Found out my old way to check a laser level was off by a quarter inch over 50 feet

I was setting up for a long run of cabinets in a Denver remodel and kept getting small gaps. My partner said to check the laser against a string line, and sure enough, the self-leveling function had a tiny drift. We verified it with a water level and it was off by that quarter inch over the distance. Now I always do a two-point check before trusting it for layout. Anyone have a favorite method to double-check their lasers?

4 comments

4 Comments

robert4832mo ago

That's why my old boss swore by a simple plumb bob for long runs.

carr.luna2mo ago

My grandpa always said a plumb bob never lies, even when your level is off.

kevin_lane2mo ago

Old school methods save the day again.

webb.hannah9d ago

robert483 said his old boss swore by a plumb bob, but I don't know if I'd call that a "saved the day" situation. It's a string with a weight on the end, not a miracle worker. If the whole job is riding on whether or not you can hold a rock on a piece of yarn, you've got bigger problems than your level. I feel like people push the old school stuff because it makes them feel clever, not because it's actually better. Half the time the setup alone takes longer than just using a laser level would. It works fine, but let's not pretend it's some heroic feat of construction.