Off to the races. Getting fully setup to run 3D on my motorgrader.

Company owner used to use tenths. But other than that I've never seen it used. I think i am the only hold out with an inch survey rod. I only use my instrument for small private jobs. Anything else, we have 4 survey techs and 2 engineers and they use metric for everything. Kgs and meters. Only thing imperial is me and the asphalt plant

way better than tenths CM

cuttin edge said: View attachment 343837 way better than tenths CM Click to expand...

Had a young surveyor put some grades on for me last summer. Every number on the rod is 0.1 of a meter. So if I see a stake with C 0.1, in my mind it's 4 inches from the line. The line might be a couple inches off the ground, so it could be a 2 inch cut. C 0.2 is 8 inches, 0.3 is a foot. He marks one stake as C 0.002 so like 0.07 of an inch. Ill call that one grade. Ill probably always convert it in my head, and keep my foot rod, but asking for them to put grades in inches would be confusing

cuttin edge said: Had a young surveyor put some grades on for me last summer. Every number on the rod is 0.1 of a meter. So if I see a stake with C 0.1, in my mind it's 4 inches from the line. The line might be a couple inches off the ground, so it could be a 2 inch cut. C 0.2 is 8 inches, 0.3 is a foot. He marks one stake as C 0.002 so like 0.07 of an inch. Ill call that one grade. Ill probably always convert it in my head, and keep my foot rod, but asking for them to put grades in inches would be confusing Click to expand... Metric and tenths of a foot are the same concept with the decimal point math wise just different units of measurement. Used tenths for so long that I'll use my 25' tape measure in tenths for projects around the house that one would otherwise use inches.

I use the metric system in a few design programs and I am trying to use it everywhere as a immersion of sorts. I proficiant under a foot, just need to use it more for measurements bigger than that

smifwal said: I use the metric system in a few design programs and I am trying to use it everywhere as a immersion of sorts. I proficiant under a foot, just need to use it more for measurements bigger than that Click to expand... Feet and inches are what I know in my head. But I'll do the conversion to find cubic meters and multiply by 2.2 to get tonnes of gravel.

It wouldn't let me type a message. The one single picture is the other side of the one on the left

This is our reversing rod. Let's say your benchmark is 8.00. You loosen the tape and roll it to 8.0 at your laser eye. Now when you want to shoot say 9.0 put your laser eye at 9.0 and that's it. No math involved. When setting up the next day you don't have to refigure all your numbers. It's great for beginners because it's so simple. Seasons guys used to the old ways get confused for a bit because the rod reads backwards.

I showed that picture to a friend of mine he reminded me of a conversation we had years ago, he said he used those in Florida when they were doing sewers and how much easier it was. Yet this guy doesn't own one, he has the same rod that I have in my picture in inches. He is one of those that scoffed when I said I was going to buy the grade controls and said if he did more of that type stuff he would get grade controls also. . He builds houses does all his own utilities and dirt work, He has twice as many hours on his machine than I do. I am not sure how much you have to do before you wake up and realize that the technology is worth the money. I guess we have seen the light

When I worked road construction 30 years ago, a lot of DODGE contracts specified laser grader controls for the state road jobs. Our main grader operator was so old, he had pictures of him with horse pulled graders from the 20’s and 30’s. He refused to use the laser set up but got pretty good at faking it. Man could cut a line. He used to go through a new moldboard in about 2 months.

A properly set up GPS machine with a good model and a decent operator will smoke anyone trying to grade by eye, butt, stake, string or grade rod. Does not matter how good the operator is. Robotic total station and laser controls are even tighter.

I like the story about the old man, lasers, hell back in my day we did this **** with horses baaahahaha

oarwhat said: This is our reversing rod. Let's say your benchmark is 8.00. You loosen the tape and roll it to 8.0 at your laser eye. Now when you want to shoot say 9.0 put your laser eye at 9.0 and that's it. No math involved. When setting up the next day you don't have to refigure all your numbers. It's great for beginners because it's so simple. Seasons guys used to the old ways get confused for a bit because the rod reads backwards. Click to expand... Linker rod?

Oxbow said: Linker rod? Click to expand... not sure of the manufacturer. it's probably 30 years old.

Lenker rod, they seem to be around $250+/- LaserLine Direct ELEVATION Cut/Fill LENKER Grade Rod For Laser Level - Construction Rulers - Amazon.com LaserLine Direct ELEVATION Cut/Fill LENKER Grade Rod For Laser Level - Construction Rulers - Amazon.com a.co

smifwal said: Lenker rod, they seem to be around $250+/- LaserLine Direct ELEVATION Cut/Fill LENKER Grade Rod For Laser Level - Construction Rulers - Amazon.com LaserLine Direct ELEVATION Cut/Fill LENKER Grade Rod For Laser Level - Construction Rulers - Amazon.com a.co Click to expand... Yeah that's it. I don't why it's not used more.

I would guess people not being aware of them and then not wanting to spend that much on a rod the guys are going to tear up, break,lose

Unfortunately there are lots of people that they made lots of money, they can afford it

I set a bench mark point of reference on my grade rod at top of concrete. Measure down with a tape measure put reference marks at 6" 7" 8"s. I then check sub grade or gravel and go up or down. The other numbers don't really matter for finish work. Trying to cut soil cement with a wheel loader. 6 passes later. Could not get an inch out. Brought in a big grader, took 3 passes to get the inch on a full front roll. Hard material. I had already hit it twice with the Volvo, it just laughed at me. They have such nice new expensive equipment, I feel honored that i was still chosen to bring in final grade with my 30 year old tractor.