I'm not normally this cheap, but it works
I'm coming to terms with a rather annoying facet of my personality that if something is going to be done, it has to be done right. Not just right, but in accordance with all the proper bells and whistles or else it just isn't right. It's not a huge deal as it's just a form of perfectionism, but it can get costly as you have to have those tools, or these gizmos, or this book that says how to do it.
So I'm rather happy I was able to break through all that and use a $0.99 broken laser level off eBay along with a $3 tape measure stapled to a spare piece of siding trim to create a surveying rod and level. I'm using it to determine the proper grading for drainage in my side yard, and I can them plot the data in Excel and get a 3D contour map. I'm also going to use it to determine the high points in the lawn where I'm having trouble keeping the lawn alive.
So I'm rather happy I was able to break through all that and use a $0.99 broken laser level off eBay along with a $3 tape measure stapled to a spare piece of siding trim to create a surveying rod and level. I'm using it to determine the proper grading for drainage in my side yard, and I can them plot the data in Excel and get a 3D contour map. I'm also going to use it to determine the high points in the lawn where I'm having trouble keeping the lawn alive.