Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work.

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Tom
 
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Default Laser level??? Sorta........

As a Christmas gift I received a Laser Pro laser Tool kit:
http://www.teamproducts.com/items/sh...D=254&CATID=15

The 16" level in the kit actually seems pretty decent,
matches up with my other levels and the laser seems to
project in a line somewhat related to the body of the level.
Probably somewhat useful if I ever need anything leveled.

Though not pictured on the webpage above, the kit comes with
a little "3-1 tool" which is basically a 6" level, looks
like a pen with a v-grooved flat on one side, bubble level
on top, useless screwdriver bit in one end and a laser light
in the other end.
One would think, and the instructions imply, that this unit
could be used as a laser level?? No so, at least not very
accurately.
While fooling around I noticed that the laser beam did not
seem to point in the same general direction as the rest of
the tool?? Hmmm??
Found that the actual laser unit is mounted in a small tube
that is inserted in the end of the level under a crew on
cap, removable so you can install new batteries, once
inserted the small tube rotates freely in the level and can
be spun with your fingers. Nothing fits real tight, but it
should be reasonably accurate IF done right?? You would
hope..............

If I lay the level on a table with the laser projected on a
wall 6 ft away I can pretty accurately lay out an 11.5"
circle on the wall by rotating the laser unit inside the
level??? Ooops..........

Oh well, the dog likes chasing the beam around the living
room carpet :-)

Tom



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Jeff Wisnia
 
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Default Laser level??? Sorta........

Tom wrote:

As a Christmas gift I received a Laser Pro laser Tool kit:
http://www.teamproducts.com/items/sh...D=254&CATID=15


snipped


Though not pictured on the webpage above, the kit comes with
a little "3-1 tool" which is basically a 6" level, looks
like a pen with a v-grooved flat on one side, bubble level
on top, useless screwdriver bit in one end and a laser light
in the other end.


snipped

Tom


How was the bubble level relative to the v-grooved flat side? (Easy to check by
rotating it end for end on a level surface.)

I got a similar one, but without the laser feature, for subscribing to a
woodworking hobby magazine a couple of years ago. It was pretty far off being
level when I received it, but being the anal character I am, I trimmed it in with
a belt sander.

I used to carry it in my briefcase against the time I might need to use the
screwdriver part, but after 911 I figured it'd get confiscated so it's now my
"office level" for things like putting up pairs of picture hooks and other
demanding tasks.

So far the airline baggage scanners haven't complained about the Craftsman self
adjusting pliers and the small showerhead I drilled out to "full flow" which still
reside in my (checked) suitcase. A holdover from my "road warrior" days when I got
sick of spending weeks in hotel rooms with "water saving" showers. I figgered my
quicky full flow shower used far less water than some dame's "lady length" one at
the lower flow.

Happy Holidays,

Jeff

--
Jeff Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"If you can keep smiling when things go wrong, you've thought of someone to place
the blame on."


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Tom
 
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Default Laser level??? Sorta........



Jeff Wisnia wrote:

How was the bubble level relative to the v-grooved flat
side? (Easy to check by rotating it end for end on a level
surface.)


It isn't a Starret precision level that's for sure, about 1
line width difference when flipping end for end. The 16"
seemed much better.

Tom

  #4   Report Post  
Sunworshiper
 
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Default Laser level??? Sorta........

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 16:54:30 -0500, Jeff Wisnia
wrote:

Tom wrote:

As a Christmas gift I received a Laser Pro laser Tool kit:
http://www.teamproducts.com/items/sh...D=254&CATID=15


snipped


Though not pictured on the webpage above, the kit comes with
a little "3-1 tool" which is basically a 6" level, looks
like a pen with a v-grooved flat on one side, bubble level
on top, useless screwdriver bit in one end and a laser light
in the other end.


snipped

Tom


I started laughing when I saw one , can't work...? Make up a water
level and mark a wall or oppostie walls and check it out. That would
be the first thing I would start playing with. Hmmm , you would need
three marks , never mind. That would make it worse , you said it has a
grove in it.

One time some super.s showed up on one of my jobs and strung a string
across the pool. At first I didn't know what the hell they were doing
as I had to duck under it as I went around finishing it. Then one
shows up with a string level ! They were checking out why I had to
build up their &^$# pool so much. Another time I had union dudes
following me around the pool with a lazer level at the Flamingo
Hilton. I quit on that job. That was a long time ago and the week
before last I got an old freind in the bus. to help me on a rush job
and he started bitching about doing the flamingo on the bottom of the
pool. LOL , I felt bad. They wanted me to do all the pools with a
native american / spanish from Mexico that couldn't speak english.
I just couldn't deal with all the union games and wasn't looking
forward to the mosaic of the flamingo.

How was the bubble level relative to the v-grooved flat side? (Easy to check by
rotating it end for end on a level surface.)

I got a similar one, but without the laser feature, for subscribing to a
woodworking hobby magazine a couple of years ago. It was pretty far off being
level when I received it, but being the anal character I am, I trimmed it in with
a belt sander.

I used to carry it in my briefcase against the time I might need to use the
screwdriver part, but after 911 I figured it'd get confiscated so it's now my
"office level" for things like putting up pairs of picture hooks and other
demanding tasks.

So far the airline baggage scanners haven't complained about the Craftsman self
adjusting pliers and the small showerhead I drilled out to "full flow" which still
reside in my (checked) suitcase. A holdover from my "road warrior" days when I got
sick of spending weeks in hotel rooms with "water saving" showers. I figgered my
quicky full flow shower used far less water than some dame's "lady length" one at
the lower flow.


This is too funny , do you bring two pliers ? Ever forget your cool
shower head in the hotel ?

Last time I was in a hotel the fire alarm went off cause I left the
bathroom door open and the steam set it off.

Happy Holidays,

Jeff


  #5   Report Post  
Jeff Wisnia
 
Posts: n/a
Default Laser level??? Sorta........

Sunworshiper wrote:

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 16:54:30 -0500, Jeff Wisnia
wrote:


snipped



So far the airline baggage scanners haven't complained about the Craftsman self
adjusting pliers and the small showerhead I drilled out to "full flow" which still
reside in my (checked) suitcase. A holdover from my "road warrior" days when I got
sick of spending weeks in hotel rooms with "water saving" showers. I figgered my
quicky full flow shower used far less water than some dame's "lady length" one at
the lower flow.


This is too funny , do you bring two pliers ? Ever forget your cool
shower head in the hotel ?


Never, but a buddy I often traveled with used to carry a 75 watt light bulb rubber
banded inside two carved out blocks of styrofoam. He couldn't stand trying to read in
bed by the light of those puny 25 watt bulbs the hotels stuck in the bedside lamps to
save a little electricity. I remember him once racing back up to his room as we were
checking out to retrieve his precious bulb.

Which reminds me of a smart idea I only encountered once in a hotel. They'd rigged a
switch in the door jamb operated by the deadbolt lock. That switch controlled the juice
to everything in the room, including the AC, except for one switch controlled small
ceiling light just inside the doorway. They must have used a contactor controlled by
that deadbolt switch. Anyway, it sol;ved the problem of guests leaving their rooms for
the day with the AC running full blast and all the lights on. You had to be inside the
room to throw the deadbolt and turn all the power on. The concept probably never cought
on because of the nuisance it caused when there was more than one guest staying or when
another person had or enter the room.


Last time I was in a hotel the fire alarm went off cause I left the
bathroom door open and the steam set it off.


That happens in our house whenever we have a guest staying over and forget to warn
them. The upstairs smoke detector is on the hallway ceiling right outside the family
bath's door. (The bathroom's ceiling exhaust fan just won't hack it, even if the guest
notices it and turns it on.)

Jeff
--
Jeff Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"If you can keep smiling when things go wrong, you've thought of someone to place the
blame on."




  #6   Report Post  
Loren Coe
 
Posts: n/a
Default Laser level??? Sorta........

In article , Tom wrote:


Jeff Wisnia wrote:

How was the bubble level relative to the v-grooved flat
side? (Easy to check by rotating it end for end on a level
surface.)


It isn't a Starret precision level that's for sure, about 1
line width difference when flipping end for end. The 16"
seemed much better.

Tom

  #7   Report Post  
Sunworshiper
 
Posts: n/a
Default Laser level??? Sorta........

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 19:07:41 -0500, Jeff Wisnia
wrote:

Sunworshiper wrote:

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 16:54:30 -0500, Jeff Wisnia
wrote:


snipped



So far the airline baggage scanners haven't complained about the Craftsman self
adjusting pliers and the small showerhead I drilled out to "full flow" which still
reside in my (checked) suitcase. A holdover from my "road warrior" days when I got
sick of spending weeks in hotel rooms with "water saving" showers. I figgered my
quicky full flow shower used far less water than some dame's "lady length" one at
the lower flow.


This is too funny , do you bring two pliers ? Ever forget your cool
shower head in the hotel ?


Never, but a buddy I often traveled with used to carry a 75 watt light bulb rubber
banded inside two carved out blocks of styrofoam. He couldn't stand trying to read in
bed by the light of those puny 25 watt bulbs the hotels stuck in the bedside lamps to
save a little electricity. I remember him once racing back up to his room as we were
checking out to retrieve his precious bulb.

Which reminds me of a smart idea I only encountered once in a hotel. They'd rigged a
switch in the door jamb operated by the deadbolt lock. That switch controlled the juice
to everything in the room, including the AC, except for one switch controlled small
ceiling light just inside the doorway. They must have used a contactor controlled by
that deadbolt switch. Anyway, it sol;ved the problem of guests leaving their rooms for
the day with the AC running full blast and all the lights on. You had to be inside the
room to throw the deadbolt and turn all the power on. The concept probably never cought
on because of the nuisance it caused when there was more than one guest staying or when
another person had or enter the room.


Last time I was in a hotel the fire alarm went off cause I left the
bathroom door open and the steam set it off.


That happens in our house whenever we have a guest staying over and forget to warn
them. The upstairs smoke detector is on the hallway ceiling right outside the family
bath's door. (The bathroom's ceiling exhaust fan just won't hack it, even if the guest
notices it and turns it on.)

Jeff


I really do try not to mess with anyone. But, always end up in
trouble. Like the huge bull dike for my missed wake up call.

Jacking with the place would really get me in trouble.
  #8   Report Post  
Spehro Pefhany
 
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Default Laser level??? Sorta........

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 19:07:41 -0500, the renowned Jeff Wisnia
wrote:

Which reminds me of a smart idea I only encountered once in a hotel. They'd rigged a
switch in the door jamb operated by the deadbolt lock. That switch controlled the juice
to everything in the room, including the AC, except for one switch controlled small
ceiling light just inside the doorway. They must have used a contactor controlled by
that deadbolt switch. Anyway, it sol;ved the problem of guests leaving their rooms for
the day with the AC running full blast and all the lights on. You had to be inside the
room to throw the deadbolt and turn all the power on. The concept probably never cought
on because of the nuisance it caused when there was more than one guest staying or when
another person had or enter the room.


Just about all the Asian hotels I stay in have a key slot or key card
that you have to stick into a receptacle to turn the power on. In
decent hotels it just cuts the electrical power and TVs off (not the
outlets). In cheap ones it sometimes cuts the A/C off so the room gets
all muggy while you are out. If there is two people, no problem, it
will take either key (and I suspect anything vaguely key shaped). The
door lock is a lot more picky, of course. I stayed in a university
student residence in Canada in the summer for a couple of nights (for
kid's baseball tournament) and they had just about the same system.
Wish I could make lights turn off behind SWMBO- they only seem to turn
on and will stay on until the bulbs burn out..

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com
  #9   Report Post  
Ken Davey
 
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Default Laser level??? Sorta........



Oh well, the dog likes chasing the beam around the living
room carpet :-)

Tom

Too funny!
My neighbor has a dog, a golden retreiver and a very nice animal. I have a
'laser level' that I bought from Lee Valley. After introducing the dog to
the 'dot' he now starts every visit by doing a thorough search for that
damned dot.

Regards.
Ken.


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Wayne Bengtsson
 
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Default Laser level??? Sorta........


"Tom" wrote in message
...
As a Christmas gift I received a Laser Pro laser Tool kit:

http://www.teamproducts.com/items/sh..._ID=254&CATID=
15

The 16" level in the kit actually seems pretty decent,
matches up with my other levels and the laser seems to
project in a line somewhat related to the body of the level.
Probably somewhat useful if I ever need anything leveled.


As you have noticed, the laser line and the level bubble are only "somewhat"
related with the cheap units. What the units can be very useful for is a
string line substitute. The laser doesn't sag like a string line might, and
if you measure to the bottom of the laser dot, you can align stuff quite
well.




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