Leveling guides

[AndyR2]

I am in the process of removing a good sized bank of material from one side of the house and filling other areas. Short of taking the time to survey and mark grade stakes, is there anything that I can use on the backhoe or tractor to give a quick visual reference? Almost toying with the idea of finding a fairly inexpensive (but bright enough) laser level and putting it on a gravity gimbal near the operator's station on the BH. Or am I reinventing the wheel?

 

[JPRambo]

a length of clear flexible tubing and colored water in it. Water will always find level.

 

[Leejohn]

Takes a good eye and a lot of seat time. There are guys that have run a machine for years and still can't do I'm half ***** at it, but not to bad.

 

[EddieWalker]

Get off of the tractor a lot and lay down a 6 foot level. Everything looks different when you are in the seat compared to when you are standing on the ground.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

A couple stakes, with level twine between them.

 

[RNeumann]

Hand-Held Sight Level

https://www.homedepot.com/p/202911589

This and a story pole will get you close.

 

[bcp]

RV level on a flat spot near your seat.

Bruce

 

[RNeumann]

RV level on a flat spot near your seat.

View attachment 618667

Bruce

I’ve seen folks use torpedo levels on bigger excavators and back hoes. If the machine (typically at the controls) is level, you can use a curled bucket to sweep a pad and verify level.