Abstract: A coordinate locating device (8) includes an apparatus (10) having first, second, and third members (21,22,23) such that the first member (21) is movable on a base (14), the second member (22) is movable on the first member (21) and the third member (23) has a positionable element (30) and is movable on the second member (22). The device (8) also includes a laser transducer system (16) for establishing the locations of a starting point (52) and a first plane (54) through the starting point (52) which is associated with the first members (21), a second plane (58) having a second reference point (59) which is associated with the second member (22), and a third plane (62) having a third reference point (63) which is associated with the third member (23), and establishing the precise three dimensional location of the positionable element (30).