how important is slope on laser levil

[Ed of all trades]

I am in the planning process of building a 2000 sq ft house with a big garage, an equipment shed, 768 sq ft, and a 1200 sq ft shop, I hope. I found a big excavator that I can rent for the basement and building pads. I will need a laser level to shoot grade and am hoping to buy one instead of renting. I want to ask you all with more knowledge on this than me. I have never used slope before. I will also need to run some water lines and sewer lines. Thanks Ed

 

[boggen]

you want a "water level" cheap and very easy to DIY. the only thing ya need to keep in mind, is make sure there are no air bubbles. and make sure you "DO NOT" plug either end of the hose.

google below words...suggest clicking over on "images" after search below
how to make a water level tool
or
DIY water level

if you add some red or blue dye to the water. it can make things a little bit easier to read.

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slope is very important! in most things.

 

[BHD]

First I am not totally following your question,

but on most auto level, levels, there is a tolerance to approx., level the of the level, usually there is a bubble level, on top to get the level in tolerance so it can self level,

if your wanting slope on the grade, usually one measures, from level and increase the depth of the trench or grade accordingly,

for day light use you will need a very good laser level or some kind of reader, most cheap ones are not much good in the bright light.

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and optical level works well, just takes two people to use it, and one can buy a good one for not much off of eBay, a water level can be made for a few dollars, and can be used by ones self, if you mark the tube, and not spill any fluid..

there are some threads on water levels and other kinds of level on the board here, may be worth your time to look them up,

 

[Ed of all trades]

Some of the good self leveling lasers have a way to set the laser at a slope so you can follow it with the sensor and not have to guess. I cant use a hose because I don't want to hire someone to hold the end of a hose and I want to do this fast so I don't have to rent the machine longer than I have to.

 

[robs660]

Check out pacific laser company PLC or Hilti. Both companies make really good Rotary lasers and a fair price. Slope is great for doing grading, drainage, landscaping exc. with a receiver you can dig a very flat level hole or set forms. Once you get into pouring pads the slope is good as well.

 

[CNC Dan]

Some of the good self leveling lasers have a way to set the laser at a slope so you can follow it with the sensor and not have to guess. I cant use a hose because I don't want to hire someone to hold the end of a hose and I want to do this fast so I don't have to rent the machine longer than I have to.

you don't have to hold both ends of the hose. One end is fixed. The other end is moved around and used to make measurements.
The fixed end should have a large clear container, the mobile end a short length of clear tube(or the whole hose can be clear).
The level of water is marked on the mobile ends clear tube. You can now move around and check for hight anywhere the tube can reach.

The larger container on the fixed end keeps the water from moving up and down as the mobile end is moved up and down. If you mark the level of the water on the mobile end on the clear tube, and you raise and lower the tube untill the mark and water level line up again, you don't need the larger container on the fixed end.

 

[Fossil Farm]

If your budget allows, you can get a laser/receiver setup. The laser station stays stationary and receiver (which you hold and move around to your desired location) beeps when you are at level or when you meet the grade you dialed into the laser station. This is what most drainage and excavation contractors use, and have a tight tolerance. The higher end ones are usually sent into the manufacturer for adjustment once a year or so. If you use the slope function, be sure you stay as close to 90 degrees from the laser station to get the most accurate measurement. That is, have the station at the beginning or end of the grade run, not 100 feet away from your run. Have not priced them in awhile.

 

[JerryK]

Like above post, water level. Easy and accurate. And not expensive. You can get the kits on Ebay or Amazon with everything you need fairly cheap. They even make clear hoses you can attach onto the end of a normal garden hose. But the kits with the the clear 1/4" line works good enough.

 

[Billrog]

I have an Agatec LT300 self leveling good for 1,000' for over 10 yrs. now works good so do many others I bought mine with a magnetic receiver I can stick directly to the boom to save me getting on and off to check levels. The magnet also come off the receiver so you can use it on a stick. Beats the heck out of water hoses or any other system when shooting long distances set up a couple mins. and your digging not jumping on and off the machine checking levels.

 

[CurlyDave]

I have one with the slope feature, but have never used it. I consider it a real PITA, since I don't use it often enough to be really proficient, and it adds a significant layer of complexity. Right now I can not get it to calibrate correctly and am about to junk the fool thing.

I would rather spend the extra $ on a green laser (daylight visible) than on a slope feature. You will appreciate the green laser every time you use it, at least if you have ever used a red one.

I built my old house using a water level -- it never needs calibration and is more accurate than any laser level ever made. OTOH it is slow.

One of the things few people realize is that the real reason for leveling footer trenches is to save on the amount of concrete needed. You can level a trench "well enough" for a footer with a 6' level. Put the money you would spend on the laser into some extra ready mix and you will be faster and cheaper than trying to get it exact with a laser level. For slabs, build the forms with your 6' level and check with a water level. The finisher is the guy who really makes or breaks a slab. If he knows how to use grade stakes the floor will be good. If he doesn't the floor will be cupped or domed.

 

[Billrog]

I've never had a need for a slope level and as for seeing the line there's no need with a receiver . It all boils down to what you feel your time is worth. Good lasers aren't cheap for a 1 time shot but that's a choice you have to make.

 

[boggen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-I_bTYvBCA good short video of a water level, showing just a clear house, then a jug with a hose, and then a jug with multi hoses tee'ed together.

if you can find a tri pod (3 legs), with an adjustable rod up/down in center. they can make nice stands for water levels. camera tripods for example. some of the old music stands for sheet music has kinda of a fold-able 3 legs, if you can weld, some rebar could work, with some sort of adjusting butterfly screw on a rod.

get yourself a couple sledge hammers (2 to 4 feet long handle) weight on bottom and a handle that sticks up in air. to help hold ends of water level. with some sort of duck-taped on scrap of wood for a brace so handle does not fall over.

i have taped water level a 2foot x 3foot square before. (( L shape thing with ruler measurements on it, and to check if you have a 90 degree corner or not, along with help ya figure out slope for say cutting lumber and like))

in some odd ball situations... i have ran hose through pipe i was installing. due to wall of house / shed i was not able to go through. and see other side. so i just ran the hose through pipe i was installing. and instantly able to check level-ness / slope i wanted. ((measuring down from water level to see if i had run rise figured out for slope correctly set))

a few times distance was an issue. and the clear hose is rather costly. so i bought a couple garden hose ends and adapters for the clear hose. and installed a garden hose or 2 into the center of the clear hose.

ya water level is a pain dealing with the hose itself. and getting the ends of the clear hose attached easily. so you can move around and place them as needed as you do work. but i think i have seen more 'water levels' than i care to remember. sometimes seeing a jug with clear hose tossed into back of a pickup truck or like at local hardware stores. already knowing someone been using a water level for something.

 

[rmk700]

I use a lazier level all the time and it has a slope on it but I never use it. If I need to check slope grades I use a engineer grade rod and just figure it with engineering measurements. Example: a 2 percent slope is 2 tenths in 10 feet.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Thanks guys, I am looking at a Bostich set from lowes for $600. I will use it on these projects and am hoping to get a little hoe for my Massey and do some more with it then. I have a lot of things in mind down the road. The way I see it a water level would be fine for my own hoe but to rent a big hoe and fiddle with a hose does not make sense to me.

 

[LD1]

I got a david white sight level.

Nothing fancy, just a scope that you level mounted to a tripod. Then a stick with measurement on it. Yes, its easier with 2 people, but taping or zip-tying the stick to a shovel, or stake, or whatever makes it a one person job. Can usually find this style for ~$100 or less

 

[Egon]

First, make a plot plan, then get a bundle of lath and a piece of keel(crayon) , a hand held level and a one by two by eight Foot stick marked of in feet. Then go out and stake all the significant points showing depth of cut/fill.

For trench level an eight foot board with carpenters level has worked for years.

 

[jenkinsph]

I use a slope laser for grade work because most of my work is changing the property to a specific grade for flood irrigation. This is handy because I can set the grade slope I want and follow it without having to measure the distance and fall across a field. A stick with a mark on it or receiver can stay fixed as I work across a field.

For building pads and concrete forms a water level is very accurate and a much cheaper way to go. A self leveling laser level is good for most jobs and are usually less costly than the slope lasers. Before I had a good slope laser I used a non self leveling laser for my slope work, I would adjust it to the slope I needed ( setting it out of level) by measuring out the distance and adjusting for the fall or rise I needed. After the slope is set you don't need to do the math at each check point. That is good enough for most grade work on the homestead in my world.

For more accurate grading and easy repeatability a good slope laser allows you to set the grade to 3 decimal places and offers more precision. Works great with automatic machine control systems.

 

[Deere Dude]

I got a david white sight level.

Nothing fancy, just a scope that you level mounted to a tripod. Then a stick with measurement on it. Yes, its easier with 2 people, but taping or zip-tying the stick to a shovel, or stake, or whatever makes it a one person job. Can usually find this style for ~$100 or less

I got a Sears scope with tripod 25 years ago and I either have my wife hold the pole or I made a stand for it when I am by myself. $125 and I built a couple houses and garages and it works well.

 

[CurlyDave]

...as for seeing the line there's no need with a receiver...

You are right in that it is not 100% necessary, but it is real convenience. IMHO worth the money for a green laser, especially for a new user.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Thanks guys I'm listening and learning. Ed