finding the center point over an island

[Bob Crosley]

I have an island kitchen that currently has a fluorescent fixture off to one side of the island (no, I don't know what the builder was thinking setting it off to the side.) My wife has bought a new chandeleir style fixture that mounts to a single point. I want to center it above the island.

My challenge is finding the center of the island and marking that point on the ceiling. My current thinking is to measure from one wall to the near and far side of the island and then transfering those measurements to the ceiling. Then going to the perpendicular wall and take near and far side measurements and transfer those. Then make my X on the ceiling to find the center.

But there's got to be an easier way. Any suggestions?

Bob

[Danford C Jennings]

Bob,

Yeah, find the center point on the island and transfer that point to the ceiling using a plumb bob....

Dano

[doo_hicky]

I would do as Lou had said, find the center of the island and use a plumbob to then find the corresponding location on the ceiling.

Mike

[jimpen]

And before you think you need a new tool.....

All you need is a piece of string and a couple of washers to make a plum bob.

Sorry, I just never found it worth the money to buy a special piece of metal for something as simple as this and that I may use once a year. Just my $0.02.

[Bob Crosley]

(HOMER SIMPSON=ON) D'OH! (HOMER=OFF)

I made that post and then was sitting in a meeting, and it hit me. Exactly what was suggested here. I hate when that happens!

But thanks to everyone who responed. Sometimes you overthink the problem and it takes someone else to point out the obvious.

Bob

[FrankC]

You can also find the center of the island, then sit a flashlight on end at that point shinning at the ceiling.

[Danford C Jennings]

Mike,

I'm Dano, Lou's not here.... ;)

Dano

[PastorPaul]

Doesn't that make you feel plumb foolish? :)

Pastor Paul
http://webpages.charter.net/chalosi/usaC.gif http://webpages.charter.net/chalosi/usaC.gif

"If they don't have woodworking in heaven, I ain't going!!!"

[PastorPaul]

Now there's a bright idea! :)

I'd better get out of this thread before my sick jokes get me in trouble.

Pastor Paul
http://webpages.charter.net/chalosi/usaC.gif http://webpages.charter.net/chalosi/usaC.gif

"If they don't have woodworking in heaven, I ain't going!!!"

[TDHofstetter]

One way to do it would be to walk the beaches until you're sure it IS an island instead of a peninsula. Who knows, you might get lucky and never have to repair the Minnow at all!

Then, after you've established that it's indeed an island, you can get the Professor to build you a surveyor's transit from a couple conch shells and with the help of the Skipper you can use that transit to survey the entire island and draw up a detailed plat map.

The rest is easy. Make a bunch of wooden pegs precisely 1" square and about 6" long. Using the plat map as a guide, begin driving a line of these pegs into the ground at the northernmost tip of the island (allowing for tide) and progressing to the southernmost tip. Don't space them any distance apart, since you'll end up with cumulative error as you go up one side of a volcano and down the other side - instead, butt each one tightly against the one next to it.

After having driven that line of pegs, consult your plat map again to find the westernmost point of the island. Begin there with another line of pegs, progressing eastward until you reach the continuous line of pegs running in the North-South direction. You needn't go any further - this is your exact geographical center.

If you need to find the CENTER OF BALANCE, then you've got a whole different issue on your hands. In that case, you'll have to blanket the entire island with those precise 1" wooden pegs and count them.

You needn't worry about errors caused by errant trees - where the heck do you think you got those pegs, anyway?

Oh, a KITCHEN island! That's different! Use a plumb bob.

Plumb bob. Anybody wonder? The best early ones had a weight made from a material called "plumbium", which we in more modern times have renamed "lead". In fact, plumbers used to be lead-pipe-cinch specialists... hence their name.

-- Tim --

Each of us
Is ultimately
Completely responsible
For our own interaction
With the world around us.