Home made slope meter...

[BTDT]

for the slope, not the tractor. Take a piece of wood, maybe 2' long, 1x4, stick a piece of stiff wire into side, bend up to be vertical with board. Hang a protractor, (or a paper copy of one) from wire bent over so protractor has curved part hanging down. Support wire should show through opening at 90 degree mark. Now when you set board on slope to be measured, protractor will still have curved part down, adjust so that flat part is parallel to board. Should be able to read degrees of slope. See drawing.

 

[johnk]

Makes me feel dumber than a preschooler when I saw the simple route in the drawing. No trig. necessary. Nicely illustrated. No everyone should have no excuse not to find the slopes of what they seem to be afraid of attacking with their tractor. Maybe we'll see some replies to some of the slopes in question with your 99 cent surveyor tool.....

 

[Grrrr]

I am going to build that tomorrow. I would love to know what some of the slopes I drive on are but have never thought about making one. Thanks

 

[TrippleT]

The following is a picture I made of one I built and put on the loader arm of the tractor. I set out the angles on paper and then laminated the thing and taped it to the loader arm. I painted it to make it somewhat water proof. Works pretty well. Enough when I get to 15 degrees I start correcting soon as possible.
I am not sure how clear this will be since I took it today and it was cloudy here and under the tractor cover as well.

 

[DViau]

You guys have so much great ideas, I was looking form somthing like that

Thanks

and keep posting ideas and pictures, it help so much

 

[MrJimi]

My homemade slope meter is the seat of my pants, if it don't feel right ? DON'T
just something about that tells us something inside
just think about slope meter telling you all is fine and you hit a dip in the ground!! TIMBER
Jim

 

[BTDT]

Here are 4 pics of the slope meter in action. Didn't get to use the board per the drawing (my board was busy holding up the tongue jack on my welding trailer). I stuck the wire vertically in the ground, slid the protractor over it, then tilted to make flat edge parallel with ground. This slope is approximately 20 degree's. I will try to get a picture of the tractor going up it this weekend. I might add that my wife is the one tilting the protractor, my hands don't look near that nice.

 

[BTDT]

This last pic is of a monarch butterfly, lot's of them crossing our place now. Sorry, it's a little blurry.

 

['Bota Fan]

Now I have a sure-fire way to see if that $50 tilt meter I bought is any where close to accurate.

Your idea is so simple, it's got to be either illegal or fattening. Thanks so much for sharing.

 

[BTDT]

Here are 4 pics of my tractor headed down the slope (the one in the slope meter pics). I dismounted tractor, left in gear, killed engine, set brakes, and lowered mower to ground to keep it from taking off. A lot of the brush I'm mowing off the levy is just wild plum trees, grape vines, berry vines, etc. I mowed around our pecan trees to make it easier to pick up the pecans.

 

[RonMar]

Cool, at least you have a place to turn around at the top

 

[Grrrr]

That is a very idyllic looking area

Nice to see old tractors still in use.

 

[Kendrick]

roflmao... I just did that to get my cuts right on my wood shed that I attached to the house. I shal hopefully be able to update my threds on the angle of doom If i get it going before the snow and sleet. one suggestion 3 or so foot long board to help normalize the reading

 

[firedog]

Good idea on the slope-meter. Looks real similar to a listometer on a ship, except the protractor would be fixed and the pointer would swing like a weighted pendulum.

 

[sandman2234]

I thought about building one of those for my place, but decided to use a steel ruler instead of a protrator. Can you tell I live in Florida, the land of flat ground and hanging chads?
David from jax

 

[mjncad]

I thought about building one of those for my place, but decided to use a steel ruler instead of a protrator. Can you tell I live in Florida, the land of flat ground and hanging chads?
David from jax

And sink holes.

 

[bigballer]

you guys are inventive, i like the ideas. i am thinking about getting this one, it would serve 2 of my passions - tractoring and bc snowboarding..

Backcountry Access Slope Meter from REI.com

 

[Harry c]

If you're looking for really crude and really easy... The BX24 battery cover / intake screen is held in place with a knurled knob directly under the steering wheel. I bent a hook on the end of a 12 inch long wire and hung it from this knob extending downward. I used my precision angle finder and marked 15 degrees left and right deflection on the intake screen with a small piece of masking tape. As I drove slowly on the slopes that were of concern, the wire would swing and indicate the amount of sideways roll. All of my concern areas were around the 15 degrees that seems to be safe. I covered all the sloped areas in the worst case direction. Somewhat mollified, I removed the wire and went on my way knowing my danger areas weren't so dangerous after all.