Just to clarify....Everyone of our jobs that has a concrete floor, the top of the concrete is 4" above "grade" . We want our concrete floor to be the same as the front doors thresh hold. therefore when we set out receiver at +4 and then zero it out...the receiver will get a solid tone at 0 on the grade stick when it is 4" below the finished concrete. Then I slide the stick up when resting it on the bracket and the number it tells me is the offset difference I use when making my columns. Hope that clears up some questions
No explanation of the beeps. This is 101 laser grade training across all common laser transits. Fast beeps mean you are high, slow beeps mean you are low.
I think a white board drawing that indicates all of your required measurements to lay our each post would clarify it for most people. By drawing a post with markings indicating the finished floor height, grade (4" below finished floor), height of the bracket (approximately 2" below grade), and total post length you can show how you are compensating for the small variations in bracket heights from post to post. In the end you are cutting the tops of each post to account for those small variations. Just a thought....
Want to start by saying love the content keep up the good work. However I wanted to add something since I use one everyday. Building guys tend to just go from finish floor as you did but the “correct way” (if there’s such a thing in construction) you actually bench your stick in at the sea level elevation. I say correct way loosely cause I come from a civil side of things and I’m sure your background is architectural in nature. There’s more than one way to skin a cat. I could try to explain but I’m sure I’d just confuse everyone.
It’s great! My shed has been completed and it turned out nice looking and sturdy and it is way better than the sheds that many of my neighbors had put up. Of course, I'm pleased with the outcome and this Ryan’s th-cam.com/users/postUgkxGZedDTcDfgD7fG_uU4esfx_EgxzlY2_1 Plans was extremely useful to me as a guide.
I get what you’ve done now RR , although I had to watch it several times and then sleep on it in between. After referencing finished floor height to zero on the pole, you lowered the receiver by 4” and then lengthened the pole by 4” now the zero mark on the pole is actual grade level. So now when you take the pole around the site and slide the receiver up or down to get a solid ping from the laser the difference between the mark on the receiver and the zero mark on the pole is the variation in height from grade level. Thanks for making me think about it 👍. Please correct me if I am wrong, the moral here is, be sure to use the zero mark on the pole to make significant reference point , in this case you’ve made it grade level. Thank you for making this video it’s much appreciated.
Try to remember what it was like to learn it. The way you explained it only an expert can understand. Went completely over my head, as if you were speaking Chinese.
Nice explanation. Surveyors call a grade reference mark a benchmark- if you want to add some new terminology. Also - I used to have some problems using a laser in snowstorms. The beam would deflect off level when it hit the falling snow. This was a while ago - maybe lasers have improved since then.
I love your videos and I have learned a LOT from you. I must confess that I had to watch this one several time to get it all sorted out in my head. Thanks for all the effort you put into these, you are helping a lot of people to step up their skills.
You confused most everyone watching!! 20+ years as a carpenter/re-modeler and you almost lost me at 4+", don't use grade sticks often enough to stay sharp on them. Let me try to explain; his finished grade is 0" (door threshold). Since he wants his unfinished grade at 4" lower, its set at 4"+ on the stick, lower on grade means moving the receiver higher on the pole which is positive direction. He wants his sonatubes set 2" below unfinished grade so they are set at +6" (4" plus 2"). Hope that clears the waters, I know its pretty muddy.
That helped me, thanks. I came into the video thinking i'd follow him since i have done this once before. Nope. But if what you just said here is what he was doing there, then i am back on track.
It's also worth noting that when you are looking to purchase a grade stick that you need to make sure you buy one that is scaled in the right unit of measurement that you need. My dad always had fractional inch grade sticks... but when I went to work for a utility contractor suddenly I found myself working with a grade stick that was in tenths of a foot :O A tape measure can turn any piece of lumber into a grade stick when you need it to be one too. I'm sure you know that though.
Hey Kyle I just want to start by saying I really enjoy watching your videos! I have a quick question for you regarding rotary laser. Which one or kit would you recommend to someone starting out? Would it be the Stabila LAR 350 or something else? I really appreciate it!
I think the bulk of the confusion for me comes from 1:00 to 2:00 in the video. Clarifying certain things like "we set out receiver at +4 and then zero it out." don't make a lot of sense, it sounds like you're moving the laser to a 4" mark, then moving it back. Thing is, you're adjusting two different things. First the grade stick expands/contracts into itself, second the receiver slides up and down the stick, I missed that first time through somehow. I don't have a grade stick, and I've not used one as of yet, maybe that's part of my problem, a lack of hands on knowledge. I was able to understand it after the second or third watch and I think it's purely a case of certain terms being ambiguous. It's like saying him, him and her. instead of John, Grace and Gregg. You're talking about grade and +4 -4 but you have the house grade, and the project grade, concrete grade and gravel grade. So "grade" becomes ambiguous. Adjusting +4 -4 is another sticker, clarifying exactly what you're adjusting might help. The other thing that caught me up was "it, it, it" What is "it"? It was the grade stick, the receiver and the grade at times. After writing this I think I've got it all clear in my head now lol. Hopefully next video I won't need to do such a deep dive into what your saying haha. Maybe this will even help you clear it up for me in future how to videos. Love watching the content you put out. I want to build a new shop and your experience and attention detail is very valuable. You manage to make it hella entertaining too. Keep it up!
hey man totally agree and thanks for the feedback...im by no means a pro at this video stuff and learning all the time and thanks to people like you that give good constructive criticism I can get better. Thanks
Look, let me say that I admire your work, love your videos, learn something on each one and look forward to every new one...but you did a less than stellar job on this one, even though it's clear you know what you are doing....this minus 4" plus 4" stuff was just confusing.....here's what you meant to say..... You first find out what you want to be your reference point, in this case, the threshhold (the floor) of the house. You did that. But you then tell us that the project is always 4" below that (or whatever)....so to save doing math in your head (as you said) you LENGTHEN THE STICK BY 4 INCHES. That's important and I think you were going too fast...(So far, no one sees any savings yet, so that's confusing - but wait.)That means that when the solid tone is heard out on the project, given that the stick is 4" longer, the zero is telling you that the placement of the rod is 4" below the finished house floor.... (Here a pause was needed....)........that's just the long and the short of it....pun intended. Now here is where the savings come in....Since we are (re)set at zero, any variation from 0 ( a -4" from house grade - depending on whether it is higher or lower from the set point) can be read directly and then just noted on the form or support or whatever ....as you show at the end.... You can then reset the stick, variously over the project space for other direct read measurements. Of course you don't have to reset the stick. (Which would have been a great example.)You could leave it at whatever and then when you are placing it out on the various project points you would then be subtracting, for example 4.5" from 3.25" and that's just nuts...(which is what your video was intended to show) so that's where the math savings come in....and btw, since most contractors (based on my experience) don't use a grade stick, I think it was a good idea that you made the video.....and it's not, by any means an easy subject on first exposure....hope this helps and not confuses and certainly not intended to insult.........
Will you show how you install grade board around the building corners over the brackets? how would you build different if the floor was going to be gravel? very informative videos. thanks.
What brand and model number is your grade stick? Your videos are great to watch. I own a excavation company and work with Contractors all day long your professionalism is top notch. Thanks
I’m almost to my third year as apprentice in IUOE. I’ve done trade work for a long time but I’m newer to the equipment side of things. Your videos are great and have helped me a lot along the way. Thanks for everything you post
Showing a close-up of the sliding of the stick and actually seeing the offset difference would be nice and what number that you are marking on the steel bracket . Just want to thank you for taking your time from work to explain that level for dummies like me . Never was good in school math .
Ok I got the point but you cut it short. I would just now had demonstrated the corners of the building to see and make them level so that the SLAB should line up level with the building which is standing on your tubes. I think a lot of people still have the disconnect there.
Makes a lot more sense after you have tried to use one! Helped my in-laws put in an in ground pool and this video really helped me make sense of how to use it when I actually had one in my hands. Great work!
Another way: 1. Lower the detector 4 inches below the zero point on the stick. 2. Adjust bottom telescope up or down to get steady tone on detector. 3. Move detector back up to zero point on the stick.
Kyle, what's the red portion at the top of the stick (on the metric side) and the yellow portion (on the inches-Imperial side)? Why do the colored portions only cover about 1.5 feet of the grade stick? Another question is the bull's eye level at the bottom supposed to be functional? On mine, it's just a useless dummy level. It seems to me that a real, working bull's eye level would have been better, right? Of course, someone who is experienced and skilled handling a grade rod should be able to tell when they are holding it plumb (or at least close enough) without having to look at a level.
Appreciate the effort but I found the explanation confusing. Zero on the threshold, then extend the stick by 4” or move the receiver up 4” and then you have grade below the finished floor. Then check your brackets for elevation relative to the grade. I have the same grade stick and it is a counterintuitive to me. Reverse reading grade sticks are much more user friendly if anyone is considering getting one.
Reading the comments, I see some didn't follow. Just try skipping the very first part where he sets it to zero. That is irrelevant and misleading. Go ahead to where he says that the threshold he is at is four inches higher than the grade on 'his' site. Then when he sets the level to +4 it might make better sense for you. (This is the only time he SETS the level, the rest of the time he MOVES the head.) When he gets to 'his' grade, he would theoretically then get tone at zero. Now ignore the part about 'setting' it to zero again, as he really didn't do that, he moved the head to -1 7/8 to get tone. Since the tube was poured to 2" below 'his' grade in a perfect world he would have tone at -2. We see he gets tone at -1 7/8 (Greg's fault). Now, when he goes to saw his post columns, he will set the top of the story pole at the top of the column. Then he will walk down to the bottom and make his saw mark on the column at the story pole bottom line plus 1 7/8. Now, if all of the columns go onto the correct tubes, the tops of all of the columns will be at the perfect height above 'his' grade. Same goes for all of the other marks on the story pole for girts and ledgers, etc. I know that won't help everybody, but I hope it works for you.
Great attempt but overwhelmingly confusing. I am good at math, and understand the grade rod concepts. But that video is a confusing mess of double talk!
of finally i find a video with the correct grading rod for lasers. 👍 all the other video's are using a rod for visual scopes....🤯 en then they start calculating with every measurement..🤣
Hey Kyle, can you do a tools day video about the Stabilla LAR350, and walk us through the whole process? That grade stick video was helpful, but i still have questions. I am a deck builder and would use the LAR350 to level all my posts out. I am about to purchase one, and I’m sure I could figure it out, but your walk through videos are money! Thanks Kyle!
building grade is 4" below finished floor...after setting grade stick at +4, when it zeros out, it will be at my -4 below finished floor....or 2" above my sonotube
Thanks for the video it helped me. The last thing I used to lay elevations out was a transit. So now we have bosh laser and laying out grade starting today. A video on laying out footers and squaring the footers with a laser would help. Especially with as many subscribers as you have.
Still don't understand why you're using the top of the bracket on the grade stick and not the middle where the sensor actually reads the laser at. Guess it doesn't matter where you read the stick from as long as you are consistent?
Great information on laser grade tool. What if you have the old school system passed down to you? Could you pass on information on that or where we could get information?
Yep, me, too. I use the old school scope-level: a Leica Theodolite with a grade rod. In the time it takes just to get the Leica scope leveled in a plane, I could have taken all the readings and be finished if I were use a self-leveling Laser level and target-receiver. A Theodolite is a fine instrument but it's obsolete technology. I say it's high time I upgrade my site layout equipment.
@@WelshRabbit--- I'm retired but I had an old Gurley transit....and still in excellent shape (it can work tomorrow). Last time I used it (for 30 minutes of work) was 2012.
I would think that seeing a laser line on a tape measure would be much faster than messing with the head up and down to get tone then locking the head and turning it to read the number. Maybe not better, but just as good and faster for this particular task. You should race Kyle, I'll put my money on you. Are you sure that your laser is visible/effective 80' or more down the line? :)
I really enjoy the content, but please turn down the tone volume when working with devices that have tones. Thank you. Otherwise I get yelled at by my roommate (wife).
mathdj01 grow some balls and tell your yelling wife to go and do some cleaning, washing or ironing. When she can be quiet, she can come back and listen and learn.
I love your videos! I just bought a rotating laser to use on a pond I'm building, to find height of dam, swimming area slope, etc. Imagine my surprise when I searched for how to use a rotating laser level and you showed up! Awesome. Great info as always.
Actually people get confused because the explanation ask people to just follow the rule of -4 and +4 inches. The easiest way I think if you ask me, Take the laser unit with tripod and place it on the reference point. Let it self level to zero. Then take the stick and place it on the floor together with the reference point. So laser snd and reciever are at similar point of reference. Adjust the receiver up and down until the sound locks on solid. This means the stick is at zero level with the rotary laser on its tripod. Before moving anywhere, if you rise the stick up while being locked at number zero, it means you are at higher grounds. You will need to go to minus numbers to get the solid sound. This means higher grounds will give you negative numbers on the stick and positive numbers on the lower grounds assuming the laser unit is not moved from the initial reference point. Next, anywhere you move the stick, extend or retract the stick from the zero mark. When the stick goes to the minus side to lock the solid sound, it means the ground on that side is higher than the reference point. Similarly, when the stick moves on the positive side, it means the ground is lower than the reference point. JUST THINK OF THE STICK WITH NEGATIVE VALUES, A ZERO IN THE CENTER AND POSITIVE VALUES. IF THE GROUND IS LOWER, IT MEANS THE STICK WILL HAVE TO BE EXTENDED TO COMPENSATE THE LOSS OF HEIGHT. BASICALLY YOU CAN USE ANY TYPE OF STICK EVEN IF ITS NOT NUMBERED. WHAT MATTERS IS THE CONCEPT NOT NUMBERS. NOW WORK OUT ON THE REAL UNIT TO UNDERSTAND IT YOUR SELF.
Thanks for the videos! Just became a member. I want to built a workshop so I need all this information. What do you think of kit buildings? Do you design all of your builds?
I recently purchased an LAR350 and I was a little confused with the grade stick. I’m used to the standard inch/cm measuring sticks but this explanation helped me understand this style. Thanks!
The Stabila products are top notch. I have used them for years even when most people in Florida have never heard of them. You could also use a story pole if you have multiple elevations and mark what each one elevation is. We use an 1x2 story pole and sharpie because we deal with a lot of different elevations. I build custom homes in Central Florida and Craftsmen like you are getting hard to find.
Hey Kyle great videos. My name is also Kyle but Had to come back to this video to see the leveling. I have a Johnson laser level transit and getting ready to start our pole barn house conversion. Still waiting on materials from local Mennonites as the been behind and hard finding straight logs for our post and now an injury on there side. With cost of materials and everything we are so far behind along with full time work to come home and build our homestead from scratch. I have the 7 holes for porch started and still have to set grade along with mark the rest of our holes for quick tubes. And tips and trick would be great thanks Kyle b.
Ok show me how to take grade and dig 6in down and have a 6in pad above for a one foot even difference over a 8 foot long 6 foot wide hole. Please I need this information for a test coming up and I never used a grade stake
I watch a few of your videos now and then. What I find is that I’m doing the same things just a little different. I’m not a contractor just a home owner with a lot of toys (tools). I built my own 3300 sg ft home a few years ago long before TH-cam. Now I’m looking for a skid steer. Great videos Thank You
I probably don’t have enough information to know what you are talking about, but I would love to learn more about the grade stick. I know it’s dumb to ask, but could you do like a Barney style explanation of how to use it. Even the little bit of what you did flew way the hell over my head. Would love to take a class on it and learn how to be proficient at it.
This video helped me so much, not all people know how to explain and teach. My boss being one. I’ve watched 6 videos and yours is the only one that made sense. Thanks
Just to clarify....Everyone of our jobs that has a concrete floor, the top of the concrete is 4" above "grade" . We want our concrete floor to be the same as the front doors thresh hold. therefore when we set out receiver at +4 and then zero it out...the receiver will get a solid tone at 0 on the grade stick when it is 4" below the finished concrete. Then I slide the stick up when resting it on the bracket and the number it tells me is the offset difference I use when making my columns. Hope that clears up some questions
No explanation of the beeps. This is 101 laser grade training across all common laser transits. Fast beeps mean you are high, slow beeps mean you are low.
I think a white board drawing that indicates all of your required measurements to lay our each post would clarify it for most people. By drawing a post with markings indicating the finished floor height, grade (4" below finished floor), height of the bracket (approximately 2" below grade), and total post length you can show how you are compensating for the small variations in bracket heights from post to post. In the end you are cutting the tops of each post to account for those small variations. Just a thought....
Lost me at back to zero plus 4
So if building 16' with 4" concrete, the inside would be 15' 8"?
Want to start by saying love the content keep up the good work. However I wanted to add something since I use one everyday. Building guys tend to just go from finish floor as you did but the “correct way” (if there’s such a thing in construction) you actually bench your stick in at the sea level elevation. I say correct way loosely cause I come from a civil side of things and I’m sure your background is architectural in nature. There’s more than one way to skin a cat. I could try to explain but I’m sure I’d just confuse everyone.
More confused now than when I started watching
what can I help explain
Like donald wells, I learn by repetition. Just keep beating the drum loud and we'll get it eventually. Maybe. @@RRBuildings
RR Buildings maybe next time go a little slower. I don’t use mine very much. Thanks 🇺🇸
Like Anthony below I don’t use often. You keep explaining and we will eventually get it
I think if you need him to explain again, just watch the video over and over. He couldn't explain it any simpler than he just did!!!
It’s great! My shed has been completed and it turned out nice looking and sturdy and it is way better than the sheds that many of my neighbors had put up. Of course, I'm pleased with the outcome and this Ryan’s th-cam.com/users/postUgkxGZedDTcDfgD7fG_uU4esfx_EgxzlY2_1 Plans was extremely useful to me as a guide.
You lost me at "Hey. What's up guys"
I get what you’ve done now RR , although I had to watch it several times and then sleep on it in between.
After referencing finished floor height to zero on the pole, you lowered the receiver by 4” and then lengthened the pole by 4” now the zero mark on the pole is actual grade level. So now when you take the pole around the site and slide the receiver up or down to get a solid ping from the laser the difference between the mark on the receiver and the zero mark on the pole is the variation in height from grade level.
Thanks for making me think about it 👍. Please correct me if I am wrong, the moral here is, be sure to use the zero mark on the pole to make significant reference point , in this case you’ve made it grade level.
Thank you for making this video it’s much appreciated.
ok. now that I read a few, I think we're all on the same level. I often read text book chapters twice or thrice before doing quizzes
Video suggestion: What is grade, How to establish grade, How to use grade?
Try to remember what it was like to learn it. The way you explained it only an expert can understand. Went completely over my head, as if you were speaking Chinese.
Nice explanation. Surveyors call a grade reference mark a benchmark- if you want to add some new terminology. Also - I used to have some problems using a laser in snowstorms. The beam would deflect off level when it hit the falling snow. This was a while ago - maybe lasers have improved since then.
I love your videos and I have learned a LOT from you. I must confess that I had to watch this one several time to get it all sorted out in my head. Thanks for all the effort you put into these, you are helping a lot of people to step up their skills.
I didn’t understand anything
I learn something every time I watch one of your videos. Thank you, sir!
You confused most everyone watching!! 20+ years as a carpenter/re-modeler and you almost lost me at 4+", don't use grade sticks often enough to stay sharp on them.
Let me try to explain; his finished grade is 0" (door threshold). Since he wants his unfinished grade at 4" lower, its set at 4"+ on the stick, lower on grade means moving the receiver higher on the pole which is positive direction. He wants his sonatubes set 2" below unfinished grade so they are set at +6" (4" plus 2"). Hope that clears the waters, I know its pretty muddy.
R B agreed been using these for years. Your explanation is accurate and to the point
That helped me, thanks. I came into the video thinking i'd follow him since i have done this once before. Nope. But if what you just said here is what he was doing there, then i am back on track.
Dewalt gave him money so he did what his goal was, view knowledge transfer wasn't part of the equation.
It's also worth noting that when you are looking to purchase a grade stick that you need to make sure you buy one that is scaled in the right unit of measurement that you need. My dad always had fractional inch grade sticks... but when I went to work for a utility contractor suddenly I found myself working with a grade stick that was in tenths of a foot :O
A tape measure can turn any piece of lumber into a grade stick when you need it to be one too. I'm sure you know that though.
Thanks Kyle. I think it would be helpful for more examples. I am just starting to get the gist of it, but as a newbie , more would be helpful.
Probably right thanks.
@@@RRBuildings--- It amazes me that commenters/people do not grasp the use of the grade rod. Very well explained.
You did not really explain how to use a grade stick because I still don't know after watching your video.
Hey Kyle I just want to start by saying I really enjoy watching your videos! I have a quick question for you regarding rotary laser. Which one or kit would you recommend to someone starting out? Would it be the Stabila LAR 350 or something else? I really appreciate it!
I think the bulk of the confusion for me comes from 1:00 to 2:00 in the video. Clarifying certain things like "we set out receiver at +4 and then zero it out." don't make a lot of sense, it sounds like you're moving the laser to a 4" mark, then moving it back. Thing is, you're adjusting two different things. First the grade stick expands/contracts into itself, second the receiver slides up and down the stick, I missed that first time through somehow. I don't have a grade stick, and I've not used one as of yet, maybe that's part of my problem, a lack of hands on knowledge.
I was able to understand it after the second or third watch and I think it's purely a case of certain terms being ambiguous. It's like saying him, him and her. instead of John, Grace and Gregg. You're talking about grade and +4 -4 but you have the house grade, and the project grade, concrete grade and gravel grade. So "grade" becomes ambiguous. Adjusting +4 -4 is another sticker, clarifying exactly what you're adjusting might help. The other thing that caught me up was "it, it, it" What is "it"? It was the grade stick, the receiver and the grade at times.
After writing this I think I've got it all clear in my head now lol. Hopefully next video I won't need to do such a deep dive into what your saying haha. Maybe this will even help you clear it up for me in future how to videos.
Love watching the content you put out. I want to build a new shop and your experience and attention detail is very valuable. You manage to make it hella entertaining too. Keep it up!
hey man totally agree and thanks for the feedback...im by no means a pro at this video stuff and learning all the time and thanks to people like you that give good constructive criticism I can get better. Thanks
Look, let me say that I admire your work, love your videos, learn something on each one and look forward to every new one...but you did a less than stellar job on this one, even though it's clear you know what you are doing....this minus 4" plus 4" stuff was just confusing.....here's what you meant to say.....
You first find out what you want to be your reference point, in this case, the threshhold (the floor) of the house. You did that. But you then tell us that the project is always 4" below that (or whatever)....so to save doing math in your head (as you said) you LENGTHEN THE STICK BY 4 INCHES. That's important and I think you were going too fast...(So far, no one sees any savings yet, so that's confusing - but wait.)That means that when the solid tone is heard out on the project, given that the stick is 4" longer, the zero is telling you that the placement of the rod is 4" below the finished house floor.... (Here a pause was needed....)........that's just the long and the short of it....pun intended. Now here is where the savings come in....Since we are (re)set at zero, any variation from 0 ( a -4" from house grade - depending on whether it is higher or lower from the set point) can be read directly and then just noted on the form or support or whatever ....as you show at the end.... You can then reset the stick, variously over the project space for other direct read measurements. Of course you don't have to reset the stick. (Which would have been a great example.)You could leave it at whatever and then when you are placing it out on the various project points you would then be subtracting, for example 4.5" from 3.25" and that's just nuts...(which is what your video was intended to show) so that's where the math savings come in....and btw, since most contractors (based on my experience) don't use a grade stick, I think it was a good idea that you made the video.....and it's not, by any means an easy subject on first exposure....hope this helps and not confuses and certainly not intended to insult.........
Will you show how you install grade board around the building corners over the brackets? how would you build different if the floor was going to be gravel? very informative videos. thanks.
You lost me at "Hey, whats up guys"
That is the same math I use when I am Billing. I always add 4 when you want it to come down 4 so that gives me your bill. LOL.
What brand and model number is your grade stick? Your videos are great to watch. I own a excavation company and work with Contractors all day long your professionalism is top notch. Thanks
It’s a stabila grade stick
I’m almost to my third year as apprentice in IUOE. I’ve done trade work for a long time but I’m newer to the equipment side of things. Your videos are great and have helped me a lot along the way. Thanks for everything you post
Can you post a video of your Site cleanup? your jobs don't look trashed!
Only subscribe to channel that i can learn from this is one
Didn't even show the grade stick. What best for foundations, 1\8 stick or 1/10?
Why are the not in 1/12ths????
Showing a close-up of the sliding of the stick and actually seeing the offset difference would be nice and what number that you are marking on the steel bracket . Just want to thank you for taking your time from work to explain that level for dummies like me . Never was good in school math .
Just remember that up is down and down is up and will work fine ^^
Ok I got the point but you cut it short. I would just now had demonstrated the corners of the building to see and make them level so that the SLAB should line up level with the building which is standing on your tubes. I think a lot of people still have the disconnect there.
Makes a lot more sense after you have tried to use one! Helped my in-laws put in an in ground pool and this video really helped me make sense of how to use it when I actually had one in my hands. Great work!
Another way:
1. Lower the detector 4 inches below the zero point on the stick.
2. Adjust bottom telescope up or down to get steady tone on detector.
3. Move detector back up to zero point on the stick.
couldnt get my head around this till a fella drew me a diagram of what was happening. might be worth including this in a future video. Just a thought.
Need hearing aides now, thanks so much... :P
lol I tried lowering it
I just learned something. Thanks!
Kyle, what's the red portion at the top of the stick (on the metric side) and the yellow portion (on the inches-Imperial side)? Why do the colored portions only cover about 1.5 feet of the grade stick? Another question is the bull's eye level at the bottom supposed to be functional? On mine, it's just a useless dummy level. It seems to me that a real, working bull's eye level would have been better, right? Of course, someone who is experienced and skilled handling a grade rod should be able to tell when they are holding it plumb (or at least close enough) without having to look at a level.
Appreciate the effort but I found the explanation confusing. Zero on the threshold, then extend the stick by 4” or move the receiver up 4” and then you have grade below the finished floor. Then check your brackets for elevation relative to the grade. I have the same grade stick and it is a counterintuitive to me. Reverse reading grade sticks are much more user friendly if anyone is considering getting one.
Reading the comments, I see some didn't follow. Just try skipping the very first part where he sets it to zero. That is irrelevant and misleading. Go ahead to where he says that the threshold he is at is four inches higher than the grade on 'his' site. Then when he sets the level to +4 it might make better sense for you. (This is the only time he SETS the level, the rest of the time he MOVES the head.) When he gets to 'his' grade, he would theoretically then get tone at zero. Now ignore the part about 'setting' it to zero again, as he really didn't do that, he moved the head to -1 7/8 to get tone. Since the tube was poured to 2" below 'his' grade in a perfect world he would have tone at -2. We see he gets tone at -1 7/8 (Greg's fault). Now, when he goes to saw his post columns, he will set the top of the story pole at the top of the column. Then he will walk down to the bottom and make his saw mark on the column at the story pole bottom line plus 1 7/8. Now, if all of the columns go onto the correct tubes, the tops of all of the columns will be at the perfect height above 'his' grade. Same goes for all of the other marks on the story pole for girts and ledgers, etc. I know that won't help everybody, but I hope it works for you.
You and your crew are awesome , keep the videos rolling please, I learn something new every time I watch you guys
Great attempt but overwhelmingly confusing.
I am good at math, and understand the grade rod concepts.
But that video is a confusing mess of double talk!
of finally i find a video with the correct grading rod for lasers. 👍 all the other video's are using a rod for visual scopes....🤯 en then they start calculating with every measurement..🤣
Hey Kyle, can you do a tools day video about the Stabilla LAR350, and walk us through the whole process? That grade stick video was helpful, but i still have questions. I am a deck builder and would use the LAR350 to level all my posts out. I am about to purchase one, and I’m sure I could figure it out, but your walk through videos are money! Thanks Kyle!
Watched it twice and couldn't follow.
building grade is 4" below finished floor...after setting grade stick at +4, when it zeros out, it will be at my -4 below finished floor....or 2" above my sonotube
Got it mate
How far does the horizontal plane extend from the transmitter module? That thing is dam cool.
if hes using the laser i think he is, that one has like a 2500ft range or something along those lines
Being able to do something well doesn't confer the ability to explain it. Why should it? You didn't train to teach.
I still don't get it... But then again I was in the slow classes... god dammit
It's not you - he explained the how and not the why.
Thanks for the video it helped me. The last thing I used to lay elevations out was a transit. So now we have bosh laser and laying out grade starting today. A video on laying out footers and squaring the footers with a laser would help. Especially with as many subscribers as you have.
Still don't understand why you're using the top of the bracket on the grade stick and not the middle where the sensor actually reads the laser at. Guess it doesn't matter where you read the stick from as long as you are consistent?
Exactly
Where do I get a stick like that, that grades 0 from the center up and down? Anyone? Link please
I have been doing it wrong for 20 + years < Thanks
rob
nsw
australia
so does a building with a 12ft wall and 4 inches of concrete have an inside finished height of 11' 8"?
that is almost cheating!! :) helpful, yes.
good day we have in Russia is stable 2000 dollars it is very expensive to use the funds that my grandfather used
Great video as always. But I have a ? Do you or have you used a water level? Is it accurate?
I never have used a water level but they say they are perfect
I only opened this because I thought it was @gingerbilly
How do you install window trim when edge of window falls on a rib
Badass give us as many of these as possible I’d love to see one while building stairways and decks when grading the header and footer 💪💥👍💯🙏
Where I can buy just the vertical grade rod with the sensor?
I need to dig a footer 42” below grade how do I set my transit once grade is set to zero on the stick
Great information on laser grade tool. What if you have the old school system passed down to you? Could you pass on information on that or where we could get information?
Me espiro em vc no meu trabalho gostaria de conhecê-lo pessoalmente !
I need one of those, rotary lazer level and a tape measure have been my methods..
this will change your life bud seriously much more accurate..less math, and so much quicker
Yep, me, too. I use the old school scope-level: a Leica Theodolite with a grade rod. In the time it takes just to get the Leica scope leveled in a plane, I could have taken all the readings and be finished if I were use a self-leveling Laser level and target-receiver. A Theodolite is a fine instrument but it's obsolete technology. I say it's high time I upgrade my site layout equipment.
@@WelshRabbit--- I'm retired but I had an old Gurley transit....and still in excellent shape (it can work tomorrow). Last time I used it (for 30 minutes of work) was 2012.
I would think that seeing a laser line on a tape measure would be much faster than messing with the head up and down to get tone then locking the head and turning it to read the number. Maybe not better, but just as good and faster for this particular task. You should race Kyle, I'll put my money on you. Are you sure that your laser is visible/effective 80' or more down the line? :)
I really enjoy the content, but please turn down the tone volume when working with devices that have tones. Thank you. Otherwise I get yelled at by my roommate (wife).
mathdj01 grow some balls and tell your yelling wife to go and do some cleaning, washing or ironing. When she can be quiet, she can come back and listen and learn.
Do you have/use a grade laser with Slope/dual slope?
why are you not using total station of GNSS rover for stake out?
The minus 4" is the finish grade under slab. The +4" is top of slab
Does your grade stick have a bulls eye level to ensure that it’s perfectly plumb when you’re reading the measurement?
Yes
So, when you said you are "1- 7/8", were you saying that the bracket is 1-7/8" below the finished floor?
The bracket is 1 7/8 below the bottom of the grade board and therefor 5 7/8” below top of concrete which is almost exactly where we planned it.
I am worried about all the folks complaining about this thing being loud. I don't hear a thing, even with headphones on!
You probably had the volume at -4.
You see zero them out then put them at +4. That's where you want the finished volume to be.
👍🏼😉
great tip my stick is different then that one no zero mark to set to but im going to find that one it makes it much easier
Hi Kyle, worth it! I was a bit fuzzy, I had the basic idea this just set it for me! Thanks, you guys do great work !
Thank you for helping me understand how those work and how useful they can be!
yeah but can use a Philadelphia rod?
Thanks for the demo I had know idea about how that all worked.
I love your videos! I just bought a rotating laser to use on a pond I'm building, to find height of dam, swimming area slope, etc. Imagine my surprise when I searched for how to use a rotating laser level and you showed up! Awesome. Great info as always.
Ye are worthy 🙌 . Keep em coming
Actually people get confused because the explanation ask people to just follow the rule of -4 and +4 inches.
The easiest way I think if you ask me,
Take the laser unit with tripod and place it on the reference point. Let it self level to zero.
Then take the stick and place it on the floor together with the reference point. So laser snd and reciever are at similar point of reference.
Adjust the receiver up and down until the sound locks on solid. This means the stick is at zero level with the rotary laser on its tripod. Before moving anywhere, if you rise the stick up while being locked at number zero, it means you are at higher grounds. You will need to go to minus numbers to get the solid sound. This means higher grounds will give you negative numbers on the stick and positive numbers on the lower grounds assuming the laser unit is not moved from the initial reference point.
Next, anywhere you move the stick, extend or retract the stick from the zero mark. When the stick goes to the minus side to lock the solid sound, it means the ground on that side is higher than the reference point. Similarly, when the stick moves on the positive side, it means the ground is lower than the reference point.
JUST THINK OF THE STICK WITH NEGATIVE VALUES, A ZERO IN THE CENTER AND POSITIVE VALUES. IF THE GROUND IS LOWER, IT MEANS THE STICK WILL HAVE TO BE EXTENDED TO COMPENSATE THE LOSS OF HEIGHT. BASICALLY YOU CAN USE ANY TYPE OF STICK EVEN IF ITS NOT NUMBERED. WHAT MATTERS IS THE CONCEPT NOT NUMBERS.
NOW WORK OUT ON THE REAL UNIT TO UNDERSTAND IT YOUR SELF.
Show us how you prep the site on a slope
Thanks for the videos! Just became a member. I want to built a workshop so I need all this information. What do you think of kit buildings? Do you design all of your builds?
Yes I design them... kits are great for DIY
@@RRBuildings thanks
About as clear as mud.
I recently purchased an LAR350 and I was a little confused with the grade stick. I’m used to the standard inch/cm measuring sticks but this explanation helped me understand this style. Thanks!
What brand is your grad rod
Loved it thanks Kyle!
Absolutely taught me something i had no idea how the grade stick worked thank you
Thanks for the feedback Rob
I would of just left the finish floor on zero and moved it up 4 inches in the yellow.
You guys are true craftsmen and enjoy your videos.
That’s fine... then I would have had to do match once again and this eliminates the possibility of error.
The Stabila products are top notch.
I have used them for years even when most people in Florida have never heard of them.
You could also use a story pole if you have multiple elevations and mark what each one elevation is.
We use an 1x2 story pole and sharpie because we deal with a lot of different elevations.
I build custom homes in Central Florida and Craftsmen like you are getting hard to find.
thanks man very helpful
Awesome im learnning ..keep teaching brother please...love your videos...
I think you had an easier to follow explanation in an earlier video.
Maybe right?
I can’t think in inches!!
Hey Kyle great videos. My name is also Kyle but Had to come back to this video to see the leveling. I have a Johnson laser level transit and getting ready to start our pole barn house conversion. Still waiting on materials from local Mennonites as the been behind and hard finding straight logs for our post and now an injury on there side. With cost of materials and everything we are so far behind along with full time work to come home and build our homestead from scratch. I have the 7 holes for porch started and still have to set grade along with mark the rest of our holes for quick tubes. And tips and trick would be great thanks Kyle b.
So up is down and down is up?
Thank-you v much. Still a bit confusing after only one viewing. The pluses and minuses get confusing. Will watch again.
Ok show me how to take grade and dig 6in down and have a 6in pad above for a one foot even difference over a 8 foot long 6 foot wide hole. Please I need this information for a test coming up and I never used a grade stake
Oh ya great way you present your information. Your not talking down to who might be watching
I watch a few of your videos now and then. What I find is that I’m doing the same things just a little different. I’m not a contractor just a home owner with a lot of toys (tools). I built my own 3300 sg ft home a few years ago long before TH-cam. Now I’m looking for a skid steer. Great videos Thank You
Totally lost. Hahahhaa
Very confusing
Kyle Very informative but still some confusion, for my part worth while subject as are all your videos.Thank You
I probably don’t have enough information to know what you are talking about, but I would love to learn more about the grade stick. I know it’s dumb to ask, but could you do like a Barney style explanation of how to use it. Even the little bit of what you did flew way the hell over my head. Would love to take a class on it and learn how to be proficient at it.
This video helped me so much, not all people know how to explain and teach. My boss being one. I’ve watched 6 videos and yours is the only one that made sense. Thanks