I used to think those fancy laser levels were a total waste of money

For years I stuck with my old string lines and a 4-foot level, convinced the $300 for a good laser was just for show. Then I got roped into a big commercial job in Phoenix last fall, laying a long, intricate brick facade. The foreman insisted on using his Dewalt laser. After setting it up, we laid the first 50 feet of that run in half the usual time, and the line was perfect. I had to eat my words. The speed and accuracy on long stretches is just undeniable. Has anyone else made the switch and found it actually changed their workflow for the better?

3 comments

3 Comments

willow_king4d ago

Hah, @grace_perry44 knows that sweet, sweet silence.

grace_perry449d ago

My brother-in-law gave me the same grief for two years about my old Bosch laser. He called it a toy for guys who couldn't read a bubble. Last month he was helping me frame a basement and had to check a 20-foot wall. He spent 15 minutes with his string and level, cussing the whole time. I set my laser up in 30 seconds. The quiet from his corner was the sweetest sound I've ever heard on a job site. He hasn't said a word about it since.

emmasmith9d ago

That quiet victory is the best feeling. My uncle was the same way about my DeWalt laser until we had to lay out a long concrete pad. His old school methods took forever and he kept having to recheck. Once he saw the laser line stay perfect across the whole thing while he was still setting up, he shut right up. Sounds like @grace_perry44 finally got that same moment of peace.