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LASER PLUMB BOB – which one??

toolbear | Posted in Tools for Home Building on February 15, 2009 07:52am

LASER PLUMB BOB – which one??

@@@

Yes, I could have used my brass plumb bob to locate the hole for the 2″ conduit mast for the loadcenter, but I have not seen it in some time. I think it is in the Tote of Unused Tools. (Now, where is that tote?)

Being a ToolBear, my thoughts turned to how well this job would go with a nice laser dot marking the center of the A Hub up on the top plate.

Which ones should I look at – or avoid?

Find a lot of work for one?

Better off with a PLS 5 point laser, which can do more jobs?

Anyone ever get one of those refurbished and like it?

The ToolBear

“You can’t save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice.” Dogbert

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Replies

  1. User avater
    Haystax | Feb 15, 2009 08:01pm | #1

    I have been extremely happy with the Hilti PMC 36 CombiLaser - 5 dots plus horizontal and vertical lines 150* spectrum. All the plumb/square dots are on the same plane, no measuring back and inch from your target.

    I found info on one of Hilti's international sites - not sure it is on us.hilti.com yet or not.

    Buddy in Colorado hooked it up and drop shipped - still wasn't cheap but it is so nice to have a true all in one laser that I think it was money well spent. Bought the reciver off eBay and now it is very functional outdoors in daylight.

    1. toolbear | Feb 16, 2009 02:21am | #8

      he Hilti PMC 36 CombiLaser - 5 dots plus horizontal and vertical lines 150* spectrum. All the plumb/square dots are on the same plane, no measuring back and inch from your target.@@@That's a new one on me. I've started looking it up on line. Interesting. Tnx.The ToolBear

      "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

  2. dovetail97128 | Feb 15, 2009 08:10pm | #2

    Looking to not spend a bunch of money?

    FWIW I have one of these,(bought one when they first came out) and use it all the time.

    http://www.mytoolstore.com/checkpnt/880.html

    Relatively inexpensive, accurate and just about bullet proof.
    Not the fanciest rig around but it will do anything the "dot laser" big boys will do at a fraction of the cost.
    I shot bedding gravel for a 100 ft of 1/4" ft slope drain line using one. Excavator came in with his fancy $2500.00 grade laser and my shot was right on the money.

    They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
    1. toolbear | Feb 16, 2009 02:27am | #9

      FWIW I have one of these,(bought one when they first came out) and use it all the time.http://www.mytoolstore.com/checkpnt/880.html@@@@Now that you mention it, I believe I have one sitting in one of the totes. Which one is the issue. I think it's in the framer bucket.As I recall, I tried it on a square for plumbing up with less than accurate results. Poor thing seldom gets out.One that does is the Husky digital level with laser. The laser drops down like an attic door and projects a line across a wall rather well.The ToolBear

      "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

  3. gordsco | Feb 15, 2009 08:59pm | #3

    I have the DW laser plumb bob, its simple, small, and I like it.

     

  4. danski0224 | Feb 15, 2009 09:25pm | #4

    Nothing wrong with the PLS3 or even the RoboTools version.

    Sometimes I like the Robo version better due to the magnets.

    PLS is brighter, though.

    1. Snort | Feb 15, 2009 11:21pm | #5

      I've had the DW, and have the Fat Max. I like the DW better... smaller dot, smaller case... in any case, I think the laser bobs save more time and are more accurate than anything on a string.When my DW walked, I picked up the Fat Max the next day, an indispensible tool.http://www.tvwsolar.com

      I went down to the lobby

      To make a small call out.

      A pretty dancing girl was there,

      And she began to shout,

      "Go on back to see the gypsy.

      He can move you from the rear,

      Drive you from your fear,

      Bring you through the mirror.

      He did it in Las Vegas,

      And he can do it here."

      1. toolbear | Feb 16, 2009 02:32am | #11

        When my DW walked, I picked up the Fat Max the next day, an indispensible tool.@@@Is the Fat Max as good? I think it is 1/e in 70' vs 100'. The DW has nice reviews at Amazon.Of course, once for Xmas, I got a Ryobi laser - +/- 0.5" in 30' A bit coarse for my needs <g>.Shows that you should never buy tools for someone who uses them. They have very specific ideas about what they want. (A PLS 5 would have been nice.)The ToolBear

        "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

        1. Snort | Feb 16, 2009 02:59am | #12

          DW has a smaller, I think, dot. And, it seemed the case was a little smaller. I like it better than the Fat Max... I think<G>Unless you're plumbing something 70' from the floor, how accurate does it need to be? It's gotta be better than a string sliding on a sloped ceiling. If I really am interested in getting a dead nuts location, I take a shot then turn the laser 180°, take another, and split the diff. if there is any. Usually there isn't.http://www.tvwsolar.com

          I went down to the lobby

          To make a small call out.

          A pretty dancing girl was there,

          And she began to shout,

          "Go on back to see the gypsy.

          He can move you from the rear,

          Drive you from your fear,

          Bring you through the mirror.

          He did it in Las Vegas,

          And he can do it here."

          1. toolbear | Feb 16, 2009 03:28am | #14

            If I really am interested in getting a dead nuts location, I take a shot then turn the laser 180°, take another, and split the diff. if there is any. Usually there isn't.@@@That's something I will have to try.The ToolBear

            "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

        2. User avater
          mmoogie | Feb 16, 2009 03:54am | #17

          I've got the FatMax and use it all the time. It does one thing and does it really simply and well, and it seems to be tough as nails. Dot is a little big and the unit itself is a little bulky. If the DW does the same thing with a smaller dot and smaller unit, I would go for that. I've got a Robo that I use for horizontal stuff.Steve

    2. toolbear | Feb 16, 2009 02:28am | #10

      Nothing wrong with the PLS3 or even the RoboTools version.Sometimes I like the Robo version better due to the magnets.PLS is brighter, though.@@@I need to check the company Robo 5 point against my PLS 2. Always have the nagging feeling that it an't quite plumb.The ToolBear

      "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

  5. plumbbill | Feb 16, 2009 12:03am | #6

    I mainly use them for commercial plumbing layout.

    PLS 3 & 5 quite often.

    I do like the PLS 2 for doing long lines.

     

    1. toolbear | Feb 16, 2009 02:19am | #7

      I mainly use them for commercial plumbing layout.PLS 3 & 5 quite often.I do like the PLS 2 for doing long lines.@@@You still working in downtown Bellevue on that hi rise?##I did a siding job with my old PLS 2. Put it inside the house before dawn and projected the lines out thru the windows. Goes fast when you can see the whole line, walk up and mark it. Marked them with blue tape. You could then snap the control line from window to window outside. This was most helpful on the second floor <g>. First floor I could work outside, corner to corner.The ToolBear

      "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

      1. plumbbill | Feb 16, 2009 05:08am | #19

        You still working in downtown Bellevue on that hi rise?

        Yup the Bravern twin 33 story condos.

        Just sleeved the 30th floor tower 3 on Saturday.

        We have 61 plumbers on the 2 condo towers, but that will scale back in the next couple of weeks.

        I have about 3 weeks of deck work left to do, then it looks like I'll probably be handed the tub & shower crew, but that's just a guess.

        If I do run the tub crew, I will be asking for a couple of PLS 2's to set the backing strip.

        Not sure if I'll get em, if I don't it's back to story poles & jigs.

         

        1. toolbear | Feb 16, 2009 07:14am | #21

          my electrician used one like this. Just a plumb bob with a laser pointer attached to the top. Worked fast, as accurate as my PLS 5.that one listed is $100 but I know I've seen them cheaper.@@@The views must be great. The NorthWetters never did understand smog. Smog is when you can see 300yrd, not 100 miles and it hurts to inhale.I seem to recall pix of a rolling job desk - and snow? Yours?The ToolBear

          "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

          1. plumbbill | Feb 16, 2009 07:38am | #22

            Yeah that was mine.

            It's pretty beat up now with it being picked by the tower crane twice a day going from tower to tower.

            The main body of the desk is sound but the moving parts aren't holding up all that great with the crane picks & the weather.

            As soon as I'm finished with the decks I'll repair & upgrade the moving parts.

             

          2. toolbear | Feb 16, 2009 08:42am | #24

            The main body of the desk is sound but the moving parts aren't holding up all that great with the crane picks & the weather.@@@Must be fun in the winter. I escape mid September, ahead of the rains, over to Moab and the Colorado Plateau, thence to SoCal for sunshine. So why are we expecting rain tomorrow? I usually can wear shorts to work, but the last week or so it's been pants.The ToolBear

            "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

  6. alias | Feb 16, 2009 03:23am | #13

    Question- I have the p l s 5x and the detector that comes with the system, Will that detector (i believe it's come from Apache) work with the PLS- 360 ?? Thanks for the help

    1. danski0224 | Feb 16, 2009 03:31am | #15

      It should if the 360 has a pulse setting.

      1. alias | Feb 16, 2009 04:22am | #18

        thanks.......

  7. User avater
    JeffBuck | Feb 16, 2009 03:46am | #16

    http://www.licensedelectrician.com/Store/RT/Laser_Plumb_Bob.htm

     

    my electrician used one like this. Just a plumb bob with a laser pointer attached to the top. Worked fast, as accurate as my PLS 5.

    that one listed is $100 but I know I've seen them cheaper.

    Jeff

        Buck Construction

     Artistry In Carpentry

         Pittsburgh Pa

    1. toolbear | Feb 16, 2009 07:10am | #20

      my electrician used one like this. Just a plumb bob with a laser pointer attached to the top. Worked fast, as accurate as my PLS 5.that one listed is $100 but I know I've seen them cheaper.@@@The DeWalt is around $100. I would prefer the PLS5, but I am threadbear.The ToolBear

      "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

    2. ruffmike | Feb 16, 2009 08:20am | #23

      Hey thats pretty cool, a real laser plumb bob.                            Mike

          Small wheel turn by the fire and rod, big wheel turn by the grace of god.

    3. Snort | Feb 16, 2009 03:10pm | #25

      That's funny, my electrician has one of those, too. You've apparently never used it. I had to borrow it once, what a pain to set up... and the wind blows the bob just like one on a string. 100 bucks for a DW or a 100 bucks for a swinging bunch of parts with a laser in there, hmmmmm.http://www.tvwsolar.com

      I went down to the lobby

      To make a small call out.

      A pretty dancing girl was there,

      And she began to shout,

      "Go on back to see the gypsy.

      He can move you from the rear,

      Drive you from your fear,

      Bring you through the mirror.

      He did it in Las Vegas,

      And he can do it here."

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