May 23, progress

[considerations]

A short day, but progress I can see



My eyes can't see it but the transit says I'm on track. 

[Redoverfarm]

If the transit was a builders level and it was level to begin with it should be OK.  The only bad thing about a transit is that if you have to use it another day you have to get a new reading to go by and start over again with the scrap of paper and the numbers.  I had to get a 6" cinderblock using the webbing hole to hold mine grade stake while working by myself.  My arms wern't long enough to hold the grade stake and read the transit at the same time.

[considerations]

Maybe I'm not using the right word.  This is a machine that sits on top of a tripod. You turn it on and the little knob on top starts to spin.  The little knob has a red light in it. 

Then you run around with a big aluminum ruler that has what looks like a little walkie talkie attached to it.  You hold the bottom of the ruler on a spot that you want to be level with other spots (think piers). You slide the walkie talkie up and down the ruler, which has to be exactly vertical, which you check by looking at the little bubbles on it. 

When the walkie talkie screams, it has seen the light from the spinning knob on the tripod, and you clamp the walkie talkie to the ruler with the handy dandy finger screw.  Then you run around to all the other places you want to be level with the first spot, and move the gravel at each spot around until when you hold the ruler vertical an touching the new spot the walkie talkie screams at you. 

Is that a transit?

Its ok to laugh, I don't know squat about tools, yet.

[Redoverfarm]

I am not laughing.  You explanation was perfect.  It is a laser transit. A little more high tech than mine.  Most that I have seen you leave the receiver(walkie talkie) part stationary on the grade stake and then you either raise or lower the stake to see if you are high or low.  Did you have to level the transmitter before starting.  The one that I used required that normally two people have to operate by sighting through a magnified tube similar to a rifle scope.  It had to be leveled initially.  Yours is way more accurate than mine.  With that said you shouldn't have any mistakes.

[considerations]

Yes, you do have to level the transit on the tripod first, there are little bubble levels on 2 sides that have to be in the center of their tubes.

And yes, you do leave the receiver stationary, after the first time you find level, when you check the other spots. the receiver stays stationary on the stake.  Thanks so much for the right words, I really am trainable (mostly).

My neighbor volunteered to let me use it this weekend, gave me a walk through, and left it with me.  He doesn't talk much, so the explanation is all mine.

I'm pretty excited, so far, except for a great big pile of lumber laying in the clearing, this is the first real forward movement.

[Willy]

The dirt work is the hardest to get right. You just can't draw a line and cut the board. I was looking at you stack of materials and wish I had said this before. If you stack your wood/materials besure to put the last wood you need on the bottom and the first wood needed on the top. It is a real bummer to move a whole pile of wood just to get to the posts or beams to start building. Mark

[Redoverfarm]

Mark that is exactly what happens with a slide off delivery.  Everything you need first is the foundation stuff and it is on the bottom of the pile with the sheeting and everything used later on top.

[glenn kangiser]

Great description and knowledge of correct operation, considerations.

[considerations]

It took me several hours, and a little blue smoke, but the pressure treated wood is one one side of the stack, and the floor decking on the other.  I "just" have to move the insulation to get to things.  That's not so bad.  I'll be ready for them next time.  

[Sassy]

That's some tough work, Considerations!  Good exercise 

[ScottA]

I'm sure it feels good to get started. You're off and running.