Laser levels advice

[Adam_151]

I'm looking to get a laser level, but I'm not sure what features to look for (other than self leveling), or what makes or models are recommended.

It'll be used mainly for things like putting up dado trunking, and lining up light fittings in lines on ceilings (a workmate has one that can do that... not sure what feature it needs to have to be able to be used to do that, if any?), lining up sockets at the same height around a room, etc

Anyone got any advice/recommendations?

 

[mattylad]

One that can stand on a extendible tripod (low to hi) that is self supporting.?

One like this looks good.

If you happen to be walking through Ikea & see a laser lever, do NOT put it in your yellow bag.
It is only accurate to 1cm at 5m, total carp!



Eek, looking at whats on offer I am surprised at the accuracy of them, 0.5mm per m - even that IMO is bad for a laser.

 

[^woody^]

Are you are after a rotating laser for levelling with a receiver, or a laser liner - to project a visible line?

Self levelling is a bonus, but its really not a that important - I would not pay over the odds just for this feature. But for laser liners, self levelling is standard

For accuracy, over a normal room (4-5m) then +or- 5mm is good enough, as the eye can't tell much over this, and floors and ceilings can be more than that out of level.

Green lasers are much more visible than red ones

For laser liners, then a pole mount is more useful than a tripod, and some models have a wall mount bracket too

 

[disinfo]

I've got the one mattylad linked to at screwfix.

I use it for putting up putting up PVC conduit during network / AV installs.

I've been happy with it so far and if definitely makes things quicker especially when working alone.

The only bad thing (as mentioned in the S/F reviews) is the height of the tripod, could have done with being twice the size.

 

[noseall]

I use a P.L.S. one. Expensive-ish but serviceable. It fires out horizontal and vertical beams and can encircle the whole room.

It has a distance detector for use outdoors and is just right for my kind of work.

Brilliant when setting out stud walls. Brill when setting midspan nog's too.

Pegging the trench is a one man effort and is easy with the detector but it does make a racket. It beeps faster and slower the closer or further you are from level until the beep is solid. The detector also has arrow pointers telling you whether you need to go up or down.

It comes with all the gizmo's in a box and with a tripod and staff.