My helpers

Is that a reflectorless gun? If it is, you can go to hardware store, and get 4' tomato stakes, and set arrays of 15 out at a time, with DOT tape on their tops.
N

you know, there is help for this;-)

Nate The Surveyor, post: 331083, member: 291 wrote: Is that a reflectorless gun? If it is, you can go to hardware store, and get 4' tomato stakes, and set arrays of 15 out at a time, with DOT tape on their tops.
N

It is, but I mostly use it to engineer pipelines. I've been using magnets and glazing points on top dead center, put in an elevation to account for the radius of the pipe.A couple on each run of pipe is all it takes and then COGO in the DC. Made my life much simpler.

Rarely do I use the prism unless I'm shooting and engineering ditch.

RFReedII, post: 331086, member: 9392 wrote: It is, but I mostly use it to engineer pipelines. I've been using magnets and glazing points on top dead center, put in an elevation to account for the radius of the pipe.A couple on each run of pipe is all it takes and then COGO in the DC. Made my life much simpler.

Rarely do I use the prism unless I'm shooting and engineering ditch.

I am very surprised you don't get an erroneous distance due to the low angle and the proximity to the pipe.
That must be a very narrow beam laser.

imaudigger, post: 331142, member: 7286 wrote: I am very surprised you don't get an erroneous distance due to the low angle and the proximity to the pipe.
That must be a very narrow beam laser.

I've often wondered myself, and doing this has been a lot of trial and error (engineering pipe bends). I have a short prism rod that I frequently check against my glazing points, and I also usually shoot a 1/4" above the pipe on the wider part of the point, which I keep consistent.

The error induced by any of the setup is FAR less then shooting with a theodolite and in most applications I've used the setup, a theodolite to turn the PI's couldn't have been set up. (See photo with multiple lines and muddy conditions)

I calculate to seconds, and the best accuracy of cutting the fittings and welding is within tenths of degrees. Factor in that the weldors don't get everything exact, it's "close enough for pipeline work"

I recently began using this setup with a Flange Wizard center finder and mini prism which has a height of exactly 1'. Everything appears to be perfectly plumb every time I've checked. The center finder is magnetic, so on pipe that is running on an angle, it still holds.

As always, any suggestions are appreciated.

Well the proof is in your completed projects.

imaudigger, post: 331142, member: 7286 wrote: I am very surprised you don't get an erroneous distance due to the low angle and the proximity to the pipe.
That must be a very narrow beam laser.

My Nikon rep was convinced the Nikon reflective as being superior to others.
He said the Nikon reads to what you focused on and demonstrated that by focusing on a chainmesh fence and reading, then through the fence to distant object and reading the far object then back to the fence.
He then foucused on edge of a door. And read, then with only a change of focus, no telescope movement, focused beyond and measured again.
I was impressed.

I would put a sticky target on the magnet, just for piece of mind.

That is interesting a about the focal depth interpolation Richard, wonder if he was blowing smoke.

Hope the wife kept her maiden name, Land.

Working alone can bring about a certain madness.

party chef, post: 331191, member: 98 wrote: That is interesting a about the focal depth interpolation Richard, wonder if he was blowing smoke.

Yes I wondered when he was describing over phone.
But to see it in action, and I tried it myself, with measurements to boot, I couldn't argue.
However I would imagine other manufacturers wouldn't lie idle.

The thing with the Nikon is that it is non robotic, hence every reflectorless shot taken has someone sighting and focussing on the target where as a robotic doesn't focus as it is following you around.

This enables Nikon to activate that precaution of checking a reflectorless distance against the focal length of the sight.