Affordable, transit level recommendations?

[mike0000]

Finally bought a mini excavator for work/play around the property. One of the bigger jobs is leveling ground for a shop I hope to get to in the next few years. I have all the stumps and topsoil removed, next step will be to get the spot leveled out. I’d like to pick up a transit level to make things easier. I checked out the local pawn shop but they didn’t have any at the time. Thought I’d ask here, any recommendations for one that wont break the bank, $150-$200 that I could use by myself? Thanks

 

[newbury]

How big an area are you doing?

 

[2manyrocks]

Clear tubing used as a water level worked for me. Easier to see in daylight and no calibration issues to worry about.

 

[mike0000]

I’d say 40’ long building, so if transit is center of area to level I’d shoot out to 30’ or so.

 

[newbury]

Clear tubing used as a water level worked for me. Easier to see in daylight and no calibration issues to worry about.

BUT put some food coloring in the water!

 

[mike0000]

BUT put some food coloring in the water!

I actually did this for my first building 24’x40’ pole barn/garage. I had a “kit” that had a clear section that went on each end of a garden hose. It worked ok for me.

 

[paulsharvey]

What level of accuracy are you needing? Plus or minus a 0.10 ft (1.25" appox), over a 100 ft is pretty doable with a Lock-Level ($70 on Amazon), and they are small, fit in a pocket, no tripod needed, just use a probe rod or similar firm rest.

I do see a Vevor builders level for like $85, but you would need the tripod. I know Vevor isn't know for being amazing; but all we need is a scope with a cross hair and a bubble level for what you need. You also will need a grade rod, or reasonable facsimile, like a hand tamp with a piece of bright colored electric tape. Heck, you can screw a yard stick to it for precision.

 

[paulsharvey]

Looks like somewhat proper legs are $61-250 on Amazon.

 

[newbury]

I actually did this for my first building 24’x40’ pole barn/garage. I had a “kit” that had a clear section that went on each end of a garden hose. It worked ok for me.

Oooh, that's complicated. I just keep a plastic 1 gallon milk jug with about 40' of aquarium tubing and colored water handy for small projects in above freezing temps. Works well in Mississippi almost all year. Was more seasonal in Vermont

 

[paulsharvey]

So, Mike, you said Transit, but for what you are doing, you only need a Builders Level. Transits can angle up and down, and you can do the trigonometry to do real survey, accurate to the 0.01 ft. A builders level, and a 100 ft cloth tape (for better yet, a 300 ft steel tape), can do a whole lot, as long as you don't need to calculate angles. I have personally (with my helper) laid out a 8000 sq ft commercial building expansion with nothing more than a known bench mark, a builders level, and a 300 ft tape. We ended up with 0.25 Inches of proposed finished floor elevation, which is well within the tolerance of the concrete finish.

A Lock Level is a more primitive tool, and is good for quick and dirty stuff; a builders laser level is certainly better, but for the cost of a new one (Home Depot rents them, but think it's $100/day?), I don't think you need that.

 

[paulsharvey]

"Thought I’d ask here, any recommendations for one that wont break the bank, $150-$200 that I could use by myself?"

The Use By myself part; you Do Not want a proper transit for that; and from what I'm reading into this; you really only need to "Level" this to what we call earthworks tolerances; plus or minus a tenth is fine; once you're ready to build the shop, you will shoot the forms and do fine grading to the forms and strings. A Lock Level is the way I would go, or a laser. Just know you don't want the visual style; they are Cheap, and are a pain in the butt; you would want the style with the recievwr that beeps.

By the visual lasers being a pain in the butt; what I mean; is, in the bright day, you going to struggle with seeing it; add dust and all, you end up with a laser beam that "blooms" and makes a larger, less defined mark on your grade rod

 

[Doorman63]

A good laser level has plenty more uses when building a building or anything really.

I’ve got a Bosch that’s a green laser that’ll shoot 100’.Bosch 100 ft. Green Self Leveling Laser with VisiMax Technology, L-Bracket Mount Plus Compact Tripod with Extendable Height GLL10040G+BT150 - The Home Depot

 

[paulsharvey]

I would Not recommend renting these. The price is Insane for a DIY're that might need to rent it 4 or 5 times for a day to complete a job.

 

[paulsharvey]

There is also the cheapest way. You set a pin in the center, and tape a 4 ft Level to a 15 ft straight edge, and build little "pads" of dirt out Level from the center pin, that serves as our benchmark. You can set secondary grade stakes out 15 ft and then repeat. You do introduce a degree of error every step out you make, maybe a 1/4" in 15 ft

 

[mike0000]

There is also the cheapest way. You set a pin in the center, and tape a 4 ft Level to a 15 ft straight edge, and build little "pads" of dirt out Level from the center pin, that serves as our benchmark. You can set secondary grade stakes out 15 ft and then repeat. You do introduce a degree of error every step out you make, maybe a 1/4" in 15 ft

That’s how I pretty much built our pool pavilion. Center pin and attached my 6’ level to a long straight board, at 24’x24’ it did just fine. I definitely have my terminology wrong it seems. I appreciate all the input, and education.

 

[CalG]

I use this

It's only an optical level.
About 25 X magnification

 

[paulsharvey]

If we want to get ghetto and creative at the same time; I'll bet there is a way to 3d print a swing bearing with a picatiny rail and a bubble level, and we can mount a 3-9×40 rifle scope in our 3d printed swing bearing

There are a dozen ways to get to where you want to end up; I just would look at the other jobs that might need it, the level of precision required, the ability to talk your wife into holding the grade rod while you take measurements, ect and pick what you need based on that.

The hose and water trick, I get, and it will work, but it's just not something I would mess with.

 

[paulsharvey]

If you really checked most concrete slabs, you would find most have atleast 1/2" of variation, even across 40 ft.

 

[JimRB]

I got my level at Sears, 28 years ago. I see one on Craigslist for $110. Our barn is 72x36. Scraped off 3 feet of dirt with a box blade.

 

[camshawn]

I have a sears craftsman transit I picked up at the flea market for $75 a few yrs ago. It works great but you need a second person or a prop to hold the stick square and plumb. I have used a rotary level (Dewalt) from my friend and it is now a one person job. Both work.