Measuring Angles - using a compass

[V. Nightshade]

Does anyone use a smartphone compass app to measure angles. Someone showed me how to do it with an I-Phone, but I don't have an I-Phone. Has anyone used a blackberry app do measure house angles using a compass application.

Alternatively, what is the most effective angle measurer? Any tricks to figure out if an angle is headed toward octagon or hexagon, since I'm guessing that when houses veer off at an angle it's probably one of these? (Yes, I'm a bit spatially challenged. Everyone has their strong points and weak points)

I'm not talking about little bays where rise and run works....I'm more concerned with houses that have wings jutting off in weird directions.

Thanks!

 

[Metamorphic]

I've got one of these in the bottom of my field bag. It was 10 bucks at home depot. Makes life A LOT easier on some hashed up design trying to maximize the footprint on a funny shaped lot. You could do it with the compass app on an Iphone, but most compasses dont do well next to structures because of the EM fields in the wiring and structural elements.

If I had to do it with a compass, I'd step back from the building 8 or 10 feet and sight along the 2 walls to minimize the effect of the distortion from the building. Dont forget to avoid wire fences and overhead lines while you're at it. That's the kind of thing you learn as a geologist....but hey, we dont need any scientists here....appraising is an art.
m2:

 

[V. Nightshade]

Thanks! I have/had one of those but couldn't find it! Guess I'll get another one. Thanks for the tip about EM.

 

[Howard Weeks]

To me, the easiest way to get the angles correct is to measure the house until you get to an angled wall and stop. Get another piece of paper out and start measuring the angled part of the house by its self. Do each angled part separately stopping at the point a new angle stops. When you put each section together at the starting points you have it perfectly.

 

[V. Nightshade]

How intriguing! That means that some pages will just have a single line on them (named sequentially of course) and none of the segments will be joined, but the angles will sort themselves out when you put it together. Cool! We even get to use scissors and glue!

 

[Tim The Enchanter]

I have a thing similar in purpose to what Metamorphic posted. Got it at Sears. Comes in handy for those odd angles meant to fit an odd shaped lot.

Start with the square corners, and finish with the odd ones.
Measure twice if it's really weird or does not box off on paper or Ipad.

 

[CANative]

To me, the easiest way to get the angles correct is to measure the house until you get to an angled wall and stop. Get another piece of paper out and start measuring the angled part of the house by its self. Do each angled part separately stopping at the point a new angle stops. When you put each section together at the starting points you have it perfectly.

I've often used that method and it works pretty well. It helps to have 10-grid paper.

Another trick for angles (if you're stuck) is to pinch two business cards together and then fan them open to match the angle.

 

[Howard Weeks]

It's really not the angle that is hard to figure out but the length of the run. On graph paper, it's hard to figure the length if you are at an angle to the squares. You can always measure the length of the wall, measure that on graph paper with a little ruler and then draw the angled wall that same length at the correct angle. Clear as mud.

 

[EDWARD BERRY]

Fold Paper At Intersection Of Two Walls.
Mark Match Points.
Reference Them If More Than One.
Draw Floor Plan Back At Comfort Of Office. No Try In Field, Takes Too Much Time And Very Sloppy.
Arkie Ed

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Seems to me that it is all about Rise v Run and with a Disto and a straight edge (a 1"x4") if you are not nimble enough to get the Disto pretty much in line with a straight wall. Easy, especially with two people measuring.