cheapo rotary laser level

• laser eye surgery

• laser hair removal

I also wonder how bright these are when using outside? Unless you're shooting at night, you may have problems seeing the beam in bright sunlight.

Most "quality" set-ups have a target rod that detects the laser - you really don't need to see the beam.

I recently did a drop ceiling in my basement and looked at all of them that were in the $150 and down range. I finally decided that the cheap ones didn"t have enough power to be seen at distance and that the accuracy range was way too wide for my taste. You should not be surprised to see accuracy stated to be +/- 1/4" in 30 feet. That"s a 1/2" range and I can"t stand that deviation. I settled on a $6.00 roll of 3/8" plastic tubing and made myself a water level. Takes 2 people to use but if you take your time it"s more accurate than you will get with a low-grade rotory unit.

I like gimics and high-tech stuff more than most but I also like to be as accurate as I can when doing stuff. I had an old water level unit that screwed on a garden hose and that was way too much work. The clear tubing was great and I now have 75 feet of range for $6.00. I have used it to do the ceiling that had around the corner stuff and ductwork that I had to dodge around. Came out great and I get lots of compliments.

Also used it to level the dirt for the concrete pour in my in my pole barn. Level marks around the perimeter and 20lb test fishing line pulled taught are my favorite tools. A little ingenuity goes a long way. I worked in a machine shop years ago and the best machinist in the plant told me that "the tools don"t make a good machinist, a guy who can can make good parts with an old machine is the best" Still true today.

My kids think I"m some sort of genius for using the water level. Not sure if I told them about the pyramids and all that stuff.

Ichabod

• Water Level