5 Beam Laser Level

By Paladin (***)

Date 12-23-2009 03:13

I’ve had two Stanley FATMAX 5 Beam laser levels. One quit altogether and the other had the vertical up beam become weak (more on that later). I found the tool extremely useful and want to get another 5 Beam Laser level. Anyone have experience with other similar laser levels?

Several things I liked about the Stanley. One, it was self leveling. Two, you could fairly easily calibrate them. A small allen wrench could adjust the beam if it was off a bit. Three, the distance of the beam from the surface was close enough to an even inch (4inches with the unit on the surface, and 6inches if it was sitting on its pedestal). That makes the math easy. I had a David White 5 Beam laser level and the distance from the beam to the bottom of the tool was something like 4-5/8 inches. I can add fractions but why not make it easy as possible. The David White could only be calibrated by the factory. And I did not think the David White was within the advertized accuracy of ¼ inch per 100 ft. About the same price as the Stanley.

So I had two Stanley laser levels that were broke. Called Stanley and said to send them to ROBERT BOSCH TOOL REPAIR, Watseka, IL.
They wanted $179 to repair one and $219 to fix the other. Home Depot sells them for $199. I decided to NOT have them repair them. So they charged me for checking them out $49.50 for each one. I sent them together in one box. They sent them back separate charging me two shipping fees. To add insult to injury they sent them back unassembled. One laser was working 4 of the 5 beams when I sent it in.

Anyway, don’t mean to complain but if you have a similar problem it is something to consider.

So, I am looking for comments on a good 5 beam laser level. Thanks.

By joe pirie (***)

Date 12-23-2009 05:19

love my fat max , no problems at all two years of hard work still going strong.
Hilti makes a pretty good one but it's quite a bit more than the stanley. Boy these tools
sure make the layout work easy I can still remember using the string and plumb bob
which seldom comes out of the bag anymore. I don't even think the youngsters know what
one is lol

By JeremyW83 (***)

Date 12-23-2009 11:14

YOu might also try looking up PLS brand they are up to the quality of Hilti.

By rlitman (***)

Date 12-23-2009 17:34

I've got a robo toolz 5 beam. The self leveling is driven electronically, and it settles down pretty fast. The beam flashes to warn you when it isn't level. The same unit is now sold by Porter Cable, but I'm not sure who makes it, because the Bosch GPL5E looks exactly the same as well.
The Bosch GPL5C is more expensive (still less than the Hilti though), but projects aligned crosshairs up and down, so a line can be matched from floor to ceiling, with only one point, instead of two, saving time.

By yojimbo (***)

Date 12-23-2009 18:05

One way to overcome shoddy manufacturing, built in obsolescence, and repair costs that simply seem to cost and not repair is paying for the extended warranty. In the past I have usually passed on the offer, figuring it to be another add on that will not be honored because of a few word in the small print of the coverage that I hadn't bothered to strain my eyes to read but discovered last year, the Home Depot lifetime extended warranty is worth the price. For 10 bucks per grinder, on a 4 1/2" De Walt I added the lifetime warranty offered through the Home Depots warranty affiliate knowing what I could expect for longevity from the tool itself. Sure enough, within the year the tool was malfunctioning, so I used the backups, waited the last few months of the year on the original De Walt warranty, called the Home Depot and recieved replacement price in a gift cetificate. Just save the original invoice and make/serial number on the product and it was very little hassle. The extended warranty cost is based on the price of the item starting with a 0-300$ range for 10 bucks and they offer it on all kinds of stuff from grinders to washing machines, so I'll be asking about it when I go to buy the next tool I know is not going to stand up to the demands and conditions of the work we do.

By Paladin (***)

Date 12-23-2009 18:07 Edited 12-23-2009 18:21

Thanks. The PLS looks like a good unit. I will check out the Robo Toolz when I have a little more time.

Do either of you know if the beam is even inches up from its base? American design I would expect it. I like not having to deal with extra fractions when finding elevation measurements.

I've always passed on any extended warantee thinking the company had studied it out and the odds were in their favor. But $10 is hardly whiskey spillage at lunch.

By Paladin (***)

Date 01-18-2010 03:24

Thanks for the recommendation of the PLS5 laser level. It is not cheap but it is a quality tool. And it is made in America. http://www.plslaser.com/

First of all, the PLS5 seems to be well within the stated tolerance of 1/8 inch on 100 feet. The manual or the PLS website suggest two ways of checking accuracy.

Second, the unit is shipped with a target–pendulum device. I could not really see or understand much about it by the pictures on their website. But it is a very handy well thought out device. Even after using it for several days I went back and read the instructions and learned more about how the pendulum could be used. Basically it is target that will swing and point down to plumb. Plus it has pins on the backside to transfer the point there if necessary. And the small horizontal tab on the pendulum lets you slide it up a wall and the laser will transfer the plumb point from the floor up to wherever on a wall. It is easier to see and understand in person than for me to explain it. I now see a video on the web site that will show it.

Thirdly, in addition to a stand for setting the unit on the floor, it has a convenient magnetic mount. I had it on one column and easily pivoted it around and marked the same elevation on all the other columns.

Thumbs up from me.