carter.mila•1mo agoMost Upvoted

I spent $400 on a fancy laser level and honestly it's been more trouble than it's worth.

Everyone swears by them for perfect lines, but on a real site with dust and vibration, I'm constantly recalibrating it. My old 4-foot level and string line get the job done just as fast without the fuss. Has anyone else gone back to basics after a tech upgrade?

4 comments

4 Comments

mason_reed471mo ago

Know exactly what you mean, but I gotta push back a little on the string line. For long runs on a flat floor, sure, it's fine. The problem is keeping that string perfectly level over any real distance without it sagging or getting bumped. My laser might need a reset now and then, but it's one button and I know the beam is straight. A string is just one strong breeze away from being useless.

oliviatorres1mo ago

Look, I've seen a string get messed up by a cat, so a breeze is totally believable (sorry @the_alex's buddy). The laser is just way less likely to have a bad day, you know? I'm sticking with the button press.

keith2744d ago

Honestly though, is it really that serious? lol. I get what you're saying about the laser being easy, but I've been running string lines for years and I've never had a breeze mess one up that bad. You gotta tie it off tight and use a line level if you're worried about sag. Yeah a laser is one button, but that button also relies on batteries dying or the sensor getting knocked off. A string doesn't care about any of that. I think people overthink this stuff way too much.

the_alex1mo ago

My buddy's string line got wrecked by a gust right before he poured a slab.