How to build a laser level with your own hands? How to make a laser level at home with your own hands Level from a laser pointer with your own hands
During runtime 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 cost, 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. As a container, you can take any bucket or pan, cut off a plastic eggplant. Also take a regular laser pointer with a dot attachment, a flat piece of 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 out of it.
- 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 No. 2. A homemade device made from a pointer and a level.
It's more difficult option laser level, compared to previous model, but it allows you to configure 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.
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 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 number 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 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;
With opposite side for connecting the charger and on top for installing a button;
Rice. 9: charger hole 
When carrying out repair and construction work indoors, it is very convenient to use a laser level to draw a straight horizontal or vertical line. But it doesn’t make sense to buy this device just for 1-2 uses. Very expensive.
However there is Alternative option– you can make a laser level with your own hands. It will be much cheaper, and will cope with the construction of axes on a plane no worse than a conventional linear one laser level. There may be an error, of course, but not critical.
To make this homemade product you will need a Chinese laser flashlight, a piece of profile pipe, aluminum or steel tube, a small piece of mirror and a 12V electric motor. That's the whole set of materials.
Main stages of work
The first step is to cut a piece of aluminum tube of suitable length. You need to insert a laser flashlight into it and fix it with hot glue. The ends of the tube must be open.
At the next stage, the master cuts a piece of the profile pipe. On top of the profile you need to glue an aluminum tube with a laser flashlight inside. For this it is better to use some kind of two-component glue.
IN profile pipe The master drills a through hole for the electric motor shaft. Then the motor itself, as well as the battery and the on/off button, are placed on the glue. A plastic tube is placed on the electric motor shaft, and a piece of mirror is attached to it using hot-melt adhesive.
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. To use such a tool, you do not need to have the skills of a 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 a 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 works in room.
- 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 intended for installation laser pointer, and the other for 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 to mark.
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 the same 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.
- At the finishing stage, a cross of laser pointers is attached to the discs. To attach it, you can use tape or any other material at hand.
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 required 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 can expect from a laser level, assembled with your own hands, to perform ultra-precise and complex operations according to the markings it is not worth it. 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;
- minimal 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 vertical and horizontal level both when marking wall and floor or ceiling surfaces. In addition to construction, the level can be used for marking 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.
Buying an expensive level for home needs does not make sense, since this device costs a lot of money, and it does not need to be used often. If you need to draw an even horizontal line on the wall, or install the structure parallel to the ground, you can make a laser level with your own hands, using available materials that can be found in any private home. This will not take you a lot of time and money, but you will get good tool that you will use for many years. Next we will provide two simple master class To make a homemade level by hand, the work will take you no more than half an hour.
Option No. 1 – Use a flat stand
In the first case, in order to make the device ourselves, we will need the following materials:
- a regular laser pointer, which is sold in kiosks and on the market and is not expensive (shown in the photo below);
- bubble building level, can be bought at a specialty store;
- wooden peg, 1 to 1.3 meters long, 5 to 6 cm in diameter;
- a small piece of rubber;
- a sheet of plywood or board along the length of the level.
Having prepared all the materials, you can proceed to assembly. homemade device. To make it clearer to you how to make a laser level with your own hands, we provide a step-by-step guide:
That's all the manufacturing instructions. As you can see, making a simple laser level with your own hands is not difficult, but the problem is that such a homemade product cannot be installed on a hard surface, for example, concrete screed or wooden floor. It is usually used outdoors. To solve this problem, you can also screw a stand made of plywood sheet perpendicularly from the second end of the peg. In addition, you can make a support of a special design, like a real level, but making a tripod will take more time and effort.
Use this homemade device from a laser pointer is not difficult. First, the stand is driven into the ground or placed on the floor, after which it is leveled with a bubble level - the bubble should be strictly in the center. Next, you need to turn on the pointer and mark the point projected on the wall with a pencil. After this, the stand carefully rotates along its axis in a horizontal plane, and new marks are placed. All the points are connected to each other and that’s it - the straight line on the wall is ready, you can proceed to other equipment!
It should be noted right away that you should not rush and start important marking work without calibrating the device. First of all, you must make sure that the homemade product works correctly so that the result does not become unexpected for you. To do this, you need to adjust the homemade laser level (in other words, check the accuracy of its operation).
You can make the adjustment yourself like this:
With the help of such a homemade laser device You can draw horizontal lines yourself so that in the house. However, you should not rely on high measurement accuracy. The device is homemade and has some error, which must be taken into account.
Video review of a more complex self-regulating cross-type model
How to make a level with your own hands
Option No. 2 – Use a container of water
The second way to make a laser level with your own hands is to use a water surface. All you need is to select a container of suitable size, for example, a basin, and pour water into it under the rim. The liquid forms a plane that will be parallel to the horizon. Next, you need to take a piece of polystyrene foam and secure the pointer strictly in the middle. After this, the container must be set at the level future line and place the foam with the pointer in the water. We turn on the homemade product and mark points on the wall, turning the laser in the desired direction. Then we connect them and get a straight horizontal line. The video example shows in detail all the stages of assembling a homemade water level:
Master class on creating a simple device
The disadvantage of this level is that you need to correctly and very evenly attach the pointer to the foam. Otherwise, it will be slightly skewed to one side, which will negatively affect the accuracy of the device. You also only need to select even pieces foam in the form of a plate, the sides of which are parallel.
In construction and finishing, precision is important, which can be perfectly maintained using a laser level. This is an expensive tool, so purchasing it for a one-time repair is impractical. For minor works You can make your own level using a laser pointer. It costs less than $3, which makes homemade a budget alternative to a specialized tool.
Materials for assembling a laser level
To make a homemade level you will need:- wooden block 30x30 –20 cm;
- tube (under outside diameter and pointer length);
- a motor from a children's toy;
- crown battery;
- crown terminal with wiring;
- key mini switch;
- a miniature mirror for cosmetic powder or lipstick;
- pasta from ballpoint pen;
- laser pointer.
Assembling a level from a pointer
First you need to make the base for the level. A 30x30 mm block is suitable for this. It is enough to cut 20 cm.
To him glue gun a tube made of thick cardboard (or plastic) is glued. It is selected in such a way that the pointer fits tightly into it. The length of the tube is approximately 15 cm.
A motor from a children's car is glued to the end of the block farthest from the end of the tube. Its shaft is aligned with the focusing line of the pipe cavity.
You need to assemble the motor power supply system. To do this, a mini switch is soldered to the wiring of the terminal installed on the crown.
The battery and it are glued to the block. All that remains is to pick suitable length wires to solder it from the switch to the motor. A direct wire from the terminal is soldered to the second contact of the motor.
Now you need to take a small mirror. It’s not difficult to find this - just peel it off in any unnecessary women’s cosmetic bag. The smaller and lighter it is, the better. You should find the center on it and draw a transverse line. An adhesive layer is applied over it and a ballpoint pen paste or Chupa Chups stick is glued in.
The glued tube is placed on the motor shaft. If the mirror is balanced correctly, then when the engine is turned on, the design with a homemade blade almost does not vibrate.
The level is ready, all that remains is to fix it on the tripod. This is done in different ways, depending on the design of the stand. In my case, you need to press the nut into the block and screw the tripod platform onto it.
How to use
A pointer is inserted into the level tube.
Since it enters with force, its button is pressed and the LED lights up without ceasing. Now, if you turn on the motor, the mirror rotating on its shaft will beat laser ray.
