shoot the grade

DannyD · Mar 25, 2004

I need to shoot a grade on a ditch around my building, but dont want to fork out some 200 + dollars for a transit. Any idea or products you guys have used or made would be great.

thanks

Wannafish · Mar 25, 2004

Clear tubing filled with water to 4 - 6 inches from ends with ends elevated evenly. Both ends need to be open for air to escape. (Hold both ends at approx. the same height or you will get wet!)

Water will be level at each end of the hose.

Egon · Mar 25, 2004

Could use an ordinary level on a 10 or so foot board.

Hand level that can be sighted through.

cheap hand held lazer

String level

Egon

BB_TX · Mar 25, 2004

Cheapest would be a string level. Just drive a stout stake at each end of where you want the grade, pull a string tight between the two stakes, hang the string level in the center of the string, and adjust one or both ends of the string until the indicator shows level. That should be accurate enough for what you want.
If you wanted really accurate and still fairly cheap, your could buy some clear plastic tubing a little longer than the area you want. Using a black marker, make a mark near each end of the tubing. Turn each end of the tubing up and fill with water until it reaches the mark at both ends. The tubing needs to be large enough for the water to move freely. Then (and this takes 2 people) pull one end of the tube to one end of the grade area, pull the other end to the other end, and raise/lower each end until the water is at the black mark on each end. That is level. Mark your stakes to level and then to the grade desired.

BB_TX · Mar 25, 2004

Dang!! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Rick and Egon both beat me.

gone · Mar 25, 2004

you didn't give a distance both ideas are good but if the distance is to far you could use a line level(clips on string) real cheep, or a pop level (little level you look through with line froe level) good for about 50-75 feet. cheep one about 25.00 good ones 50.00 and more.

gone · Mar 25, 2004

Two post wile i was typing ,i am sloooooooow!

AndyM · Mar 25, 2004

<font color="blue"> Clear tubing filled with water to 4 - 6 inches from ends with ends elevated evenly. Both ends need to be open for air to escape. (Hold both ends at approx. the same height or you will get wet!)

Water will be level at each end of the hose. </font>

If you need to figure the grade on a long distance (50 to 100 feet), you can use the above method, but with an ordinary garden hose with small lengths of clear hose attached to each end.

This web page shows some pretty good pictures--
http://home.att.net/~therealms/water.htm

They also add that you can use food coloring in the water to enable you to see it in the clear tubing easier.

DannyD · Mar 25, 2004

is this POP level something TSC would have. I have seen out there some lazer levels that I like, but was not sure if they were really that good.

Being an amatuer I was never schooled in the water level thing, but I know they work. I have about 40' to shoot, so I am not sure if that would be what I need. Besides, getting the wife to hold the other end is impossible, unless of course there is money tied to it

gone · Mar 25, 2004

the line level should be ok for 40' the line has to be tight tho. if TSC has a laser they should carry a pop level. it is a common level shooting tool in const. PS some call it a pepe sight also.