Don't forget the Camera

[Redoverfarm]

I have come to appreciate my camera as a vital tool in construction.  I can't count the numerous times that I have relied on pictures to depict the locations of various aspects of my different builds. Face it once it is covered by paneling, drywall, concrete or dirt it is very difficult to locate it from memory.   Whether it be a location of an electrical, supply or sewage lines my camera has proved to be one of the best tools in my assortment of construction equiptment.

I guess it has replaced the old saying of " a short pencil is better than a long memory". 

Here is a prime example of using it.  I have several location in which to mount various bathroom and living room fixtures and although I could approximate the location there is not better way than to be exact.  I just mark the measurement in permanent marker and take a picture.  When the time comes to actually mount things I can readily pull up the picture and get the location exact.



A digital camera in recent years are dirt cheap in comparison to when they first surfaced in the market.  I guarantee it will prove to be one of the best investments you will make in your assortment of tools.

[MushCreek]

Good tip. I have hundreds (thousands?) of pictures of my build. Once I had the interior framing, plumbing and electric done, I took pictures of every wall of the house with a piece of paper tacked up that identified the wall for future reference. I also made sketches with dimensions of where certain critical framing was for future use, such as hanging cabinets and hardware.

[rick91351]

Good tip. I have hundreds (thousands?) of pictures of my build. Once I had the interior framing, plumbing and electric done, I took pictures of every wall of the house with a piece of paper tacked up that identified the wall for future reference. I also made sketches with dimensions of where certain critical framing was for future use, such as hanging cabinets and hardware.

Once upon a time i.e. film cameras this was not really do able or practical. WOW I love digital - just one of many many reasons.  Now what a great thing great media.  One can take literally thousands of photos of a project. Keep them all on a small memory chip.... I was a film guy I swore I would never stoop to digital.  I laughed - I scoffed - I made fun of it......  I now have a box of film cameras packed away somewhere.   I could not see all the stuff that was going to happen with it.   All the photos I took of this house I could never have afforded to have them developed and printed, much less what does one do with all the albums and negative and sides.         

[Tickhill]

I often use a video camera after I have roughed in the electrical. I pan around each room and verbally describe room, showing all outlet/switch boxes and identify any special condition the room has. It is especially useful when there is an outlet in a tight spot that the sheetrock installer fails to cut out!

[UK4X4]

. I was a film guy I swore I would never stoop to digital.  I laughed - I scoffed - I made fun of it........

Thats what the CEO of Kodak said too........!

[Redoverfarm]

Yes when they first came out we got a Kodak Easy Share for ease of operation.  Since that time we have upgraded.  I kept the older one that I carry in my truck for "when ever...." arises.

There were two instances where it really came in handy.  One being at Dogtrot when I went o install the range hood.  Yes the box was on the wall to hook it up but I didn't pay that much attention to the routing of the wire. Wiring the log cabin was not straight forward with zig-zaging wire where a cavity could be found.  Well it came time to cut through the chinking to run the exhaust.  I could just envision cutting the wire between the logs.    Well I researched the photographs and sure enough I was good to go at that spot.

Another example was when I was erecting the cabin I did not have the short logs all cataloged.  Couldn't figure out which "Lincoln log" went at what location.  Yep sure enough I went to the photographs of the standing shell where I purchased them, blowed up the photograph and there they were with knots and markings that I could determine what went where.   

[MountainDon]

I was a film guy ....

Me too.... 13 years selling darkroom equipment, ..... 

Last year I actually gave away an Omega D6 with both the condenser and Super Chromega heads. Clearing out the attic........

[DaveOrr]

I'm taking tons of pictures of my build.
The main reason I decided to take pictures besides having them for my own personal memories was to use as a selling tool when I go to sell it.
I want to be able to show prospective buyers how much work went into the build as well as the quality of the construction and materials.
Hopefully it will boost the price I'm able to get too. 

[MushCreek]

The first time I really saw the potential for digital was years ago when my then-teenage son and I were working on his old truck. My son got the idea to take pictures of rear brake assembly so that we would know where to put all of the bits and pieces when we put it back together. At the time, I would have never thought of that.

Another cool thing is now there are all sorts of places where you can get photo books made at a very reasonable cost. They're nice; hard bound and all. I'm going to be laid up for a while soon due to surgery, so I'm going to take the down-time to get my pics together for a nice 'coffee table' book of the entire building process. Can you imagine what that would have cost in the pre-digital era?

[Rys]

I love the idea of making a build book!   

[Adam Roby]

I like the fact that I can take 100 snaps and only print the 4 good ones where everyone's eyes were open.
Problem with my wife is that she has no patience to sort through the good and bad ones, so she would periodically just send a couple hundred to the local print shop and when I would pick them up there would be 20 or so of my rear brakes or a cracked tooth...  never thought she would go through and actually print them.  Now I when I take a lot of pics, I tend to transfer them onto my laptop and email myself the ones I want to keep (cause laptops go wonky sometimes too).  I then delete all of my "work" pics so she doesn't wind up printing them.