Laser marking systems

[edswoods.1]

I'm in the market for an occasional-use right-angle laser. On one hand, there's the PLS5 that sells for about 400.00, on the other, there's a Stanley for about

20.00. I'm sure the PLS has a lot of features I don't need, all I want is the right angle capability. The description of the Stanley at the Home Depot site says it's accurate to within 1/2" at 30'. Has anyone here had any experience with a less expensive one and are they junk is my question.

[dpb]

I can't help on the actual experience part, but I've seen the Stanley and figure any product that brags on 1/2" in 30' isn't worth wasting $20 on. I think it depends on what one has in mind as a project for which it would be used as to whether it would be at all suitable or not. To hang a picture, maybe, but then again, is that worth $20??? What do you have in mind to use it for would undoubtedly help...

[Al Bundy]

[e-mail] wrote in news:1152623048.098069.165780 @b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

A half inch in 30'. I can eyeball better than that.

I never really understood what those accuracy specs were. I've seen laser levels even up to 100' +/- say 1/2". What frikkin' good is that? Use string and eyeball it then.

I don't have a laser level. Always wanted one but when I saw those accuracy specs on various brands (Stanley, Straight-Line and that Sears Whore Bob Vila with Craftsman) I said no.

I know a little about light and lasers. All the techno stuff about coherent and collimated light basically means it has little divergence meaning it doesn't fan out. So, I don't even understand how any laser can be off .5" in 30'. Well, I guess the mirrors inside (if these are made the same as "real" lasers) could be not very flat and/or poorly reflective. I mean I got this $20 pen laser at Costco about 15 yrs ago. I pointed it at a house like a half mile away at night and looked at it with a telescope. Sharp dot like it was on a wall in the same room.