Homemade laser level is self-leveling. How to make a laser level with your own hands? How to check if a homemade level is working properly

Laser level or level is used in construction and facing works for precise marking on any type of surface. The procedure is easy and quick, which significantly saves time in the work process. Even an inexperienced technician can use the tool: simply fix the device on a support (floor, ceiling, wall) opposite the marking surface and turn it on. On the surface where the marking occurs, a projection of the laser beam will appear horizontally and/or vertically.

The cost of the presented device in various retail outlets is quite high. But, if you use certain instructions, show accuracy and some patience, it is quite possible to make a laser level with your own hands. This approach has a positive effect on saving financial resources that go towards the construction and renovation of various premises.

Device design features

The device is compact and ergonomic. It can be easily placed in a pocket, mounting case or bag. The case is equipped with fastening elements. They may be:

magnet;
fastening straps;
tripod.

The beam projected onto the marking surface is constructed along a plane or in a direction. Construction levels, used to indicate a certain direction, produce a projection in the form of a point. Devices for marking a plane are equipped with a special type of optical instrument that turns the beam into a straight line. Levels are divided into types:

Rotary devices, due to rotation around their axis, are capable of producing a clear line (used when pouring floors and constructing ceilings);
positional levels consist of 2 laser radiation sources to create a visible plane (used during finishing works indoors);
self-leveling (can emit up to 5 beams and are equipped with a sight in the form of a simple cross and pendulums located inside the device).

The price of the presented equipment is several times higher than the cost of a conventional level based on liquid and air bubble.

Making a simple level from a laser pointer

Of the entire list of elements of such a level, you only need to buy a pointer. It is quite possible to make the remaining auxiliary parts yourself. The task of the presented process is to build a reliable fastener that will allow the device to rotate around an imaginary axis completely unhindered. The tool consists of the following parts:

laser pointer;
wooden beams (length - 0.5 meters, width and thickness - 25x25 mm, respectively);
cord designed for construction work;
drill for drilling holes;
support ( regular one will do stick).

To assemble the equipment, just follow the simple steps described below.

The block is drilled on both sides. As a result, neat holes are formed, which must be parallel to each other. One of the holes made will be used to securely fasten the pointer, and the other will fit the construction cord.
The pointer is securely fixed in the hole and a rope is secured, making it possible to install the device above the floor surface. The hole drilled specifically for the cord should be optimal diameter so that the cord can pass through it freely.
A rope is threaded into the hole that was prepared in advance and secured as securely as possible.

The support should be fixed. Otherwise, it will not be possible to adjust the level correctly. The pointer must be high power so that the beam can be clearly displayed on any surface. If the presented parameter is insufficient, the equipment will only be comfortable to use in a darkened room.

How to check if a homemade level is working properly

Using a simple rope, the device is suspended from a support in the center of the room. The equipment is turned on, directed in the desired direction, and the required distance along the length of the beam projection is noted. After this, a special stick is installed to ensure ease of marking.

After such important events, you can begin to use the device and point it in any direction. If you leave the position of the stick unchanged, the same height of marks will be ensured. After marking the laser dots, they are connected with construction cord. Next, using a measuring meter, preferably a hard one, draw a marking line.

Level made from a container of water and polystyrene foam

You will need the following items:

convenient container;
plaster or plasticine;
laser pointer;
Styrofoam.

Before you begin how to make a laser level with your own hands from the presented parts, you need to make sure your hands are clean and dry. If you neglect these rules, the materials will be lost required properties. Next, actions are performed that do not require particularly large material and time costs. All of them are described below.

A clean container (a large saucepan, bucket or bowl made of any material) filled to the brim with water.
A laser-type pointer is attached to a prepared piece of foam. As a nozzle you need to use a regular point. The fastening can be a thick rubber band, plasticine or a clamp. The device should be mounted as evenly as possible, parallel to the mounting surface.
Select the height required for marking and place a container of water there.
The pointer, fixed to the foam, is placed in the reservoir.
Turning on the pointer.
By changing the position of the device on the surface where the marking is made relative to the axis of the central view, points are designated. They will be at the same level relative to the established horizon.

The elements must be High Quality and strength. This will ensure the longevity of the equipment. The presented design is far from ideal, but it gives fairly clear marking results. Thanks to this, such equipment is quite popular among budget or private builders.

Making a laser cross with your own hands

This tool is convenient to use when various works facing type and installation of hanging furniture. For this reason, it is not only popular among professionals, but is also often an integral element in the toolkit of the owner of a city apartment or private house. To manufacture the device, the following parts are required:

laser type pointer;
tripod from a camera or video camera;
outdated player;
several unnecessary disks.

You will be required to follow the steps below.

A rectangular cross is made from pointers, which is attached to the drive from the player. This ensures free rotation of the tool around its axis.
Ensuring free lifting of the device required height.
The discs are carefully glued together and installed on the drive from the player.
A cross made of pointers is attached to the disks. You can use tape or other sticky material.

Advantages of a homemade tool

Despite the fact that such a tool cannot provide high accuracy, it is quite profitable to use it in everyday life. In any case, the marking will be more accurate, and the process itself is much simpler than when using a water level. It is for this reason that such equipment is in demand among household consumers. TO positive characteristics instruments include:

long beam length;
minimum error;
high marking speed.

The use of the equipment is fully justified for walls, floors, ceilings and other supports of a similar type with any type of surface. Alternative applications include marking the following objects:

personal plots;
fence structure;
facade finishing.

Ingenuity, accuracy and strict adherence to the instructions described above will help to significantly save money and time. Before spending money on expensive equipment, a thrifty person should think about whether it’s worth making the device yourself, saving money? Moreover, its quality and ease of use in everyday life corresponds to an expensive device.

Video on the topic

By laser level we mean quite useful device, used in any construction, which allows you to very quickly and at the same time accurately mark the level on any surface. You don't need any skills to use this tool. professional builder– just install the laser level on the floor or wall, turn it on and wait until the device projects lines in accordance with the horizontal or vertical level on the surface to be marked.

However, such a device in stores is not cheap and therefore it is advisable to learn how to assemble it yourself, especially since it will not be difficult.

Design features of laser levels

Visually, a laser level resembles a small device that can be mounted on various surfaces. The most popular methods of mounting the device are through the following elements:

magnetic element;
tripod stand;
special fastening belts.

In addition to the mounting method, construction levels differ in the projection of the laser beam onto the surface: the construction of a plane or direction. Instruments used to indicate direction create a point projection on the surface. In turn, the levels projecting the plane are equipped with special optical systems that turn the beam into the plane. Today, experts highlight several types of laser levels:

A rotary type device that is capable of rotating around its own axis to form clear line. Such a device is produced in a reliable housing, qualitatively protected from various external factors. This product is perfect for any construction project, from pouring the floor to constructing the ceiling.
A positioning device consisting of two radiating sources allowing the creation of a visible plane. This device is mainly used when carrying out finishing work indoors.
A self-leveling device is a level equipped with internal pendulums and capable of emitting up to five beams. This laser level is additionally equipped with a cross-shaped sight.

The main disadvantage of such universal devices is their relatively high price . The cost of the simplest device is not always affordable; the average consumer is ten times higher than the price of a regular bubble or water level.

The simplest level from a laser pointer

If we consider the price of a homemade laser level, then a person will only have to spend money on buying a pointer. Other structural elements devices can be made with your own hands from scrap materials that can be found in every home workshop. The main task when creating a homemade laser level is pointer mount so that it can rotate freely around its own axis. But first you need to stock up on the following consumables:

laser type pointer;
wooden beam measuring 25 by 25 mm and half a meter long;
construction cord;
regular electric drill;
support in the form of a stick for the finished laser level.

To assemble a laser level with your own hands you need perform a certain sequence simple actions.

In a pre-prepared block, holes parallel to each other are drilled from both edges. One of them is designed for mounting a laser pointer, and the other for a construction cord.
After the laser emitter is fixed in place, attach a rope, which is designed to suspend the device above the level floor surface. A hole is drilled from the opposite end of the beam so that the cord can pass freely through it.
A rope is passed into the prepared hole, which is tied to the block and tightened tightly.
The support can be any convenient stick, including a shovel stuck in the ground.

The main thing is that the support used is securely and firmly fixed. If this rule is neglected, then it will not be possible to set the level correctly.

Checking the functionality of the laser level

Using a laser level assembled with your own hands from a pointer, you can make markings on any surface, but it is better to do this in low light so that the light beam is clearly visible. To begin marking, the device is suspended with a rope in the center of the room in which the work is being carried out. The homemade level is turned in the required direction and the required distance along the length of the beam is marked, after which a stick is installed on which Convenient marking.

After carrying out such simple manipulations, the level can be directed in any direction where it is necessary to make marks. Moreover, if the position of the support stick remains unchanged, then all marks will be located at an identical height. After marking individual points, they can be connected with a construction cord, along which a marking line can be drawn using a construction meter.

Laser level made of foam plastic and a container of water

To create a laser level of this design with your own hands, you need to prepare a convenient container, a piece of plasticine or a patch, in general, any substance or material with which you can fix the main part. Naturally, you will need laser pointer and a piece of polystyrene foam. The procedure for assembling the device itself occurs in accordance with a certain action plan.

Despite the fact that such laser levels can hardly be called ideal, however clarity of markings quite high and so homemade designs have the right to exist.

Homemade laser cross design

This is another type of laser level that you can assemble with your own hands. This level is very convenient to use when hanging cabinets in the kitchen or paintings in rooms, as well as in many other situations. To make such a simple tool, a person will need video camera tripod, an old player and a couple of unnecessary discs.

A cross made of laser pointers is mounted on a tripod so that it rotates around its axis. For this purpose, you can use the drive from the player.
It is also important to ensure that the laser level can move vertically to the required height.
The discs glued together are installed on the old player drive.
On finishing stage A cross of laser pointers is attached to the disks. To attach it, you can use tape or any other available material.

Due to the fact that the device is placed movably on a tripod, it can be rotate in any direction without changing the marking height. Thus, by setting the necessary parameters for marking, you can accurately mark the level on any surface in the room without the need to adjust the device each time.

The main advantages of a homemade tool

Naturally, you shouldn’t expect a laser level you assembled yourself to perform ultra-precise and complex marking operations. But for everyday use, such a device is quite suitable and will even surpass the factory water level in many ways. Plus, it will be able to provide the following functions:

sufficiently long beam length;
minimum level of error with comparative ease of use;
increasing the speed of marking.

But the main advantage of a laser level is the ability of the device project rays along a horizontal plane. Thanks to this, the builder can accurately control the quality of the vertical and horizontal levels when marking wall, floor or ceiling surfaces. In addition to construction, the level can be used when marking a personal plot, facade finishing building or erecting a fence.

Therefore, when thinking about adding a laser level to your home workshop, you should not rush headlong to the store to buy an expensive device. With a little ingenuity and dexterity, anyone can assemble a level with their own hands from scrap materials. In this case, the maximum monetary cost will be the purchase of a regular laser pointer.

Using a level or level in repair work extremely important. Using such a device, you can easily and absolutely accurately make installation and installation work. And the more accurate the device is, the less error there will be in the measurements. Laser measuring equipment is considered the most accurate today.
Laser levels or levels won’t surprise anyone today. They have become so popular that varieties of them can be bought in almost every hardware store. Only their price still leaves much to be desired. Yes and for ordinary person Those who are not busy with repairs or construction every day are unlikely to buy a laser level rational decision. What to do in a situation where the tool is not cheap, but is only needed for a one-time use? The answer is simple - do it yourself. You heard right, it’s really real, and for a ridiculous price.

What you need for a homemade laser level

Wooden block 80x20x30 mm;
9 V Krona battery with a connector for its contact connector;
Battery CR 2032 – 2 pcs with plastic holder with terminals;
Laser module 3 ~ 5 V, laser color – red;
Small engine direct current at 5-12 V;
Half of a round ladies' mirror.

The tools we will need are:

Soldering iron with solder;
Hot glue gun with rods;
Copper wiring;
Hacksaw for metal;
Insulating tape;
Ruler, marker.

We make a laser level with our own hands

Cut from wooden block a small piece 8-10 cm long. This will be the basis of our laser level.

Then we connect the plastic holder with terminals and the laser module with several wires, observing the polarity. We do the same with the connector for the “crown” and the engine.

We seal the mirror with electrical tape so as not to damage it. glass surface. We mark the middle of it on the back side with a ruler, and glue the engine shaft along the mark with hot glue.

Hot glue gun glue a “crown” to the end of a wooden block, and a slider with a mirror at the end. The motor shaft must be outside the block so that the mirror can move freely around the shaft axis.

Glue the laser module with a plastic battery holder into last resort. The smoother this laser element is glued, the more accurate the line it marks on the measured surface will be.

Remove the electrical tape from the mirror and insert the CR 2032 batteries into the battery container.

The device is ready, all that remains is to connect the power and direct it to the nearest wall or ceiling. If such a device is mounted on a bubble level and its position is adjusted relative to the base surface, it can be used to obtain a clearly visible mark.

During construction work, you may have encountered the need to mark walls for gating or align the position of a TV or painting on the wall. Piece work with a one-time measurement of the position of objects in the horizontal and vertical plane can be performed with a bubble level. But if you need to lay wiring, install socket boxes, boxes, or mark for other purposes, you will have to tinker with a regular level for quite a long time. Therefore, it is much easier to use a laser level; the only stumbling block is its high price, so it becomes much more profitable to assemble a laser level with your own hands.

Types of laser level

At home, you can make two types of devices - rotating only in the horizontal plane or providing markings in both the horizontal and vertical planes at the same time. The second option is made in the form of two lines intersecting each other at right angles - a cross.

Method number 1. Laser level made from a pointer and a container of water.

This is the easiest way to make a laser level with your own hands; for it you will need any container into which you can fill water to the brim so that a piece of foam plastic can fit in it. You can take any bucket or pan as a container, cut it plastic eggplant. Also take a regular laser pointer with a dot attachment, flat piece polystyrene foam with smooth surfaces. A piece of plasticine, a clamp or a patch is used as fastening; if you don’t have any of this, you can use any glue or sealant.

The laser level is assembled in the following sequence:

Once you have decided where you need to mark, first place the empty container on the floor at the desired height. If you carry a pot filled with water, the water will spill.
After installation, fill the container to the brim with water. If the container is placed on any object used as a platform (chair, box, etc.), ensure its stable position on the floor or ground. Otherwise, you will have to wait for the vibrations to die down after each touch of the level.
Attach the laser pointer to the foam using adhesive tape or a clamp. In this case, you need to ensure the tightest and even fit of the laser pointer to the foam. Therefore, if one fixation point is not enough, stick it along the entire length. If any element protrudes above the entire surface (nozzle, plug, etc.), it should be removed or fixed to plasticine.
Turn on the laser pointer and place the foam sheet on the surface of the water. The homemade laser level is ready.

In order to use such a device, rotate the laser pointer to the point you need and make a mark on the wall. To make further marks, rotate the laser level around its axis in the direction you need. Place marks on the wall at the appropriate points. If you draw lines, make a series of points that can then be connected to each other.

This level is much more convenient for two people to work with, so that one person controls the laser pointer, and the second makes marks on the wall. Unlike the classic bubble level, this method will reduce the time for marking a room by three times. The disadvantage of this laser level model is low accuracy. Therefore, its use is advisable in situations where there is no need to achieve millimeter precision.

Method number 2. Homemade device from a pointer and a level.

This is a more complex version of the laser level compared to the previous model, but it allows you to set up much more accurate measurements.

To do this you will need:

a regular laser pointer - you don’t have to spend money on expensive long-range models, they don’t make any sense;
Bubble type building level - select a model small size by 20 – 30cm;
adjustable support that can be rotated around its axis – ideal option there will be a tripod from an old chair or camera, but if there is no tripod, use a peg round shape length 0.5 - 1 m and diameter from 30 to 60 mm;
a rigid stand that can be mounted on a peg - a flat and smooth sheet of plywood, chipboard, MDF will do;
a piece of rubber for gaskets, mounting clamps and self-tapping screws.

Rice. 1: laser level circuit

Look at Figure 1, here is a diagram of a laser level for its manufacture:

Secure the pointer to the bubble level, to do this, use the clamps as clamps, first place an elastic band between them as a spacer.
IN in this case a wooden peg is used, so it must be sharpened on one side so that this end can be easily buried in the ground.
On the other side of the peg to flat surface screw the plywood sheet using a self-tapping screw. If the other end of the peg is not level enough, it is first leveled with a hacksaw and file. The plywood must be positioned at a right angle, otherwise accurate measurements cannot be achieved.
Place a peg with a stand in the room and deepen it to the level you need.
Place the bubble level with the laser pointer on the stand. Now, using a bubble level, you can adjust the accuracy of the lines you draw by simply tilting the wooden peg in one direction or another.

This model has much greater accuracy in operation. But to use it you will also need two people, one of whom will monitor the level, and the second will apply markings on the walls.

To check the accuracy of the operation of such a device, you need to screw a screw into the stand at the level of the beam, step back from the wall a few meters and screw a second screw into the wall at the pointer point (Fig. 2).

Rice. 2: Level accuracy check

If by connecting these screws with a profile or board you get the correct horizon at the bubble level, then the device works accurately. If the bar needs to be raised up or lowered, then the level needs to be moved in the same direction.

Method No. 3. Making a cross-shaped level with a plumb line.

This method is relevant for those jobs in which you need to carry out simultaneous markings in both the horizontal and vertical planes, and for quite a long time or on an ongoing basis. Since the manufacturing process is very labor-intensive.

To do this you will need:

Industrial laser module with a power of 5 mW and a supply voltage of 3 V. These come with various attachments, both for a point and a cross;
Rechargeable battery or replaceable 3V batteries, if you have a power supply, you can use it;
Metal, plastic or wooden plates, tie rods and screws for fastening, clamps or electrical tape for fixation;
Housing for installing the module, bearing and connecting wires.

For assembly tools you will need a hacksaw, drill, screwdriver or pliers. The most important property This type of laser level is freely suspended, like a pendulum. To do this, it must move freely in two horizontal planes.

To make a laser level:

if you decide to power it in another way, you can skip this point;

on the opposite side for connection charger and on top for installing a button;

Rice. 9: charger hole

For people of different construction professions, the accuracy of lines and angles is of particular importance in the work process. After all, clarity and accuracy are an indicator of quality and professionalism. Helps achieve high accuracy special tools, however, even a homemade laser level allows you to get excellent result with less effort.

For specialists in the field of construction and installation, a factory-made laser level is a professional necessity. Such a tool is not cheap. For those who need it occasionally, an amount of 100-200 dollars may seem high.

It is in such cases the best solution there will be a homemade laser level. You can assemble it with your own hands from scrap materials with minimal financial investment. Thanks to this, you will receive excellent construction and installation equipment that performs its function no worse than its industrial counterparts.

By appearance laser levels may be different. But in all cases it is small standalone device, emitting a laser beam and powered by batteries or accumulator. Depending on the type and function, the beam shape may vary. By installing such a level on the selected surface, a light projection is obtained on the walls, ceiling and floor, which allows you to apply the most accurate markings or record unevenness and inaccuracies in the parts of the room being processed.

There are three options for laser levels:

Any of them performs its function perfectly in a given area. But a do-it-yourself device is not much different from those made in production.

Besides, Laser levels may also differ in mounting device:

This is the most popular types systems that allow you to install the device. Although there are lesser known ones, they are not so popular.

The rays are also emitted differently. Some create only a direction, while others allow you to project a plane. Each option has its own purpose and scope.

DIY methods

There are several ways to make a device yourself. To do this, you will have to purchase some materials, but most of them can be found in almost any home.

From a laser pointer

The simplest and least expensive option can be made from a regular laser pointer. To do this you will need to buy the pointer itself. In addition to this, you will need:

a block of wood 50 cm long and with a side size of 25 mm;
construction cord or its analogues;
stick to support the finished level;
drill.

Holes are drilled in the beam at both ends. One of them is intended for attaching the emitter, and the second is for a cord or rope. The pointer is securely attached to one end, and the cord is threaded through the other end so that it can fit freely in the hole.

You can use absolutely any stick for support. Even a shovel stuck in the ground will do. The main thing is to be able to freely hang the resulting structure. The support must be securely fixed, and only this will allow you to obtain the most accurate markings.

This level allows you to mark the necessary surfaces wherever needed, and also use it as a homemade level. When using it, it is preferable to reduce the illumination, which will give clearer marks.

Install assembled structure better within the center of the room. And you can control the accuracy using a stick, on which a mark will be applied when the first point is fixed.

Styrofoam and container with water

This method homemade level even simpler. All you need to make it is:

laser pointer;
a piece of foam;
plasticine, electrical tape, adhesive tape;
a small container of water, for example an old saucepan.

It is necessary to attach the laser pointer to the foam as evenly as possible. Fill the prepared container with water to the very top. Carefully place the foam with the emitter on the surface of the water. Now all that remains is to position the resulting system at the required height.

When making the next mark, the foam is turned to the next marked location. When all the points are ready, it is enough to connect them together with a construction tape.

This type of device, although not ideal, allows you to get fairly accurate results.

Emitter in the form of a cross

A more complex, but very accurate laser level is convenient to use in any situation, especially for installing hanging furniture. Although it can only be called complex in relation to others, it is easy to assemble. For this option you will need:

The use of a tripod is due to the fact that it allows you to place the pointer as level as possible relative to the horizon, move installed structure horizontally to the required height, rotate the emitters without disrupting the set parameters.

First, you need to firmly fix the drive from the player to the tripod. Glue the CDs together and install them in the drive. On them, in the shape of a cross, attach laser pointers. And the device is completely ready for use.

The advantage of this model is that it can be rotated in any direction, as well as raised and lowered without loss of accuracy. This allows you to hit the level without constant readjustment.

Having made a simple laser level with your own hands, you can try to create more complex models that are as close as possible to factory analogues. Very accurate data is provided by a level using a pendulum system. In this case, most of the work will be done by the pendulum itself, while the radiating system will not take much force.

In this case, a pointer will not be needed. Instead, a laser module is used with prisms already installed in it, allowing the projection of horizontal and vertical lines.

The module itself runs on three to four AA batteries. This is the optimal number of batteries: two are discharged too quickly, and a larger number makes the system too heavy. You will need a compartment for them; you can take it from an old toy.

The module, batteries and other parts involved in the process must be assembled into one unit. When this part is ready, it needs to be installed on a pendulum prepared in advance. And after that you can think about the body of the structure.

A piece of plastic is perfect for it. plumbing pipe, in which holes for the beams are pre-cut. A switch is also installed here. This completes the level assembly.

But it still has to be calibrated. For these purposes, you can use a water level, which is used to make two marks on the wall at a distance of five to six meters. If the beam coincides with the marks, then no additional adjustment will be needed. Otherwise, you will have to adjust the pendulum.

Advantages and disadvantages

Homemade tools always have a number of advantages, among which price can be called fundamental. After all, a thing made with your own hands will always be cheaper in cost. And this is exactly what many craftsmen pay attention to. In addition, such a device is always adjusted to the needs of the owner.

Among the main advantages of laser levels can be distinguished:

low cost;
long beam length;
low error rates;
speed when using;
quick and easy creation with a minimum of materials.

Such devices can be used to mark not only premises, but also personal plots, facades and other areas.

There are very few disadvantages:

inconvenience of using some designs;
You still need to purchase something for manufacturing, for example, a laser pointer.

As you can see, there are not so many disadvantages. Therefore, there is no need to run to the store to buy a device when you can create it yourself in a matter of minutes.