Actually, I was giving some thought to the use of laser pointers. Take one out with you in low light and you'll be amazed how far they project.
I was thinking that you could make a laser pointer framing jig. One way might be, say, a wooden plate with groves cut in it. These grooves could represent the angle of view on your lens at different distances. Place the plate on top of the rear standard, line up with the front edge, and by placing the laser pointer in the appropriate groove you would project a spot representing the edge of the frame. Place the same plate on the side and it would give you the top and bottom. I nearly went as far as making a prototype before I realised there is an even easier way.
Take a stick (maybe a Bamboo kebab skewer or a knitting needle) and tape the laser pointer to it. Make sure the beam is parallel to the stick. Place the back of the stick in the little square in the eyepiece of the wire finder - place the front inside the larger metal frame and switch on the laser pointer. Now... by following the profile of the inside of the larger front frame with the stick - you draw a laser line around the square that represents the frame you are shooting. Flick the stick quickly back and forth and you can 'paint' a line on the scene. It is self adjusting as the angle changes as you focus and alter the distance from the frame to the eyepiece. I tried this last night and was amazed how well it works. You can easily see if the edge of your frame is lined up with a building or if the camera is level. It works well indoors, too. In my case it wasn't too accurate size wise, as my lens gives a wider view than the wire frame suggests... but it still gives an idea. I could I suppose make a more accurate frame.
Now, you are going to tell me the Tachihara doesn't have a metal frame finder... right?
