Point and Line Lasers
When the bulk of your work is performed in close quarters and you need to project reference lines on a specific wall or ceiling, your best option might be either a point or line laser instrument. These units are best used for distances under 150 feet.
Don’t assume these simple tools aren’t a versatile addition to your tool inventory. Over the last several years manufacturers have upped their features, making them the tool of choice for several trades. These accurate instruments project a steady bright beam without draining their battery power, so you can count on them for an entire shift.
Don’t assume these simple tools aren’t a versatile addition to your tool inventory. Over the last several years manufacturers have upped their features, making them the tool of choice for several trades. These accurate instruments project a steady bright beam without draining their battery power, so you can count on them for an entire shift.
There are four types of construction lasers that use straight lines. The first three types provide control-dot, line, and cross-line beam, respectively. The fourth type is a laser measurer that uses a laser beam to measure distance (length, height, and width), as well as area and volume.
1. Dot Laser
Probably the easiest instrument to learn and use, a dot laser level, (also known as a plumb or spot laser) projects a single, or multiple reference points on work surfaces. Most models project either 3 points or 5 points. Contractors primarily use these lasers to layout vertical reference points, as they would with a plumb bob.
These instruments are best for indoor work, but there are models with enough beam visibility that can allow you to use them outside. Great for most plumbing, alignment and leveling tasks, dot lasers are very useful when marking ceilings and walls. They are the simplest laser instrument and often the least expensive.
2. Line Laser
Line laser levels project their beams in a level line, in one direction, and onto a single work surface. Typically used indoors, these instruments provide either a horizontal or vertical line for a distance of 65 to 100 feet. These lasers are compact and can be handheld or mounted on a lightweight platform such as a ladder or jamb-pole.
3. Cross-Line Laser
Cross-line lasers use an internal prism to project their beam simultaneously either vertically, horizontally, or both to form a cross. This enables you to line up the exact horizontal and vertical coordinates of your project with ease, making your job quicker and easier. The cross-line laser level is a popular laser level choice for all crafts.
Multiline lasers are cross-line lasers that have a special option. Some instruments allow you to project 4 horizontal lines totally 360 degrees, and 4 vertical lines spaced 90 degrees apart.
The projections appear as a series of lines on the target surface – defining the vertical and horizontal planes. These devices are used regularly by electricians, tilers, glaziers, and plumbers.
4. Laser Distance Measurers
A laser measure is an instrument that combines a straight-line laser beam with an internal processor that enables contractors to measure the distance between the instrument and the target.
The science behind these tools is simple. Lasers are focused beams of light that stay at a particular frequency. They travel from one place to another at a constant rate. So, the instruments measure the time interval once the laser beam travels to the target and is sent back to the instrument.
Many of these instruments provide a measuring range that extends up to 300-400 feet, outdistancing a typical tape measure’s range of 25 or 50 feet. It also eliminates the hassles of using measuring wheels.