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Laser level

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Siding

06-02-2003 15:23:42




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Has anyone ever used a laser level for installing vinyl siding? If so what brand and how did it work? I am wanting something to level the starter strip with other than chaulk line and line level maybe this is stiil best way. Any sugestions would be appreciated. Thank you.




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ron from ny

06-03-2003 20:59:56




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 Re: laser level in reply to Siding, 06-02-2003 15:23:42  
I agree with the guy who used it in his pool business, it eliminates one man and the laser set ups are now cheaper than the optical set ups I looked at years ago. I just paid less than 200 for one that can shoot grades, find plumb and level inside also

I have used a water level with success, but I also have mailed letters instead of email

Total up all your jobs, look at the resale for it and choose the right tool for the money

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Nolan

06-03-2003 05:08:13




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 Re: laser level in reply to Siding, 06-02-2003 15:23:42  
A friend came up with a clever cheap way to go about this. Buy one of the $1 laser pointers from a store like Dollar Tree and use that. He set his drop ceiling evenly using this.



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JD-Tractor in NY

06-02-2003 21:43:54




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 Re: laser level in reply to Siding, 06-02-2003 15:23:42  
If you make a water level use windshield washer antifreeze or RV antifreeze and you can use in all kind of weather.for siding or large projects it can't be beat I made one 40 foot long.



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Skinner

06-02-2003 20:07:47




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 Re: laser level in reply to Siding, 06-02-2003 15:23:42  
Be careful, your house may not be "that" level. Normally when installing siding on an structure you make it match the structure so it looks right.
Kinda like doing a fence, follow the landscape and it will look fine, use a leverl and it may be 10' feet higher on one end than the other.

Anyway, on siding, we normally measure and pop chaulk lines.



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FRANK

06-02-2003 19:56:02




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 Re: laser level in reply to Siding, 06-02-2003 15:23:42  
WHY BUY A LASER LEVEL. WHAT'S WRONG WITH A LINE LEVEL IT IS CHEAP AND WILL DO THE JOB ANYWAY START AT ONE SIDE AND WORK YOURSELF AROUND THE HOUSE NO BIG BIG DEAL.



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RayP(MI)

06-03-2003 17:05:13




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 Re: Re: laser level in reply to FRANK, 06-02-2003 19:56:02  
If you choose to use a line level, make sure you have the level in just about the center of your line. Sag in the line, even when tight, will cause erroneous readings. Don't ask how I know.



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Nat

06-02-2003 18:05:29




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 Re: laser level in reply to Siding, 06-02-2003 15:23:42  
I use a laser transit in my pool business, and have for years, saves 1 person , the guy that has to look thru it. can't imagine not having it, and with the prices you can buy 1 for now,any builder should have one, mine was over 1200.00 when I got it. I used it for the footings, siding, and grading on my current house, they are a great tool



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Slowpoke

06-02-2003 17:45:08




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 Re: laser level in reply to Siding, 06-02-2003 15:23:42  
There is also a kit that is used with a garden hose of any length. It's two clear 5/8 plastic tubes 12" long, with a male hose fitting on one tube and a female hose fitting on the other. Ends of the tubes are capped with a plug and hose clamp.
Put a tube on one end of the hose, add a plastic shut off valve and fill hose with water. Add some food color & screw on the other tube.
You should have enough water to fill the hose and 1/2 of each tube. Hold the two ends up side by side and the levels in each tube will match.
I think I paid $10-$15 a few years ago.

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old tried and true trick

06-02-2003 16:58:23




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 Re: laser level in reply to Siding, 06-02-2003 15:23:42  
i don't know about you but one of the most accurate and cheapest methods is a made at home water level with clear flexible tubing. more accurate, or as accurate as world-wide solar gravity.



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John

06-03-2003 05:55:59




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 Re: Re: laser level in reply to old tried and true trick , 06-02-2003 16:58:23  
The water level is great as long as the density of the water stays the same from one end of the hose to the other. Warmth will mess up the density of the water quite a bit. I have used them but nothing is as good as the laser and for the price < $15.00, how can you go wrong?



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Mike D.-- YEP

06-02-2003 19:10:22




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 Re: Re: laser level in reply to old tried and true trick , 06-02-2003 16:58:23  
I use one that is 3/8" clear vinyl tubing with blue food coloring. Works great. Use a small hose clamp and bolts for ends. Cheap, and effective, plus no batteries to worry about!



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dan

06-02-2003 21:05:53




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 Re: Re: Re: laser level in reply to Mike D.-- YEP, 06-02-2003 19:10:22  
I had huge problems recently with a water level when setting some concrete forms. I'd set the levels and mark the tubes at my reference point but when my garden hose sat in the sun for 10 minutes, the level in both ends of the tube would drop as much as an inch or more. Clouds go over and up she comes again. I would have loved a laser level.



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Mike D. yeah but

06-03-2003 07:26:53




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: laser level in reply to dan, 06-02-2003 21:05:53  
I built a 76' pole barn to store hay. I used my homemade vinyl tube water level. I cut all the pocket cuts on the 6X6's using the water level exclusively to determine the cut elevations. A friend of mine later shot the grade with his new David White transit and marked the posts. I pulled up to the headers from his mark. I was within a 1/4" from one end of the barn to the other. As my G'ma said "Proof is in the pudding."

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T_Bone

06-03-2003 07:49:30




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: laser level in reply to Mike D. yeah but, 06-03-2003 07:26:53  
Mike has it correct as a builders level/transit and Lazer is accurate to 1/4" per 100ft.

If there is a bubble in the line then it will also give bad reading and why a clear tube is used for the water level, so you can see the bubble and remove it.

T_Bone



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Charles(Mo)

06-04-2003 17:38:10




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: laser level in reply to T_Bone, 06-03-2003 07:49:30  
I thought you used a clear tube so you could see the water level.



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Dan, you just need to mov

06-03-2003 03:07:13




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: laser level in reply to dan, 06-02-2003 21:05:53  
it's not the water level, maybe it's your work speed?



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dan

06-03-2003 14:25:07




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: laser level in reply to Dan, you just need to mov, 06-03-2003 03:07:13  
Thats why I'm hiring pros to pour and finish. If I did it myself it might harden while I was still standing in it with a trowel in my hand.



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