Setting out heights for foundation brick levels?

[brightspark]

What are these water levels you speak of !
I tried Google ?
I use a spirit level regularly.

heres mine you fill them with water till the water balances out at the red tape. fasten one at the level u require slacken the tops off and walk round and peg the ground where the levels match job done . they dont get any more accurate than that and easy to use . apart from setting out levels they used them on sites for setting up false ceilings before lasers came out . i just set the levels out on a large patio and pathway for bruv inlaw then he filled with dolomite and compacted it with my diesel whacker plate .

 

[addjunkie]

My bricks are 72mm. Bought a whole load to mix in that were advertised as 73mm but turned out to be closer to 75mm. Slightly longer too. It's a pain as I'm continuing existing brickwork that had narrowish 8mm mortar gaps. Worked out the gauging for length to accommodate both sizes, but height is where I might have trouble. Using the same lime as the rest of the house which should help blend it in.

Got things set out and started on the second course where the wall steps down. Getting a lot easier when I can just string a line between bricks.

PS - red wine is good for water levels. Less sticky than water but leaves a stain inside the tubes.

Slate is usful to alter levels a few mill here and there when setting out your base levels

 

[Blake's 7]

This place is a goldmine for all sorts of building tips and tricks. I'd seen mention of water levels on here before, but didn't know what they were until I saw that video.
And literally five minutes before reading this thread I bought one of these Laser Level's for use in my farmhouse renovations.

 

[brightspark]

This place is a goldmine for all sorts of building tips and tricks. I'd seen mention of water levels on here before, but didn't know what they were until I saw that video.
And literally five minutes before reading this thread I bought one of these Laser Level's for use in my farmhouse renovations.

there ok for indoor use but not much cop for outside

 

[Edward Teach]

Its not easy A house round my way had a big extension on the side, and the brickie managed to get the coursing slightly different to the house brickwork, so as well as being the wrong colour brick, it just looks plain odd.

Its not easy if the original brickwork is old imperial size,
Trying to lay metric bricks to suit imperial old, and where everything else is metric is just a PITA
Are you able to obtain the original bricks,
Would the colour match !!!
Very likely more than not,
Been there, done that.

 

[addjunkie]

there ok for indoor use but not much cop for outside

Unless you have a receiver too.

A 2 meter spirt level seems to be fine for most things.

 

[Edward Teach]

Unless you have a receiver too.

A 2 meter spirt level seems to be fine for most things.

A 2 meter spirit level will do fine,
A line level is a useful tool,

 

[mtt.tr]

Its not easy if the original brickwork is old imperial size,
Trying to lay metric bricks to suit imperial old, and where everything else is metric is just a PITA
Are you able to obtain the original bricks,
Would the colour match !!!
Very likely more than not,
Been there, done that.

on my extension first 2 courses line up next 2 dont due to the dpc in the existing is about 1 1/4 thick. fortunately mine is just a plinth wall

 

[malcolm]

Done a bit. Set the heights with a spirit level sitting on a long bit of wood. Now I'm using a line over 10m. It's not far off - tensioned it a lot and it's better than the level I had.

Sun during the day and frost at night is a pain for lime mortar. But I'm getting a good tan. Good to have a couple of bricks below ground level to get in to the swing of things. It's been a year or two and I've forgotten everything.

 

[S-Rail]

I have worked in construction for over 35 years...

Sorry , I’ll bow down then , I am stuck at 33 years in the trade .

you must be the the oracle of all knowledge and not willing to listen or learn anything new then ?

I didn’t come here for a Willy waving contest , just to offer someone some helpful advice .... but it seems some don’t like their toes being stood on

 

[VeryFEDUP]

You can do a lot worse than get hold of an optical level. Old timers might still call them 'Dumpy Levels' but they aren't the same thing at all. Modern levels have a compensator meaning the instrument is level through 360 degrees.
Learn the Height of Collimation booking method, (the known height plus the backsight staff reading equals the Height of Collimation. Now move the staff to where you want to know the height and take a foresight staff reading. Subtract this from the HoC and there's your new known height) and away you go.
You can set out heights and you can check the instrument via a simple Two Peg Test. You can even measure a true horizontal distance (no matter how steep the ground) to an accuracy of 10cm using the stadia hairs found on more or less every level eyepiece.

A very versatile piece of kit for not huge money. You don't need batteries either.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Detector turned up today.


Can't fault it. Bright sunshine and 40meters and works perfectly.

 

[brightspark]

Detector turned up today.


Can't fault it. Bright sunshine and 40meters and works perfectly.

View attachment 286288

i have a pls laser its mainly indoor and cost 200 quid 12 years ago real. good gear . theyhave come well down in price now though because stanley draper dewalt and makita and everyman and his dog make them to compete

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

i have a pls laser its mainly indoor and cost 200 quid 12 years ago real. good gear . theyhave come well down in price now though because stanley draper dewalt and makita and everyman and his dog make them to compete

Tis good gear
If it has an external mode (pulsed) that detector will work.

Il probably use it indoors too. Sit it on a unit and listen for the beep while laying on the floor winding the feet
0.75mm so more accurate than pencil mark on the 3mm laser beam.

 

[mtt.tr]

You can do a lot worse than get hold of an optical level. Old timers might still call them 'Dumpy Levels' but they aren't the same thing at all. Modern levels have a compensator meaning the instrument is level through 360 degrees.
Learn the Height of Collimation booking method, (the known height plus the backsight staff reading equals the Height of Collimation. Now move the staff to where you want to know the height and take a foresight staff reading. Subtract this from the HoC and there's your new known height) and away you go.
You can set out heights and you can check the instrument via a simple Two Peg Test. You can even measure a true horizontal distance (no matter how steep the ground) to an accuracy of 10cm using the stadia hairs found on more or less every level eyepiece.

A very versatile piece of kit for not huge money. You don't need batteries either.

Sold my dumpy on here, i miss but soley because it always works. Shame it requires a second person

 

[mtt.tr]

Detector turned up today.


Can't fault it. Bright sunshine and 40meters and works perfectly.

View attachment 286288

I've got a datum manually leveling rotating laser its handy as you can self calibtate the vials.

With the dector its fantastic.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I've got a datum manually leveling rotating laser its handy as you can self calibtate the vials.

With the dector its fantastic.

Can't justify a 360 for the odd occasion it would be useful.

The crossline and detector should be plenty good enough for the odd bit of paving/shed bases etc outside.

 

[mtt.tr]

Can't justify a 360 for the odd occasion it would be useful.

The crossline and detector should be plenty good enough for the odd bit of paving/shed bases etc outside.

I bought it second hand but new in box for £80

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I bought it second hand but new in box for £80

Bargain. Paid nearly that for my detector.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I bought it second hand but new in box for £80

25 quid. Gotta pop back for the gauge next week. It's at her son's