Another use for thee bane of civilized world, junk mail.

[Toolmaker51]

Really! Beyond fire tinder, wrapping odd items, cutting patterns?
My driveway has a mercury-halogen flood light attached to freestanding garage. While they might work best high above area to be illuminated, whoever installed mine, [pre 2005 on property built 1902...] got a leetle-beet carried away. We call that a lottle; like a little, but a lot, lol.
Bulb has burned out after a few years constantly on, seems a timer or light sensitive switch is in order, but I digress. Trying to gauge height by tape measure's a joke, best tapes only stand out 11'. From second story [9'5" ceilings plus grade] window ledge, still had to crane my neck to see the lamp fixture. Yikes this isn't a driveway light, it needs an aircraft warning light of its own; a lighthouse 1200 miles from nearest coastline, maybe signal to extra-terrestrials? ET didn't need a phone, a convenient beacon is in my side yard!
I know of, or personally, almost everyone who's lived in this house since being built, one must be a clone hiding his purpose here....

Anyway, my efforts after dark were a failure too, wall texture and angle wouldn't disclose mark from my laser level.
Next day, disposing junk mail I hit upon this solution. By folding over top edge of paper to adjacent side, an accurate square results. Folding two opposing corners creates an accurate 45°. Next, tape plastic drinking straw to the 45° edge.
as usual, click the pic for a less microscopic illustration.
Step forward or back, until intended object appears through the straw, while holding corresponding paper edge parallel [or perpendicular if you prefer] to the ground.
Mark the spot on the ground at your toes. Step back additionally the height of your eye from ground level. That new point is intersection of 45° from whatever object viewed to figuratively horizontal plane. Measure distance from that second mark to a spot as close to directly under [plumb] the object sighted in the straw.
My light turns out to be about 31 feet up, in 1" rigid conduit!
That bit of geometry will help ordering a scaffold and suction cup tipped bulb wand. I have 15' feet of scaffold, 4 jackscrews, and a 12' wand, have to trust ability to reach up and maneuver a $25.00 bulb.....hmmmm
Or be an OSHA poster boy with step ladder on the uppermost scaffold planks?

[thehomeengineer]

Forget that I don't like heights scaffolding or not lol. I think I would rather fit a new light and it would work out to be a lot cheaper option. Leave the old light as a mark of respect to the guy who fitted it in the first place Good luck on the repair.

[DIYer]

Thanks Toolmaker51! We've added your Square to our Measuring and Marking category,
as well as to your builder page: Toolmaker51's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Square by Toolmaker51

tags: measurement

[PJs]

Brilliant TM51 and hilarious as usual! Great use of math, old school Enginerding as well as recycling. My son and I used to fly (shoot) rockets and had a floating angle gauge like yours but we were hitting 2-3k feet then. As long as they went straight up (questionable sometimes) a known distance from the launch pad it gave a clue to heights.

Personally I think I might cut it down and put a hinge on it with a pulley system or some such...And change to some type of high powered moon beam'er LED.
Thanks TM!

PJ

[Frank S]

31 ft on 1" rigid conduit? unless it has guy wires around here it would already be on the ground, or have a permanent bow in it from the wind. The only light pollution we have outside at night here is the red nav beacons atop of 4 windmill towers a little over 15 miles away and a cell tower 3 miles away but at least there are trees that hide the light from that thing. We can step outside ona clear moonless night and see a trillion stars well maybe it is only a few billion I haven't finished counting them yet.

[suther51]

No place like rural!!!!!:thumbsup
Eric

[melbakid]

I agree there is no place like Rural!! As a retired electrician, I cast my vote for the LED bulb. Just make sure you by pass or remove the ballast for the previous lamp. LED's are available in 2700K to 6500K. Pick your poison. The higher the K, the whiter the light. 2700K is close to a standard incandescent in color.

[Frank S]

As a proponent for LED as well, I will share little tidbit in my house I have somewhere upwards of 50 LED bulbs all have a 9 watt current draw producing around 750 average lumenes in the 3000K range making them close to that of a 60w incandescent. In my opinion they are closer to a 50 w but be that as it may,If I were to switch everyone on the total wattage consumption would be less than the total consumption used to be with only the lights over my kitchen table and the sink would be with the old fulfillment bulbs.The great thing is with the gaining popularity I can buy an 8 pack of them for around $7.50 at Lowes one of the highest priced big box home improvement stores in the country I have LED lights in all of my trailers and am gradually going full LED in all vehicles and equipment
Not related to the subject matter but my 55" TV draws less power than my old 15" I had in college

[Frank S]

Yep there is nothing like the peace and quiet of having 2700 ft of highway frontage and only having 4 tractors 3 pickups and possibly a lost car or 2 pass by each day.. Where I can sit outside at night with stars bright enough to create shadows or be able to read a book by moonlight alone.