Changed my mind about using a laser level for hoistway plumb

For years I only trusted a weighted plumb bob, thinking lasers were for guys who cut corners. Then I got a job in a 30 story building in Seattle with serious wind sway on the upper floors. My foreman made me try his old PLS laser, and watching that red dot stay dead still while my plumb line swung six inches was a wake up call. I still use a plumb bob for low rises, but anything over 15 floors gets the laser now. What's your cutoff for switching tools?

3 comments

3 Comments

beth_reed2d ago

Okay but a six inch swing on a plumb bob? I mean idk maybe it's just me but that sounds like a setup problem, not a tool problem. I've done high rises in Chicago wind and never had my line move more than an inch if it's set up right with enough weight and a steady hand. Lasers can get knocked or lose calibration way easier than people admit. Maybe it's a time saver but calling it a wake up call feels a bit much.

patricialee2d ago

Seriously, lasers are way more reliable these days.

roberts952d ago

Totally get where you're coming from. That much swing does sound like a setup issue, maybe not enough weight or the line got caught. But lasers can also drift over time, which is a pain to catch until it's too late. Both tools need a careful hand, right?