I took that picture the first weekend I was home after I bought the TS back in April, shortly after I bought a better tripod. That's the one I use for my Theodolite and auto level, light weight over not needed accuracy.
Re the reflective tape.
I have a very generous sign maker near that passes off sheets as large as 1' x 2' of the 3M reflective sheeting used in road signs etc.
It is accurate and with adhesive backing can be stuck on suitable surfaces and left.
Also make up angled strips of metal with same on.
Stuck on to fridge magnets also is very useful. If I'm using them for sighting checks then offset's aren't so relevant, but could be accounted for if needed.
Good post.
I assume expansion comes into play with those pipes.
Actually the only time expansion comes into play is on large diameter pipe with tie ins where it is straight pipe. The rule is that you make your mark, cut and grind the pipe and put it in the clamps. I have heard where they make a cut on a sunny day just before lunch, break for lunch and during the half hour the sun goes behind the clouds and the pipe shrinks. Not good if it is a final tie in with tested pipe.
As fas as the general laying of the pipe, I build in lap in most instances. Most engineers measure and record the pipe in tenths of feet. This works out fine because when you go to stake in the pipe you can't get the paint stick/tongue blade in the ground exact. Also when you lay the pipe on the ditch bank the pipe will shift forward or backwards depending upon how the lowering in foreman hooks up the pipe.
I personally measure in all joints to the hundreds of a foot, not as much for accuracy but to distinguish between joints if I'm measuring/bending out of a stockpile. Surprisingly if I have a stockpile of 20 joints, usually 3 or 4 are the same length to the hundredth of a foot.
The lap I figure in depends on the terrain, pipe size and how many sidebends there are. Most importantly, the lowering in foreman. I have great confidence in the one that normally works with me and a lot of times I leave no lap and he stabs on in situations where we can. This saves the time of making a cut on the lap which can take upwards to half an hour depending upon pipe size and wall thickness.
