OP
mopower440
Gold Member
This laser level is only about 6 inches long..
pole barn squareness?
- Thread starter mopower440
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CTyler
Veteran Member
mopower440 using my laser is a possibility, where are you at? Your profile is blank. I'm in Blair, Nebraska which is just 13 miles outside of Omaha.
Since you have a string line level You can do all this with those as well. Using a couple of them is easier. If you do it this way then run a few string lines.
Put a nail on your corner post at the hieght you want, tie the string to it. String a line along the long side to the post at the other end. We'll call this first long side, Side A. Tie the other end of the string to another nail. When its level tack it in to the post.
Do the same thing across the short side, Side B, with another nail using your first string on Side A as the reference(start point).
At this point you will have two level lines across two sides, Sides A and B, of the building.
Now run another string line down the other long side, Side C, just like you did on the first one, Side A. Again use the string line you just ran as your reference(start point).
At this point you should have three level lines all at the same height.
You can run a double check of your string lines by running a string line from Side A to C at a few posts. I.E. each end and the middle.
Once your satisfied that everything is level, take your square and start marking your lines.
The spinning or rotating laser just saves you from setting up all these string lines. Which isn't hard it just saves time.
Since you have a string line level You can do all this with those as well. Using a couple of them is easier. If you do it this way then run a few string lines.
Put a nail on your corner post at the hieght you want, tie the string to it. String a line along the long side to the post at the other end. We'll call this first long side, Side A. Tie the other end of the string to another nail. When its level tack it in to the post.
Do the same thing across the short side, Side B, with another nail using your first string on Side A as the reference(start point).
At this point you will have two level lines across two sides, Sides A and B, of the building.
Now run another string line down the other long side, Side C, just like you did on the first one, Side A. Again use the string line you just ran as your reference(start point).
At this point you should have three level lines all at the same height.
You can run a double check of your string lines by running a string line from Side A to C at a few posts. I.E. each end and the middle.
Once your satisfied that everything is level, take your square and start marking your lines.
The spinning or rotating laser just saves you from setting up all these string lines. Which isn't hard it just saves time.
SteveBenson
Silver Member
Just an observation. Moving the laser farther away from the poles will magnified any inaccuracies caused by moving the laser.
I would go out and rent a self-leveling rotatry laser for half a day. It couldn't cost more than 20-30 bucks and you'll be done in 5 minutes. Would of been worth it already IMHO /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
I would go out and rent a self-leveling rotatry laser for half a day. It couldn't cost more than 20-30 bucks and you'll be done in 5 minutes. Would of been worth it already IMHO /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
OP
mopower440
Gold Member
ok guys, heres the deal, i called the local tool rental place and they do have a rotating laser level with tripod, but it is not self leveling, will it still work? ok, if it will still work, please explain how im going to use it, i know nothing about a rotating laser level, i thought what you all meant by rotating is that once it is level, it will stay level as i rotate the thing around to shoot at each post, but from the pics ive seen of them on that tool site, looks like they rotate a beam in circles really fast or something, i dont know, please explain it before i go rent it as i would like to rent it, get it done and right this time, and take it back.
thanks again everyone!
thanks again everyone!
SteveBenson
Silver Member
I've never used one, but the ones that have seen have a spinning top with a laser in it that sweeps out a plane as it rotates. With a self leveling model you just put on the tripod and turn it on and you are done. A model that is not self leveling probably has 2 perindicular levels on it so that you can manually adjust it to level. Then all you have to do is turn it on. Either way the level should have an accuracy rating on it to let you know what you can expect for accuracy. If I'm off on anything here someone please correct me.
If the rental shop is not too far away I'd take a ride down there. I'm sure the owner could show you exactly how to use it in a few minutes.
If the rental shop is not too far away I'd take a ride down there. I'm sure the owner could show you exactly how to use it in a few minutes.
Egon
Epic Contributor
The self leveling instuments will probably operate within a certain range of unevenness. You will probably have a fish eye bubble that will require centering to get the instrument within it's operating tolerances.
Egon
Egon
CTyler
Veteran Member
There are different types of lasers, spinning, rotating with/with out auto/self leveling.
My Robolaser is a rotating auto leveling laser. You just have to get it close and it levels itself. It blinks if your to far out. Since its a rotating laser that means it does not spin. It projects a single dot and I have a remote control to rotate the unit fast, slow or really slow in either direction. I also have the prism attatchment that projects a line of dots across a wide range vs having a single dot.
A spinning laser is just that, it spins. It projects a dot or dots but since it spins it looks like a solid line.
If its not auto/self leveling you will have thumb screws that you adjust to get it level manually. It will either have two level vials, one on each side, or a single bubble.
If your still not sure, have the rental place demo the unit for you and show you how to use it. I think once you see it you'll smack yourself in the forehead and say DOHHH!!!
Why did I think this was difficult? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
My Robolaser is a rotating auto leveling laser. You just have to get it close and it levels itself. It blinks if your to far out. Since its a rotating laser that means it does not spin. It projects a single dot and I have a remote control to rotate the unit fast, slow or really slow in either direction. I also have the prism attatchment that projects a line of dots across a wide range vs having a single dot.
A spinning laser is just that, it spins. It projects a dot or dots but since it spins it looks like a solid line.
If its not auto/self leveling you will have thumb screws that you adjust to get it level manually. It will either have two level vials, one on each side, or a single bubble.
If your still not sure, have the rental place demo the unit for you and show you how to use it. I think once you see it you'll smack yourself in the forehead and say DOHHH!!!
Why did I think this was difficult? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
OP
mopower440
Gold Member
The one ill be renting is a rotating laser level, so all that means is that i level it and once its level, i can walk up to it and 'rotate' it to each pole?
It should rotate the laser head when you turn it on. You won't have to move it to each post. Every post will have a laser line on it, if it's set up inside the structure. If you look at a post from inside, whatever portion of the post you can see will have a line on it.
Here is what you need and the price is right, only problem is Sears is out of stock right now.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00948247000
My wife bought me one for Christmas, really cool.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00948247000
My wife bought me one for Christmas, really cool.
OP
mopower440
Gold Member
I did it, but hope i did the right thing, i went to the rental yard and got a rotating laser level with tripod, ok, the thing was octagon shaped and had what looked like a head sticking up on top, it is the laser and it spins slow or fast, when it spins fast, it shows a line instead of just a dot, the guy at the rental yard said it is used for shooting grade..is this still ok, meaning, the right tool? Also, i set it up on the tripod, then i set the levelness wich was weird, it had 3 little levels on it, 2 of them were normal, set it so the bubble is in the center of the 2 lines in the middle, but the 3rd one was weird, it had 0, +1, +2, +3, +4, im guessing this is for the grade, i kept it at '0' wich was all the way to one side instead of the middle like the other 2, is this right also?(hopefully), please let me know guys, it worked great! I still have it so if i didnt set it right by keeping the bubble at '0' on that one side, let me know.
thanks!
thanks!
set the tripod with both bubbles level then put a small level
on tripod that should tell you if the bubbles is true. i got
a dw 073 an my tripods aint got no bubbles so i dont no but if still not sure call place you rented from.
on tripod that should tell you if the bubbles is true. i got
a dw 073 an my tripods aint got no bubbles so i dont no but if still not sure call place you rented from.
OP
mopower440
Gold Member
Not happy at all!, I set the thing up in the house just to see if it is accurate, set it up and made it spin fast, walked over to one wall and measured, 31 1/4, walked to the other wall and measured, 31 3/4, walked to the other wall, 31 1/2, this thing aint right, they said it was accurate to 600 ft., this is ina 15x15 romm and its varying this much, so once again, i wasted my money and my truss supports still arent up, i dont know guys, really wished i hadnt jumped into building this thing..
Junkman
Super Member
I have a 1/2" difference in one room in my home and never knew it until we changed the furniture. The night stands are mounted to the wall and the vacuum cleaner will get under one and not the other. Then checked them both and they were on the same plane... the floor is off by 1/2" and we never knew it. My wife complained to the builder, but he just ignored her complaints... treats her just like the snow plow guy does... turns a deaf ear... Told her that it was out of warranty and that all houses have these type of defects. It was built by carpenters, not machinists....
I believe that the third bubble is for setting grades... Check the accuracy with a known good level by placing a level on the line that is projected around the room. Level never varies, but floors and ceilings do...
I believe that the third bubble is for setting grades... Check the accuracy with a known good level by placing a level on the line that is projected around the room. Level never varies, but floors and ceilings do...
ronjhall
Super Star Member
mopower440
I have a manual laser level that I use to set landscaping and small projects around my place. I have found that is only as accurate as my setup.
I copied the following quote from MY Tool Store FAQ about laser levels.
<font color="blue">
This simple example may dramatize the meaning of "accuracy" for you (it did for us!): When you are aligning the bubble with the scribed lines on the vial, if you are "off" by just the thickness of the scribed line, then when you are measuring something a hundred feet away that tiny difference will equal about three inches! </font> /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Hope this helps.
I have a manual laser level that I use to set landscaping and small projects around my place. I have found that is only as accurate as my setup.
I copied the following quote from MY Tool Store FAQ about laser levels.
<font color="blue">
This simple example may dramatize the meaning of "accuracy" for you (it did for us!): When you are aligning the bubble with the scribed lines on the vial, if you are "off" by just the thickness of the scribed line, then when you are measuring something a hundred feet away that tiny difference will equal about three inches! </font> /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Hope this helps.
OP
mopower440
Gold Member
well, i just layed a 2 foot level accross the kitchen floor and the floor is not level, so maybe thats whats wrong, are most of these grade shooting lasers like the one i rented usually right?
em14
Platinum Member
Even your three foot carpenters level, as all measuring devices that are subject to hard handling, should be checked for level. I have found some to be off after a few years of use.
The one that works day in and day out is the water level ... and cheap to!
Leo
The one that works day in and day out is the water level ... and cheap to!
Leo
