Hi George,

I need a water level. It seems you can make a one-person water
level by hooking one end into a reservoir. If anyone has done
this, I'd be interested in what they used for parts.

I built and used a water level extensively for laying out the foundations
of our garage and house.

I constructed mine from an old wine bottle and about 50' of 3/8" clear
tubing (available at any home center or hardware store). I stuck one end
of the tube into the bottle, then secured it in place with a plastic zip
tie so it couldn't fall out or shift positions. You want to tighten the
tie enough that it keeps the hose from moving, but not so much that you
compress the hose.

Then fill your bottle about 2/3 with water, and set it in the middle of
your work area. I recommend setting it on a block of some kind so it's
higher than the items you're trying to level. Make sure the end of the
hose is well below the water level in the bottle, as the water will flow
in and out of the hose as you move around.

Then lower the open end of the hose so the water can flow out. Let it
flow until all the air bubbles are out, then raise it up until the water
level balances about 4 to 6 inches from the end of the hose. Mark that
spot on the end of the hose with a pen (I used another zip tie to mark
the level spot, as it allowed me to move it and recalibrate each day).

Be sure to hold your finger over the end of the tube as you move around
to prevent water from coming out. If you lose water, the level will
change, and you'll need to recalibrate again. Release your finger when
you take the measurement so the water can level out again (start higher
than you need, then slowly lower the hose end. If you start too low,
water will rush out the end of the tube, and you'll need to recalibrate
again.)

Then go to the spot you want to level, raise or lower the end of the tube
until the water level lines up with the mark on your tube. Then measure
down from the mark to the height you want. You can then continue around
your area, measuring down that same distance at each location.

I recommend going back around and double-checking your level marks after
you finish, since the level can potentially change in warm sunlight and
whatnot.

I used this technique to level our 40'x40' house foundation, with lots of
internal footings. The accuracy was quite good, typically under 1/4" all
the way around. Not bad considering the 40' distance.

The nice thing about a water level is it can work around corners, in
different rooms, or around other obstructions. This would be a lot more
difficult using a 4' level, or even a transit.

Just make your level marks, go back and recheck, and it should all work
well.

Have fun,

Anthony