TIA App

After all this talk about a TIA app, I got to cogitating and wondered what everyone thought.

Obviously a site app with reviews and stuff would be cool, but it would be really cool to have a utilitarian app too. Lots of conversions, references, maybe some how to’s, or list of supplies. Seems like every time I go to the store to get supplies for a project I overlook something. I’m just thinking out loud though. What do you guys like?

Some additional features for project assistance would be nice. If they want a larger audience how too video’s would help in that area. If they do make an app they need Dan’s list of tool model numbers.

Good ideas.  The list of supplies for a project sounds good.  Like DR said, how to videos would help.  How about a tool compare feature for quickly looking at tool specifics. For example, if your at the hardward store and you want to quickly compare two different tools.  The app can quickly show you information without having to read the boxes back and fourth, etc.

I think this would be a great idea, but what will the cost be on Eric and Dans part? 

We have been wanting to make a app, but it’s not cheap.  Some feature are more expensive then others.  A side by side comparison is can be very expensive because of buying a database.  On the other hand some short of supply list isn’t that bad.  We never went through with it because we weren’t sure what to put on the app to make it appealing, so this is a great thread.  Thanks for setting it up

Definitely a drill chart for tapping holes. Metric to Standard equivalents would be nice. A torque conversion calculator (in. lbs. to ft. lbs. to newtons, etc).

That’s a good one.  Never thought about that.

Like you said Eric, we just have to get a lot of people interested in it.

2 cycle mixing ratios, quarts/ounces to liters/milliliters, any kind of conversion you might run into in your shop.

Another good one.  I’ll have to pull up my old notes we had and run some of the ideas past you guys.  

Necroing this thread for a reason:

Howto’s and guides. So many times I was at work, doing some makeshift repair etc. and I thought to myself – wait a minute, I don’t know how to do that do I? Googling stuff on your phone is a pain and a waste of time, I’d love to have a TIA app that would tell me instantly “Dude, you’re using a wrong type of blade on your circular saw, teeth are too big you damn moron”. You know, some basic hints and tricks for a certain type of job. Yeah, I know – a bloody massive amount of work writing that type of stuff and all, but I’m just giving an idea. I still remember how I had to figure out on the spot how to use a vernier caliper when the digital one went AWOL and I havent used vernier since elementary school. To this day there are numerous things that are obvious to people in specific trades but they’re black magic when one is supposed to figure them out instantly on a jobsite.

The only viable solution I see is a dedicated subforum “guides of the trades” where we could gather all of your experience which eventually could be compiled to an app form.

Or maybe I’m overthinking it and “Dan’s thought for the day” would be equaly viable option for boosting morale at work?

Also include some wiring configurations for meat sticks like me that are trying our hands in that area!

Thanks for all the feedback.  We are hoping we can do that one day.

WOW!  I like the sound of this.  I usually have a copy of Thomas J. Glover’s POCKET REFERENCE handy but there are dozens of topics of information you can’t find there either.

Correct RPM for various diameters of drill bits, router bits, etc.

Correct blades for various applications and materials on the band saw, saber saw, table saw, etc.

Compound miter/bevel settings for sloping angular joints, etc.

There is even a set of rough grinding bevel calculators on Brent Beach’s grinding & honing website I’d love to see TIA have here.

We could also have a page of links to expertise (like the one I just mentioned on grinding & honing) on reciprocal web sites.

I really have no objection to an app but my present understanding is that you need a cell phone to access an app. I am one of those old geezers who doesn’t really want a cell phone, and there may be more of us out here, so please, if you put up an app, please offer the same info here on the TIA website.

I really like the idea of TIA app. Things like a cut calculator where it figures out how to get the most pieces for a project out of a given size of stock like a sheet of 4×8 ply or a lite construction calculator.

Concrete calculator would be nice too.

Let’s not forget about calculators for paint coverage, comparisons of conventional nails with pneumatic nails, electrical wire gauge sizes for various current demands at various distances, and the list goes on.

There are even two different sandpaper grid schedules (American & European) which are identical in the coarser grits but vary quite a bit as you get into increasingly finer grits.

Granted, these days, most of the applicable information is provided in the owners’ manuals for new power tools. But some of us have older tools, manuals do get lost,

Humm. I program in C/C++ and a little Java. Android would be an easy platform to build the app for the first run. If it does well time can be spent on an iPhone version. Any other programmers out there? I’m mostly an embedded programmer.

The app would have to have a tool inventory feature. I want to scan my tools and save a pic of a receipt. Link it to the online data sheet/user guide for the tool. If my tools are stolen I can flag them, and if another user goes to buy them, their scan will return a stolen tool icon or something. Also maybe a wallet for homedepot/lows cards. A project list and about 1000 other things. I say start small and build it up linked to your YouTube and forum. It’s easy to get carried away with wanting to add features, you might lose control of the project. Instead start simple and add features as requested.

I see concrete calculator….what about a general construction calculator?…can calculate paint requirements, fencing, tile, flooring, concrete…you get the idea.

the app would be very nice! the ugly’s book (or something like it) would be filled with a lot of general references that most can use. 

I think that a TIA app is a great idea.