Lovin my Stabila

[morgan]

I picked up a Stabila LAX300 a while ago from Tom B.  This thing rocks.  I have installed 2 kitchens with it so far and it has saved tons of time.  This is the 3rd kitchen I have used it on and by far, this kitchen has exemplified its worth.  I find myself using it for so much more than installing cabinets.  Anyone have any experience with the receiver?  I am thinking of getting getting one for a fence I have to put up. 

 

[tjbnwi]

I don't have the Stabila, but do have a detector for my laser. The detector works very well.

Tom

 

[roblg3]

I use it for hanging lots of artwork.  the interior designer lays out the collage on the floor generally how she wants it and wants it centered on say, a couch that's 2 feet off the wall.  No more marking all over the wall to find the exact spot just measure from the laser lines.

 

[tbellemare]

I have the predecessor to the LAX300, the LaserBob. It came in a kit with a receiver and it works well outside.

Tom

 

[morgan]

Fortunately my wife hasn't discovered how handy this thing is.  Tom what receiver would you recommend?

 

[fshanno]

$350 is a lot of money in my world.

Can I get cabinets level with one of the little $100 two line levels?  The Bosch for instance?

 

[tbellemare]

Fortunately my wife hasn't discovered how handy this thing is.  Tom what receiver would you recommend?

The REC 210 is the one for line lasers like the LAX 300. That's the one that came with mine.

Tom

 

[fshanno]

And if I did spend a bundle wouldn't it be better to get green?  I've heard that green much more visible than red.

 

[morgan]

Almost any laser would work to install cabinets.  Being a festool user though, I have an appreciation for quality.  The beam is really bright and thin and it also levels quickly and has a pendulum lock.  It is certainly brighter than the beam on my kapex. 

 

[roblg3]

If you headed down to the local hardware store you could buy a length of clear tubing to use as a water level for next to nothing.  That'd be a really cheap way of leveling things.  Would it self level in a second?  would it be compact?  would it look super professional? can it project across the room?  NEEDs are based on the situation.  MY time is worth way more than ANY of these tools cost.  If was still using ancient leveling techniques and cutting methods, I'd have alot less time to waste typing this [wink]

 

[WastedP]

Last year I went on-site with an installer that had the Bosch cross-line self-leveling laser.  I had never used one before, and I thought his worked really well.  Lowe's had a few of the same model on clearance last week for $130.  I went by there this morning and the last one was marked down to $90.  That's not much more than I paid for a four foot Stabila level fifteen years ago.

I can't wait to use it the next time I have wainscot to do.

 

[Carl Prentiss]

Rob,
  My OCD requires me to ask about the crosswise picture(s)

 

[jonny round boy]

Rob,
  My OCD requires me to ask about the crosswise picture(s)

Me too...

 

[WastedP]

I found the rotated picture troubling.  But then I noted that an interior designer was involved, so the layout exists beyond the scope of common sense.

 

[jonny round boy]

I noted that an interior designer was involved, so the layout exists beyond the scope of common sense.

LMFAO!!!  [big grin] [big grin] [big grin]

 

[Holzhacker]

I'm gonna have to go against the grain on this one. I understand the use of the laser on complicated or large kitchen jobs. I've used it and its very helpful. On simple kitchens it just seems like fluff.
I screw a metal stud or unistrut to the wall nice and level, set the cabinets on top, screw in one after another and done; makes for fast work. My cabinets are always straight, inline and no deviations. I really hate even the slightest offset when running a finger along the bottom frame of the cabinets. Patching 3 or 4 screw holes on a wall is nothing. The convenience of having a rail to set the cabinets on makes it so much easier to adjust, shim and clamp boxes together.

 

[roblg3]

The clients personal photos had not been placed into the frames before they were hung.  Seems stupid to do it that way, but they'll pay me to go back and straighten them later, so....that's a good thing.  Plus, I talked the homeowners into buying some custom built furniture so,...that's also a good thing! 

 

[roblg3]

I forgot to say how well the Third Hand jacks work for hoisting and holding cabinets I join before I attach them.  Nothing to patch afterwards.

 

[fshanno]

I'm gonna have to go against the grain on this one. I understand the use of the laser on complicated or large kitchen jobs. I've used it and its very helpful. On simple kitchens it just seems like fluff.
I screw a metal stud or unistrut to the wall nice and level, set the cabinets on top, screw in one after another and done; makes for fast work. My cabinets are always straight, inline and no deviations. I really hate even the slightest offset when running a finger along the bottom frame of the cabinets. Patching 3 or 4 screw holes on a wall is nothing. The convenience of having a rail to set the cabinets on makes it so much easier to adjust, shim and clamp boxes together.

You use the laser to set the metal stud. 

But it would seem that you could get the laser very close to the wall when doing that.  So the $100 Bosch should be fine for this kind of job.