Laser level??

[goaliedad]

I will be needing a laser lever an upcoming project, maybe two.
Not looking to mortgage my house, but I realize you get what you pay for.
What is a good, lower priced unit? Indoor use, 50 feet or less.

[DieselDennis]

I'd probably go for the Bosch model that fit my needs.

[blackhat]

There’s a lot of offerings. Consider what you are going to do and where you’ll mount it. Of those I have used and/or owned, Johnson, DeWalt and Bosch are good to really good in that order. The little DeWalt especially was good value.

[6270_Productions]

"I need a car.  What kind should I get?"

Depends a whole bunch on what you are planning on doing with the car.


I have a 5-axis "straight line" laser level.   Think: Up, Down, Forward, Left, and Right.  Works great for laying material in a square pattern centered under a certain spot in the room. (ceramic floor tile)

I have a "single line" laser level.  Works great from a given height and with a straight line to somewhere at the same level height (a coffered ceiling).

I have a "rotary" laser level.  Works great for a level line at a given height for the entire perimeter of the room (grid for suspended ceiling).

I really prefer self-leveling lasers.  If it is not level, it is just a straight line.  Works great for range finders - not so great for construction work.

[bottd]

I will be needing a laser lever an upcoming project, maybe two.
Not looking to mortgage my house, but I realize you get what you pay for.
What is a good, lower priced unit? Indoor use, 50 feet or less.

What ever you get, if you get one that uses regular batteries, C, D, AA, AAA cell or whatever make sure and pull the batteries out before you store it on a shelf for any length of time. I have an older DeWalt that I really like and works well.

[Roly]

What ever you get, if you get one that uses regular batteries, C, D, AA, AAA cell or whatever make sure and pull the batteries out before you store it on a shelf for any length of time. I have an older DeWalt that I really like and works well.

I know you said it was for indoor use but the indoor units can not be seen outside until dusk.  I have used it for laying out garden areas which I had to do late in the evening. Green line is more visible outside. As bottd said always remove the batteries before storage.  Roly

[goaliedad]

Thanks for the input. We will be leveling some floors, but who knows what else we will do in the future.

[ajkoontz]

I think the cheapos on Amazon are fine for indoor limited use. My understanding is as long as they are shooting the line, there aren't any issues with it being plumb or level. The issue is possibly they die premature death, the line accuracy is sketchy (because the line is so wide), and the distance you can see the laser. So in the vein of you get what you pay for, I think you could consider a cheapo Amazon/ Vevor model for the uses you describe. I bought a Huepar green laser (intended for outdoor use) a couple of years ago. I just looked online and they have doubled in price??? I believe the off-brands are still about half what a good one costs though, and up to me I'd rather have 2 off-brands than one name brand. Regarding a cheapo for outdoor use, I was disappointed. It works just good enough to get by. Not bad in full sun if you're less than 10' away, and good enough at say 25' if it's dusk out. It works fine indoors. Bauer/ Harbor Freight makes a pretty god tripod. I also have a Bosch laser/ tripod (Lowes clearance) and the Bauer tripod is better. 

As someone else posted, I'd get the 5 axis model of whatever laser you decide on as it should cover everything you might do.

Also, don't sleep on laser usefulness beyond DIY projects. They are handy in the shop too. For example, drilling a 2-angle chair leg into a seat. Set two lasers at the correct angles and just keep your bit centered in the laser. Learned this tip at a Greg Pennington chairmaking class.

[Snipe Hunter]

Rent a nice one.. plus seventeen

[museumguy]

This is the one that I have and that we used at my last job. Johnson Level & Tool 40-0921 Self-Leveling Cross-Line Laser Kit, 19 x 10", Red, 1 Laser Level Kit - Lazer Level Transit - Amazon.com  It works extremely well. I learned a little trick that improved the accuracy and speed when setting cabinets. I used a piece of 1" BB abut 2" w x 4" long. I drew a line on the 2" w face. Now, I set the block on top of the cabinets and align the laser to that line. I makes it easier to read and make adjustments. I can take a photo later if needed. 

  I've always used a laser level in various forms for over 30 years. The first ones we had were rather large and had a separate power supply. Over the years, they have gotten much smaller and less expensive. A few years ago, a coworker showed me a neat trick to help when using a laser level. I changed it to what I described. Most people that see me using the block of wood find it quite helpful.