Amazon.com Review
If we could do this kind of math in our heads, we'd be working for NASA, not cutting wood. This little gem will add, subtract, multiply, and divide yards, feet, inches, fractions, decimals, meters, centimeters, and millimeters and make you look really, really smart. We threw some astronomical calculations at it and got our answers in the time it took to push a button. Figuring board feet, squares, and cubics is not a problem, and this calculator will do area and volume as well. Stairs--perhaps the most intimidating of all construction projects--become nothing but a quick calculation. We thought it was a nice touch that a battery was included, and the user's guide is great, even for someone who lacks a degree in rocket science. We know how you like to do all your figuring problems in pencil all over scrap wood, but give this a spin. It'll be the least expensive and smallest power tool in your arsenal (it fits in a shirt pocket), but one of your best investments.
--Kris Jensen-Van Heste
From the Manufacturer
When estimating and bidding, to the last nail, this power tool will help you get every job done right the first time. It works directly in and converts between feet, inches, any fraction, yards, board feet, meters, centimeters, millimeters (including square and cubic dimensions). Construction Master IV includes automatic stair key: finds the number of risers, treads, overage or underage, stringer length, and incline angle; board feet/unit price key: estimates material amounts and cost; rake wall key: gives you stud length for any pitch or on center spacing; weight-per-volume key: convert between weights (pounds, tons, kg) and find weights of any material (tons per cubic yard, etc.); instant rafter and right angle solutions: common rafters, regular and irregular hip/valley rafters, stair stringers, concrete slopes and drainages. Save hours on all your tough building calculations, and save money on material that isn't miscut or wasted.
