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How to make a lot level
I am wanting to have built or to build a pole barn garage about 30x30.
I have been working the ground with a power tiller and a tractor. It is alot more level than it was but still has some low spots. Is there a good way to ensure this is level? Is there anything out there not too expensive that I could make or buy that would help me get this as level as possible? (Short of buying a 200 buck transit). WOuld a laser level on a pole work? Also, would it be good to put down gravel before poles or anything go up? (Not sure if I can afford concrete or not yet. Looks like the gravel first would provide some protection for the poles when they go up if it rained on the bare dirt which would cause mud splashing up on them. Any help is greatly appreciated! |
How to make a lot level
Use a garden hose or tow or three coupled together, then put a couple foot
of clear poly tubing on both ends. Suspend the ends a couple foot up, fill it with enough water to level off a few inches into the clear tube. What you have now is a level line and a pretty in-expensive device. I have used it many times for fences and such, works great!! Roger in Abilene. "Don" wrote in message ... I am wanting to have built or to build a pole barn garage about 30x30. I have been working the ground with a power tiller and a tractor. It is alot more level than it was but still has some low spots. Is there a good way to ensure this is level? Is there anything out there not too expensive that I could make or buy that would help me get this as level as possible? (Short of buying a 200 buck transit). WOuld a laser level on a pole work? Also, would it be good to put down gravel before poles or anything go up? (Not sure if I can afford concrete or not yet. Looks like the gravel first would provide some protection for the poles when they go up if it rained on the bare dirt which would cause mud splashing up on them. Any help is greatly appreciated! --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.614 / Virus Database: 393 - Release Date: 3/5/2004 |
How to make a lot level
In rec.crafts.metalworking Don wrote:
I am wanting to have built or to build a pole barn garage about 30x30. I have been working the ground with a power tiller and a tractor. It is alot more level than it was but still has some low spots. Is there a good way to ensure this is level? Is there anything out there not too expensive that I could make or buy that would help me get this as level as possible? (Short of buying a 200 buck transit). WOuld a laser level on a pole work? A floodlight, on a small pole can be handy in revealing low-spots. Best results at night. Laser level can also be useful for fine-tuning. |
How to make a lot level
TO LEVEL--Get 50 ft of 1/2" clear plastic tubing--Fill tubing with
water--NO AIR BUBBLES !! attach one end to a post or stake so that the top is 5 or 6 ft high let out about a foot of water from each end of hose--It's easier with a friend to help, but you can place the ends of the tubing along side each other and mark each one where the water level is--also mark post for reference--need to check back to post occasionally as water/hose expands with temperature rise--may have to slide your reference end to line up with original mark .. Don wrote: I am wanting to have built or to build a pole barn garage about 30x30. I have been working the ground with a power tiller and a tractor. It is alot more level than it was but still has some low spots. Is there a good way to ensure this is level? Is there anything out there not too expensive that I could make or buy that would help me get this as level as possible? (Short of buying a 200 buck transit). WOuld a laser level on a pole work? Also, would it be good to put down gravel before poles or anything go up? (Not sure if I can afford concrete or not yet. Looks like the gravel first would provide some protection for the poles when they go up if it rained on the bare dirt which would cause mud splashing up on them. Any help is greatly appreciated! |
How to make a lot level
Don, I like to use a box blade and a drag. The drag can be a simple "I"
beam a few feet wider than the box blade. As you drive around in circles and figure 8's, set the box blade to just cut off the tops of any mounds. Attach the "I" beam to the back of the box blade with 2 pieces of chain so the it rides with two edges down. This will smooth out any gouges made by the box blade. As you notice a high or low spot, drive across the high spot towards the low. This should scrap some dirt from the mound and drop it into the low spot. May have to play with the height of the box blade at this point. This should get you pretty flat. For level, the cheapest thing would be a water level. Two, one foot pieces of clear tubing attached to the ends of a garden hose. Inconvenient, but accurate Or you could do what the Egyptians did, dig a shallow ditch around and across your lot. Then fill it with water. "Don" wrote in message ... I am wanting to have built or to build a pole barn garage about 30x30. I have been working the ground with a power tiller and a tractor. It is alot more level than it was but still has some low spots. Is there a good way to ensure this is level? Is there anything out there not too expensive that I could make or buy that would help me get this as level as possible? (Short of buying a 200 buck transit). WOuld a laser level on a pole work? Also, would it be good to put down gravel before poles or anything go up? (Not sure if I can afford concrete or not yet. Looks like the gravel first would provide some protection for the poles when they go up if it rained on the bare dirt which would cause mud splashing up on them. Any help is greatly appreciated! |
How to make a lot level
Is there
a good way to ensure this is level? A tractor and a box blade moves the dirt. A water level is probably the cheapest way to go for the leveling instrument. Just make sure you get all of the bubbles out before you use it. Gary Brady Austin, TX |
How to make a lot level
Go down to Home Depot and get yourself a $1.98 string level. Stretch string
tight across your pad. Hang level on string per instructions and adjust string accordingly. |
How to make a lot level
the laser levels are really cheap these days. Prices start ar $4
on sale. This one is $25, comes with a nice tripod and will give you accruacy in the 1/4" range for your project. Use a yard stick or just a story pole with a mark on it. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90693 Don wrote: I am wanting to have built or to build a pole barn garage about 30x30. I have been working the ground with a power tiller and a tractor. It is alot more level than it was but still has some low spots. Is there a good way to ensure this is level? Is there anything out there not too expensive that I could make or buy that would help me get this as level as possible? (Short of buying a 200 buck transit). WOuld a laser level on a pole work? Also, would it be good to put down gravel before poles or anything go up? (Not sure if I can afford concrete or not yet. Looks like the gravel first would provide some protection for the poles when they go up if it rained on the bare dirt which would cause mud splashing up on them. Any help is greatly appreciated! |
How to make a lot level
In , on 04/19/04
at 07:58 PM, a (Dave Baker) said: Subject: How to make a lot level From: (Don) Date: 19/04/04 18:59 GMT Daylight Time Message-id: There is nothing more accurate than a length of clear plastic tube filled with water which will indicate a true level to basically infinite accuracy. Stick some ink in the water, & screw a plastic ruler to each of the posts the ends of the tube are fixed to - even works round corners! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- John Lloyd - Cymru/Wales ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
How to make a lot level
Get yourself an electronic water level made by Zircon if you can afford it.
It is less than $30, and puts out a tone when you reach the level point, even around blind corners, as long as you can hear it. This is one of the handiest tools I own, and it's a one man usage device. No more begging for help. RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." wrote in message ernet.com... In , on 04/19/04 at 07:58 PM, a (Dave Baker) said: Subject: How to make a lot level From: (Don) Date: 19/04/04 18:59 GMT Daylight Time Message-id: There is nothing more accurate than a length of clear plastic tube filled with water which will indicate a true level to basically infinite accuracy. Stick some ink in the water, & screw a plastic ruler to each of the posts the ends of the tube are fixed to - even works round corners! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- John Lloyd - Cymru/Wales -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- |
How to make a lot level
Don wrote:
I am wanting to have built or to build a pole barn garage about 30x30. I have been working the ground with a power tiller and a tractor. It is alot more level than it was but still has some low spots. Is there a good way to ensure this is level? Is there anything out there not too expensive that I could make or buy that would help me get this as level as possible? (Short of buying a 200 buck transit). WOuld a laser level on a pole work? Also, would it be good to put down gravel before poles or anything go up? (Not sure if I can afford concrete or not yet. Looks like the gravel first would provide some protection for the poles when they go up if it rained on the bare dirt which would cause mud splashing up on them. Any help is greatly appreciated! You can rent a laser level from Home Depot for a reasonable sum. I always found water levels to be a pain in the ass. |
How to make a lot level
Two words ......... water level .................
Easy Cheap VERY accurate, even at long distances. Steve |
How to make a lot level
|
How to make a lot level
"Old Nick" wrote: (clip)I _believe that if the air bubble occurs _and the water levels are already exactly equal, and you don't alter anything_ then you are OK. Any change with an air bubble and you will get wrong readings. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The water hose is essentially a U-tube, in which the water levels are PRESUMED to be at the same level in both legs. Obviously, if there is air on one side, the weight of water required to match the other leg will stand higher in that leg, introducing an error. The best way to make sure this doesn't happen is to bring both legs together and see that the levels match. To be doubly sure, raise the ends of the hose, so any air rises and escapes. Once this is done, there is no way for air to get in, and the system should be accurate, no matter how you drag the hose, or whether it goes over bumps or low spots. |
How to make a lot level
On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 18:24:32 GMT, "Roger Jensen"
wrote: Use a garden hose or tow or three coupled together, then put a couple foot of clear poly tubing on both ends. Suspend the ends a couple foot up, fill it with enough water to level off a few inches into the clear tube. What you have now is a level line and a pretty in-expensive device. I have used it many times for fences and such, works great!! Roger in Abilene. Works great! with mobile homes and similar also. Gunner "Don" wrote in message m... I am wanting to have built or to build a pole barn garage about 30x30. I have been working the ground with a power tiller and a tractor. It is alot more level than it was but still has some low spots. Is there a good way to ensure this is level? Is there anything out there not too expensive that I could make or buy that would help me get this as level as possible? (Short of buying a 200 buck transit). WOuld a laser level on a pole work? Also, would it be good to put down gravel before poles or anything go up? (Not sure if I can afford concrete or not yet. Looks like the gravel first would provide some protection for the poles when they go up if it rained on the bare dirt which would cause mud splashing up on them. Any help is greatly appreciated! --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.614 / Virus Database: 393 - Release Date: 3/5/2004 "A vote for Kerry is a de facto vote for bin Laden." Strider |
How to make a lot level
On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 15:41:30 -0400, "C.M.German"
wrote: Go down to Home Depot and get yourself a $1.98 string level. Stretch string tight across your pad. Hang level on string per instructions and adjust string accordingly. Agreed except maybe two of them. I'd run at least two strings perpendicular to each other ie- north/south and east/west such that they intersect in the middle of the pad site -or- perhaps to get more accurate run 6 strings such that you could run say 2 north/south along the edges of the pad site and one in the middle and then do the same thing in the east/west direction. |
How to make a lot level
"StveB" wrote in message news:Do1hc.65237$U83.2385@fed1read03...
Two words ......... water level ................. Easy Cheap VERY accurate, even at long distances. Steve I've been checking this thread watching for another warning in addition to the bubble problem. ALL parts of the water level must be at the same temperature. Half in shade and half in sun can also throw your marks off. At the cheap price of lazer levels today, I would spring for one if I didn't already have one for this project. A lot less dick around. One set-up and a marked stage pole is all it takes. I use water levels myself expecially when going around corners but... Harry K |
How to make a lot level
Please explain why.
"Harry K" wrote in message om... "StveB" wrote in message news:Do1hc.65237$U83.2385@fed1read03... I've been checking this thread watching for another warning in addition to the bubble problem. ALL parts of the water level must be at the same temperature. Half in shade and half in sun can also throw your marks off. Harry K |
How to make a lot level
On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 06:35:02 GMT, "Leo Lichtman"
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Point taken. I was being cautious. It's hard to get sure that there is no air in 15 metres of hose, though, by raising the ends up till there are no folds G Clear tubing is the safest. I saw a couple of mentions of garden hose. Once this is done, there is no way for air to get in, and the system should be accurate, no matter how you drag the hose, or whether it goes over bumps or low spots. ************************************************** ** I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry .........no I'm not. |
How to make a lot level
|
How to make a lot level
Harry K wrote:
"StveB" wrote in message news:Do1hc.65237$U83.2385@fed1read03... Two words ......... water level ................. Easy Cheap VERY accurate, even at long distances. Steve I've been checking this thread watching for another warning in addition to the bubble problem. ALL parts of the water level must be at the same temperature. Half in shade and half in sun can also throw your marks off. At the cheap price of lazer levels today, I would spring for one if I didn't already have one for this project. A lot less dick around. One set-up and a marked stage pole is all it takes. I use water levels myself expecially when going around corners but... Harry K Interesting how a question about leveling a lot turns into a debate about the merits of a water lever! - damn Engineers! I recently bought a Porter Cable self-leveling laser for $100. It is great for projects like this. I use it mostly, however, when investigating settlement and sags in houses. Best $100 I ever spent. I may go for one that continuously spins next time. Rob Munach, PE |
How to make a lot level
wrote:
Go down to Home Depot and get yourself a $1.98 string level. Stretch string tight across your pad. Hang level on string per instructions and adjust string accordingly. Good idea except for one thing ............. A string line with a level on it sags after a short distance .................. Steve |
How to make a lot level
Nothing you'll ever notice in a 30' pad with a 6 foot rule......... and a
tightly stretched line. How many houses do you suppose are set out this way? |
How to make a lot level
Always place a line level in the MIDDLE of a string. That way the slope
is the same on both ends. SteveB wrote: wrote: Go down to Home Depot and get yourself a $1.98 string level. Stretch string tight across your pad. Hang level on string per instructions and adjust string accordingly. Good idea except for one thing ............. A string line with a level on it sags after a short distance .................. Steve -- Glenn Ashmore I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com |
How to make a lot level
|
How to make a lot level
Sunworshiper wrote:
I wonder if things like the bases of pyramids and tops of aqueducts are curved like the earth or straight. Off hand I would think they would have to have optics to get it straight. Bet they are curved. Even line segments would be interesting. Things that make me go hmmm... Structures should be straight and aqueducts curved. Then again suspension bridge towers wouldn't be parallel. This was just being discussed over in one of the misc.transport.rail.americas The Verazano Narrows bridge between Statin Island and Brooklyn has towers the are about 2 inches further apart at the top then the bottom because of the earth curvature. |
How to make a lot level
On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 11:30:55 -0400, Glenn Ashmore
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Always place a line level in the MIDDLE of a string. That way the slope is the same on both ends. Agreed, and important, but oft forgot (DAMHIKT!) But the _height_ is not necessarily there if you then take another "level" from the middle of the string. ************************************************** ** I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry .........no I'm not. |
How to make a lot level
On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 14:40:16 GMT, Rob Munach
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Gee! When I had my settlement investigated, the lawyer only read the first _page_ for $100! ..........oh.....sorry. G A question if I may. How good are these things in sunlight over distance? Are there staffs that have sensors, or is this not needed? As usual we are way behind you guys in pricing, so until very recently these have been way out of range. They are starting to get there, and I am certainly looking at one, but I am worried that economics and laws about lazers may cause weak visual behaviour. Thanks Interesting how a question about leveling a lot turns into a debate about the merits of a water lever! - damn Engineers! I recently bought a Porter Cable self-leveling laser for $100. It is great for projects like this. I use it mostly, however, when investigating settlement and sags in houses. Best $100 I ever spent. I may go for one that continuously spins next time. Rob Munach, PE ************************************************** ** I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry .........no I'm not. |
How to make a lot level
On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 13:32:52 -0500, jerry Wass
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Years ago I actually made and used a "water level" It used plastic tube, on a piece of aluminium square about a meter long. The tube stood up at both ends and was filled with water with ink on it. I had it on a tripod. You could sight along the water levels and get surprisingly accurate results. Sort of a bubble level in reverse! G TO LEVEL--Get 50 ft of 1/2" clear plastic tubing--Fill tubing with water--NO AIR BUBBLES !! attach one end to a post or stake so that the ************************************************** ** I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry .........no I'm not. |
How to make a lot level
Nothing you'll ever notice in a 30' pad with a 6 foot rule......... and a
tightly stretched line. How many houses do you suppose are set out this way? Not too many anymore - most are shot with a transit. And the ones that were set with a line level could be shot with a transit and you would see the error. They will get you "kinda close" but every time I ever had to use a string level, I would always take several readings, sliding the level back and forth to the same position, re-read, etc. Most line levels are only about 2 or 3 inches long, and most are made cheaply, and they are surely not something I would set a house with. If a good transit is not available - the water hose would work, although cumbersome. Ken. |
How to make a lot level
I would fathom a guess that hot water is "lighter" than cold water,
therefore if you had a 100' of hose, and one end of it is in 25' of direct sunlite (and had been for a period of time) about 20 degrees hotter, the colder water would push the hot water a little higher in the tube... dunno ... never experimented ... If you initially held the sight tubes side-by-side and leveled the water and marked the tubes... then stretched out the 100' of hose (some in sunlight, some not) and staked the sight tubed into the ground to measure from the sight tube marks down to the dirt, I would imagine, after a period of time, that it would be possible for the "hot" end to be higher than the sight tube marking, while the other end may be a little below the sight tube marking. Ken. Please explain why. "Harry K" wrote in message . com... "StveB" wrote in message news:Do1hc.65237$U83.2385@fed1read03... I've been checking this thread watching for another warning in addition to the bubble problem. ALL parts of the water level must be at the same temperature. Half in shade and half in sun can also throw your marks off. Harry K |
How to make a lot level
Old Nick wrote:
On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 14:40:16 GMT, Rob Munach vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Gee! When I had my settlement investigated, the lawyer only read the first _page_ for $100! ..........oh.....sorry. G A question if I may. How good are these things in sunlight over distance? Are there staffs that have sensors, or is this not needed? As usual we are way behind you guys in pricing, so until very recently these have been way out of range. They are starting to get there, and I am certainly looking at one, but I am worried that economics and laws about lazers may cause weak visual behaviour. Thanks I have not used it in bright sunlight yet - but I have heard that it can affect it. Also, the beam isn't likely to be powerful enough to be seen at a distance in bright sunlight. Hey, what do you want for $100? Interesting how a question about leveling a lot turns into a debate about the merits of a water lever! - damn Engineers! I recently bought a Porter Cable self-leveling laser for $100. It is great for projects like this. I use it mostly, however, when investigating settlement and sags in houses. Best $100 I ever spent. I may go for one that continuously spins next time. Rob Munach, PE ************************************************** ** I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry ........no I'm not. I |
How to make a lot level
Hi Nick,
I bought one of these, http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....category=63 2 no connection, just happy with mine. I can see it maybe 25 meters in sunlight using the red tinted glasses that come with it. I just turn it on and walk about with a staff I made from a tomato stake witn the blade out of a $2.50 tape measure nailed to it, it works very well. Just to prove the point Rob made about damn engineers, I don't trust water levels because they level to a curve about the the same as the radius of the earth, where a laser is flat. LOL regards, John "Old Nick" wrote in message ... On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 14:40:16 GMT, Rob Munach vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Gee! When I had my settlement investigated, the lawyer only read the first _page_ for $100! ..........oh.....sorry. G A question if I may. How good are these things in sunlight over distance? Are there staffs that have sensors, or is this not needed? As usual we are way behind you guys in pricing, so until very recently these have been way out of range. They are starting to get there, and I am certainly looking at one, but I am worried that economics and laws about lazers may cause weak visual behaviour. Thanks Interesting how a question about leveling a lot turns into a debate about the merits of a water lever! - damn Engineers! I recently bought a Porter Cable self-leveling laser for $100. It is great for projects like this. I use it mostly, however, when investigating settlement and sags in houses. Best $100 I ever spent. I may go for one that continuously spins next time. Rob Munach, PE ************************************************** ** I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry ........no I'm not. |
How to make a lot level
On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 22:37:10 +1000, "john johnson"
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Hi Nick, I bought one of these, http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....category=63 2 no connection, just happy with mine. hmm. $Aud95! Ok. I would still rather spend $300 and get a reasonable piece of gear than $100 and get something that disappointsme. Ok if I ask a few questions? More to the point. Will you answer them? G I have also just been out and fiddled about with my Class II pointer G and may have some ideas. (1) If you can make a shade for the staff, with both top and side shields, you can significantly increase the visibility. You would need to turn the staff so that the side shileds kept the sun off. There are a couple of spots where this would not work, of course. (2) 3M make reflective film. I have some red stuff. That really makes the lazer point stand out. May even be a safety issue for a static lazer. I can see it maybe 25 meters in sunlight using the red tinted glasses that come with it. I just turn it on and walk about with a staff I made from a tomato stake witn the blade out of a $2.50 tape measure nailed to it, it works very well. I hate ebay....however, it certainly seems to be reasonable and if it's OK up to 25m that's not bad! So you are close to the staff, and can see the laser stripe on it, I guess. I can see where that would work. I have a laser pointer, and in sunlight I can't see the point if I am _at the laser_ and the beam is more than 10 metres away. At night, I can see it against a wall 250 m away! I was assuming I was going to need to point, locate and mark. Of course with a rotating bizzo, you can walk around and see the beam. What rotation speed do you use? I am interested because I would assume that the faster it turns, the quicker it wears. Does it take rechargeables? What capacity and whow long does a set last? How do you set the thing level? Bubble? Auto? Have you done an "back checking" on its levels to see how accurate it is? By this I mean actually marking a level that it gives, then marking its own level, placing it at the new level and seeing it sends back to itself. How big is the spot? Just to prove the point Rob made about damn engineers, I don't trust water levels because they level to a curve about the the same as the radius of the earth, where a laser is flat. LOL ......with a "thin spot" in the middle of the "run"? G ************************************************** ** I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry .........no I'm not. |
How to make a lot level
On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 10:26:54 GMT, Rob Munach
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Not much for $100. But then I didn't think we had stuff for $100! G I see we do. But I would hate something that simply did not work, or restricted me badly. I would pay more to avoid that. I may not need to. I have not used it in bright sunlight yet - but I have heard that it can affect it. Also, the beam isn't likely to be powerful enough to be seen at a distance in bright sunlight. Hey, what do you want for $100? ************************************************** ** I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry .........no I'm not. |
How to make a lot level
Hi Nick,
Reply below each question. regards, John "Old Nick" wrote in message ... On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 22:37:10 +1000, "john johnson" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Hi Nick, I bought one of these, http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....744&category=6 32 no connection, just happy with mine. hmm. $Aud95! Ok. I would still rather spend $300 and get a reasonable piece of gear than $100 and get something that disappointsme. Ok if I ask a few questions? More to the point. Will you answer them? G I'll try! I have also just been out and fiddled about with my Class II pointer G and may have some ideas. (1) If you can make a shade for the staff, with both top and side shields, you can significantly increase the visibility. You would need to turn the staff so that the side shileds kept the sun off. There are a couple of spots where this would not work, of course. (2) 3M make reflective film. I have some red stuff. That really makes the lazer point stand out. May even be a safety issue for a static lazer. I can see it maybe 25 meters in sunlight using the red tinted glasses that come with it. I just turn it on and walk about with a staff I made from a tomato stake witn the blade out of a $2.50 tape measure nailed to it, it works very well. I hate ebay....however, it certainly seems to be reasonable and if it's OK up to 25m that's not bad! I'll check it out again in the daylight tomorrow arvo, make sure I'm not leading you astray. So you are close to the staff, and can see the laser stripe on it, I guess. I can see where that would work. I have a laser pointer, and in sunlight I can't see the point if I am _at the laser_ and the beam is more than 10 metres away. At night, I can see it against a wall 250 m away! I was assuming I was going to need to point, locate and mark. Of course with a rotating bizzo, you can walk around and see the beam. It's great, I have a little cowley automatic level, but it needs two people to use it, this thing is easy by yourself. What rotation speed do you use? I am interested because I would assume that the faster it turns, the quicker it wears. Rotation speed is adjustable, the faster you make it the duller it gets, smaller range. You can slow it down to less than a rotation per second, but it still wizzes past pretty quick at 20M As far as wear goes, the rotating bit is very light (no pun intended) and lightly loaded (and again) , I think it will out last me with the occasional use I will give it. If you wanted to use one every day I'd be spending a lot more on a professional model. I just bought it to map my sloping yard, so I can work out where is the best spot and shape for my new shed, then level the site and form work etc. Does it take rechargeables? What capacity and whow long does a set last? It takes three AAA cells, I'm still using the set that came with it about two months ago but I haven't used it that much. You could put rechargeables in it, but it comes with alakaline batteries. The book says it will run for three hours on set of batteries. That would do a lot of leveling, because you can turn it off without disturbing it. How do you set the thing level? Bubble? Auto? It has two vials, you adjust the screws underneath to get the bubbles centered. I found it a bit difficult to get the bubbles centered, the vials are very sensitive, the screws are a little coarse. Have you done an "back checking" on its levels to see how accurate it is? By this I mean actually marking a level that it gives, then marking its own level, placing it at the new level and seeing it sends back to itself. Yes, I ran a set of levels from one side of my yard to the other, marked the level on few things across the yard, then set it up on the opposite side of the yard and did it again. The error was around 2.5mm across 20M of yard, I was impressed! It's rated accuracy is +- 5mm over 10 M, so it was better than I thought it would be. While I had it there, I went back and readjusted the bubbles in the vials to try and get some idea of the sensitivity, and convinved myself that it would be repeatable to get this sort of accuracy. One thing that worried me, and I haven't fully tested yet, was that the laser has to be at 90 deg to the axis of rotation, or it will project a shallow cone rather than a flat disc. The test I did above came at the same marks from different angles, not a straight line through them, so it did test this a bit? It's at least as accurate as letting my wife read the stall with the cowley level! LOL How big is the spot? Close up it's about 2.5 mm, across the yard it grew to about 3.5 mm. Its not really a problem though as the edges are clearly defined and it's easy to judge the centre of the dot. Another thing, it has a bracket at 90 deg to it's base mounting, so you can clamp it to things and use it to set up flat planes that aren't level. I've used it to 'draw' some straight lines down a model A chassis I'm working on. It's better than a string line because it projects a plane rather than the single line of the string. Just to prove the point Rob made about damn engineers, I don't trust water levels because they level to a curve about the the same as the radius of the earth, where a laser is flat. LOL .....with a "thin spot" in the middle of the "run"? G ************************************************** ** I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry ........no I'm not. |
How to make a lot level
Ken Sterling Ken Sterling wrote:
I would fathom a guess that hot water is "lighter" than cold water, At temp T (F), it weighs about 62.46-0.01(T-68) lb/ft^3. therefore if you had a 100' of hose, and one end of it is in 25' of direct sunlite (and had been for a period of time) about 20 degrees hotter, the colder water would push the hot water a little higher in the tube... Imagine filling a 110 foot x 1 ft^2 hose filled with 100' of 68 F water. The water weighs 100x62.46 = 6246 pounds. Now heat half of the water (3123 pounds of it) to 88 F. A cubic foot of the warmer water weighs about 62.26 pounds, so the warmer water now occupies 3123/62.26 = 50.1606 feet of hose, ie the hose now contains 100.1606 feet of water. Imagine hanging one end from the shady side of a 50 foot tall building at 68 F and hanging the other end from the sunny side around a corner. We might see water column heights Hc and Hw, where Hc + Hw = 100.1606 feet, and 62.46Hc = 62.26Hw, which makes Hc = 0.9968Hw, so 1.9968Hw = 100.1606, and Hw = 50.1606', and Hc = 50', and Hw - Hc = 0.1606 feet, or 1.927 inches. If all the hose were on level ground, we wouldn't see any height difference, although both heights would rise by 0.9636 inches, or more, if air bubbles undissolved from the warmer water. Nick |
How to make a lot level
On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 19:57:10 +1000, "john johnson"
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Thanks for all of that! I will chew this one over. I may check out more expensive models, and see what I am getting, or if there is a "middle road" )some of them are a couple of grand!) Talking of accuracy. When I have help my FIl lay out pads a couple of times, using a dumpy, I used to get really ****ed off. I would tap in a peg, and p8ut the staff on top and he'd say "down a tap" and we'd go again..."up" (pull) "down" (tap) etc etc. We would have been talking 0.5 mm ? I have to suppose he worked to edges of the markings on the staff! G Mind you, I have never seen more level pads thatn that guy did. Scary. When you wet them down after laying, and kept them wet, there was _never_ a pool anywhere. Hi Nick, Reply below each question. regards, John "Old Nick" wrote in message .. . On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 22:37:10 +1000, "john johnson" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email ************************************************** ** I went on a guided tour not long ago.The guide got us lost. He was a non-compass mentor.........sorry .........no I'm not. |
How to make a lot level
Others have suggested the best cheap solution, a water level. I'll add one
more tip. If you need to take the level along a line, say, to check the level of the pad out in the center, do it with a cheap laser. Any laser can work, even a cheap laser pointer, as long as you can affix it securely. The method is to aim the laser across the worksite at a convenient height. A cheap laser level is handy because it has a tripod socket. The level the beam using the water level. One end at the laser and the other end on the far side of the worksite. Once the beam is level you can shoot vertical distances at any point along the beam using a simple steel rule. Or even a string with a mark at the laser impact point. Just touch the ground with the rule and observe where the laser grazes it. Most cheap lasers have too much beam spread to use the spot so use a grazing contact, say, on the bottom of the beam. My rule is magnetic and I have a cylindrical magnet that I can roll along the rule until the laser just barely illuminates the edge. John On 19 Apr 2004 10:59:08 -0700, (Don) wrote: I am wanting to have built or to build a pole barn garage about 30x30. I have been working the ground with a power tiller and a tractor. It is alot more level than it was but still has some low spots. Is there a good way to ensure this is level? Is there anything out there not too expensive that I could make or buy that would help me get this as level as possible? (Short of buying a 200 buck transit). WOuld a laser level on a pole work? --- John De Armond http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/o/johngd/ Cleveland, Occupied TN |
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