This past weekend I put some shelves up for my wife and really thought that a laser level would help me greatly. Do you guys have any recommendations on a cross plane laser level budget friendly ~100$
Bosch seems to have the market in the loca big box stores. Have you done any Googling on it? HD has a "special buy" on one for $40. Darn that's cheap. I might order one myself.
I have the Bosch GLL-50. It's descent, Not the best, but for most anything your going to do in a room, it works pretty good.
I also have a Dewalt rotary laser, but I grab the Bosch more than not.
I have the Bosch GLL-50. It s descent, Not the best, but for most anything your going to do in a room, it works pretty good.
I also have a Dewalt rotary laser, but I grab the Bosch more than not.
I had one of those…..It probably works ok for cabinets. Not so much for stairwell openings. It went 'away' one day on a job site. I had a hissy fit and threw it against a foundation wall. I think it's under 4" of concrete now.
Bought one of these. Way badass!!
Kind of out of the op's budget though.
I have the Bosch GLL-50. It s descent, Not the best, but for most anything your going to do in a room, it works pretty good.
I also have a Dewalt rotary laser, but I grab the Bosch more than not.
- LeeRoyMan
I had one of those…..It probably works ok for cabinets. Not so much for stairwell openings. It went away one day on a job site. I had a hissy fit and threw it against a foundation wall. I think it s under 4" of concrete now.
Bought one of these. Way badass!!
Kind of out of the op s budget though.
Have you considered using a water level? You can make one for pennies. And, they can be just as accurate as a laser; maybe more so over long distances. Consider that, as far as I know, all lasers depend on a bubble to give level readings. Water levels don't. Yes. They are not as convenient and can be messy if you spill the water. However, all your $100 plus is buying is convenience.
I stuck a small flat piece of wood to my garage wall with glue. Moved over 4 feet and used a water level to set another block to the wall. I test my 4 foot levels by sitting one end on each block of wood. Shorter and longer levels I check by sitting them on top of my 4 foot level while holding them together. Those that don't pass go back to the store.
It would take a helper or some figuring out how to do long lengths but water does not lie. larry
Beware the cost of accessories!
You also want/need to have stable, adjustable base to mount the silly thing on top. Sure you can use a ladder, or any other old vertical stand; but not if you want to randomly move the line up/down vertically. Can easily spend $75-100 on decent tripod. Also need to select your tripod based on how will use it. Some need a larger area base. Have owned mine ~20 years, and the silly thing needs large 4'x4' clear area to set it up. Not very convenient when mounting shelves in closet, laundry room, or hanging pictures in small rooms. Working in bedroom, often end with tripod sitting on bed!
Don't buy the biggest/baddest one if you don't need it. How many rooms do you work in larger than 25ft? The newer homeowner grade units with limited working distances are smaller and lighter; which requires a smaller tripod. Have considered selling my commercial unit, and buying a new one now; just for smaller tripod.
About 3500 BC they came up with plumb bobs. Used them for the pyramids. They also used a short version as a level. They had chalk lines too.
I used a water level to fix up a 24×70 trailer. THey go around obstacles! Meniscus gives about 1/16 accuracy unless you add some type of sufficant. Water Wetter for race car radiators for example. They can be a pain but accurate as gravity allows.
Just having fun. A decent laser would be very nice, but I would want 1/32 inch @ 20 feet at least. When I dug my drainage ditch back in Md, I wanted a perfect 1/4 slope. I set up a cheap laser pointer and leveled on a stand several feet above the ground just more than the natural slope. Then calculated the distance, figured the drop and measured down on the far end to make a target. Then with a stick, I could find my depth along that slopped lazer laser line as I dug. You know, a pipe drops quite a bit in 100 feet!
I would put up one block, then scribe a line. Flip end for end and check. If it reads level again, then it is correct. THis doubles the resolution.
I stuck a small flat piece of wood to my garage wall with glue. Moved over 4 feet and used a water level to set another block to the wall. I test my 4 foot levels by sitting one end on each block of wood. Shorter and longer levels I check by sitting them on top of my 4 foot level while holding them together. Those that don t pass go back to the store.
It would take a helper or some figuring out how to do long lengths but water does not lie. larry
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
LumberJocks Woodworking Forum
2.5M posts
96K members
Since 2006
A forum community dedicated to professional woodworkers and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about shop safety, wood, carpentry, lumber, finishing, tools, machinery, woodworking related topics, styles, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!