Best way to measure angles

[Rivertest]

Afternon all,
It's been a while since I last posted but am now in need of more advice.
I'm looking to have something made in polished stainless for a boat and want to give the fabrication guy a good diagram.

The bit I'm having problems with is a near verticle 2" post that is mounted on the deck via a plate which is welded on the bottom of the post. Things would be straightforward if the post was vertical and the deck level, but as with all things boats it's never that easy. The post is verticle in one plane but leans slightly in the other and the deck is the same. So I need to measure the angle of the mounting plate at the bottom and the post angle. What's the best way to measure the angles and show these on a diagram such that the guy will understand what I'm getting at. Hope this makes sense I'd have a bash myself but all my gear is in storage at the mo and I'd have to tool up for Stainless. .


R.T.

 

[Engineer1964]

Unless you want to buy yourself a protractor, I guess the cheapest way but not 100% acurate would be to get a angle finder app for your smartphone, just lead your phone up against the part and it should tell you the angle.

You may need to calibrate the app with a spirt level to start but generally it should give you a near enough angle

 

[Hitch]

The most simplest way would be to make a cardboard template id guess,

Get a decent sized bit of cardboard, stand it up on the deck in line with the post, mark the line of the post on the edge of the cardboard, job done.

Dont cut the cardbaord though, or if you do, leave the line...... or they may use the ol' trick of trimming the template to suit what they have made


Gerrys idea would also work..... 'smartprotractor' is the one i use (android)
Calibrate it to 0 on the deck, then measure the post angle.

A picture is worth a thousand words as they say, offer a photo or two, measurements, and a template.....

 

[Welderpaul]

You can buy really cheap angle finders on ebay. Saves a lot of messing about, and more accurate that bits of cardboard flapping in the wind.

 

[Paul G]

I use one of these. (about £25)

A handy tool for all sorts of angle measurement.

( In the pic I'm setting wheel camber on my car.)

Cheers,
Paul G

 

[Shox Dr]

Wixey angle finders are good. But totally useless on a moving object such as a boat

 

[Paul G]

Wixey angle finders are good. But totally useless on a moving object such as a boat

Err... Wait for a low tide.

 

[Shox Dr]

It happens to the best of us. I converted a 14 cell G4 prisoner bus into a motor home. Ran a spirt level around the inside it set a datum, and when I came back to the start it was 1.5" out

It then dawned on me

 

[gordon stephenson]

As Hitch suggested, but you could cut the template to fit accurately. and very carefully measure the length of the 3 sides,

 

[CRB]

It happens to the best of us. I converted a 14 cell G4 prisoner bus into a motor home. Ran a spirt level around the inside it set a datum, and when I came back to the start it was 1.5" out

It then dawned on me

Probably only ever had 3 in it though.



The number of times I had to explain that unless what you are building is on a level base, a spirit level will not give you a parallel line to the base.

 

[Pete.]

Get a large piece of heavy cardboard with one straight edge. Now find a strip of laminate flooring or similar about 6" wide that you KNOW has parallel sides. Put the edge of the cardboard against the mast, and the strip of board on the deck and against the cardboard and use the edge of the board as a ruler to draw a line on the cardboard. Now you have the perfect angle drawn on the cardboard as a template.

 

[hotrodder]

Dont cut the cardbaord though, or if you do, leave the line...... or they may use the ol' trick of trimming the template to suit what they have made

Some tricks of the trade should never be shared with the public!

Not specific for this but along the same lines as Pete's... two bits of card that will overlap when each piece is put in place. Staple 'em together.

 

[Rivertest]

Thanks all. I'm gonna use a long steel rule for the post and then use the cardboard on the deck set longtitudinly to take the post angle. I'll splash out and get a largish protractor to measure the angle Then do the same for the deck angle which runs perpendicular to the post angle.

I'll the show a front and side view of the post and bottom plate indicating the angle. That should short it.

Thanks again for surgestions.

R.T.

 

[tigler]

Just search for angle finder on ebay and there is a wealth of stuff to choose from.

 

[Shox Dr]

Two steel rules fixed through the hole in the end with a nut and bolt makes a handy tool to copy or transfer angles

 

[Hitch]

I made a similar tool for using when doing key clamp rails etc, just 2 bits of 25x3 flat about 600mm long, bolt one end together.

 

[Jester]

Take the post off, give it to them and ask them to make a copy

 

[BillFarworth]

Go for an angle finder.As same people suggest you can found a really cheap in ebay from silverline not so accurate, but definitely more accurate than everything else.Except you buy an really accurate angle finder from a brand like Swanson or Kennedy not except to much!

 

[Tino]

Favorite tool for me for finding angles is my 2' with line of chords. Cost about £25 now but last well and no battery's. Google, Stanley Line of Chords Steel Rule Metric 60R