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Checking floor inclination

PaulM

Stainless
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Location
upton ma
So have an install application where the floor is supposed to be within 1/2 degree over an arbitrary distance (install can be arbitrarily long, 100+ feet certainly possible. Local variance (bumps divots etc) are supposed to be within +-20mm.

How would you verify the floor before install?

Any insights if you have dealt with this type of thing would be great. I figure you could set up surveying equip and check variation at various points, probably possible to fully map but what is involved for instrumentation/ tools

Thanks
Paul
 
It should possible to set up a rotating laser (as used for construction, like for creating level-lines for ceilings), then walk around the area in question with a graduated scale (like a yard stick) and simply check contact of the laser on the scale. With care you should be able to map to within a few mm.

I'm sure there's photographic-based (scanning) tools that would do a better job, but at what cost I couldn't say.
 
I was going to suggest flooding the area, setting up refrigeration equipment to freeze the water, then slicing the ice in a grid. Measure the thickness of the ice and map it to a corresponding spreadsheet.
How about filling it with mud about six inches deep, then bringing in a bevy of bikini-clad bimbos to bend over and measure the mud layer, prior to a giant mud-wrestling finale ?
 
How about filling it with mud about six inches deep, then bringing in a bevy of bikini-clad bimbos to bend over and measure the mud layer, prior to a giant mud-wrestling finale ?

I think there's too much room for error, what with different silicone durometers and specific gravity variations.

On the other hand, if you could sell tickets to the event it would be more profitable than any machine you could install.
 
I was going to suggest flooding the area, setting up refrigeration equipment to freeze the water, then slicing the ice in a grid. Measure the thickness of the ice and map it to a corresponding spreadsheet.

But then I said to myself "lasers are cool", and went with that idea.

Bore it to death then it will get right. Give it one of your counter culture tropes.
 
How about filling it with mud about six inches deep, then bringing in a bevy of bikini-clad bimbos to bend over and measure the mud layer, prior to a giant mud-wrestling finale ?

I like it. Milland take notes. EG can find these kinds of dates. You should work on being the strong and silent type. First get strong then get silent.

Then stick with the silent part. Don’t be glib. :blahblah:
 
I used to install medical equipment that needed the floors checked. The easiest way is the laser. We'd use those simple line lasers and a mm scale. You'd be surprised how close you'd get. You can use a simple grid at whatever increments makes sense for what you're doing. Actually goes pretty fast when you get going.

Jacin in Ohio
 
I used to install medical equipment that needed the floors checked. The easiest way is the laser. We'd use those simple line lasers and a mm scale. You'd be surprised how close you'd get. You can use a simple grid at whatever increments makes sense for what you're doing. Actually goes pretty fast when you get going.

Jacin in Ohio

Obviously a bright young lad with a excellent understanding of metrology. I.E. What I Said. :D
 
You're so feeble-minded that I actually feel bad for you. But I feel even worse for those in proximity to you. Please go annoy them, but let them know that I apologize for the extra burden.

Oh I feel really bad highlighting your go to tactics on here and also against floors and brick walls. For floors they be quite more scathing name calling from you to get it in line. You are better than that.

If my guilt and feelings of inferiority get me really sad then what you might do to push me towards Socialism is to send me about five of your soapbox orations that you use for love bombing any captive audience you can kidnap.

Ooo watch out for The Orange baboon M As I think he is a regular reader here on PM. :D
 
Plain old optical transit/builders level would be my go to.

I did all my concrete forms and built my steel building with an optical transit. Only limit to accuracy is the lines on your tape/story pole. I'd say .01" over 100 feet is within reason for a top quality $100 used transit.

I had a real bad experience with a "pro grade" construction laser. Set some forms off 3/4" over 100 feet or so.
 
Thanks. - and also glad this provided some amusement! Laser or transit is likely solution but since I have not done it before figured it was worth checking. Water levels likly will be used in installation, prob could be part of this solution as well.

If we could flood, freeze then leave it frozen ....
Paul
 
I wouldn't trust a cheaper laser over 100ft, but also your allowable variations do not seem too small either that it would be hard to stay within. A decent slab should be below 3/4" variation. Most of the lower end lasers you can't see over that distance unless your in the dark anyways.
 
Plain old optical transit/builders level would be my go to.

I did all my concrete forms and built my steel building with an optical transit. Only limit to accuracy is the lines on your tape/story pole. I'd say .01" over 100 feet is within reason for a top quality $100 used transit.

I had a real bad experience with a "pro grade" construction laser. Set some forms off 3/4" over 100 feet or so.

If we go by the numbers the OP gave us, it's relative displacement of the floor over the 100ft that he's concerned about, as well as the .5 degree boundary. That angular limit gives us over 10" of vertical displacement along the run, so even the error you got was still much less that what he has to play with.

So it's not the absolute, it's the relative, and unless it's done realllly poorly there's no way you'll have a 3/4" error while taking readings.

Other good reason for a laser as described is that it's a one-person setup and measure, where as a transit would be two people, yes? How would you do it with one?
 








 
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