Best/cheapest way to line and level posts for pole barn

[Don]

I am going to build a 24x30 pole barn in the spring. I would like to get the posts as perfectly square and the same high as I can so as to eliminate problems later when putting it together. I checked on a transit and they are over 200 bucks. Also renting one is out because I will be doing this alone and it will take me several weekends to just put the posts in.

I thought about one of those lasers that project a line across the wall for hangin pictures. Maybe putting it on one post and projecting the laser to the other post. My posts will either be 8 or 10 feet from each other.

ANy advice would be greatly appreciated!

[John]

You can buy an inexpensive laser level (looks like a regular 24" level but with a laser in one end).

Should do the job and they are only about 20 bucks at Costco, Home Depo etc.

Another cheap way is a water level also available at HD (I have both and would recommend the laser level).

For the "perfectly square" part, just triangulate it. If the diagonal distance is the same in both directions, it is square.

Once you have the four corners set, just run a string to fill in the rest of the posts.

Distance A-D must equal distance C-B:

A ___________ B | | | | | | | | C -------------- D

John

[???]

A cheap yet very effective way is to use a water level. In conjunction with the old tried but true method of string and a line level.

[Steve]

Laser levels are cheap but you have to get them set level before they are accurate.. Just like a transit, you have to level it with a bubble..

You also need something steady to rest the lazer level in while your pivet it to aim at each corner or reference point. Each time you pivet it you need to check the level bubble..

So a cheap laser may not be any easier or accurate than a water level..

I have always use a long clear plastic tube filled with water, however the last time I need this, I found a kit for use on a garden hose.. It's just two 1' long plastic tubes that screw onto the ends of a garden hose..The only problem here is you can't see if you have bunch of air trapped in the middle of the hose..

When I had my mobile (mfg) home set up, they used a clear tube but they had a 5 gal tank on a stand and the hose came off the bottom of that. Plenty of volume so there was never any concern about loss of water.. The tank was set up at a height for convenient reference and never moved for the whole operation. Hose was long enough to reach all points under the house. Only took one man, where a plain hose always required a second person to make sure his end was on the basic reference point.

Water line levels are still used in most of the third world countries where transits are few and far between.. An engineer or survyor may locate a reference to start a building, even a multi story and the on site people will use the water line level to measure from the reference.