Construction Calculator?

[ldonkle]

Does anyone know of an online calculator that can calculate feet and inches?

[DoTheBIM]

Google is your friend! (http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1_____enUS421US421&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=Does+anyone+know+of+an+online+calculator+that+can+calculate+feet+and+inches#hl=en&sugexp=gsqvh&pq=feet%20and%20inches%20calc&xhr=t&q=feet+and+inches+calculator&cp=21&qe=ZmVldCBhbmQgaW5jaGVzIGNhbGN1&qesig=1rg5SRDHNkxqLxXDoAI0FQ&pkc=AFgZ2tkgyzwOAbNi40EXMLVH15dNzLMYVvH3oUFRH_xHHCr0YAM4LTAm3sK914s9Hzw_qyFXPRTzvLWdbyUX302-iwy3yzbjtA&pf=p&sclient=psy&rlz=1C1_____enUS421US421&source=hp&aq=0&aqi=&aql=f&oq=feet+and+inches+calcu&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=19a59778de2c65e2&biw=1233&bih=846) <-----Click There!8)

[patricks]

There are plenty of online ones available. However I use and HIGHLY recommend the Construction Master Pro Trig model 4080. Not only can it do feet, inches, and fractional inches, but it can apply trig functions to those numbers, quickly calculate slope and angle for a given rise and run, and many other functions that are more useful to a field contractor or house builder than to me. But for me those functions I listed make it more than worth its price of $90. Sure the online stuff can do it but IMHO online calculators are much slower to input numbers and use them than a real handheld calculator.

I did much searching when shopping for this calculator and this is the ONLY one I could find that could do both feet/inches AND trig functions, which I use all the time when figuring out geometry of site plans, geometry and formulas for Revit families, etc.

The slope/rise/run tools are also very useful for figuring grade changes in topography.

http://www.calculated.com/prd102/Construction+Master+Pro+Trig.html

http://www.calculated.com/productcart/pc/catalog/4080v31-med.gif

No I'm not trying to advertise for this company or anything. I've always been partial to TI stuff. I still use my trusty TI-85 from high school, and even had a TI-35 scientific that I used from middle school 1993 up to just a couple of years ago when it finally died, which is why I went searching for this one. I used to use the fraction function of the TI-35 for feet and inches calcs, but I wanted to be able to add in fractional inches with the feet and inches.

[DoTheBIM]

... which I use all the time when figuring out geometry of site plans, geometry and formulas for Revit families, etc.
...You bring up a good point... accidentally... Why mess with an online calculator or a hand held calculator at all when Revit will do that type of calculation for you by typing equals and plugging in your lengths and operators? I don't remember ever using a calculator for families and rarely for projects. However my coworkers use them all the time, they go through calculator batteries 6 times as fast as I do.

[eeblack]

There's always Builder's Helper for iPhone/iPod/iPad. Only $14.99 and is a good replacement for the Construction Master calculators.

[patricks]

You bring up a good point... accidentally... Why mess with an online calculator or a hand held calculator at all when Revit will do that type of calculation for you by typing equals and plugging in your lengths and operators? I don't remember ever using a calculator for families and rarely for projects. However my coworkers use them all the time, they go through calculator batteries 6 times as fast as I do.

sure but there again, data entry is pretty cumbersome. I can fly MUCH faster entering feet and inches + fractions on the calculator I linked above vs. entering stuff in Revit. Plus many times I have to sketch out diagrams to figure out formulas on paper, such as the overall height of a sloped rowlock brick...

=(((Rowlock Height * sin(Rowlock Angle)) + Brick Outset + Rowlock Projection) * tan(Rowlock Angle)) + (Rowlock Height * cos(Rowlock Angle))

:p