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Laser level gave me false readings until I checked the tripod base
Last month on a job in Tacoma I set up my rotary laser to shoot grades for a patio footer. Everything read perfect for about an hour, then I noticed the forms were off by almost 2 inches. Went back and checked the laser and it was still level on its own bubble, but the tripod legs had sunk unevenly into the soft ground after the morning dew dried. The unit itself never moved, the base did. Now I always set the legs on plywood squares if there is any moisture in the soil, and I recheck the tripod bubble every 20 minutes on longer pours. Has anyone else had a setup settle like that mid-shoot, or do you use something different to brace the legs on loose dirt?
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hart.cora4d ago
Learned that lesson the hard way too, except my laser ended up in the mud while I stood there blaming the machine. Soft ground is the real boss on any site, so I keep a few scrap squares of 2x6 in the truck just for the tripod feet. Wet dirt moves more than people give it credit for, so checking that bubble on a timer is just smart work.
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