Laser controlled leveling boxes

[bdog]

Anyone have experience with laser controlled grader boxes? I am looking at them possibly for my skid steer or tractor. Here is a site with info. Level Best Laser Grading Box, high quality, grading technology, ATI Corporation

Supposedly they can level an area to between 1/4" -1/8". The rotating laser is set to the grade and sensors are mounted on the blade and drive the hydraulics to make a level surface.

Seems pretty dang slick the only downside is cost. With all the electronics they range from 15-25k depending on options.

That seems like a crazy price but I think you could do a lot of work with it and charge a premium. I think it would be ideal for leveling areas for home building, shops, parking lots, etc.

 

[jenkinsph]

If you have enough jobs for it you can make a living. I do some of this work myself and am trying to build the business up. There are a few members here who are doing this type work and may respond too.

I would recommend you first see who else has the capability in your locale and see if the contractors nearby would pay for the service. It doesn't take many operators to saturate the market is my point and then the premium profits are out the window. I enjoy the work but be careful what your expectations are for business.

 

[bdog]

Thanks for the reply. I am not really looking for it as a full time gig. My current business keeps me busy about 2 weeks out of the month and pays the bills. I was thinking this might be something I could do on the side to help keep busy and bring in additional income. If I could do say $500 of work a day it would only take 50 or so days of work to recoup the investment. If I only got 3 days of work a month with the thing I could pay for it in less than 2 years.


Do you have the Level best or something else?

 

[jenkinsph]

I amusing my Gannon box blade right now and adding a drag box next month. Also using a Topcon RL 200 2 slope laser and the Topcon lsb 110 receivers. Will be adding the full machine control in the next few jobs, the tractor work I do has to pay for the equipment. I will have dual system for higher accuracy upon completion but as you know this stuff isn't cheap.

 

[RDrancher]

I'm not sure that you could do it as a side gig and keep enough work coming in. Time is money and contractors / builders don't like to wait, but it could work if you can get enough projects scheduled up front. There are a lot of setups out there besides LB, although I've heard that they make a very nice system. Two that come to mind are the V-Loc https://www.davidsdozer.com/home.html and Dual Dozer Dual Dozer Laser Level | Compact Laser Leveling Tool for Sub-grade Surface Preparation.

None of the systems are applicable for my chosen niche...plus the fact that I don't like working for GC's or builders which is where the money is at for those types of systems. I'll stick with a check-grade-on-the-fly mast system myself. Now, if it would ever stop raining...