Replies

1. 
   Dale_Williams | Aug 10, 1999 09:36am | #1

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   I can certainly appreciate your dilemma because although I’m a diehard water level user I find that since the pricing has come down dramatically and the quality has gone up a laser is well worth the investment. I’ve haven’t purchased one yet but the RoboLaser is the one I’ve been eyeballing. http://www.contractorstools.com/robolaser.html It can be found for even less than this site yet it appears to be the one to consider.

   I can see its use for setting windows and for the installation of kitchens. I can also see using it to do decks much the same way as I already do with a water level. We just had a combination of tiles set on the house I’m working on were if I’d had it for the tile man I’m sure there would have been the capacity for him to make the different tiles meet at the same level helping to avoid putting in mediator pieces of wood. Although this house is a new 5000 square foot house it must have had the foundation and framing done with a torpedo level, and I don’t mean the quality laser type.

   There is one other laser level that I’ve been thinking about too. It has two functions. One is to plumb and the other is to level. Its cost is a bit more too in that for one of an accuracy of 1/4 inch in 50 feet you’re looking at over 6 bills to start. Then too I don’t like the idea of having to have a special detector for the beam. http://www.voicenet.com/~eaglecon/level.htm The combination of the two inaccuracies with this model makes me think of staying with a water level as the best choice. http://www.ghgcorp.com/jevans/MyHomeRepair/WaterLevel.htm

   Dale Williams

1. 
   Bryan | Aug 13, 1999 09:13am | #2

   *I just purchased a RoboLaser and used it in pouring a footer and laying a foundation. Also used it to determine the amount of fall in the drainage tile that needed to go around the foundation to catch the runoff from the roof overhang as there is no gutter on this house.It worked great! It was nice to have a remote to be able to turn it, and was easy to see the dot, although it was a big dot, almost an eighth of an inch in diameter.Did have one problem at first, but when I called the company, they asked me to check and make sure that both the remote and the main unit were on the same frequency. It is set up with ten different frequencies so that you can use that many different lasers on a job site. It seems that someone at the factory had set the remote to a different frequency than the main unit. Works good now. You just have to get used to the three different speeds that you can make it turn till you find your tape. Bought mine from Toolcrib of the North. It is priced at $269.95 on their online catalog. Comes with a plastic case but no batteries.

1. 
   R.Hayes | Aug 14, 1999 06:12am | #3

   *I purchased a PLS5 about a year ago and am amazed every time it gets used. the dots are fairly large but if you go to the center it seems extremely accurate. it can be used for layout and is visible even in sunlight.i feel the price was fair for what this instrument will do.

1. 
   CaseyR_ | Aug 19, 1999 04:47am | #4

   *Do you just try to hit the center of the lazer dot (splotch?) by eyeballing it, or have you come up with some type of target or jig to make sure that you get the mark centered? I bought a $150 laser level about a year ago to lay out the fence line on my property (didn't want to have to wade through all the poison oak with a string). At a couple of hundred feet, the "dot" gets huge; however, I haven't used it in close quarters yet, (hopefully "real soon now") and I assume that the dot size would be more manageable at, say 20 feet. Still, there would seem to be some lattitude for error within the size of the dot... Thought about trying to put crosshairs over the laser lens, but don't know how far it would be visible before the diffusion of the beam would render it undetectable. Thought maybe some type of target with concentric rings which allowed it to be centered on the dot might be the answer.

2. 
   David_Beer | Aug 19, 1999 04:47am | #5

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   I'm a serious remodeler. The prices of lazer levels have come down and I'm thinking about buying a $250 to $350 self leveling model. I would appreciate any advice about brands or desirable features from people that have used these less expensive units.