Patent attributes
A layout tool includes an object detector constructed and arranged to detect the location of a vertically extending edge portion of an object hidden from view behind a generally vertically extending wall surface, a light source that is capable of projecting a line of light along the wall surface, and an angular orientation mechanism operably coupled to the light projection mechanism. The angular orientation mechanism is operable to establish that the line of light is vertical. The light source and the object detector are operatively interengaged such that when a vertically extending edge is detected by the object detector, a vertically extending line of light projected on the surface by the light source indicates the location of a vertically extending edge portion of the hidden object.