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The laser tack I used was made for model airplane engines and has a two blade and three blade setting. I used the two blade setting which required two strips of black tape be placed on opposite sides of the flywheel. Being hand held, you had to point it to the flywheel to get a reading. This could be a problem in rough water or heavy traffic where you needed to see where you were going. Using the Tiny tack on the Mercurys with a distributer requires using shielded ignition wires on all upper cylinders and reading off the bottom. . .
Frank, I have one of those laser tachs. They are very handy from time to time, as a shop tool. You just put a piece of reflective tape on whatever you want to get an RPM reading on, point the unit at it and you have a reading. It seems to be VERY accurate. It’s great for diesels, (that don’t even have an “ignition,” of course) for SHAFTS, and open flywheels. You can check the reduction of a transmission or gear box, by measuring the input and output speeds, and doing the math. One time, I found a small marine transmission was slipping, by doing this. I suppose it would be good on a non-planing boat, for an outboard. However, you have to hold very precisely for a few solid seconds, before it will get a reading. I can’t see trying to turn around and do this on a planing, bouncing boat. My particular unit also has a rubber cone on it, that you can physically engage in the top of a crank shaft, etc. and read RPM directly I don’t use it much, but when I need it, it is indispensable..
Long live American manufacturing!
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