Rotating laser level recommendations

[mattg]

Hi all,

I thought someone might be able to recommend a rotating laser level (or something else to get the job done).

I'm about to start a house build, and have a load of drainage and tracks to put in, and other various groundworks. I'm looking to invest a bit in a decent tool, but also interested to hear if there is a cheap and cheerful thing like dumpy that will be just as good - although one thing is that I need to be able to use it solo.

Ebay has all sorts from topcon to dodgy looking Chinese things.

Any advice appreciated
Matt

 

[Agroshield]

A Leica is always a good bet. Topcon is good. Look also at survey equipment suppliers and hirers (e.g. SCCS) as they sell off older models. This will also tell you which brands to pursue as hire companies do not have rubbish on their fleets.

Depending on the size of the house, a standard Dewalt 088-type level with a detector might do.

You can use a dumpy solo but it is hard work. Print out and laminate a sheet of A4 with a millimetre scale on it. Fix to whatever you want to level. Go and look through the instrument and note what number on the scale the cross-hairs land on. You can buy staff stands (e.g. https://www.sccssurvey.co.uk/survey...elling-staffs/staff-supports-accessories.html) or make one.

 

[m_c]

Stick to a water or spirit level.

My parents neighbour is a very respected surveyor who doesn't mince his words, and he'll tell you unless you really know what you're doing, and have high quality kit, stick to the old tried and tested methods. You really can't go wrong with them.

He's been asked to investigate various issues as an independent witness over the years, and the underlying problem with the vast majority of issues, is people using cheap kit, or kit they don't know how to use. He says the cheap lasers are only any good if you want to do something like mark out non-critical things like heights for stud walling, but never for anything critical.

I've heard a good few tales from him, including a swimming pool with a several inch height difference end to end, where the builder couldn't understand why it was so far off, as he'd used his laser to set the level and was upset to learn his cheap laser had just cost him several thousand pounds in remedial works, when a twenty pound water level would have been far more accurate and idiot proof.

 

[Barking Mat]

@Agroshield ...

Print out and laminate a sheet of A4 with a millimetre scale on it. Fix to whatever you want to level. Go and look through the instrument and note what number on the scale the cross-hairs land on.

That's a brilliant idea, thanks.

 

[addjunkie]

I have a dewalt ne with this as an extra

https://www.diy.com/departments/dew...VIe_tCh3kAA2CEAQYECABEgJ41vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Not as good as a rotating laser with a staff, for big areas, but has done everything Ive wanted converting two barns and putting up a steel framed agribuilding

 

[Agrismith]

We use Leica at work
But spectra and hilti are very good too
Check out laser levels online they are very helpful and seem to be well recommended

A very basic laser from a good brand will do you well as grade and dual grade is a bit wasted on simple stuff but put the money into a receiver with a digital readout in mm these are brilliant things and save huge amounts of time I would hate to go back to the old type receiver that just blips
And also read the manual alot of problems occur when people got the accuracy button without understanding it and it sets the receiver to +/- 40mm

 

[brightspark]

I hav ea fixed laser. ok for internal work up to about 15 meters. made by pacific lasers a few hundred quid but nice I also have a nice pair of water levels that have brass fittings on them not cheap plaggy got them from bootsale 4 quid anyone doing serious measurements should realy do all the readings from one end than go to the other and check back over so theres no mistake on accuracy

 

[gaz1]

with cheap ones its best to use them in the middle of where your intending to use them

remembering the fact that they do go out by metres away reference hence the reason for being in the middle

for long distance use tried and tested methods

if you think the expensive ones are worth the price not really as it will be mm out in a whole length of a property

if yours is only a small build then a cheaper lazer level is ample enough if you consider its central measuring reference as it will only be mm out

 

[Agrismith]

with cheap ones its best to use them in the middle of where your intending to use them

remembering the fact that they do go out by metres away reference hence the reason for being in the middle

for long distance use tried and tested methods

if you think the expensive ones are worth the price not really as it will be mm out in a whole length of a property

if yours is only a small build then a cheaper lazer level is ample enough if you consider its central measuring reference as it will only be mm out

Rotary lasers are for groundworks and a few mm out over a property doesn't really matter for the groundwork
Sod ******* about with water levels over a rotary laser
If you cost your time you will soon make the money back on a laser easily
And the difference between cheap and expensive lasers has little to do with accuracy out the box or just after calibration
But has a lot to do with accuracy after they get wet get bumped or are running on a near flat battery

 

[willie.macleod]

I'm about to start a house build, and have a load of drainage and tracks to put in, and other various groundworks. I'm looking to invest a bit in a decent tool, but also interested to hear if there is a cheap and cheerful thing like dumpy that will be just as good - although one thing is that I need to be able to use it solo.

Ebay has all sorts from topcon to dodgy looking Chinese things.

I bought one of the dodgy Chinese things (rotary 500m model) before I built my house, if you are doing a lot of stuff single handed then you will find it very useful. Mine is now dead - probably not unfixable as it appears the power in circuitry that has died but it did the job it was purchased for. Things like the laser receiver soldier on and can be used with other laser devices. Don't forget you will need the surveyors staff and a decent tripod as well, I bought the staff and was given an old wooden surveyors tripod. Don't be tempted to use a cheap camera stand, it will not be stable enough.

I tended to use mine in the center of the building as mentioned above and it saw quite a bit of use as mine was an ICF build and it helped keeping coursing level. A fellow self builder a few miles away also bought one and it saw a good amount of use.

 

[8ob]

Hi all,

I thought someone might be able to recommend a rotating laser level (or something else to get the job done).

I'm about to start a house build, and have a load of drainage and tracks to put in, and other various groundworks. I'm looking to invest a bit in a decent tool, but also interested to hear if there is a cheap and cheerful thing like dumpy that will be just as good - although one thing is that I need to be able to use it solo.

Ebay has all sorts from topcon to dodgy looking Chinese things.

Any advice appreciated
Matt

For the tracks and drainage you would be better off with a pipe laser for setting out falls/gradients. Set the fall on the laser in the pipe/manhole or track side,all you need to do then is set each pipe end on the target card and secure with shingle. Same for tracks, set the gradient and use the gauging rods. You can get gradient/sloping functions on the tripod versions but dont often find sites where the things can get full line of site unless in the middle of a field.

Bob

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

For the tracks and drainage you would be better off with a pipe laser for setting out falls/gradients. Set the fall on the laser in the pipe/manhole or track side,all you need to do then is set each pipe end on the target card and secure with shingle. Same for tracks, set the gradient and use the gauging rods. You can get gradient/sloping functions on the tripod versions but dont often find sites where the things can get full line of site unless in the middle of a field.

Bob

Level with a block of wood taped on does the job for me. Low tech but works

 

[mike os]

For outdoors use stick with the real players, indoors anything works

Lieca, topcon etc. I would avoid tool suppliers like makita dewalt etc.

They will have a range of 100m plus and be more accurate

any decent one will have a grade mode for setting pipework

Electronic targets are very nice if your budget can stretch to one

 

[Agrismith]

This would be a everything you could need in a package I would recommend upgrading to the spectre receiver option as that has the read out option
And that puts it at just over 500 quid for everything
It has grade and setting out ability aswell

https://www.laser-level.co.uk/fukud...BoUYAH9T-qtKSy-4WlRKNA3Z0MhYByQ8aAo0pEALw_wcB

 

[mattg]

Thank you everyone for the great replies, need to sit and digest them all now

 

[Hitch]

Water levels are okay for some things, but tedious for others... pyramids took about 20 years to build, had they a decent laser, they'd halve that.

Ive never had any issues with the BlueBosch, rotary with receiver, about £700 ish iirc

You arnt going to go wrong with the likes of Leica, Hilti, Topcon...

Check if you have any survey equipment specialists nearby, Redsurvey is mine. They occasionally have refurbed kit, or even do hire. Plus they'll give you a quick gen down on setup and use.

One thing to remember, they need checking over from time to time, especially if its had a hard life.