how important is slope on laser levil

[ddbackhoe]

Thanks guys I'm listening and learning. Ed

There's some good youtube videos on the topic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INGdeoB9jYU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sklWQQGnC4o

 

[Scooby074]

^ I was going to post Dirt Ninja's vids too.

He just got a new Bosch laser and really likes it. it is a lot easier to set up than his other one when working alone. He knows his stuff.

 

[bdog]

A lot of you guys are missing op's question. He wants a laser but just is not sure if he wants the slope feature or not.

I have used a water level and built several things with it but it is slow and long distances are a pain. I bought a Bosch rotary laser with receiver from Home Depot or lowes can't remember which for $500. It is awesome and is a huge time saver. Mine doesn't have the slope feature and I don't think I would ever use it if it did. Running things that need a certain rise or drop are easy to calculate with the straight laser just find level and add or subtract as needed.

We formed up 75' of concrete the day before yesterday with it and it made a hard job easier. We are building a metal building and I will be using it to set the heights on everything.

 

[Redneck in training]

I have CST Berger non self leveling rotary laser. It takes few minutes to set up but it costs about 1/3 of self leveling one. I paid $350 or so few years back. Coincidentally I checked the accuracy of the level setting today using our pond as the level standard. The error was 0.25" over 140 feet in one direction and about 3/8" over 160 ft in perpendicular direction. It is not perfect but for all practical purposes adequate result.

If slope function is important? I don't have the answer. I am just guessing that for building construction it is not necessary function.

 

[JerryK]

So, for $300 or $500 or so... you can get something that is faster... but not as accurate as a water level. Water level, which you can make out of ordinary garden hose with clear adapters on the end... would have zero error at 140' if used properly. Plus, you can throw it into the bed of your truck and it will probably still be there the next day....

 

[jenkinsph]

I am in the planning process of building a 2000 sq ft house with a big garage, an equipment shed, 768 sq ft, and a 1200 sq ft shop, I hope. I found a big excavator that I can rent for the basement and building pads. I will need a laser level to shoot grade and am hoping to buy one instead of renting. I want to ask you all with more knowledge on this than me. I have never used slope before. I will also need to run some water lines and sewer lines. Thanks Ed

I don't see the need for a slope laser in your scenario.

I agree with others that a water level is the most accurate and is ideal for most building construction. For short distances such as the majority of building sites the hose is not a problem.

For long distances a laser and receiver are easier to work with. I am willing to deal with 150' of plastic hose and a water level for building construction and don't have to worry about someone damaging an expensive laser. But when I have long shots across a field 200 to 2000 ft I am not willing to deal with a hose. The laser is the tool of choice for long shots across a field or other applications where their accuracy is good enough.

I use a slope laser for field leveling and grading with machine control. The Topcon RL200 2/s is rated for distances of 1800' radius and is as accurate as I could ever need. I use it to grade long pipelines and control the depth of trenches since I have it but there are other tools such as a pipe laser for that specific purpose.

You can easily get by with an inexpensive water level for most applications. You can get by with a low cost laser level for faster measurements too. If you need quick and accurate measurements you would have to buy a better laser level for more money.

 

[bdog]

So, for $300 or $500 or so... you can get something that is faster... but not as accurate as a water level. Water level, which you can make out of ordinary garden hose with clear adapters on the end... would have zero error at 140' if used properly. Plus, you can throw it into the bed of your truck and it will probably still be there the next day....

Mine has a 1/4" accuracy at 100' and a total range of 800'. I can set it in the middle of a 50' building and be within 1/16" which is better than I can cut or build things. As I said in prior post a water level will work but these are so much easier and plenty accurate for most things.

 

[damloc]

As someone who has surveyed for over 25 years, i would suggest you bring someone in to help with the critical surveys such as sewer lines and such. i know you want to do this yourself, but if you had a guy bring in his level to help you might save you some money, time and possibly a lot of headache.

 

[RDrancher]

I have a manual slope Topcon that works fine, but the Bosch that Scooby074 posted has a setup that's easier to use and there are quite a few great package deals out there. If it were available when I bought mine I would have given it a hard look.

 

[bdog]

As someone who has surveyed for over 25 years, i would suggest you bring someone in to help with the critical surveys such as sewer lines and such. i know you want to do this yourself, but if you had a guy bring in his level to help you might save you some money, time and possibly a lot of headache.

I am not a RPLS but I have been surveying for about 10 years and own a RTK base and multiple rovers. We have probably surveyed in excess of 10,000 points this year. Some things amatures shouldn't try to do like things involving property boundaries but setting the grade for a sewer line ain't rocket science. If you can't figure that out you probably shouldn't try to install the rest of it either.

 

[Ed of all trades]

As someone who has surveyed for over 25 years, i would suggest you bring someone in to help with the critical surveys such as sewer lines and such. i know you want to do this yourself, but if you had a guy bring in his level to help you might save you some money, time and possibly a lot of headache.

I have installed sewer lines and drain fields when I worked for a contractor and if someone can't figure grade on them they don't need a pro to lay it out, they need to let someone else do the job. :confused3: I just have never had the chance to work with a lazer That has slope, and wanted to know how well they worked and how much they helped. Ed

 

[davedj1]

I have never used on with slope. I use a grade rod and adjust my measurements accordingly. I just bought a new Bosch and we love it, use it almost everyday in the construction field.
We are renovating a large old house. We set all the first floor window headers with it so the siding will be the same at all window heads.

 

[jenkinsph]

A slope laser is handy because you can set the slope you need to maintain an forego the calculations and measurements of distance from point to point and elevation needed. The measurement on your grade rod and receiver remains fixed every where along the pipe or ground. Handy but not necessary if you don't do a lot of this work on a regular basis.

 

[rodnok]

I built a house a few years ago and had a cement contractor pour the slab for the floor. This was on a poured wall house and the floor was poured after walls up. ICF forms were used for walls. He used a "self leveling" laser to mark the walls at top of slab level.He also set stakes at various places in middle of floor. 30'x 40' slab. When he got done the floor was 1.5 inches low in one corner. This threw a lot of stuff off on the drywall and trim installation. If he had used a water level it would never have happened. Water finds its own level no matter where you are on this planet. It does it take a bit longer to use, yes but no where near as much time was wasted as what I had to do to overcome his error.

On a side note he took a sizeable amount off the price of his work to make up for his mistake, without being asked.

 

[LD1]

I built a house a few years ago and had a cement contractor pour the slab for the floor. This was on a poured wall house and the floor was poured after walls up. ICF forms were used for walls. He used a "self leveling" laser to mark the walls at top of slab level.He also set stakes at various places in middle of floor. 30'x 40' slab. When he got done the floor was 1.5 inches low in one corner. This threw a lot of stuff off on the drywall and trim installation. If he had used a water level it would never have happened. Water finds its own level no matter where you are on this planet. It does it take a bit longer to use, yes but no where near as much time was wasted as what I had to do to overcome his error.

On a side note he took a sizeable amount off the price of his work to make up for his mistake, without being asked.

Sounds to me like operator error rather than equipment not being right.

Humans/contractors can screw up level even with a water level or standard bubble level.

 

[prichard]

Sounds to me like operator error rather than equipment not being right.

Humans/contractors can screw up level even with a water level or standard bubble level.

I agree, that wasn't level accuracy at that distance. I can almost see that level.

 

[RDrancher]

Sounds to me like operator error rather than equipment not being right.

Humans/contractors can screw up level even with a water level or standard bubble level.

.

10-4 LD. Make the marks, snap the line on the wall and double check with a level. We did it that way for over thirty years before I said goodbye to my concrete biz. Builder's levels, transits and lasers all get out of wack at some time, even from just riding around in the truck. This holds true for both auto levelers and bubble sets.

 

[Egon]

Many lines have been layed with a spirit level and knowing where to put the bubble on the cross line.

 

[rd_macgregor]

I guess it wouldn't hurt to cross-check using different approaches, too. So, if the original level was laid out with a self-leveling laser unit, it could be checked with a taut line and line level or with long contractor's level or water hose. A major difference between any two methods suggests deeper investigation (eg more replications to start) is warranted.
This is akin to the "measure twice, cut once" dictum of carpentry.

 

[jenkinsph]

.

10-4 LD. Make the marks, snap the line on the wall and double check with a level. We did it that way for over thirty years before I said goodbye to my concrete biz. Builder's levels, transits and lasers all get out of wack at some time, even from just riding around in the truck. This holds true for both auto levelers and bubble sets.

I agree with double checking to catch mistakes. I only carry my laser with me on the days it will be used, riding them around when not needed can lead to early failure.