# Hand Held Sight Levels



## jmic (Dec 10, 2005)

Hand held sight level, every once in a while when I'm working by myself and I don't feel like setting up the laser to finish a cellar hole or finish some drain run off I'll pull it out of the glove box and finish up the project at hand. How many of you use one or even own one and how often?


----------



## PipeGuy (Oct 8, 2004)

When I was a foreman (many moons ago) I always used a locke level for checking water line cuts but my foremen seem to like setting up 'side-boards' for carrying waterline grades.. I still see grade foremen using them all the time.
I stll use the old K & E from time to time to check the odd elevation difference. The leather pouch is dry rotting and the snap pulled out a couple of months ago but I've kept the level tuned up through the years.


----------



## denick (Feb 13, 2006)

Carry mine for looking at jobs to get a quick idea of the site. I haven't used it since last fall. Took it out the other day and the knob is missing for the focus slide.


----------



## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

i think ours jiggled out of the back of the covered wagon when my great grandpa homesteaded out here in the dakotas back in the 1880's


----------



## TMatt142 (Apr 28, 2006)

I get a lot of strange looks on these site jobs because on my belt everyday sits my eye level in its pouch. I would say I use it everyday. While these young little pukes spend what seems like eternity setting up a simple laser, I've pulled my stick rule out, and shot my grades. Up in MN with highway heavy work...seems like if you didn't have an eye level, you stuck out like a sore thumb!! To us it was extremely unusual. Now the plumbers I work with,...they look at me when I use it like I've just invented the wheel. Funny how they think old technology is really cool because they simply have never seen it before. All of them are so used to setting up the laser. There are a few downfalls to eye levels. First, you have to have one that has a telescoping eye piece otherwise shooting grades past 10-15ft becomes tough. Second, you can't shoot grades at a great distance. Third you have to check your eye level constantly to make sure it's calibrated correctly otherwise you can really mess up!!!! I love my eye level, it makes spot checking really simple (if your math is correct!)


----------



## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

We used to use a lock level for cutting in roads to sub grade, but now we use a rotational level laser.


----------



## ConcreteGuy (Jun 10, 2005)

Site levels are fine in some applications. Just like a string line and tape measure can outperform a total station.

:thumbsup:


----------

