The Construction Master Pro Series Calculators

Let’s face it, we’re always looking for something to help us do ‘whatever’ it is we do, better. That quest is most often fraught with pseudo grandeur and disappointment. Just look around and you’d be amazed at all the things there are to make your life better. . . Very few, if any, live up to their hype, does the Bammer™ ring a bell?.

Well, let me be the first to say that the newest editions from Calculated Industries to its Construction Master Pro Series Calculators are without doubt the best thus far. I’ve been a happy owner of a Construction Master Calculator starting with model 3. Since that time, I’ve also bought a number of CM4’s that were an improvement over the 3’s when they came out. I liked these calculators so much; I used to buy them for the guy’s on my crew as little Christmas bonuses. What made this type of calculator unique at the time was the fact that it would display the numbers in fractional format. This was a big improvement over the traditional scientific calculators of the same period which displayed the numbers in decimal format. Combining this and the relative easy or operation made these calculators the calculator of choice for many a carpenter in the field. What also separated this calculator from others, were the “built-in” functions that made things like figuring out roof rafters or stair run and rise very easy; especially when the information was presented in feet, inches and fractions thereof.

One of the new functions in this release is the ability to calculate the miter and bevel angles cuts for crown mouldings using the calculator directly which I think was great. I was able to do it using the older models, but it required a few more key strokes and a bit of creative thinking. Now it’s just a few simple key strokes and on a whole, this model seems to get the job done with fewer key strokes in general. Now that’s a good thing! In addition, the Construction Master Pro Series Calculators now offer a host of new features and functions that the calculators perform quite easily. Their list includes:

Dimensional Math and Conversions

Work in and convert between building dimensional formats: Yards, Feet-Inch-Fractions, Decimal Feet-Inches and Metric – including Area and Volume
D:M:S to Decimal Degree conversions
Find Weight per Volume

Built-in Time Saving Functions

Complete Stair calculations for Risers, Treads, Stringer Length and Incline Angle
Set Riser Height and solve for Stairwell Opening
Built-in Right-Angle Functions for Square-ups, Slopes and more
Area, Volume and Perimeter solutions with Length, Width and Height Keys
Drywall, Siding and Paneling Key calculates 4x8, 4x9 or 4x12 Sheets to cover an Area
Roof Function finds Area, Bundles, Squares and 4x8 Sheathing for Flat or Pitched Roofs
Custom Rafter Function provides Common Rafters, Regular and Irregular Hips, Valleys and Jacks; instant Cutting Angles (Cheek, Level and Plumb)
Jack Rafter results for Regular and Irregular Pitch Roof. Find Rake-Wall Studs with On-center spacing
Compound Miter – Store Crown Angle and Enter Wall Corner Angle to calculate the Blade Tilt and Angle for Miters cuts
Advanced solutions for Circles, Arches, Columns, Cones, Pillars, Windows and Post-holes
Arched Rake-Walls with On-center Spacing
Studs – Calculate the number of On-center Studs for an entered Length
Equal Sided Polygon – Calculate Corner and Bi-sect Angles, Side Length, Perimeter and Area
Block and Footing solutions
Board Feet Lumber estimating

Additional Features

User Preferences: Set custom defined options such as Fractional settings for 1/2” to 1/64” and Stair Headroom Height, Decimal Degrees and more
Exponential Notation: Enter and display exponential values
Backspace Key: Makes it easy to change just-entered values
Constant Operator: Simplifies repetitive calculations
Cost per Unit: Easily solve unit costing and pricing
Accumulating Memory (M+) – Plus three additional Memory Storage locations
Paperless Tape: Review of last 20 entries; double-check totals
Standard Calculations: works as a regular math calculator with +, -, +/-, x, ÷, %, Π, 1/x, X2, and √
Automatic Shut-Off saves battery life

New Features, Functions and Enhanced Solutions:

Drywall – Siding and Panels
Stairs – Riser Height and solve for Stairwell Opening
Studs On-center
Compound Miter Cuts
Arched Rake-Walls

Another improvement over older models is the new Construction Master Pro User’s Guide which is available. This is far better than the little booklet that used to accompany the calculator. It’s easier to read and follow along with. The illustrations are bigger and easier to see as well. I say just about everything that Calculated Industries did with this release was a winner for its loyal customer base looking to upgrade and of course any new customers. So, if you’re in the market for a new calculator you should definitely consider this one!

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