Transit needed

Doug in Illinois · May 2, 2013

I need to level a couple spots, one for a pole barn 40x60 and the other for a 24 foot above ground pool.

The "cheap" transits are for indoor use only. I am hoping to get one for about $250 or so.

I am looking at a Dewalt DW090PK 20X on Amazon. Still made of plastic, but should work for my needs IF it will shoot a readable signal for about 70 feet or so.

DOUG

LP GAS ONLY · May 2, 2013

I seen a guy that had a couple of milk tank sight glasses hooked together with a hose. He filled the glass about half full with water and placed one end in one corner and then walked around with the other end that had tape markings on it to set his grade. Worked great.

mkirsch · May 2, 2013

Heck you don't need anything as sophisticated as milk sight glasses. All you need is a clear tube of some sort.

That said, you can RENT a transit from a tool rental shop. Sunbelt is a national chain that rents transits. $26/day, $86/week, $185/month. If you've got a place nearby that rents construction equipment they should have transits.

Jim in Ma. · May 2, 2013

I would use a length of clear tubing with water in for what you want.
I have a Dewalt lazar level but for small jobs like that I still use the clear tube. It's quick and easy.

JerryBowers · May 2, 2013

You certainly do not need a 'transit' to do a little leveling. And, the Dewalt instrument you referenced does not 'shoot' anything (like a laser beam) out. It requires two people to operate it: One is the instrument man, the other is the rod man. Transits are used to 'turn' angles and set grades. While they work for simple leveling, they are way beyond what your described use would require.

If you are going to be doing a lot of leveling, the laser leveling systems will put out a laser 'line' that can be read off a rod. These are one person systems. Still expensive, but usually self leveling and only require one person. Again, only necessary for doing lots of leveling.

If you only need a simple level to set some vertical elevations, get a 'level' with a built in laser beam. The best ones can mount on any standard tripod (like a camaer tripod) and are readable at distances up to ~100 feet, You set the level up pointed in the direction you want to level, turn on the laser and put a rod (I use a tape measure or my 'rod' made from a 10' piece of marked electrical conduit) in the beam and note the differences along the laser line.

Hope this helps,

Jerry

Fergienewbee · May 2, 2013

Yup. Water level works great. Fill the tube with water, work the bubbles out and water finds its own level. Start on the high or low side, depending on what you need to do. Keep that end on the mark and adjust the other water by raising or lowering the tube.

Larry

Geo-TH,In · May 2, 2013

I purchased a self leveling dewalt rotating laser when I built a 30x40 barn. I figured at the time, the 30x50 concrete slap I wanted to put down would cost me about $100 per 1/4 inch. So, I wanted the ground to be as level as possible.

It is for outdoor use and is accurate up to 300 feet. It uses 18 volt dewalt batteries too.

I feel the laser transit paid for itself the first time I used it. The perlins and floor are as level as it gets.

It was nice when I built a 26x26 room addition too.

JMOR · May 2, 2013

(quoted from post at 16:37:41 05/02/13) Yup. Water level works great. Fill the tube with water, work the bubbles out and water finds its own level. Start on the high or low side, depending on what you need to do. Keep that end on the mark and adjust the other water by raising or lowering the tube.

Larry

sed my regular garden hose with 2 feet of clear tube on each end. Worked as well as when they built the pyramids!

Lou from Wi. · May 2, 2013

Instead of buying one, check the rental places, if it's just a one time deal, that would be the way to go. We own a David White transit,because of all the buildings and ground leveling we had to do. Our cost was justified for that many uses,and projects, just used it last year for our tractor shed (unfinished). Hope this helps.
LOU

Ultradog MN · May 2, 2013

I agree with the others - you don't need a transit. When I put the addition on my house all I used was a water level.
I cleaned out an empty calk tube and shoved the spout into a clear plastic hose. Made it easier to fill the hose.

JerryBowers · May 2, 2013

George:

A small detail, but your Dewalt rotating laser is not a 'transit.' It is a level. A really good level, but still just a level.

A TRANSIT is a tripod mounted telescope that can precisely measure both horizontal and vertical angles. It is normally used in conjunction with a surveyor's rod, thus requiring two people (instrument man & rod man) to operate. Theodolites are similar, but generally more accurate than simple transits. A ". . . laser transit . . ." is a transit (as above), with a laser attached to the telescope. This combination is sometimes used to help with targeting, but the laser beam is not part of the transit.

Jerry

JerryBowers · May 2, 2013

Udog:

Great idea on the empty caulking tube. Way better than the funnel I usually stick in my Tygon tubing!
Jerry

tomtirediron · May 2, 2013

Have the same one George, REALLY happy with it and the accuracy has stayed pretty good over the last 10 years I've owned mine. Used it dozens of times from hanging a suspended ceiling to laying drainage pipe.

PJH · May 2, 2013

Doug - they're right on the water level being what you need.

For the pool, I've leveled several above ground pool installations with a simple hand level (the type you look thru). I duct taped it to the end of a 1X2 cut for my eye level. Find the exact center to lay out and paint your radius, then set a block or something solid exactly in the center to set your 1X2 on. You'll need a rodman to check the grade. Working from the center, you eliminate any error that's built into the instrument. That's the first basic rule in layout work - set your level in the very center, if possible. The modern levels are very accurate, but it's still smart to work from the center - if possible.

craigco · May 2, 2013

Most rental places will have a laser that sends a signal to a receiver on your grade rod. Then to get real fancy get some hubs and whiskers to put in the ground. Then you can set your hubs in one shot and then grade to the whiskers. what we do anyway.

Dusty MI · May 2, 2013

I had a problem once with a water level/hose. I filled it in the morning with cool well water. A couple of hours latter things were not coming out right. The sun was out and it was a warm day, and the water had warmed up and expanded, thus the readings were different than early in the day.

Dusty

dpendzic · May 2, 2013

I think you are looking for a level---Transits turn angles and levels set grade elevation.

Geo-TH,In · May 2, 2013

Jerry, you are right, I'm bad. I have a rotating laser level. It's on a tripod and the laser detector is on a stick, just like a transit. I was under the impression the guy who posted this thread was doing just that. That's why some people posted using a water level.

You are right I can't measure the angle of elevations. I can measure it do the math.

I sure love my laser level.
George

Dick L · May 2, 2013

Transits are used to set grade. They are a telescope level that turns 360 degrees and can be set at angles/degrees. I bought my transit before lasers were available over 40 years ago along with a 100 foot tape.

JMOR · May 2, 2013

(quoted from post at 19:17:36 05/02/13)
I had a problem once with a water level/hose. I filled it in the morning with cool well water. A couple of hours latter things were not coming out right. The sun was out and it was a warm day, and the water had warmed up and expanded, thus the readings were different than early in the day.

Dusty

hat was a user/operator problem. Regardless of expansion/contraction, the level at both ends of hose WILL be the SAME.

da.bees · May 2, 2013

(quoted from post at 18:17:36 05/02/13)
I had a problem once with a water level/hose. I filled it in the morning with cool well water. A couple of hours latter things were not coming out right. The sun was out and it was a warm day, and the water had warmed up and expanded, thus the readings were different than early in the day.

Dusty

I had similar experience more than once Dusty. In addition to expansion which you pointed out,it's next to impossiable getting all the air out because bubbles stick to the hose wall then turn loose during use. That kept me going from end to end making certain I wasn't loseing accuracy. I bought an inexpensive battery operated device with a buzzer that stays on the money even if some water leaks out between points.
.

Bud in FLA · May 2, 2013

I posted here a few days ago about the one I picked up on the local CraigsList for $35. Got the factory refurbished tripod via FedEx today - less than $80 invested. I still need a grade rod but I can use a folding rule for now.

I"ve bought several things from these guys and have been very satisfied.

http://www.reconditionedtools.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-recondtioned-tools-Site/default/Search-Show?q=level

dpendzic · May 2, 2013

In my surveying class we were taught to never use a transit to set grade. They are not as consistent as a level for setting grade.
They are primarily made for turning horizontal and vertical angles.

JD Seller · May 3, 2013

You are talking about a surveyor's transit versus a construction level transit. I have a manual transit that was bought new in 1947 when my Great Uncle bought a Cat crawler. I would not be able to even guess about how many basements, water ways, building sites, and ponds that transit has been used on.

I used it for the base of a 100' x 300' metal building. The contractor came by after we had it poured and checked it with his fancy laser level. His machine was "off" by all most an inch in the three hundred feet. He tried to tell me my "OLD" transit was off. So we check them both.

To check a transit or level of any type all you need is two stakes set at 100/200 feet apart.(depends on how accurate you need) Setup at one stake and level the the two stakes to each other. Then setup at the other one and check the level back to the other stake. I can easily get within a 1/4 of an inch in the 100 feet. If I want to really mess around setting up I have been under 1/8 of an inch. That is just about the max you can see with most transits at 100 feet.

The fancy laser level was out 1/2 inch in the 100 feet and there was zero way to correct it.

PJH · May 3, 2013

JD - I think you know how to peg test your instrument, but I don't think the procedure came out in your text.

To properly peg test a surveyors level, you set the instrument exactly at mid point between the stakes. This is called a "balanced" shot. Shoot both stakes and record the readings. On those shots, with the instrument at equal distance between the stakes, any error in the instrument will correct itself (assuming no mechanical problems). Then you move the instrument as close to one of the stakes as you can get a focused reading, (the "unbalanced" shot) and re-shoot both stakes, again recording the shots. On those two shots you will have multiplied any error in the instrument. Compare the calculated difference in elevation between the two setups, remembering that the balanced setup is the correct one. Then, without moving the instrument, you follow the proper procedure for adjusting that particular instrument. When it's adjusted correctly, you'll get the same difference in elevation between the stakes on both the balanced shots and the unbalanced shots. The adjustment of the instrument simply involves fine tuning the crosshair to the proper rod reading on the distant stake.

This sounds confusing, but it's very simple if you ponder it a little, and it's something that should be done periodically with any instrument.

John730D · May 4, 2013

Don't know where you are located, but I have a construction laser that is good for 1000 feet. I would be willing to let you rent it for very little. I am located near Pontiac, Il.

Doug in Illinois · May 4, 2013

I am near Macomb, so Pontiac is a little far. Thanks for the offer. DOUG

Transit needed

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Similar threads