ScottAR: I use my flat plane automatically leveling laser to figure many things. By myself. Using a marker or pencil, a cloth 100 or 300 foot tape and a pocket tape measure (either the tenths version or the inches version). I use a 2x2 for a rod so I can write on it. Using different color markers helps you remember eg bottom of footing, pad height, top of form etc. Slope pipe can be done by marking the stick at desired elevation at each joint (10', 20', 30' etc.). This is where the cloth tape comes in handy.
Other contrivances added to the bottom of the rod/stick: a short flat "ear" about a foot long with a little c clamp. This is so you can put the rotating laser & three legged stand approximately back in the same spot each work day or after returning from a 'parts/supply run' and then precisely adjust the receiver to read at the same benchmark by effectively shortening or lengthening the stick via c clamp. Once benched in, all your previous 'notes' will be right there again.
A wee short piece of pipe with a little ear from some tin & a screw and a squeeze clamp allows one to determine bed at bottom of pipe: remove item and then check final set on pipe on the top surface.
With my new & improved rod eye having the calculator feature, determining fine details is very quickly accomplished and accurately.
To grade using whisker stakes: set laser at level where you can see it, maybe two feet above surface, dig your hole, kneel down, pound stake and check elevation. I put em in on a grid so I can find them. Or an indicator attached to the blade - works good on dippers and dozer blades, not so perfect on the loader but whiskers get it done. aka "Hoover Dam built without GPS and a software engineer".
For slopes: I have a simple bubble level two way rotary laser that I set to a stake that is marked using distance and elevation as determined by the self level auto adjust. Admittedly, adjusting the bubble for this application is easier with a helper (one person adjusts, the other person reports). And a stake about 20 feet away is easier than one that is 100 feet away. I stick with the longest stake distance for most accuracy. If you did this often and find this too iterative, the auto level can be purchased with single or dual slope, either manual or auto adjust...for my setup, turn off the auto level, follow the bubble level, and the dozer blade can make you a 2% or whatever pad.
If you dig footings you can attach the heavy duty indicator/receiver to the dipper and set it with the bucket on the stop and follow your auto flat level.
And you can always get a Linker style rod, works out nice for initial investigations as you can set up and walk around and quickly and directly determine what is happening, whereas the rod version you have to readjust the receiver for every point. Another good tool to be quick and by oneself.
There's a tool for every application, but it takes "a real professional to get the job done with the wrong tool". Cant remember who told me that....some inventive framing contractor on some crazy job prolly. Not necessarily the best slogan for your next safety meeting.
