Sawmill Shed Pole Building

[Ljohnsaw]

In lieu of lasers and all that, a water level works just fine for finding your benchmarks.

 

 

 

 

[barbender]

Brandi, the way I always used the eye level was to just look through it and make a benchmark. Just a piece of tape or a pencil mark, or you can just leave a grade rod standing there. Then you can sight back to that mark and see if you are high or low. They are handy because it is a quick and easy way to check your grade when you're in a machine. Just jump out, sight back to the benchmark, and you know where you're at.

[doc henderson]

my brother used the hand site level for rough grade for road construction.  then a stringline that the equipment used to trim it down to final grade.  I got a Johnson laser for installing our pool.  on clearance at the time at Lowes.

[Resonator]

I'm using a Bosch GLL30 laser to build my new garage - shop. Small self leveling unit with horizontal and vertical light to get plumb also, (I think I paid about $60 for it). I set up a cinder block (or blocks) as a base to set it on, and shim up as needed to get my height, then turn it and aim at each corner. As said, low light (early morning or evening) is the best time to see the light beam. Because the light only shines about 40', I will make a mark on a stake, and then set up the laser in a different spot (and re-aim the light to that mark) to gain more distance.

[Don P]

When you move forward take a shot back at your starting point, that is double your discrepancy.
Anymore I'm not sure that a laser is any more expensive than a hose. Things I've learned with water levels, make sure your partner takes his thumb off the hose when everyone gets situated... drove me nuts one time  :D. If it is windy around a corner, pitot tube.

The early transit for aquaducts and such was a set of sights floating on a raised tray of water. It would likely be as accurate as my old David White bubble transit just no magnification.

[Resonator]

My experience of "water level" is pushing a compactor for hours on a grade before pouring a slab, getting rained on, then seeing where the low spots are by the puddles that form. :D

[doc henderson]

Roman level.

[doc henderson]

mine has a reciever that goes onto the stick and moves up and down +- 1/4 inch at 100 feet.

[TimW]

That is ok for shooting rough grade, that is not your building level. There are little $100 self leveling lasers in the tool aisle. No good in daylight (that's why we have night  ;D) and only good for about 50' but good to around 1/4" in that distance.

On the posts, if they are in ground contact, it doesn't matter about the post diaper and 1/8" deep penetration, that will be a short lived building. You need toxic treatment to the bone.  Untreated or paint on/dipped coatings needs to be above ground. Those are kind of pretend treatments, better than a poke in the eye, but not much better.

If the footings are flat and smooth you can shoot from a benchmark to the footing, figure depth and height and notch on the ground. That is prone to errors. If I can get around easily I prefer getting them up and shooting a line on all of them to serve as my benchmark elevation, then measure up from that level mark and cut in air.

I have used a laser at night and mark my elevations.
The part of the post below ground is treated and installed in a plastic sleeve.
My foundation guy has the rotary laser level.  I'll get him to make a benchmark after the posts are in.
When all else fails, I'll just use the water level like I did on the barn.
        

[TimW]

Cutting them standing takes the guesswork out of it. Make benchmarks at a comfortable height like Don P said the cut a story stick that defines the top. Mark a line on the story stick that defines the bottom of the notch and tack the story stick to the post. It's easier than fumbling around with a tape. You can use the same method for marking the girt placement.

Use your Lull with a man lift instead of the scaffolding to cut the notches. A frame from an IBC tote makes a good inexpensive man lift, btw.  Just put a strap on it to secure it to the forks. 

I'm looking forward to seeing your building come together. 

In lieu of lasers and all that, a water level works just fine for finding your benchmarks.

The movable scaffold will be built so the forks on the tractor or the Lull can move it from post to post.  I am gonna make it with an open center, to wrap around the post, then the opening will have a screw down on hinged board over it, so I can work from all four sides of the post.
What is a story stick?  Is it like a pattern that can be screwed on to cut the notch, then removed to the next post's notch?

[TimW]

Brandi, the way I always used the eye level was to just look through it and make a benchmark. Just a piece of tape or a pencil mark, or you can just leave a grade rod standing there. Then you can sight back to that mark and see if you are high or low. They are handy because it is a quick and easy way to check your grade when you're in a machine. Just jump out, sight back to the benchmark, and you know where you're at.

That is what I was understanding. 

[Resonator]

Yes, a story stick (or story pole) is a stick with a pattern that can be used to layout any wall measurements. Whether it is a wall height, or horizontal nailers (girts) placement. Also can be used for spacing brick and mortar joints, siding, or any other repetitive measurement.

[TimW]

I'm using a Bosch GLL30 laser to build my new garage - shop. Small self leveling unit with horizontal and vertical light to get plumb also, (I think I paid about $60 for it). I set up a cinder block (or blocks) as a base to set it on, and shim up as needed to get my height, then turn it and aim at each corner. As said, low light (early morning or evening) is the best time to see the light beam. Because the light only shines about 40', I will make a mark on a stake, and then set up the laser in a different spot (and re-aim the light to that mark) to gain more distance.

Marking a mark and moving on sounds good enough.  I built the barn with a 4 foot level, just kept nailing up leveled girts around the barn with 2 foot spacing.  Worked fine.   

[TimW]

When you move forward take a shot back at your starting point, that is double your discrepancy.
Anymore I'm not sure that a laser is any more expensive than a hose. Things I've learned with water levels, make sure your partner takes his thumb off the hose when everyone gets situated... drove me nuts one time  :D. If it is windy around a corner, pitot tube.

The early transit for aquaducts and such was a set of sights floating on a raised tray of water. It would likely be as accurate as my old David White bubble transit just no magnification.

What discrepancy?
Who said anything about a partner?  I usually build alone.
What pitot tube?  I am working on a building, not an airplane.  Honestly Don, sometimes I don't read English from what your type.
I use an existing water hose and add clear tube extensions on each end.  I should still have the clear male and female ends. 

[barbender]

You can actually do more intricate work with an eye level if necessary, but once it came to transferring a lot of grades and such I'd get out the laser. I bought a slick little laser, now lots of companies build similar models. Mine is a PLS 180, it is a horizontal and vertical line laser that also comes with a detector so you can use it outside for longer distance grade work. Iirc, the accuracy is ¼" at 100'- which I figure is usually more accurate than me😁 Anyhow, with this type of laser you could set it up on your building, it has a mount you could just screw to a post. Set the laser at the grade of your girt or whatever you are transferring, and it projects a visible line to the other posts. If it is too bright out to see it, you can use the detector. It is a handy, handy little laser. I think I paid about $350 for it 10 years ago, I wouldn't be surprised if you could find a unit with similar capabilities now for much less.

[TimW]

My experience of "water level" is pushing a compactor for hours on a grade before pouring a slab, getting rained on, then seeing where the low spots are by the puddles that form. :D

That is the best way to find how your runoff is behaving also.

[barbender]

I think what Don is talking about for discrepancy, is seeing how much a given instrument is out of level. So you set up and shoot a grade, one at the instrument and one at a distance. Now go set the instrument up at the distant grade, and shoot back to the original grade. If you are off, that is the discrepancy. If it was 1/2" at 100', the actual discrepancy would be 1/4".

[barbender]

Brandi, when I worked on an asphalt paving crew the foreman considered me a near miracle worker because of all the times I saved him when we would have big puddles standing on the mat. I'd chase them with the roller, putting little dimples in the asphalt to get the water to run. I spent a lot of time out there with a hose😁

[TimW]

Roman level.

Howdy Doc!
I searched on duckduckgo.com and nothing popped up on a Roman level.  What is it?

[btulloh]

Yeah, story pole (or story stick when making furniture).  Like Resonator said, it's just basically a ruler you make yourself with only the measurements you need for the structure. Take a 1x3 or 1x4 (dry and planed works best) the same length as your total height from base elevation to top of your finished pole and put lines and labels on it for each vertical measurement you'll be using - girts, window openings, notches, etc.  Especially if you work alone it's easier than using a tape and trying to hook something twelve feet below you.  Plus you can tack it on the pole before you go up top to mark the top cutoff and notch. No chance of reading the wrong side of 10'6 or forgetting a dimension since it only has the marks that matter. Just a thought.  Your choice.

I like your scaffold idea that surrounds the pole.  Kind of like a siege tower for breaching the castle walls.

[Don P]

Roman level.

Howdy Doc!
I searched on duckduckgo.com and nothing popped up on a Roman level.  What is it?
hugs,  Brandi+

Try chorobates ... that'd be latin for "roman level".
You need to work in calm conditions when using a water level, otherwise it's just another manometer.

[TimW]

Yeah, story pole (or story stick when making furniture).  Like Resonator said, it's just basically a ruler you make yourself with only the measurements you need for the structure. Take a 1x3 or 1x4 (dry and planed works best) the same length as your total height from base elevation to top of your finished pole and put lines and labels on it for each vertical measurement you'll be using - girts, window openings, notches, etc.  Especially if you work alone it's easier than using a tape and trying to hook something twelve feet below you.  Plus you can tack it on the pole before you go up top to mark the top cutoff and notch. No chance of reading the wrong side of 10'6 or forgetting a dimension since it only has the marks that matter. Just a thought.  Your choice.

I like your scaffold idea that surrounds the pole.  Kind of like a siege tower for breaching the castle walls.

Oh okay.  Like a trammel bar that replicates dimensions repeatedly and combining it with a jig or fixture to make the notches.
Trammel bars we used in the airlines and jigs and fixtures we used in rebuilding wrecked helicopters.  Same uses, different lingo.  Never heard those terms down here.
Siege tower?  How renaissance of you.

[TimW]

Roman level.

Howdy Doc!
I searched on duckduckgo.com and nothing popped up on a Roman level.  What is it?
hugs,  Brandi+

Try chorobates ... that'd be latin for "roman level".
You need to work in calm conditions when using a water level, otherwise it's just another a manometer.

Calm conditions?  Texas in the summer is calm conditions 5 months long.

[TimW]

I think what Don is talking about for discrepancy, is seeing how much a given instrument is out of level. So you set up and shoot a grade, one at the instrument and one at a distance. Now go set the instrument up at the distant grade, and shoot back to the original grade. If you are off, that is the discrepancy. If it was 1/2" at 100', the actual discrepancy would be 1/4".

Got it barbender!  I think a lot of times Don is committing to someone else, yet he didn't quote them, so I think he is talking to me and it comes out gibberish to me.

[doc henderson]

The Romans used water for level all the time.  I was making reference to when it rains, you can really see the low spots as water settles or runs there.  I used a laser to build our inground pool.  not one else sees it, but I can tell the high spots and low spots in the walls I sat up after filling the pool.  as much as an 1/4-inch total.  when making a ditch, water will set in the low spots and silt in, or the puddle can get a little dirt thrown in.  over time it will drain well.