non pro building sight level????

[jenkinsph]

I bought a DeWalt laser about 6 years ago and it is still accurate. Worked a many a job with it and for short shots of 200' or less it is as good as I ever needed for most construction work. These low cost lasers use an 18v DeWalt rechargeable battery pack that works with their other power tools and are good for a weeks work on a single charge.


For grade work in fields I use a Topcon RL200 2 slope laser and a Topcon lsb 110 receiver mounted to my box blade. This takes most of the work out of grading a long distance with accuracy.

 

[Ed of all trades]

I have never used one but some people like the hand level for a quick check, one can use a post for a repeatable height to work of over, Johnson Level & Tool Handheld Sight Level | Sight Automatic Transit Levels| Northern Tool + Equipment
or
CST/Berger 17-620A Hand Level - Construction Marking Tools - Amazon.com[/QUOTE]

I saw one of these on a job I worked in Pa installing underground plumbing for a medical building. The guy running the hoe had one and it got him close enough . We had to surround the pipe with gravel so he just wanted to be close. Would be nice to have one to use for rough grading and a level on a tripod for finish.

 

[paulharvey]

I have never used one but some people like the hand level for a quick check, one can use a post for a repeatable height to work of over, Johnson Level & Tool Handheld Sight Level | Sight Automatic Transit Levels| Northern Tool + Equipment
or
CST/Berger 17-620A Hand Level - Construction Marking Tools - Amazon.com

I saw one of these on a job I worked in Pa installing underground plumbing for a medical building. The guy running the hoe had one and it got him close enough . We had to surround the pipe with gravel so he just wanted to be close. Would be nice to have one to use for rough grading and a level on a tripod for finish.[/QUOTE]

We called it a "Locke level". Lot of older pipe guys would have one to get a water line or other non critical utility close. It would say +/- 0.1 ft in a 100 ft. Close enough for general dirt work (typically +/- 0.3 ft) but not sewer, finished road base or concrete (generally +/- 0.25 inch).

I've never used one, but I understand there is a bubble level inside to make sure your holding it level; since it isn't fixed to a tripod. They normally use a probe rod to hold it on to steady it.

 

[truckdiagnostics]

Referencing post #32 for the price it is worth a look. I wonder if you could trust it enough to lay drain tile? I like the pole stand in post #8. I do believe I will be building one of those.

 

[PhysAssist]

Do yourself a favor and get yourself a rotary laser level.
It will save you a ton of time and fuel and you will get very accurate results.
I bet you could do your job and sell it when your done and get most of your money back.
Only problem is you'll probably realize you can't live without it after and keep it don't ask me how I know that :thumbsup:

I got mine from big Sky tool as a refurb and it has been excellent.

I agree with Reg- once I got it, I really couldn't believe how much I found to use it for...
T

 

[vtsnowedin]

I saw one of these on a job I worked in Pa installing underground plumbing for a medical building. The guy running the hoe had one and it got him close enough . We had to surround the pipe with gravel so he just wanted to be close. Would be nice to have one to use for rough grading and a level on a tripod for finish.

We called it a "Locke level". Lot of older pipe guys would have one to get a water line or other non critical utility close. It would say +/- 0.1 ft in a 100 ft. Close enough for general dirt work (typically +/- 0.3 ft) but not sewer, finished road base or concrete (generally +/- 0.25 inch).

I've never used one, but I understand there is a bubble level inside to make sure your holding it level; since it isn't fixed to a tripod. They normally use a probe rod to hold it on to steady it.

I used one of these for years on road jobs. Side stakes every fifty feet leveled with a transit to hundredths of a foot (1/8") then measure up on a high stake beside it to an even cut or fill to finish grade. Pull in with a cloth tape to the distance needed Say to edge of subgrade and drive another high stake then use your hand level and six foot folding rule to put an even cut of fill mark on that stake etc. Yes if carefully done with a properly adjusted level you could hold an inch in a hundred feet. When we got to top of crushed gravel they would bring in a survey crew with a dumpy level and drive Blue top wooden pegs to grade +/- 1/4 " so the bottom of the pavement was very close and you didn't waste any mix filling in low spots. A grade foreman would drive and mark about twenty stakes for each fifty foot station or 2000 per mile. With the advent of GPS controlled grader blades they drive a lot less stakes today.

 

[Sfrankland]

I have tried this and it works great once you get it setup.

http://youtu.be/sklWQQGnC4o

 

[dieselscout80]

I have tried this and it works great once you get it setup.

http://youtu.be/sklWQQGnC4o

That is slick!!!

I know my skill with a mini-excavator would have to improve a bunch before that would work for me.

 

[blucoondawg]

I've got this one, it's the cheapest one they had at Menard's I bought it for installing a couple drop ceilings. Runs off AA batteries. They have a receiver that mounts on a story pole for 90 bucks. The laser is hard to see outside but is supposed to work out to a couple hundred feet with the receiver. I haven't got the receiver yet but plan to once I start building my garage pad. It's very accurate for my uses indoors over shorter distances. They have more expensive models too.

https://www.menards.com/main/mobile...g-rotary-laser-level-kit/p-1339287-c-9145.htm

 

[jenkinsph]

I've got this one, it's the cheapest one they had at Menard's I bought it for installing a couple drop ceilings. Runs off AA batteries. They have a receiver that mounts on a story pole for 90 bucks. The laser is hard to see outside but is supposed to work out to a couple hundred feet with the receiver. I haven't got the receiver yet but plan to once I start building my garage pad. It's very accurate for my uses indoors over shorter distances. They have more expensive models too.

https://www.menards.com/main/mobile...g-rotary-laser-level-kit/p-1339287-c-9145.htm

This laser might work fine for small rooms installing a suspended ceiling. For outdoors with longer distances involved it isn't accurate enough with +- 1/8"/30ft.