Which laser would you buy today for installing cabinets?
- Thread starter wow
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PLS 180 or PLS 4 (that's the 180 plus a plumb dot up and down from the laser body). Here's their whole line at Amazon
You can get the 180 in a green laser.
I had a PLS 180 and loved it. Until it broke. The one flaw this company has is failing to supply a pendulum lock for their tools. Without that, the internals can be jostled and the beams go out of level and/or plumb.
Wound up buying a Bosch GCL25 to replace the 180. It's not bad, but it's twice the size of the 180 and I think the 180 had a thinner, crisper laser for interior work.
You can get the 180 in a green laser.
I had a PLS 180 and loved it. Until it broke. The one flaw this company has is failing to supply a pendulum lock for their tools. Without that, the internals can be jostled and the beams go out of level and/or plumb.
Wound up buying a Bosch GCL25 to replace the 180. It's not bad, but it's twice the size of the 180 and I think the 180 had a thinner, crisper laser for interior work.
tjbnwi
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Brice Burrell
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rst said:
I have the GLL3-80. There are some things I like but also some I don't. First, I really like the arrangement of the lasers. Having lasers 360° in both vertical and horizontal plans is pretty sweet. There might be another laser out there that is 360° and will do right angles but I'm sure it's nowhere near this price point. Also has a pendulum lock.
What I don't like, the lasers aren't the most crisp and pretty much forget about it outside.
Brice Burrell
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Wow, I'd say don't invest too much if you think you're going to only use a laser a few times. I don't think you need anything more than this little PLS guy.
builderbob
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I also use the Bosch 3-80. Just like everybody else, the features are great and the line isn't as crisp as I would like it to be. I had the PLS 180 and sold it to fund this laser. I hated the lack of pendulum lock and it took monster batteries to boot. I use the energizer AA lithium batteries for the Bosch and they last!
I got a dewalt 087k since I don't use it often. It was dead on out of the box and thankfully stayed that way after a fall. It's pretty featureless, but it does the job. I do see it come on sale from time to time for under $100. At $150, I'd probably start looking for more features.
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Although I may have some bias, I'm partial to the Stabila lasers.
If I were a cabinet installer, I'd have the LAX300. It's their latest and greatest in a small package that can be worn on your belt or put in a nail pouch. I have the predecessor and it is great. I used it the other day to run a line all throughout a 1500 square-foot space.
It has horizontal and vertical lines and up/down plumb points.
It's a pulsed laser so it can also be used with a receiver for outside or distances.
Tom
If I were a cabinet installer, I'd have the LAX300. It's their latest and greatest in a small package that can be worn on your belt or put in a nail pouch. I have the predecessor and it is great. I used it the other day to run a line all throughout a 1500 square-foot space.
It has horizontal and vertical lines and up/down plumb points.
It's a pulsed laser so it can also be used with a receiver for outside or distances.
Tom
handymanny213
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From my handful of lasers(dewalt, stabila, bosch, pls, hilti), the PLS and Hilti are the most accurate....
I did my research and it kept getting back to needing and dealing with a tripod and measurement tape for each adjustment .
One day I drove the 60 miles to Fastcap got to check theirs out (and other products). They could not have been more accomodating..I had a soda and chips in the employee break room while my order was pulled. In the end I liked the integrated measurement on the jamb pole. I got the full kit without the detector for distance but may get next year on my annual visit.
http://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/LJ3Pro-Laserjamb-3p18.htm
One day I drove the 60 miles to Fastcap got to check theirs out (and other products). They could not have been more accomodating..I had a soda and chips in the employee break room while my order was pulled. In the end I liked the integrated measurement on the jamb pole. I got the full kit without the detector for distance but may get next year on my annual visit.
http://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/LJ3Pro-Laserjamb-3p18.htm
I have the Bosch GLL2- 80 and I would buy it again. (or maybe the GLL3-80) I bought the receiver for it to use outside or in bright conditions. It has a fine or course setting on it and in fine setting is very accurate. I turn off the beeper tone, it will make you nuts in a short time. I use the receiver indoors in bright conditions or other times just because it is more convenient.
As others have stated the pendulum lock and the ability to lock the laser for angle work are both welcome features.
I use it mostly for cabinet installs.
Gerry
As others have stated the pendulum lock and the ability to lock the laser for angle work are both welcome features.
I use it mostly for cabinet installs.
Gerry
PLS 180 is simple and accurate. The line is sharp and easy to mark along either the top or the bottom. I have good luck with energizer lithium batteries. Could probably set 10 to 15 houses worth of cabinets on a set of batteries. Mines about 5 years old and I used it yesterday to set a couple of pass-thru windows and the tops are good enough that I set a steel ball bearing on them, and it doesn't move at all.
Brice Burrell
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Laminator said:
Marking the top/bottom of the laser line will cause error over a long enough distance. The farther you get from the unit the wider the laser gets. Marking the top of the laser close to the unit in one place and marking the top at say 50 feet you get an error because the laser is wider at that distance. Theoretically, the center of the laser line is same no matter how far away, so I always mark the center. Of course the amount of error you'll get from marking the top/bottom is likely negligible.
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