REEKON T1 Tomahawk Digital Tape Measure
The Future of Construction
By now you’ve probably seen the ads for and some of the press about the REEKON T1 Tomahawk Digital Tape Measure. You may have noticed that it’s a tape measure with digital readout, and that with just a press of a button it saves those measurements to an e-paper screen. Maybe you’ve seen or figured out that since this thing is a computer, it can convert to or measure in any fraction of imperial or metric measurements, as well as perform some calculations on them (finding centers, for example).
Yes, it can do all of those things, but that’s just the kindergarten level of its capabilities. In fact, calling it a “digital tape measure” is like calling an F250 a “horseless wagon”. Calling it that completely misses the real benefit of the T1 and its ROCK app.
You may know that the measurements you capture with a click on the tool are instantly transferred to a log on the ROCK app, and thought how great it would be to have the person running the saw outside have a cut list delivered to them in real-time from the person taking measurements inside. Yes, that’s possible, but focusing on it is like saying an F250’s main advantage over a horse is that it can haul a little more cargo than a couple of saddlebags.
The big deal about the REEKON T1 Tomahawk is the (real-time) integration of the physical measuring tool with the capabilities of a full-function construction app. This is what will save you time and money, and reduce your errors. You don’t have to transcribe or enter your measurements into an app – it all happens transparently, in real-time.
Take the measurements pertinent to your project and the ROCK app can analyze them with a full-function construction calculator…for almost any trade. You can organize the measurements by project, annotate them, take photos, sketch over them, and drag and drop measurements anywhere on that canvas.
The ROCK app lets you create templates for custom analyses of the measurements you take with the T1. Anything in the app can be shared with other people — you can collaborate in real time between other mobile devices.
The app lets you automatically generate text and QR code labels for measurements, locations, issues, notes, and other objects for printing using the REEKON PL-1 Construction Printer.
If you want to see how the REEKON T1 Tomahawk works (spoiler: it’s easy!), there’s a nice video here. A quick overview of the ROCK app is here.
The only other feature I wish the T1 had was laser measuring capability.
Where Does the REEKON T1 Tomahawk Fit in Today’s World?
I see the REEKON T1 Tomahawk as a bridge tool between the 20th-century world of construction and the fully automated almost hands-free construction world of the second half of the 21st century. That’s still several decades, and I’m pretty sure that REEKON, a company that’s taking a lead in the digitation of the jobsite, will continue to be at the forefront of this trend.
Many Type 3 and Type 4 pros can definitely take advantage of the T1’s capabilities today. As with any new technology, there’s a learning curve, of course. But as tools like the T1 become standard in the trades, the contractors that master the technology, and reap its benefits, early will have an advantage over their less tech-enthusiastic competitors who will forever be in catch-up.
The REEKON T1 Tomahawk is a $260 tool, which is of course too much for a tape measure…but cheap for the capabilities it provides in conjunction with the ROCK app. Not just inexpensive, but a wise investment.
