Least expensive way to shoot a grade???

[BobReeves]

hi Gang,

Looking for ideas on how to measure a grade without spending a whole lot. Am reworking several areas of the property for better drainage and it would be nice to be sureI am not trying to make water go up hill.

Have a laser level but am pretty sure it would be useless in bright sun. Anyone put sights on a carpenters level /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Highbeam]

We use a pea gun in my trade. It is like a little rifle scope with a level indicator in the field of view. You hold it to your eye and shoot something for reference and then walk up your ditch and look at that same reference point to see the change in height of your eye. If you get real fancy, you can mark up a stick to use as a level rod.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Given what you've got, I'd use the laser at night. Done deal.

If you have a fairly decent laser and plan to keep it a while, I'd buy a laser detector for it. Home Depot has them but they may run $100.

If you're thinking of using a hand level (aka pea gun), they aren't cheap for a decent one either. But, a hand level is nothing more than a small carpenter's level with a cheap low power telescope and a mirror/prism to view the field and bubble at the same time ... you can do about the same thing by sighting along the top of a carpenters level while holding a mechanics mirror above the bubble ... for free.

Cheers!

 

[RonR]

A long time ago, I helped an uncle sight in a terrace with "homemade stuff". We used a .22 rifle (UNLOADED) w/ scope, a yardstick taped onto a 2x4, and a level.

We found a spot where we could see all the terrain, drove some 2x4 in the ground for a stable post. Then placed a level on top of the 2x4 post, and the rifle on top of that.

I was on the dummy end with the yardstick taped to the 2x4. I started at the point where we wanted to start the terrace. Uncle leveled the rifle, took a sighting and read a number on the yard stick.

IIRC, the slope he wanted was 1" drop per 10ft, so I'd take 3-4 big steps, set the stake, and uncle would take a reading. If I was high, I'd walk downhill and re-shoot. When I got to the right "heigth", I'd install a flag.

Repeated this about 20 times and he had it flagged. Then we pulled the five bottom plow down both sides of the flags and he had his terrace. Repeated for about 3 years just following the contour built a nice terrace--for almost no cost.

That was 40 years ago and that terrace is still there!

If I were doing it today, I'd spring for a harbor freight transit and just do it.

Ron

 

[RobertN]

I have seen folks use a laser level during the day. Wear laser safety glasses. Get a larger(24x24" or bigger) piece of white cardboard, to make it easy to aim and find the dot. It seemed to work just fine. Hard to find without the large white paper/cardboard though...

I have rented transits and builders levels. Seem to remember $20/day or so. That was level, tripod, and target/marker(instead of a tape measure).

 

[Glenn9643]

Your bio indicates 7.5 acres, so it shouldn't be a big job.
I had a ditch project down the long side of 20 acres here, about 600' from the problem area to the bayou I wanted to drain into.
In order to get an idea of the grade change I used 100' of string, some stakes, and a couple of string-levels. In flat country gradual elevation changes can be deceiving. I had to go down about 5' at the bayou bank to drain the back corner 600' or away. The string levels got me close, and later rains showed me the details of what I needed.

 

[inveresk]

A water level should cost only a few bucks and will give better accuracy than just about anything else.

 

[Glenn9643]

The only drawback to the water level is the availability of water where it's needed. You also need to be sure that the hose is cleared of any air pockets to ensure level. Water levels are accurate, but at times a PITA.

 

[inveresk]

Water levels are accurate, but at times a PITA.

Your right about the limitations of water levels but the poster wanted a cheap solution and I can't think of a cheaper tool for levelling. But it does come with some penalties. . . .

 

[Spiffy]

Quite a novice on the subject too, I made one with two "marking stakes", two yardsticks and 50ft of clear tube last fall but never got around to using it yet.

I can see filling with water and making sure that no bubbles exist; perhaps always be a few feet short of hose; maybe cumbersome dragging around the hose.

Does that sum it up or were there other usage penalties or perhaps results penalties I'm missing?