Easy Way To Measure A Christmas Tree

2007 - Volume #31, Issue #4, Page #11

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As a Christmas tree grower who sells his own trees, Tom Dull needed a fast, efficient, and accurate way to measure the height of Christmas trees on his retail lot.
"We felt we could maximize the income per tree by selling them in 6-in. increments," says the Thorntown, Ind., man. "We weren't satisfied with the accuracy of other methods of measuring that we had seen."
It's made from metal rod and has a series of spiraling crossbars spaced 6 in. apart. To use, Dull places the butt of the tree in a metal container and stands the tree straight up so the tip of the tree is in line with the outer perimeter of the measurer. Then he grasps the handle of the measurer and rotates it until one of the crossbars hits the top of the tree. The height is marked for each crossbar on the center pole.
"By using this device, the tree height is measured exactly, the customer can visually see the height, and we get the most out of the tree," says Dull. "The customer is happy because he perceives extra value, in that the tree is priced at the height of the first crossbar it comes in contact with, not the one that's closest to the tip of the tree.
"In other words, a tree that measures 6 ft. 5 in. is sold at the 6-ft. price because it didn't touch the 6-ft. 6-in. crossbar. The even-foot crossbars are painted red, and the half-foot crossbars are painted green to speed up the process," says Dull.
The measuring device's center pole is a solid rod with a dimple in the top where a single greased ball bearing sits. A pipe with the top end welded closed slips down over the rod and rests on the ball bearing, making it easy to pivot. All the crossbars and supporting rods are welded to the pipe. Crossbars are welded on every 6 in. from 4 to 10 ft., and the ends of the crossbars are supported by another bent rod to stabilize them. The lower end of the inner rod is triangulated with two supports to take the flex out of the rod.
"This measuring device is simple enough that any of our helpers can use it. It's quick and accurate and helps us to be as efficient as possible," notes Dull.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tom Dull, 1765 Blubaugh Ave., Thorntown, Ind. 46071 (ph 765 325-2418; dulltree @bremc.nef).

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Easy Way To Measure A Christmas Tree MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 31-4-11 As a Christmas tree grower who sells his own trees, Tom Dull needed a fast, efficient, and accurate way to measure the height of Christmas trees on his retail lot. "We felt we could maximize the income per tree by selling them in 6-in. increments," says the Thorntown, Ind., man. "We weren't satisfied with the accuracy of other methods of measuring that we had seen." It's made from metal rod and has a series of spiraling crossbars spaced 6 in. apart. To use, Dull places the butt of the tree in a metal container and stands the tree straight up so the tip of the tree is in line with the outer perimeter of the measurer. Then he grasps the handle of the measurer and rotates it until one of the crossbars hits the top of the tree. The height is marked for each crossbar on the center pole. "By using this device, the tree height is measured exactly, the customer can visually see the height, and we get the most out of the tree," says Dull. "The customer is happy because he perceives extra value, in that the tree is priced at the height of the first crossbar it comes in contact with, not the one that's closest to the tip of the tree. "In other words, a tree that measures 6 ft. 5 in. is sold at the 6-ft. price because it didn't touch the 6-ft. 6-in. crossbar. The even-foot crossbars are painted red, and the half-foot crossbars are painted green to speed up the process," says Dull. The measuring device's center pole is a solid rod with a dimple in the top where a single greased ball bearing sits. A pipe with the top end welded closed slips down over the rod and rests on the ball bearing, making it easy to pivot. All the crossbars and supporting rods are welded to the pipe. Crossbars are welded on every 6 in. from 4 to 10 ft., and the ends of the crossbars are supported by another bent rod to stabilize them. The lower end of the inner rod is triangulated with two supports to take the flex out of the rod. "This measuring device is simple enough that any of our helpers can use it. It's quick and accurate and helps us to be as efficient as possible," notes Dull. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tom Dull, 1765 Blubaugh Ave., Thorntown, Ind. 46071 (ph 765 325-2418; dulltree @bremc.nef).

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