Determine the Angle of Cut Using Only a Level
If you are doing something like placing the posts on a sloped surface, you will probably need to measure the exact angle at which you need to cut their base so that they are perpendicular to the ground. But breaking the protractor is not necessary; you can easily use a level to determine the angle of the cut.
In this video from DIY YouTuber See Jane Drill, we’ll learn how to measure the angle of a desired cut with just a decent level. It seems logical to put the post away from the ramp and then mark it with a pencil, but as Leah demonstrates, that doesn’t guarantee that the post will sit perfectly straight when you mark it.
Rather, she uses 4×4 scrap and quality grade. (A cheap, mediocre level might not be as accurate.) She sets the 4×4 on the slope and then sets the level straight up and down towards the tree until it is perfectly level. She then marks the wood up and down when the level is perpendicular to the ground.
She then uses this line as a guide when cutting with the miter saw. It’s just a piece of wood, but it works like a template for the actual messages she’s about to set up.
Carpenter’s Focus: Angle Determination Without Measuring Using a Level | See Jane Drill via Digg