Laser Levels

[Gwylan]

I got one when we did the kitchen.
Made things level and square. Not my strong point.
Used it for a couple of weeks and some it on.
Worked out a cheap but very worthwhile investment.

 

[CXRAndy]

I used a length of clear PVC hose with some water in it.

That works for going around corners or from room to room where the laser can't project.

Watch out for miniscus error-can be fraction of a mm out over tens of metres 😁

 

[slowmotion]

That works for going around corners or from room to room where the laser can't project.

Watch out for miniscus error-can be fraction of a mm out over tens of metres 😁

Air bubbles can cause problems.

 

[Electric_Andy]

Air bubbles can cause problems.

I'll be doing it in my own unique way i.e. good enough but with substantial imperfections

 

[berty bassett]

flood the place and measure up of the water - jobs a good'un

 

[mistyoptic]

Had a Stanley one for years. Came with a clamp and a tripod bush on three sides.

As others said, hard in bright light but oh-so-useful. I have done garden stuff with it at dusk

 

[Tenkaykev]

Put up a new nest box this afternoon. Fitted the internals from a security camera to the roof using some heavy duty velcro. Just need the blue tits to take up residence 🤞

 

[berty bassett]

Put up a new nest box this afternoon. Fitted the internals from a security camera to the roof using some heavy duty velcro. Just need the blue tits to take up residence 🤞

View attachment 764399

some would consider using a laser to nail a bird box up overkill but I admire your thoroughness

 

[presta]

How accurate are they, has anyone measured one? How much stiction is there in the pendulum pivot? There's no stiction in spirit level.

 

[Profpointy]

How accurate are they, has anyone measured one? How much stiction is there in the pendulum pivot? There's no stiction in spirit level.

On the other hand maybe a half-mil out on a 3 foot spirit level would be hard to read, assuming we're not talking about an engineer's precision level here. ; Half an inch out over 10metres with a laser would likely look wonky by eye. Basically if a laser is more than a gnats cock off, it'll be obvious over the the length of a room (I'd have thought)

 

[CXRAndy]

On the other hand maybe a half-mil out on a 3 foot spirit level would be hard to read, assuming we're not talking about an engineer's precision level here. ; Half an inch out over 10metres with a laser would likely look wonky by eye. Basically if a laser is more than a gnats cock off, it'll be obvious over the the length of a room (I'd have thought)

Nah you wont see that to the naked eye or even feel it. I had to tile my daughter's new houses kitchen and diner. The builder really fooked the floor level.

The accepted out of level is 4mm per 2 metres in any direction for concrete poured floors.

The floor was 15mm and more in places!. They tried to level it. I spent a lot of time using different depths of adhesive to level the floor. We ended up with a 10mm difference across 9 metres length. To look and walk on the finished tiling it looks bang on. Only a laser level measure indicates the small drop in height from one end to the other of the room

 

[Profpointy]

Nah you wont see that to the naked eye or even feel it. I had to tile my daughter's new houses kitchen and diner. The builder really fooked the floor level.

The accepted out of level is 4mm per 2 metres in any direction for concrete poured floors.

The floor was 15mm and more in places!. They tried to level it. I spent a lot of time using different depths of adhesive to level the floor. We ended up with a 10mm difference across 9 metres length. To look and walk on the finished tiling it looks bang on. Only a laser level measure indicates the small drop in height from one end to the other of the room

View attachment 764692

Yebutt how do you know the floor is wrong and the laser right

For the avoidance of doubt, I am joking (somewhat)

 

[presta]

The problem with stiction is that it could give you a different answer each time you nudge the instrument. Personally, I'd want pencil marks that have been checked carefully before starting work, and that won't move. Even a wrong reference is better than a wrong one which moves whilst you're in the middle of the job, particularly if it leaves no trace of where it was previously.

I've never used one, but I'm struggling to think of any job I've done where it would have been more convenient.

 

[berty bassett]

a laser will always give a straight line , the beauty of having a laser that give a 360 straight line all around the room is if you are in doubt to if its calibrated properly all you have to do is mark where the laser hits and then turn it 180 degrees - if it still hits same place then you are good to go - obviously when it gives you just a line out the front then you are scuppered as to knowing for sure if its correct , pay a little more and get one that fires lasers all round

 

[Tenkaykev]

some would consider using a laser to nail a bird box up overkill but I admire your thoroughness

Puzzled by your post until I realised that I had posted in the wrong forum. It's an age thing, that should have gone in the retirees forum 😁