After 12 years I finally tried a laser level for rail alignment

I always used a string line and torpedo level to square up elevator rails on new installs, but last week my helper talked me into borrowing his Bosch GLL. It cut my setup time from 45 minutes to under 15, and the rail joints lined up perfect on the first try. Has anyone else switched to lasers for rail work, or am I just late to the party?

2 comments

2 Comments

cameron_webb6d ago

You mentioned "cut my setup time from 45 minutes to under 15" and I get that speed is tempting, but I've seen too many laser levels get bumped or shifted on a jobsite and then suddenly your whole rail is off by a quarter inch. String lines might take longer but they don't lie to you when a truck drives by and shakes the floor.

wesley_fox926d ago

Yeah, I get what you're saying. I've had a laser get knocked off by a guy walking by with a sheet of drywall and yeah, it threw the whole line off. But for me, the trade-off was worth it once I started using a cross-line laser that I could recheck in a few seconds. I started double-checking my main reference points every time I moved a tripod, and that caught any shift before it became a problem. Did you ever try using a self-leveling laser or just stick with the string?