of traditional measuring tapes. Don’t worrying about hard to reach places, just point and click. Laser measurement tools do basic calculations like area, surface and volume automatically. Reduce errors from math mistakes and sloppy handwriting. Laser measures can even alternate between different measuring increments. Whether you are a Realtor, Appraiser, Builder, Plumber, Insurance Adjuster, Painter, or Floor Installation Pro, a Laser Tape Measuring Tool can help.

Here’s a basic function summary to help select the best laser for your needs.

The Stanley FatMax Tru-Laser Distance Measurer has 3 Models:

TLM 100- Will do basic calculations (areas, volumes, single distance, add/subtract). 1/4" Accuracy at 100ft.

TLM 200- Will do the basic calculations above, and track max and min distances. Also features a 2-Point Pythagoras calculation. 1/8” Accuracy at 100ft.

TLM 300- Has all the abilities of TML200 but also features advanced Pythagoras abilities, angle and trapezoid measuring, built in memory and history reading. It can mount onto a tripod and has a 2X viewfinder, and a bubble for horizontal leveling. A built-in sensor automatically detects positioning of flap. 1/16" Accuracy at 100ft.

The Leica Disto Laser Measuring Tool has 5 Models:

Disto A2- Will calculate addition, subtraction, area and volume, designed for indoor use. 1/8" Accuracy at 200ft.

Disto A3- Can do basic functions listed above, track min and max distances, and features a spirit-level for horizontal alignment. Measure distances up to 80m. Readings are even visible in the dark. 1/8" Accuracy at 350ft.

Disto A5- Can do basic functions listed above. Has Pythagoras ability for finding surface area. 2X viewfinder ideal for measuring long distances (~100m). 1/16" Accuracy at 650ft.

Disto A6- Can do basic functions listed above. Also features a Bluetooth data transfer that exports directly to Pocket PC or laptop programs (Word, Excel, AutoCad) 1/16" Accuracy at 650ft.

Disto A8- Can do basic functions listed above. Also features a tilt sensor to measure angles, horizontal distances and inaccessible height measurements. It can mount onto a tripod and has a 3X viewfinder. 1/8" Accuracy at 650ft.

Get a Free FatMax PB2 with Purchase of Qualifying Laser

FREE OFFER ONLY VALID IF YOU PURCHASE ONE OF THESE LASER MODELS:

CST/Berger LMH Series
CST/Berger LMH 600 Series
CST/Berger LM800 Series
CST/Berger New AL Series
David White 3110GR Series
David White 3150 Series
David White 3150G Series
David White 3175 and 3185 Series


PB2 FREE OFFER IS SHIPPED GROUND REGARDLESS OF WHAT SHIPPING METHOD YOU SELECT DURING CHECKOUT.

THIS OFFER EXPIRES END OF YEAR 2007.

Organize your Workspace

A couple hours spent organizing documents now, can save you days of searching and prevent the loss of irreplaceable items. Whether you need storage for maps, blueprints, plans, or paper document organization is important in every office.

• Keep everyday documents accessible. Safco Hanging File Centers sort documents with hanging clamps (holding up to 100 pages). Clamps can be labeled and easily accessed. The whole drawing stand can be relocated without disturbing your documents.
• Make the most of your space. Limited work areas make every inch count. Consider using Safco’s Cubicle Wall Blueprint Rack to free floor and desk space. For discreet storage Safco offers a Rolling Project File cart which can slide under a desk. This cart will hold letter and legal size folders or 12 Hanging Clamps which are sold separately. Both compact items will both hold up 600 documents each!
• Store long term items in a safe place. Don’t let valuable documents be exposed to everyday hazards like dirty hands and sunlight. Place them in a storage room where they won’t be disturbed but are accessible. Two popular options are The Vfile for flat storage and The Manager for rolled drawing storage. They are stackable and have front, side, and top labeling for drawing identification from any viewing angle. For a more permanent solution consider a steel file cabinet for storing your drawings, art, and blueprints. Safco features a stackable five drawer flat file and a Deep Steel Drawing Roll File.
• Keep your documents protected. Documents can be fragile and are often irreplaceable. Don’t wait till a disaster occurs to protect against it. Consider securing them from common risks.
• Fire and Water –Safco Ultima File System has fire-resistant double steel walls and a water resistant apron.
• A less expensive way to protecting against water damage is with Alvin’s Clear Vinyl Cover or a plastic blueprint bag.
• Security- The Safco Ultima File System includes a lock. If a more economical option is needed consider Safco’s Lock Kit for use with their 5-Drawer Cabinets.

Once you have an organization system in place, don’t let it fall by the way side! Put things away as they come in or sort them into piles to file at the end of the day. Try to pick a day every week to sort documents that might have been forgotten. Friday might be the perfect day. When Monday comes, you are greeted with a clean and organized workspace, ready to start your week off in the right direction.

Don’t Forget… These small items can save even more time and money!

Rollabels: Tired of counting the label grid? Label the documents directly! With Rollabels you can even color code your documents.

Binding: This is a great to keep a set of blueprints together. Paper Blueprints bindings are available in multiple colors and two different sizes.

Blueprint Covers: Don’t let one rainy day out on the job ruin your blueprint. Consider Alvin Clear Vinyl sleeves for storage and field work.

Portfolios: Need to have a transportable storage option? Try a water-resistant expandable portfolio. It can fit framed artwork, print boxes, bulky samples, blueprints and more.

Mailing: Make sure they get to where they’re going in good condition with rolled blueprint mailer boxes and blueprint shipping bags.

Keson Electronic Digital Distance Measuring Wheel

Every now and then we'll review a product thats new to the AEC industry and it'll catch our eye as a real star product, a real performer. One product that stuck out is the new Keson 401E Electronic Distance Measuring Wheel. The frame is metal and has very nice welds. The handle folds down and has a really nice metal locking mechanism that feels solid and that it will last a long time. I think this wheel would hold up under abusive conditions, although I don't recommend abusing any tool and feel you probably feel the same. But, looking at the 401E you can tell that Keson has made this product for the professional user. The rubber grip on the handle doesn't feel cheap. It has a rubber feel and not vinyl. The counter is solid and not thin feeling. The spokes are nice and thick. Keson is obviously making this measuring wheel and is proud of what they make and even advertise that you can wash the counter off using a water hose! We're proud to be selling the 401E. Yes, you can save money and buy another brand of wheel, but I really think we can stand behind the quality of the Keson 401E. The counter has large digits that you can easily see from standing up and walking behind the measuring wheel during use. You can lock the counter so your measurement wont get erased from wheel movement (say you're heading back to the car without something to write the last measured distance on). After getting a measurement, you can convert it cycling through the different units of measure like feet, feet/inches, feet/tenths, and metric. With mechanical wheels you can only measure in the single units of measure (whatever the counter is set up to be). With the 401E, you can measure in any of the units of measure mentioned.

Some of the features that we think stand out the most:

Just the overall quality in the entire frame, wheel, and the counter.

The handle of this tool folds down so you can store the product in the trunk of your car or toolbox.

The handle has a reflector on it which helps oncoming cars see you.

The kickstand isnt one-sided. The kickstand wraps around and you dont have to put it up or down, you simply lean back and start rolling and measuring. Then tilt the wheel over onto the kickstand when you want to stop and write down your measurements.

Electronic Counter has automatic shut-off to save your batteries.

The LCD display lights up for low-light usage (say at dawn or dusk).

Large one-inch tall digits on the electronic counter make it easy to read.

EngineerSupply Becomes a Factory Authorized Keson Dealer

EngineerSupply is now a full-line factory-authorized Keson Dealer. Keson Industries is family owned and operated and is fully dedicated to developing and manufacturing high-quality measuring and marking devices. Keson manufacturers high-quality commercial-grade distance measuring wheels that work great for measuring large distances quickly. The Keson Company manufacturers multiple size measuring wheels that will work with almost any condition of terrain and distance. The Keson line of Measuring Products can be found here.

Surveyors Roll Flagging

We now have Surveyors Roll Flagging and at a lower price. Well-known in the industry as "Texas Flagging" this flagging is colorful and highly visible. We have 15 different colors of Roll Flagging to choose from. Flagging is great to mark property corners on property surveys, marking trees for lumberyards, and many other marking uses.

Building Permit Boxes and Document Protectors

Building Contractors that look for contractors tools and supplies will always need Building Permit Boxes, Inspector Boxes, and Permit Protectors. We are a factory authorized Doc-Box dealer and carry their complete line of products. Click here to View Building Permit Boxes and Document Protectors

New Product - Sokkia DT7C Construction Digital Theodolite 730018

We always have our eyes peeled for new products and lower prices. One product that is now available we feel is a good value when you compare the features you get with the price. We now have the NEW Sokkia DT7C Construction Digital Theodolite 730018, which is Sokkia's Electronic Construction Digital Theodolite built to work longer with low power Consumption and faster with an easy-to-use control panel. Click here to view the Digital Theodolite

New Product for Land Surveyors - The 8-inch Maghub

The new Mag Hub is magnetized for easy detection from magnetic locators and zinc plated to resist rust. The Mag Hub has a large center point and looks like a standard survey marker, and is less than half the price of a survey stake and is easy to carry. The Mag Hub is not for use in concrete or asphalt and are boxed in 30 pound boxes with approximately 362 Hubs in box.

FREE SHIPPING on all Leica DISTO Laser Measuring Tools

FREE GROUND SHIPPING ON THIS ITEM UNTIL END OF AUGUST 2007. YOU MUST ENTER THE PROMOTIONAL CODE OF "DISTO" (without the quotes) DURING CHECKOUT. THIS DEAL CANNOT BE OFFERED AFTER CHECKOUT, YOU MUST USE THE CODE DURING CHECKOUT TO GET FREE GROUND SHIPPING.

Click here to view all 5 models of Leica Distos Laser Distance Measuring Tools

Planimeters - What Are They? How Do They Work?

We got lots of questions about a tool we sell called a "Planimeter". Many people pronounce the word plan-eye-meter, or pa-lemeter, but we're fairly sure either way to pronounce the word is acceptable within the industry.

What are Planimeters? They are tools used by anyone that wants to measure an irregular area of an object. Since a planimeter rolls around on a flat surface, the object being measured is usually on paper, or an x-ray, or something that can be copied on a copy machine and then the area measured from the flat copy. I've seen people lay an object on a copy machine, run a copy, then use a planimeter on the copy to calculate the area. I've heard of medical technicians measuring tumors on x-rays, shoe manufacturers taking a shoe apart and measuring the area of the leather panels and doing so on a new shoe, and a shoe that has been worn for months which measures the stretch of the leather. I've heard of many uses of planimeters. Personally the most use I ever experienced with a planimeter was to measure the each contour line on a topo map of a detention pond design to see get the volume of the pond. I would get the area of each closed "loop" (contour line) and then use those to figure the pond volume. That was back when I was doing drainage calcs, cut and fill calcs, and other civil engineering related design projects. Remember, if you want to figure the area of a regular shape like a rectangle, or square, that's easy, you simply multiply length x width to get area. But for irregular shapes like ponds, custom swimming pools, golf course greens and sand trap designs, you'll need a planimeter and a "closed loop" to measure.

How Do Planimeters Work?
Planimeters work off of rolling around on the flat surface that's being measured. They have small wheels or rollers (hence sometimes you'll hear someone refer to them as a "Roller Planimeter") that roll and the planimeter itself will figure the distance traveled on the flat surface and then compute the closed loop area measured into data. That data is then converted using a multiplier for the scale drawing (i.e. 1"=50', 1/4"=1'). Don't worry, planimeters usually come with a user manual and they are easy enough to understand and teach yourself how to use one. We've never had anyone return a planimeter because of difficulty in learning how to use one. From there, you break planimeters down into two categories, mechanical and digital (sometimes called electronic). Both types have the small wheels or rollers, but the mechanical does not have batteries or any electrical parts. The mechanical planimeter has a vernier or tick marks on a meter that you reference and then multiply the data against a multiplier (using your hand calculator) to get area. An electronic, or digital, planimeter you enter the scale of your drawing into the planimeters keyboard and it figures the math for you. I recommend mechanical planimeters for people that use one say 3 to 5 times per month. I recommend digital (electronic) planimeters to people that do at least 3 to 5 uses per week.

Hopefully this article teaches the basics of what a planimeter is, who uses them, and how they work.

Rob Powell of EngineerSupply

We Now have the NEW DrawingBoard VI by Calcomp

The NEW DrawingBoard VI by Calcomp is now available on our webstore. Some people call them Digitizers, some people call them Drawing Boards, and some call them Drawing Tablets. These new models are redesigned and better than the previous models. We've added the most popular size boards by adding the 12x12, 12x18, 24x36, 36x48 and the 44x60 models.

Isometric Paper, Quadrille Paper, and Cross Section Paper Now Online

We now have Isometric Paper, Quadrille Paper, and Cross Section Paper Online! We've had a number of requests for this type of paper by engineers, architects, designers, and construction professionals. Hopefully this will satisfy the needs our users are having for this type of engineering paper.

CST/berger AL Series Electronic Rotary Laser Levels

NEW PRODUCTS!
We will soon have the CST/berger AL Series Electronic Rotary Laser Levels. The AL Series are high-powered lasers, and weatherproof. The AL Series is is an exciting series of lasers that we're all anxious to promote. We'll have more information about the AL Series soon!

Hanging Clamps, Plan Sticks, Plan Holders, Drawing Clamps

Hanging Clamps, Plan Sticks, Plan Holders, Drawing Clamps, Blueprint Clamps, whatever you want to call them, they're all the same thing! Safco and Mayline are the two biggest manufacturers of these products. They make them from rigid aluminum and the two brands are interchangeable. There was a company long ago that manufactured them under the name of PlanHold, but Safco purchased that company and still makes the "Print Lock Plan Hold" hanging clamps.

If you want to know how hanging clamps work, first you should understand that they are made and sold in different lengths. They are made in standard size lengths of 18", 24" 30", 36" and 42". You buy the size (length) of clamp you want, depending on the size of drawings or documents you plan to clamp. For example, if you have a 24"x36" drawing, you'll probably want to buy 24" clamps since you'll clamp the left bound edge of your drawing set which is 24" and it'll fit the clamp perfectly. The clamp part (the part that actually touches and clamps the drawings) is the length as most clamps have a little bit of overhang on each end, this is so the clamps can be hung in or on a blueprint rack or stand (which are sold separate from the clamps). The 30" size clamps are the most popular size since you can clamp a 24"x36" drawing from its 24" side, and/or you can clamp a 30"x42" drawing from its 30" side. Drawings that are being clamps dont have to match the clamp size, but it looks better if they do. For example, a 24" side of a drawing could clamp in a 42" clamp, but you'd have a lot of clamp that wasn't being used (a lot of overhang of extra unused clamp). Hopefully this helps you gain an understanding of how hanging clamps work!

The Quick Basics of Selecting a Rotary Laser Level

We understand that theres a lot of rotary lasers to choose from. If you want to get the basics really quick, keep reading....

We generally recommend that you first define the tasks you're going to want to accomplish with your laser. Then start looking at the features you might want, such as; plumb-up beam, plumb-down beam, variable rotation speed or fixed rotation speed, accuracy, detector included or not included, some kits offer "interior" packages and include a ceiling or wall mount bracket, and some kits offer tripods and grade rods included. That's that basics and a quick way to get an understanding of why there's so many laser levels to choose from.

Setting Up a New Engineering or Surveying Office?

Each week I get a call from someone that has started up a new engineering or surveying office and they're wanting to get the equipment set up quickly so they can get to work. Many order desks, chairs, tables, trash cans, and basic office supplies, but many don't know what they want when it comes to getting organized for storing blueprints. And, many are wanting to equip a new surveying crew and need another tripod, level and leveling rod, prism pole and prism, total stations, etc. That's when they call us and ask for advice. We can usually put together a package fairly quickly and get it shipped promptly. If you, or anyone you know, ever goes to set up a new office, or equip a newly added crew to their office, we're a good place to start.

EngineerSupply Is Now A Northwest Instrument Authorized Dealer

EngineerSupply Is Now A Northwest Instrument Authorized Dealer. After careful consideration to source another value-added source of surveying equipment, we decided to apply to Northwest Instrument. They make quality surveying equipment with value in mind. Their equipment will hold up under daily use and save you some money. Northwest Instrument makes Transits, Levels, Rotary Lasers, Surveying Tripods, Prisms, and Theodolites.

Blueprint Mailing Boxes and Blueprint Bags

If you're wanting to mail your construction documents, then consider using Blueprint Mailing Boxes and Blueprint Bags. They protect your blueprints, and get them there safely. Check out our selection of bags and boxes, all made for mailing or shipping blueprints.

Ridgid SeekTech SR-20 Utility Locator

Built to make even difficult locates easy, the SeekTech is the only line locator that uses omni-directional antennas, guidance arrows, and an easy-to-read mapping display to lead you quickly and accurately to the target line.

The Ridgid SeekTech SR-20 is an easy-to-use tool and impressed the heck out of us when we saw a demo. The LCD screen is easy to understand and easy to operate.

The antennas power the large mapping display which provides all the information you need to locate underground utilities with ease and confidence.

CST/Berger LaserMark Mini Laser Cross Level 58-ILMXT

The 58-ILMXT is a Cross Line Laser Level that projects a bright, self-leveling level and plumb chalk-lines for instant and accurate reference lines and marks. It's ideal for floor and wall tiling, paneling, wall fixtures, wall papering, stenciling, wainscoting, finish carpentry, masonry work, cabinet and kitchen rebuilds, drop ceilings, lighting fixtures, wall studs, outlets, partitions and many more.


This is the brightest, smallest laser we have found. Very handy and can be used on multiple jobs.

Outdoor Document Protection Products

EngineerSupply just became a Doc-Box dealer this week! These products are permit posting systems that protect plans and permits on construction job sites. They seem to work great and we've had a number of requests for them. Check them out here

Detail Oriented Interests

Things that have been detail oriented have always caught my attention. No matter what it was, if it was something mechanical, like Dad working on the lawn mower in the back yard, or if he was working on plumbing jobs at our home, it always caught my eye and I was easily lured to it rather than something like doing my homework or studying for a test. I later found myself building things in his workshop like shelves, toys, and any invention that I thought I could build. This lead me into an interest in drafting when I was in high school. The drafting classes lead to designing homes, and machine parts. This lead me into taking CAD classes and then professional jobs in CAD. Working in the design industry, I quickly learned that I had an interest in business. I was soon analyzing how the company I worked for made blueprints and compared in-house production costs to outsourcing blueprint production. This lead me back to school to gain a degree in business and operations management. The common denominator in everything I was doing, I found it to be all detail-oriented. If it was detail oriented, it lured me in. Now that I work at EngineerSupply, I find myself lured once again to the details. The details of how we can best help a customers request for excellent customer service. The details of how we can most effectively and efficiently process a customers order and shipment. I guess the bottom line is we enjoy the detail oriented tasks and we work to figure them out and make the better. I think anyone in the design industry enjoys the details. This is certainly something to think about when you're dealing with detail-oriented customers.

CST/Berger and David White Now Have Total Stations

CST/Berger and David White now have Total Stations. These two top-name surveyor supply manufacturers now have products that compete right in there with other Total Station brands. We're confident in the performance of these well-known brand names. Take a look and compare their features.

EngineerSupply announces new supply line of Leica Geosystems

EngineerSupply today announces that Leica Geosystems brand of products will be featured in its supply chain. After careful review, EngineerSupply decided that Leica Geosystems would make an excellent fit for their current supply chain.

EngineerSupply will provide sales and support for the line of Disto Laser Distance Measuring Devices that Leica Geosystems manufacturers. Leica Geosystems manufactures professional-grade laser distance measuring devices for construction and surveying professionals.

The new partnership will allow EngineerSupply to source Leica Geosystems Disto line of products quickly and efficiently. Being able to readily source from Leica Geosystems will allow EngineerSupply the ability to ship fresh products to their customers. EngineerSupply.com's customers include Professionals from the Architectural, Engineering, and Construction Industry.

EngineerSupply is a fully authorized factory Leica Geosystems Dealer.

Want to Learn More about Blueprint Storage Solutions?

The Product Team created an article that explains how people deal with blue print storage solutions. I feel the article helps get your thought process started and quickly gets you going in the right direction. Read the entire article here.

Want to Learn More about Construction Laser Levels?

The product team at EngineerSupply put together a document that helps explain construction laser levels. Laser levels are basically grouped or divided into three categories. They are; Plumb or Dot Lasers, Line Level Lasers (Also known as Laser Line Generators), and Rotary Level Lasers.

Read the document that explains Construction Laser Levels here

Leica Geosystems Laser Distance Measuring Tool

The Leica "Disto" is one tool that many estimators, insurance professionals, engineers, architects, surveyors, and designers cannot live without. Highly accurate, quality-built professional-grade tools. Loaded with features, the Leice Distos impressed the EngineerSupply product management team members.

View all Leica Geosystems Laser Distance Measuring Tools here

Scalex Plan Measuring and Estimators Tools

For anyone that needs to quickly and accurately perform estimations and take-offs, the Scalex measuring tools are a real time saver. Increased accuracy, and time saved, I dont know if you can ask for much more out of a tool. We've used the Scalex product before and it is a well-built product, solid construction, and just feels good in your hand. It doesnt feel like it is cheaply built. The scales it will handle are Engineering, Architectural, Metric, and also an Auto Scale. The Auto Scale will allow the user the ability to roll the drawing scale bar and the Scalex calibrates itself to your drawings scale even if its some arbitrary scale due to shrinkage/expansion from the drawing being copied on a copy machine. It's a great product and is highly recommended.

View all Scalex Measuring Tools Here

Planimeters - Area Measuring Tool

Planimeters are excellent area measuring tools to use when you measure irregular shaped areas on plans or drawings. If you want to trace around an irregular shape, like a swimming pool, golf course green, storm water management ponds, an organ or tumor on an x-ray, planimeters are the tool of choice. You simply set your scales up, then trace around the objects perimeter, and close the loop. The planimeter will tell you the square units of area within the loop.

Many people try to avoid using a planimeter by making rectangles and triangles in their irregular shape. This only estimates the area and it is a time consuming process. But with a planimeter, you get accurate results, and done quickly. You'll be surprised at exactly how accurate a planimeter is. They are considered an excellent area measuring device.

Blueprint Hanging Clamps

Blueprint Hanging Clamps that clamp and hold blueprints, or any large document, are key to keeping sets of drawings organized and readily available for reference. Hanging Clamps have also been known to be called "Drawing Sticks", "Plan Clamps", or "Plan Sticks" by those that work in the AEC (Architectural, Engineering, Construction) Industry. Basically speaking, hanging clamps come in various sizes, which are the length of the clamp. They come in lengths of 18", 24", 30", 36", and 48" and usually they are sold in cartons of six. Meaning you buy one carton of clamps, you get six clamps. Most hanging stands (also known as blueprint racks) hold 12 clamps. This means you would buy 2 cartons which equate to 12 clamps, which 1 blueprint rack would hold. Most customers buy one blueprint rack, and two cartons of clamps.

Now, about the size of the clamps, if you have a 24"x36" drawing size or set, you would consider the 24" side of the drawings the binding or clamping side. So, you'd want to buy 24" clamps for your 24" x 36" drawings. But, many people realize that they will be hanging 24"x36" and 30"x42" drawings (both are very popular drawing sizes for construction drawings), so they buy the 30" clamps which will hold either size drawing. With the 30" , if you clamp and hang a 24"x36" drawing by its 24" side, then you have 3" of clamp overhang on each end (30 - 24 = 6") of your drawing. Hopefully this explanation makes sense. Clamps cannot be adjusted in length. You buy the hanging clamps for the size of the drawings you wish to hang.

Laser Distance Measuring Tools

Laser Distance Measuring Tools are also time-saving tools. They quick measure a room, a building, or any distance that you have a target to point them at.

The Stanley TLM100 goes to about 100 feet.

The Stanley TLM200 goes to about 100 but has greater accuracy, and offers a pythagoras feature. This feature allows you to point at one corner of a building and take a measurement, and then point at the other corner of the same building, and then press the pythagoras button and the TLM will calculate the distance between those two points. It uses the Pythagorean theorem to figure the triangular measurement between where you are standing and the two points and figured the side of the triangle which the distance you're wanting to get. A very handy feature.

The Stanley TLM300 has the same pythagoras feature as the TLM-200, but offers greater accuracy than either the TLM100 or the TLM200, and a measuring distance of about 600 feet!

Blueprint Binding Machines and Binding Equipment

Our Blueprint Binding Machines will fold blueprint binding strips for you. These are time-saving machines!

Rotary Trimmers Make Great Photo Trimmers for Christmas Gifts

Rolling Trimmers are considered the new generation of paper cutters. Designed for safety and accuracy, the cutting blades are encased in a plastic housing that virtually eliminates the chance of personal injury. The rotary action allows the blade to cut in either direction and sharpen itself as it cuts. It's this self-sharpening action that produces a clean burr-free cut and guarantees many years of smooth precise cutting. These types of trimmers make excellent photo trimmers for trimming and cutting photos on photo paper, and also photos from digital camera photo printers.

Photo Trimmers make excellent Christmas Gifts!

Light Boxes & Light Tables

Light Boxes and Light Tables are great for laying your drawings on them and making tracings. Also great for any time you want to reference two drawings against one another and compare overlays. They also work great when you have photo slides that you want to lay out and organize them prior to presentations.

Of course we have sold light boxes and light tables to engineers and architects for overlaying blueprints, surveys, and topo maps, but lately we've seen new customers and new uses. For example, we have sold Light Boxes and Light Tables to Tattoo Studios for tracing tattoo patterns, we have sold them to Photographers that use them to overlay prints and also sort slides before placing them in a slide projectors carousel. We have even sold them to fabric shops that use them to trace fabric patterns for cloth. We have customers that are always finding new uses for Lightboxes and Lighttables. If you have a new use for a light table or light box, please let us know. We're always interested in finding out new uses for them.

Heres our selection of light boxes and light tables

Is Excellent Customer Service a Back Rub?

I thought I would take a moment and write some thoughts about customer service, and what some views are about it. First, any company that provides a service or product, can provide a level of customer service. Of course, that's a given. But, the real question is, what level of customer service does a company provide? Some companies provide very low levels, and some provide middle-ground, and some go all out and provide top-notch service to the customer.

We try at all times to provide the best customer service that we can. When I train any of our employees, I tell them to pretend that the customer on the line is their Mother or Father and to provide answers and care to them from that point of view. I know this can be taken to extremes but my general point is, treat the customer in a manner that you would be honest, take the time to answer questions, and get to a solution with careful forethought.

The problems that occur with relationships between customer and company today can sometimes arise out of what I've seen is where sometimes it appears a customer is almost demanding customer service. If you take a moment and think about the relationship a company and a customer has, it's a relationship built on trust, and mutual respect. It is very much a relationship and the word relationship by definition means; a connection, association, or involvement. With that said, customer service should not be demanded. It should be a given. It should be the starting point of a new relationship. From there, you can both whittle it down to a zig-zag if you both want to, but the best is for both parties to keep the high level of the relationship there. Just like a back-rub. Isn't it better to give a back rub to someone without it being demanded? Same way with providing excellent customer service. We provide it, but when it's demanded, we still provide it, but the relationship is healthier when it's not demanded by someone.

Pacific Laser Systems

I met with our account manager from Pacific Laser Systems last week and learned a lot about their Laser Level Products. Just when you think you have a good handle how lasers can save time and increase accuracy, you learn a bit more. Pacific Laser Systems lasers seem to me to have a nice fit in the marketplace. All of their laser products are self-leveling and are built very sturdy. The body of the lasers are nicely built with heavy-gauge material and I can imagine they'd handle a few drops to the floor and maybe only need a laser recalibration or adjustment depending on how far it was dropped and what it landed on.

Each time I work with a Laser level, I realize just how amazing they really are. Saves time and increases accuracy at the same time! They are just like front-end loaders on tractors in that you seem to always be finding new uses for them every time you use them. I've seen contractors use laser levels indoors and out, and lately have heard of other users such as the people that install rigging for stages, such as light and speaker rigging for concerts! I've even heard of manufacturers using laser levels in manufacturing where they use the laser to show the exact spot to cut material, or fasten parts, or even for clearance within the warehouse itself. The uses for these levels are almost infinite.

Take the time to read over our article about Construction Lasers here.

View all of the products we have that are made by Pacific Laser Systems

Schonstedt Underground Locators Explained

Just published an article about Schonstedt Underground Locators. I took the time to briefly lay out the differences in the Schonstedt Magnetic Locators, and the Pipe & Cable Locators.

Read the article here

Construction Laser Levels Explained

Got a new article posted online last week. It's about Construction Laser Levels.

Read the article here

Safety Vests and Utility Vests

Safety Vests, Utility Vests, Reflective Vests, Traffic Safety Vests, ANSI Safety Vests, Surveying Vests, are all vests that offer visibility and safety on the job site. These recommended safety devices are available in a variety of colors such as orange, yellow, red, and reflective high-visibility fluorescent materials.

View our selection of Safety and Utility Vests here

David White Surveying Products

The David White name is known for high-quality surveying equipment, made for the serious professional. The David White company provides productivity tools for layout, leveling, and measuring within the construction and surveying industries.

David White's line of products include:

Rotating construction lasers, levels, level-transits, automatic levels, automatic level-transits, tripods including premium, performance, value line and specialty models, direct elevation leveling rods, laser detectors, torpedo level lasers, hand levels, and plumb bobs.

View all David White Surveying Instruments here

Elan Publishing Surveying Field Books, Level Books, Cross Section Books, and Mining Transit Books

Elan Publishing Surveying Field Books, Level Books, Cross Section Books, and Mining Transit Books are now available at EngineerSupply.com. High-quality and built to last, these books work well for taking field notes, or keeping a survey journal. They're also great for working cross sections, sketching ideas for a new design, or recording existing conditions.

View all Elan Books here

Acculine Pro Laser Levels Now Sold by EngineerSupply

AccuLine Pro laser levels are precision measurement devices that offer professional accuracy and high-visibility lasers. Some models offer user-friendly features like scan modes, slope modes, and automatic leveling. Some Rotary Laser Level models offer GreenBrite Technology lasers, which means its 400% brighter than red beam laser levels.

View all Acculine Pro Laser Level Products

Gagne Light Tables

Gagne Light Boxes and tables are versatile tools used widely in the craft, art, photography, surveying, engineering, and wood craft markets. They are very handy to have within an engineering, surveying, construction firm, as they help with sorting slides for presentations, overlaying maps and sketches, and comparing two maps at once.

View all Light Tables and Boxes here

New Product - The Manager 37-9 Rolled Document Storage

The Manager 37-9 is a new product introduced this past week. Its the same as the Manager 37, but it has a different partition size inner-contruction. The partititions on the Manager 37 has sixteen cubbie holes for storing rolled documents. But, the new Manager 37-9 has NINE cubbie holes for storing rolled documents. The new configuration is an answer to customers requests for being able to store larger sized rolled documents. Each of the nine cubbie holes are 5.25" x 5.25" square.


View the Manager 37-9 Here

Victor Calculators are now part of the EngineerSupply product line

Victor Calculators are now part of the EngineerSupply product line. Victor is an American company with a continuing tradition of excellence for over 80 years. Victor has offered the most extensive line of reliable, and versatile business calculators. We represent Victor Calculators line of professional, commercial, home & office and educational calculators. These exciting, state-of-the-art products offer sleek, contemporary styling, responsive touch keyboards, crystal clear displays and a high-quality feel.

Click here to View all Victor Calculators we carry

EngineerSupply Supplies Dahle Brand Scissors

EngineerSupply Supplies Dahle Brand Scissors. Dahle brand scissors are some of the best we've seen so far! These are German made, very tough, stay extremely sharp, and are highly recommended by the EngineerSupply Product Team.

Click here to view all Dahle Scissors

Safco EClipz Blueprint Clip ID Tags

Each Safco EClipz holder comes with a blank label so you can identify exactly which documents you have without having to unroll them. Simply mark your label and secure your documents with a EClipz holder. EClipz are available in black hard plastic material. Circle shaped white labels are included. Eclipz are sold per carton and each carton comes with 50 clips and 50 labels. The EClipz Dimensions are: 1-1/8" Diameter x 2-3/8" Long.

National Printfast Field Books

EngineerSupply now sells National Printfast Engineers/Surveyors Field Books

National Printfast field books are designed to meet the needs of the professional. National Printfast field book covers and binders are heavy-duty, and are colored with an easy-to-locate yellow vinyl plastic. The Field Book pages are printed with waterproof inks on heavy, water resistant stock. National Printfast FieldBooks and binders are available in a variety of sizes and formats. The loose-leaf binders offer flexibility since the pages can be separated and filed alphabetically or by subject. These binders also allow the engineer to send original notes, or carbon duplicates, to the office while using the book on the job site.


View National Printfast Field Books here

EngineerSupply Now Carries Dutch Hill Tripods

EngineerSupply.com now carries and sells Dutch Hill brand Surveying Tripods. All Dutch Hill Surveying Tripods are made with composite parts for superior strength. The result is a product that will provide a stable and accurate platform and provide many years of service.

Dutch Hill Surveying Tripods are used by surveyors, construction crews, the military and photographers. Dutch Hill makes their tripods from materials that offer excellent dimensional stability and resistance to harsh conditions like cold, moisture and chemicals. With this high-quality construction, and attention to details, Dutch Hill Tripods are considered by many to be the best available.

View all Dutch Hill Surveying Tripods here

Dahle Premium Guilllotine with Laser Model 564

Dahle Lever Style Cutters are the choice of professionals and have many thoughtful features such as ;

Cuts up to 40 sheets of paper at a time

Laser guided line will show exactly where the cut will be

Ratcheting paper clamp will lock the material in place until it is manually released

Ground self-sharpening blade made of Solingen Steel

Sturdy blade will not fly up or drop down unexpectantly

Rotary guard covers the blade throughout the entire cutting process-The ultimate safety device

Adjustable backstop

Sturdy metal base with preprinted guides

Engineering, Surveying, Mining, and Level Field Books

High-Quality Surveying, Mining, Level and Field Books for when you want to record data while out in the field and return to the office. These hardback field books are sturdy!

Crain Wire Pulling Gopher Pole

The Gopher Pole by Crain is a one-of-a-kind fiberglass, telescopic wire installation tool used by electrical companies, telephone companies, computer companies, alarm installers, and wire installers. It's great for pulling wire, cable, ethernet cables, and phone lines above drop ceilings.

Calculated Industries DigiRoller Plus II

The Calculated Industries DigiRoller Plus II is an awesome Distance Measuring Wheel. We've played with one here at the office, and used one in the field. Anyone can get fast, accurate measurements for on-site linear, area and volume estimates with the DigiRoller Plus II Measuring Wheel. Built-in functions automatically calculate and store square footage, cubic volumes and more for up to 9 different areas.

One of the best features about the Digiroller Plus II is that it works and converts in all Imperial and Metric units. Before you start measuring, you can push a button and select Feet-Inches, Decimal Feet, Decimal Inches, Yards, Meters, or Acres. The LCD panel has light if you're in a low lit or dim area or time of day. The handle and rolling feel solid and positive. After rolling a few measurements, I put the kickstand down and leaned the Digiroller on it so I could use both hands and write my measurements down on paper, a very nice feature. Also, I found I could roll a length, press L, then roll another length and press W, then press LxW and get the square area of the area I just measured two sides of. Very nice since it saved me from having to walk the other two sides. Within minutes of using and testing the Digiroller Plus II, I was wanting one for myself.

Click here to view the Calculated Industries DigiRoller Plus II

Field Books

High-Quality Surveying, Mining, Level and Field Books.

A pocket estimators tape with 1/4 and 1/8 architect scales. A great little tape to have in your pocket if you're an engineer, architect, estimator, contractor, or surveyor. They come in handy real quick.

Pacific Arc Pocket Estimators Tape

Wood Flat Files

We now sell Wooden Flat Files by Mayline, a leader in Document Storage Solutions. Mayline Wood Plan Files combine the natural beauty and finish of wood with the strength and durability of hardwood construction. Mayline Wood Plan Files are finished with select cuts of kiln-dried Red Oak. The units feature a hardboard bottom, rear hood, and smooth working wood drawer runs.

These units add a warmth and attractivness to any professional office space.

View the Wood Flat Files by clicking here.

Exciting New Product by Scalex

We just started selling an Exciting New Product by Scalex. The Scalex Scale-Link Wireless. It's the same Scalex quality, but now with a wireless connection from your computer to the plan measuring tool.

The industry standard take-off tool for entering linear measurements from your blueprints, maps, or plans into any Windows program. Just roll the scaler wheel along your print, then click to instantly transfer the measurement into your program.

Scale-Link Wireless contains everything you need to get started. The included PlanWheel can be used remotely in the field or interfaced with your PC at distances of up to 25 feet.