laser level question

[Youngfd]

Looking to purchase a good laser level for general home use. Do not need a rotary one on a stand. Ideas?

 

[Roju1985]

I purchased this one for general home use and have been happy with it:
http://www.cpooutlets.com/factory-r...-45-rt,default,pd.html?start=61&q=laser level

I compared it to a PLS (USA made) model we use at work, the PLS was the clear winner in brightness. But both were level with each other so I assume both were equally accurate.

I could not personally spend more on a PLS for home use, however I probably wouldn't spend less than the bosch.

 

[bcradio]

Bosch 3 plane solid laser level gets my vote. I believe it's the gll3-80 or something. Excellent laser overall

 

[rharman]

Just be sure to spend the extra $$ for a self-leveling model. I bought one that I have to manually setup with the built-in bubble level and I find that to be a real pain.

 

[Youngfd]

Thanks for all the input. I will go looking today when I am at Home Depot. J

 

[rlitman]

Bosch 3 plane solid laser level gets my vote. I believe it's the gll3-80 or something. Excellent laser overall

At $500 though, I'll pass.

Just be sure to spend the extra $$ for a self-leveling model. I bought one that I have to manually setup with the built-in bubble level and I find that to be a real pain.

I've got a rotating head level from HF that's great when I need to get a horizontal plane around an entire room.

I bought it to determine a perfect plane in my garage when I built in a loft, and it paid for itself ($40) in that one use, even though I needed to manually set it up. Yeah, it hardly leaves the closet, but when it does, it's a lifesaver.

I most recently used it to get my mattress warrantied. I cranked the tripod down so that the laser touched the high spots, and used a folded bill to highlight the depression.

You should first decide whether you would prefer a cross line type laser or a three axis point type laser. Cross line lasers display lines on the wall and they are more user friendly for things like hanging pictures, leveling cabinets, etc. and for tasks like laying out wall framing when doing construction. I however tend to prefer my three axis point type laser for most of what I do, because it was cheaper, a little more versatile overall, and I feel it's more durable in terms of construction. A laser dot is also usually brighter and easier to see than a line, especially when working outside in the sun.

I use a Bosch GPL5 that I picked up on Ebay in like new condition for around $52. They are pretty easy to come by lightly used at good prices. There seems to be a constant supply of them on Ebay, often being sold by pawn shops for some unknown reason...

I made a simple water level to test the horizintal accuracy of my laser level. Over a 50' distance my laser is still dead on...

I use lasers for three things (and own three types of laser levels).
That $500 Bosch looks like it would serve all three purposes well...

1) Projecting a plane. Nothing but a rotary does this well. There are lensed ways to spread the beam over wide angles, but the wider you go, the fuzzier the beam gets at the edges. Rotary lasers are pinpoint clear throughout their path. Automatic leveling saves a LOT of setup time, but costs a lot of dough too.

2) Projecting vertical and horizontal lines on walls. I was just using my CST cross beam laser the other day for hanging cabinets. Projecting a vertical line, I could replicate the use of a chalk line and plumb to highlight the position of wall studs so I knew where to put the screws. I could leave the laser on a table, aim it at the stud, lift the cabinet, and have the line visible on the cabinet itself (not something you could readily do with a chalk line and plumb bob). Mine (though discontinued, so I won't recommend a particular model) is mechanically self leveling. It is a pendulum mechanism that is magnetically damped. But the important feature is that if it is off-level, the laser blinks as a warning (this happens when it is resting on a surface that is too far for the pendulum to compensate).
Auto-adjusting cross-line levels are the most useful and affordable lasers.

3) Dropping a plumb line. A cross beam laser can project a vertical line, but cannot correlate a point on the ceiling with the point directly beneath it on the floor. Your Bosch GPL5 can. I own the RoboToolz version of this 5 beam laser. Porter Cable once re-branded this same laser too.
This style of laser has one beam that points straight down, and one that points straight up. That particular model is electronically driven, and is pretty shock sensitive. That's probably why they can be found for cheap. It dampens vibration faster than the mechanical ones by a couple of seconds, but is too easily broken IMHO.

As for calibrating it, just make a mark where the dot hits a target 20' or more away. Then rotate the tripod 180 degrees and see if the dot opposite it hits the same mark. That doubles the error. Finally, check the horizontal beam that's perpendicular to the mark, and if that matches, the plumb beam is aligned too.

 

[bczygan]

We have the CST/berger 57-LM30:

http://www.amazon.com/CST-57-LM30PKG-Complete-Leveling-Package/dp/B00080QFBU

Bill

 

[S4cruiser]

I picked up a Bosch level this past summer for cheap at HD. Used it for the first time today hanging caninets and it worked fantastic. Used the tripod from my dslr.

Level is GLL2-10.

 

[JimH74]

Sorry, didn't see this thread was almost 2 years old when I posted. Perhaps someone could benefit anyway.

I see that Lowes has the Bosch GLL 3-15 on sale for $100. The price seems good, but not sure on how good the laser is. Much cheaper than the GLL 3-80 someone mentioned above, don't know if it has as many uses. As you can tell, I don't know that much about them! Just throwing it out because of the price.

 

[macgyver37]

I'll add my questions as well. I am going to be adding on to the house next spring, going to double the size of the house and I think I'd like to have a laser level. I'd like one that I can use to do the dirt work and foundation and then all the rest as well.

I have been perusing CL and one popped up today, but I don't know enough to know if it is what I want or not. I am not afraid to spend some money if it will be useful throughout all the phases of the house build and I am always working on the shop as well, but I don't want to overspend either.

The one I found today is a Spectra LL300. Youtube reviews haven't done much for me so far....

 

[signcrafter]

I'll add my questions as well. I am going to be adding on to the house next spring, going to double the size of the house and I think I'd like to have a laser level. I'd like one that I can use to do the dirt work and foundation and then all the rest as well.

I have been perusing CL and one popped up today, but I don't know enough to know if it is what I want or not. I am not afraid to spend some money if it will be useful throughout all the phases of the house build and I am always working on the shop as well, but I don't want to overspend either.

The one I found today is a Spectra LL300. Youtube reviews haven't done much for me so far....

For dirt work you want one with a receiver. You can get the bosch gll3-80 and then buy the receiver for it, think it's another 100 bucks. But it doesn't have the best distance if I remember right. Rotary lasers with receiver, depending on model, can reach very far. So all depends on how far you need it to go, or how big your yard is.

For an all around laser you can not beat the gll3-80. It can do just about anything you need as far as framing, drywall, cabinets, flooring, anything.

 

[SunsetsAndFriends]

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[macgyver37]

The one I found on CL is a rotary only. If it was half the price, I'd go for it. The bosch looks like what I think I want as long as I got the receiver as well. The specs say with the receiver the range is 100ft, without is 65ft. I think that would be fine for my lot and plans with the house.

The dewalt is app half the price when including the receivers and same or better range....

Is the green beam easier to see?

 

[SunsetsAndFriends]

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