Laser level recomendation

[BotusBuild]

 

23 hours ago, SimonD said:

the brightness of the lazer reduces when the pulse mode is turned on.

 

I'd recommend you fire off an email directly to Huepar as I found their service very good when my first unit developed its problem.

Thanks Simon - the brightness does reduce when I switch it to pulse mode

I have emailed their support and they have been responsive, but those responses have so far not given me confidence. I await next weeks follow up from them.

 

Silver lining of the lockdown - I have some time to sort this out before needing to use the darn thing ?

[BotusBuild]

So, Huepar support have been great at answering emails and making suggestions about my problem receiver, but they have been absolutely SH1TE after they offered to swap the unit. I have heard absolutely nothing since that offer was made despite several chasing emails (all polite!!)

 

So, moving on, I am looking to find out if anyone knows of and can recommend a different receiver that will work with the Huepar 603CG laser level

[BotusBuild]

Finally got so brassed off with Huepar that the whole frigging lot has been returned - absolute waste of my time. The support was absolutely lacking in actually doing anything.

 

Going for something else - GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

[Thorfun]

4 minutes ago, BotusBuild said:

Finally got so brassed off with Huepar that the whole frigging lot has been returned - absolute waste of my time. The support was absolutely lacking in actually doing anything.

 

Going for something else - GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

oh dear, I'm sat here waiting for my new Huepar to be delivered. I hope it works!

[BotusBuild]

3 minutes ago, Thorfun said:

I hope it works!

I sincerely wish you the best of luck. Maybe I have just been unfortunate, but after 2 units and 3 receivers, and having someone else test them as well I cannot bring myself to try and get it resolved.

[Brickie]

It’s not for everyone but I picked up a 2nd hand Leica Rugby 610 from Cash Converters online for £250. Got a receiver & charger from eBay for about £70 & a box (though not Leica) from a Surveying equipment supplier for £40. 
Only occurred to me whilst I was ordering the other bits that the unit itself is probably nicked,otherwise there’d at least be a charger with it. If it’s not brand new then it’s had an almighty clean up in the shop. 

[Bonner]

Never used one but feel I need something to help me with drains, studwork, cladding, kitchen installation etc. Which type should I buy, what’s the latest ‘best buy’?

[Iceverge]

I've used my Lidl Parkside €30 laser plenty.  I found it more accurate than our builders DeWalt equivalent. 

 

However you're restricted to working inside or at dusk/dawn outside. 

 

That is unless you're willing to look into the laser beam itself.......

 

[Temp]

3 hours ago, Bonner said:

Never used one but feel I need something to help me with drains, studwork, cladding, kitchen installation etc. Which type should I buy, what’s the latest ‘best buy’?

 

I have this cheap laser level for tiling...

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B092HXDGS3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

The main feature missing from the cheap ones like mine is the ability to move the horizontal line up and down. This means if you want to level a curtain rail the laser level has to be mounted at the same height on a tripod or similar. Some come with a bracket for fixing to a wall or similar but it would be a lot easier if the level could be placed on the floor or a table and the beam adjusted to move the horizontal line up and down.

 

Otherwise he green one is plenty bright enough for indoor use. Not tried it outdoors

 

 

 

[Russdl]

I got tons of use out of my DeWalt laser and the matching laser receiver. You can’t see the laser outside on a good day but the receiver can, and beeps low or high frequency depending if you’re above or below the laser line, there’s a visual indication as well. 
 

I did my drains with it, sat the laser on a solid surface, attached the receiver to a bit of batten that I’d marked showing the depth the drain needed to be for every meter away from the house in relation to the (random) level of the laser. 
 

There may be smarter ways of doing it but it worked a treat. 

[Conor]

1 hour ago, Russdl said:

I got tons of use out of my DeWalt laser and the matching laser receiver. You can’t see the laser outside on a good day but the receiver can, and beeps low or high frequency depending if you’re above or below the laser line, there’s a visual indication as well. 
 

I did my drains with it, sat the laser on a solid surface, attached the receiver to a bit of batten that I’d marked showing the depth the drain needed to be for every meter away from the house in relation to the (random) level of the laser. 
 

There may be smarter ways of doing it but it worked a treat. 

Which one? I am thinking of this as it says it's compatible with my laser.

 

https://www.diy.com/departments/dewalt-de0892-xj-laser-line-detector/954901_BQ.prd?ds_rl=1272379&ds_rl=1272409&ds_rl=1272379&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsdiTBhD5ARIsAIpW8CKaxSsuj5aLtsfEGTruhgHbCHJKOUUFFGyzz4J3BaxsiLnynI1qVjoaAqBVEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&storeId=1355

 

 

[Russdl]

@Conor mine looks pretty much identical, providing it’s compatible with your laser I wouldn’t hold back 👍

[Conor]

Just wish I got it a couple weeks ago when doing my drainage and foundations! 

[Russdl]

24 minutes ago, Conor said:

Just wish I got it a couple weeks ago when doing my drainage and foundations!

For certain, it would have helped. 
 

Never mind, I’m sure you’ll find loads of other stuff to do with it. Great toy. 

[Bonner]

Thanks for the suggestions, think I will try a cheap one and see how I get on.

[MJNewton]

5 hours ago, Temp said:

... it would be a lot easier if the level could be placed on the floor or a table and the beam adjusted to move the horizontal line up and down.

It wouldn't be much of a level if the laser was emitted at a non-zero inclination - the projected line would be at different heights for surfaces at different distances. 

[Ronan 1]

Most of the top end laser levels can also be used as grade lasers for drainage or grading sloped areas such as patios or driveways.

 

If using the cheapy ones just do an odd check every now and again as they tend to go off level after a while and not alway obvious over short distances 

 

If money is no object there is no laser level to touch a Hilti but in the region of 1200 bucks but for pouring slabs etc I won't allow anything else to be used.

[Temp]

26 minutes ago, MJNewton said:

It wouldn't be much of a level if the laser was emitted at a non-zero inclination - the projected line would be at different heights for surfaces at different distances. 

 

Humm. So looks like I've misunderstood what the tilt feature does.  

[Conor]

2 hours ago, Bonner said:

Thanks for the suggestions, think I will try a cheap one and see how I get on.

 

I'd say, no. I went through two cheap Amazon laser levels and two distance measures before spending the extra on the DeWalt. Hasn't missed a beat, even when left out in the rain for a day by mistake. Just wish I'd spent the extra £50 or so at the very start. Cheap ones are fine for DIY, but on a dirty, dusty building site, they die.

[MJNewton]

2 hours ago, Bonner said:

Thanks for the suggestions, think I will try a cheap one and see how I get on.

 

I had a cheap one from Aldi which seemed to work fine, until I checked it against a 2m spirit level! Got my money back on that one.

 

Ended up going for a Magnusson one at Screwfix (I think it was £40 at the time) and have been really pleased with it. I use it often, but am only a DIYer so it's only occasional and it's not being thrown around daily etc so can't comment on rough-usage longevity. Five year guarantee which was reassuring too.

 

Our quartz worktop fitters were singing my praises when they came to measure up with their fancy gizmo saying it was rare how spot on the units and island were in 3D, and the laser level made it pretty straightforward to achieve that. It's one of those tools that when in use make you look like you know what you're doing too, for what that's worth! Only downside is it attracts toddlers and cats.

Edited May 7, 2022 by MJNewton

[Onoff]

Quite happy with my Cotech cross line one from Class Ohlson for £29 on a special. 

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

2 hours ago, MJNewton said:

It wouldn't be much of a level if the laser was emitted at a non-zero inclination - the projected line would be at different heights for surfaces at different distances. 

Nope. They self-level or flash to say out of levelling range, if you buy anything tidy.

My Bosch does than with a thumb turn to adjust up/down over about 90mm travel.

[SteamyTea]

9 hours ago, Iceverge said:

I've used my Lidl Parkside €30 laser plenty.

I bought one, was even less I seem to remember.

Levelled up a shelf and large mirror with it, was great.

Next project is some moveable shelves under the stairs.

[Onoff]

24 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

They self-level or flash to say out of levelling range, if you buy anything tidy.

 

My £29 special does that.

[MJNewton]

33 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Nope.

 

Absolutely yup.. 🙂

 

You can't project a horizontal line with a non-zero vertical inclination. 

 

Probably easiest to illustrate with a diagram, but quicker with trigonometry:

 

Let's say you want to hang perfectly level pictures 1.5m up on a chimney breast and in an adjacent alcove, 0.5m set back. With your laser level clamped to step ladders at 1.5m up, 2m from the chimney breast and vertical inclination at self-level of 0° then according to trigonometry vertical delta = distance from wall x tanAngle = 2 x tan0 = 2 x 0 =0. Keeping the level where it is, the vertical delta for the alcove = (2 + 0.5) x tan0 = 2.5 x 0 = 0. Both the same.

 

Now put your level on the floor, 2m from the chimney breast again and adjust its 'beam adjustment' (if it had one, which it won't! ;-)) to point up to the 1.5m point up on the chimney breast. The vertical inclination is tan^-1(1.5 / 2) = 37°. That same line, projected into the alcove, will sit at a height of (2 + 0.5) x tan37 = 1.88m thus 38cm higher than on the chimney breast.

 

Sure, you can mitigate the offset by moving the level further away, but even 5m away if you're keeping it on the floor then the lines will still have a 15cm difference in height.

 

(Saturday night's eh? Rock and roll!)

 

Edit: Figures updated since initial reply.

Edited May 7, 2022 by MJNewton