Great craftsmen rely on their old hand tools for many years and repair them over and over because they feel right and know the ‘touch’. In many cases an old tool does the best job, but technology has changed this for some tasks. One of the most recent tools added to our toolbox is the infra-red camera. In many situations over the construction process we need to distinguish temperature differentials, such as locating where the air leaks are in an old building, or where we risk puncturing a radiant tube in a floor or wall. Years ago this technology cost over $10,000 for a decent quality camera. Recently at an energy conference Peter came across an IPhone accessory which did this for less than $500. He snatched one up immediately. The camera now has a special spot on the tool shelf for those days when we need to find a draft in a wall, or a radiant tube in the floor, or a warm tube of glycol in a concrete slab.
