Spent $800 on a laser level for a foundation job and it was a total waste

Got a big foundation pour for a house addition last month, figured a high-end laser level would save us time setting forms. The thing was supposed to be self-leveling and work up to 100 feet. We set it up on the first morning, and after about an hour in the sun, it started drifting. By lunch, our lines were off by over half an inch. Had to stop and re-set everything with our old manual levels, which put us a full day behind. Anyone have a laser they actually trust on a rough site?

3 comments

3 Comments

violag8017d agoMost Upvoted

That "cooked itself" thing is so real. I had the same problem until I switched to a model with a metal housing. My DeWalt's been solid for two years now, even left it out on a slab in July. The key was getting one with a proper hard case that reflects some heat.

the_alice17d ago

My buddy’s brand new laser level cooked itself on a hot roof last summer.

mason_reed4717d ago

Yeah, "cooked itself" is the perfect way to put it. Those black plastic housings just soak up the heat like an oven. I bet the internal components warped or the battery swelled up. Manufacturers really need to rate these tools for direct sun use.