Abney level use?

[NIsaacs]

So, I bought an Abney level so I can "shoot" grade percent, when I encounter steep, off highway grades. But, I ain't smart enough to read it plus the marks/numbers are small, even with a magnifying glass, grrrr.

It is marked in degrees and percent but they don't seem to make sense. I always thought 100 percent was the same as 90 degrees? Not very good pictures but mine looks like this. I can kinda see the degree marks/numbers. I guess try and convert to percent? Picture of a conversion table, degrees/percent.

Any forestry/survey types here?

 

[BSeyler]

Nick,

I'm not very schooled on the use of an Abney level, but 100% is equal to 45 degrees, from what I was taught. 100 feet rise in 100 feet run.

Bud

 

[Ozymandias]

So it is. Straight up can not be displayed in percentage as it would be an incredibly long number.

 

[NIsaacs]

Nick,

I'm not very schooled on the use of an Abney level, but 100% is equal to 45 degrees, from what I was taught. 100 feet rise in 100 feet run.

Bud

Okay, that makes sense and match's both dials. What is confusing is they don't both zero. When the degrees is on zero the percent is not. I think the left edge of the pendulum is for the percent, but still not quite right. Note, the percent scale is offset to the left. Pictures of what I am talking about.

 

[brucejohnson]

Nick,
Try these links for some functional info.
http://ppolinks.com/forestservicemuseum/2004_75_255.pdf
http://www.hills-database.co.uk/Using an Abney Level to measure relative Heights.pdf
https://www.yorksurvey.co.uk/Files/125209/36300.pdf
https://dreamcivil.com/abney-level/

 

[slowmover]

Tool was a good idea

 

[NIsaacs]

Nick,
Try these links for some functional info.
http://ppolinks.com/forestservicemuseum/2004_75_255.pdf
http://www.hills-database.co.uk/Using an Abney Level to measure relative Heights.pdf
https://www.yorksurvey.co.uk/Files/125209/36300.pdf
https://dreamcivil.com/abney-level/

Thanks Bruce, this dang thing will do way more than I imagined. How to determine how tall a tree is by using Trigonometry? I don't think so!

The percent scale is way too small from zero to 10 percent to even read for me. I think I will need to use the degree scale and convert to percent, I can see that.

I will find a known marked grade, say 6 percent, and see where it is on the degree scale and use that. I think the developer that built all these roads used horses and did not side hill anything. Just up and down, the shortest distance.

 

[Timd32]

If you have a smart phone, there are a bunch of decent apps for Andriod and I think Apple has a tool built into their phones.

Look up Clinometer in the app stores of your phone.

But the old school stuff is cool if you can get it figured out.

Not really trying to sway you away from this tool, really this was you can have a reference when figuring yours out, might be helpful.

Good luck.

 

[NIsaacs]

If you have a smart phone, there are a bunch of decent apps for Andriod and I think Apple has a tool built into their phones.

Look up Clinometer in the app stores of your phone.

But the old school stuff is cool if you can get it figured out.

Not really trying to sway you away from this tool, really this was you can have a reference when figuring yours out, might be helpful.

Good luck.

So, after trying as I might, I think I will try to sell this hard to read/use instrument

I took your advise and down loaded an APP for a clinometer. Dang what a fine tool. I use an old 24" aluminum level and lay it on the road grade, set the phone on the level and woo hoo, instant read out in degrees or percent depending on what you choose.

I just checked my street with it. I always figured it was a 2-3 percent grade. It shows 2% on the percent setting and using the conversion of 1.75 from degrees to percent, it shows 2.6%. It was fluctuating from 1 to 2 degrees so I used 1.5 x 1.75 and got 2.6%. So, I guess the average is 2.3%.

To read degrees, you hold the phone on edge and for percent, it lays flat on it's back. Degrees has dial and digital readout, percent is just digital. The button on the lower right is your choice button. The other three...no clue yet

Thank you, Tim! I think I can even operate this one.

 

[Timd32]

Very cool. Glad it worked out.