Laser Levels

[JetStream]

I know there was a recent short discussion on this when Tim was doing the daysailor interior, but I thought it merited a bigger discussion.

I recently did a search for the right device to strike water lines and such and was displeased with most of the device specs for one reason or another. (Coming from a surveying and electrical engineering background, I'm picky!) I ended up buying the Porter Cable / Robotoolz Model RT-7610-5 from Coastal Tool (www.coastaltool.com) for $159.00. It also came with an additional torpedo laser level on their current promo. The several reasons I wanted this model were:
1) to use it with my Slik camera tripod. The tripod has a 1/4"-20 adapter and the level adapter has a sleeve designed for 1/4"-20 although I had to tap it after receiving the device. The tripod has a "crank-up", lockable center column so I can set the tripod close to the desired height and finely adjust the laser line with the crank. Surveyors' tripods are 5/8" - 11 thread and don't have the easy vertical adjustment feature.
2) The level has a free hanging mirror so as long as I'm within about 4 degrees of level, it will level itself and blinks if it can't achieve level.

I just finished using it to strike the waterline on a 19' Boston Whaler Outrage, (sorry folks, my kids made me do it), and I achieved closure within 1/16" after setting up in three locations.

I chose not to get one of the rotary motor devices because they aren't much good for anything else. This one is five beam with vertical, horizontal and 90 degrees.