cheapest useful outdoor laser lavel

[fred]

no massive working distance required. 5-10m ?

[Andy Burns]

I don't know about green £££ lasers, but with a red one not much chance beyond about 3 metres in daylight, unless you like working at twilight (or willing to buy a laser receiver, in which case make sure your laser has a pulsed mode).

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

It happens that fred formulated :

A cheap red on will work outside, but at dusk.

[Tim Lamb]

I find red OK if you use a white target.

[Vir Campestris]

I have my grandfather's Cowley level, and I know how to use it :)

Andy

[alan_m]

I've just checked my Bosch Quigo self levelling green laser device outdoors

With a white card as the "detector" I could just about see the line at around 6 to 7 metres. Without the white card I could just about see the line at 4 to 5 metres on my hand. This was at mid-day - bright overcast sky.

[alan_m]

[Dave Plowman (News]

Do you mean outdoor as in waterproof, or outdoor as in seeing it in full sunlight?

[Tim Lamb]

In message [e-mail], fred [e-mail] writes

Slightly sideways.. have you considered a *water level*. As used by the Egyptians:-)

Use requires a bit of care but they have benefits not available to lazers. Firstly, you don't require line of sight. Secondly, they don't need initial levelling.

I see Screwfix have a kit for £17. Don't leave water in the pipe for years as mine grew fungus.

With the cap on the hand held end and *off* at the reference station, you can move to your measure point, remove the cap and adjust the gauge height to the level mark.

[fred]

Thank you Alan. Informative and useful

[fred]

Tried a water level once for hinges on gate hanging. Useless as I hadn't spotted the bubble :-(

[fred]

Outdoor as in visible in sunlight

[Dave Plowman (News]

That's going to need a very powerful laser. With the associated H&S problems.