Laser Levels

[Electric_Andy]

Has anyone got one? I see lots online in the £30 range. I do not want one that desperately to spend more than that, but the reviews seem pretty good and it would be very handy to have. Putting things on walls (shelves, hooks, brackets etc) is something I do quite often, but I'm guessing you'd have to stack the level on something to the right height you want, e.g. a tripod / step ladder / stack of £50 notes?

I'm also landscaping the garden - would it be a useable tool for this? i.e. even if it's just projecting a level so that I drive in a stake and set a string level?

Thanks

 

[wiggydiggy]

I've not but my bathroom fitter had one. It came with a bracket that screwed into the wall, and he could adjust the level up and down. I'm guessing for outside you'd need a Tripod.

It was a Dewalt model, probably one of these as they did most of the shopping at Screwfix: https://www.screwfix.com/c/tools/laser-levels/cat9740003

Certainly a toy I'll be treating myself to when I come to do my next lot of DIY.

 

[presta]

Video here. He reckons that the cheap ones are very limited brightness, and useless outside.

 

[berty bassett]

That won’t be much cop outside as the laser will be lost in daylight - might be able to see a bit in darkness - I would look at the different models of heuper lasers see if one suits - had mine 5 years without issues and cheaper than dewalt with rechargeable batteries ( I also have dewalt models but might be overkill if not used regularly - really to use outside it would be better to have a receiver as well

 

[si_c]

I have one, ended up picking up one from Amazon for a bit more than you wanted to spend, but decent quality.

It's a green laser, which you definitely want - better visibility in bright conditions, so useable outdoors if not too bright. It came with a small stand, but realistically for most things you want a tripod - I picked up one for a tenner that's worked well.

Used it for quite a few things, but keep in mind in older houses that you don't necessarily want things straight - I used it to put up a curtain rail that then looked totally skew as the window reveal wasn't anywhere close to straight.

 

[CXRAndy]

I have Bosch level works fine for indoor work. I have mast, so can mount at any height.

I would like a 360 laser and possibly in green. Supposedly easier to see.

Outdoor you need to have a receiver to detect the laser. It will be almost invisible and after 5 -8 metres. Saying that at night my cheap laser will project 30 metres outside. Just a bit awkward setting up in the dark

 

[Electric_Andy]

I have Bosch level works fine for indoor work. I have mast, so can mount at any height.

I would like a 360 laser and possibly in green. Supposedly easier to see.

Outdoor you need to have a receiver to detect the laser. It will be almost invisible and after 5 -8 metres. Saying that at night my cheap laser will project 30 metres outside. Just a bit awkward setting up in the dark

ok thanks. I might get one anyway for indoors, and if it doesn't work outdoors I can do it in the dark, or use a more traditional method! It will only be to get a small patch of lawn levelled so we can pave over it

 

[presta]

you don't necessarily want things straight

The door frame on my French window had a double bend in it when I fitted a new door twenty odd years ago, so I had to spend hours planing a matching bend just to make it look like I can plane straight. Now the frame's warped again, so it now looks like I can't plane straight anyway.

 

[Profpointy]

I've got one. I went for a proper brand (Bosch) but I do see that very cheap ones are now widely available and seemingly OK.

Couple of thoughts - you likely also need something to sit it on, like a camera tripod. The type with a wind-up/down column is particularly useful for some jobs, but my other tripod (which I bought specifically for use with the level) can splay the legs down low and also have the ordinarily vertical centre column sticking out horizontally. This is useful to get the laser level inside cupboards and such. Some are sold with, or have available as an extra, a wind-up/down bracket, which is potentially worthwhile if you don't already have a camera tripod. Another trick for use low down is to use books, as you can adjust by the thickness of a page.

If buying again, I'd get one with 360 degree horizontal coverage; mine's about 120 degrees which is less convenient, though still workable, for, say, putting up a picture rail. I'd say 360 was less useful for vertical mode.

There are "green" lasers which are brighter and longer ranged, with a view to use outdoors in daylight. These are a good bit more expensive and I didn't expect to use it outdoors much, so I stuck with the red type

Final hint. Don't leave it stored with the batteries left in ! Mine went flat and leaked, though the device did survive.

Anyhow, an extremely useful and worthwhile bit of kit which I use rather more than I expected

 

[CXRAndy]

I have a telescopic pole, which I can extend from ceiling to floor. Then a clamp on the laser and position it at the working height. Great for doing curtain poles or setting wall cabinets fixings

 

[slowmotion]

Video here. He reckons that the cheap ones are very limited brightness, and useless outside.

That was a really useful clip. It looks like battery life and daylight visibility are the things to look out for.

 

[richardfm]

I have a cheap one from Lidl. It came with a tripod.
It probably won't be very good outside and the tripod is a bit wobbly, but it's OK for the odd occasional use indoors.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Kitchen fitter is using an inexpensive " Magnussen " self levelling one from Screwfix. He says the Bosch ones are good but the Magnussen is rugged and dependable and great for the price.

 

[Electric_Andy]

Kitchen fitter is using an inexpensive " Magnussen " self levelling one from Screwfix. He says the Bosch ones are good but the Magnussen is rugged and dependable and great for the price.

Yes I'm sure you get what you pay for. My idea for outdoors is just to set it at the top of a mild slope and project to the end of the slope to see at what height I need to build up the lower side of the slope in order to be level. I could do it in the dark if it's not that bright. Or worst case I could use a long bit of timber and a spirit level, but as we have lots of landscaping to do I thought it would get quite a lot of use. I suppose there are ways around it, if you level post to post for example, rather than trying to project a beam for 15 metres.

I might just get a cheap one anyway; if it's no good for outdoors then it might come in handy for indoor stuff

 

[newts]

The cheap ones have a very short range & are barely y visible outside. A height adjusting bracket is good addition & makes the laser much more user friendly. Ive had a few over the last 30 years, first cheap ones broke pretty quickly with daily use. Bosch red line laser has been used for 10+ years, still accurate, red lines are a little fuzzy at the ends. I've been using a Huepar S04CG for a couple of years, 360deg laser (much better than cross line) with crisp green lines.