Pipe Lasers

[Matt]

Looking at the possibility of getting a pipe laser as the job we are starting in January has a lot of drainage with shallow falls so can’t afford not to be accurate.

Have plenty of experience with drainage but normally use a standard above ground laser level. Looking to be more accurate and efficient with a pipe laser.

Done a bit of research and like the look of the Spectra Precision DG613 or DG813. The Leica Piper 100 looks good as it fits in 100mm pipe but don’t want the faff of changing the little legs all the time.

Just wondered if anyone had any experience setting them up/ using and how difficult they are to use well? Any advice on make/model appreciated too.

Thanks
Matt

 

[Brendan]

Looking at the possibility of getting a pipe laser as the job we are starting in January has a lot of drainage with shallow falls so can’t afford not to be accurate.

Have plenty of experience with drainage but normally use a standard above ground laser level. Looking to be more accurate and efficient with a pipe laser.

Done a bit of research and like the look of the Spectra Precision DG613 or DG813. The Leica Piper 100 looks good as it fits in 100mm pipe but don’t want the faff of changing the little legs all the time.

Just wondered if anyone had any experience setting them up/ using and how difficult they are to use well? Any advice on make/model appreciated too.

Thanks
Matt

Not used one for a good 9 year plus, they are handy. It was the Leica version easy enough to use, came with a little gradient book to quickly set it up without have to work out the input settings. The legs have two jobs centering the laser in the pipe and also raising the unit so the beam is centre of the pipe

 

[T whiting]

There a all right tool and very good at keeping your pipes straight and very simple to use but you can achieve the same results with a rotary laser.

There not much use on runs less than about 20m as you spend so long faffing setting them up it could've been finished with a rotary laser

 

[JD450A]

Brilliant on a long run, waste of time on a short run.

 

[Grifferr]

Not much good when using 6m lengths of pipe as you can only check at each end. How do you check halfway along the length. Some 4 inch pipes have a 4 inch bow in them!

 

[T whiting]

Not much good when using 6m lengths of pipe as you can only check at each end. How do you check halfway along the length. Some 4 inch pipes have a 4 inch bow in them!

We put them on top of the pipe or a couple of rings up a PPIC then lay a bed of gravel to lay the pipe on and you can check the top of the pipe with a stick you can't lay the gravel with a shovel as easily though

 

[Left hooker]

Not much good when using 6m lengths of pipe as you can only check at each end. How do you check halfway along the length. Some 4 inch pipes have a 4 inch bow in them!

Cut them in half and fit a joiner
South west water won't allow pipes over 3m to be used on main sewer jobs for this exact reason

 

[Smiffy]

Cut them in half and fit a joiner
South west water won't allow pipes over 3m to be used on main sewer jobs for this exact reason

But surely checking with a rotary laser by passes that problem
I check all pipes every meter regardless of laying to turn of the bubble or something more exact

And some one above mentioned leveling the shingle bed with a shovel
I have an earth rake cut to six inches wide it is far quicker and easier to level the bed out and no need to get in a trench with i struggle with in deep 200mm trenches anyway

 

[Matt]

Thanks for all the replies. They do sound like a bit of a faff to set up. Perhaps just setting up the rotary laser on a single axis slope might be a better option. Most of the runs are 20-30m.

All the main runs of foul have to be in 150mm clay so won’t have issues with the 6m pipes until we get to the laterals, but that was a good point as they are often like bananas.

All the main runs of storm water are 225mm upwards so hoping they will be fairly straight.

I like the idea of the narrow rake. Might have to do that!

Cheers

 

[Fms1]

Matt, I have a lecia 100 if you want to give it a go
I see you are local (Surrey) give me a pm

 

[Left hooker]

But surely checking with a rotary laser by passes that problem
I check all pipes every meter regardless of laying to turn of the bubble or something more exact

And some one above mentioned leveling the shingle bed with a shovel
I have an earth rake cut to six inches wide it is far quicker and easier to level the bed out and no need to get in a trench with i struggle with in deep 200mm trenches anyway

One thing with the water boards of your respective areas on mains work like of south west water in my area your not allowed bugger all deviation gps will mark center of manhole runs gradients have to be as to plan so a pipe laser will give you a truer pipe lay than rotary laser for side to side and up and down so 3m lengths keep it more tight where's 6m lengths are like bananas to lay
Also pipe laser you can mark the back of a shovel to use as a guide for gravel bed prep leaving it slightly lower to allow for joint

Stuff from road to house and around property rotary is fine as no one's checking deviation