How do you use a theodolite?

Answer 1

Process of Measuring Horizontal Angles Using a Theodolite 1. Setting up the Theodolite: This includes mounting the theodolite on a tripod and making sure it is comfortable for the user. 2. Unlock the upper horizontal clamp. 3. Rotate the theodolite until the arrow in the upper or lower rough sight points to the feature of interest and lock the clamp. 4. Look through the main eyepiece and use the upper horizontal adjuster to align the vertical lines on the feature of interest. 5. The reading is taken by looking through the small eyepiece. Using the minutes and seconds adjuster set the one of the degrees on the horizontal scale so the single vertical line on the bottom scale is between the double vertical lines under the selected degree. 6. The reading is the degree which has been aligned and the minutes and seconds read from the right hand scale and is the horizontal angle from the reference line. Process of Measuring Vertical Angles Using a Theodolite

Process of Measuring Vertical Angles 1. Setting up the Theodolite: This includes mounting the theodolite on a tripod and making sure it is comfortable for the user. 2. Unlock the vertical clamp and tilt the eyepiece until the point of interest is aligned on the horizontal lines. Lock the clamp in place. 3. Looking through the small eyepiece, use the minutes and seconds adjuster to align one of the degrees on the vertical scale with the double lines just below it. 4. The reading is the degree that has been aligned and the minutes and seconds is read from the right hand scale. 5. To complete the reading, it may be necessary to measure the distance from the theodolite to the point of interest.

The above is al true, but doesn't discuss the practical uses of a theodolite. For example, if you want to know the height of the top of the gable on a house, you could use a theodolite. First, set up the theodolite (btw, I made one with a piece of copper tube, a protractor and a cheap wooden tripod) as noted above, make sure the ground is pretty level between the house and the theodolite, and then measure the distance from the vertical side of the house to the theodolite. (You may choose to move the theodolite so that the distance is the square of a whole number.) Then aim the scope (tube) at the upper-most point of the gable and note the degree of angle on the protractor. If you have pretty level ground between the theodolite and the house, the angle at the intersection of the side of the house and the ground should be 90 degrees. So, now we have two angles (the 90 degrees at the intersection of the side of the house and the ground, and whatever angle you recorded at the theodolite) and a side (the distance from the house to the theodolite). With this information, you can calculate the third angle and the other two sides, one of which will be the hypotenuse and the other will be -- tada! -- the final leg, which will tell you the height of the point you picked out at the top of the gable.