In a world where products seem to be getting ever more complicated and technical, this easy-to-use 25m Self Leveling Crossline Laser from Empire will be an excellent choice for tilers, plasterers, carpenters, and kitchen and bathroom installers.
To start with it’s bright, and green beam is readable from a distance of 25m, which should keep most tradies working indoors more than happy. The 4xAA batteries give 15 hours of run time, and that’s impressive. The AAA-battery lasers just aren’t cutting it these days in terms of brightness or battery longevity.
When the Laser’s first unboxed you will more than likely be impressed by the quality of the blue overmold case. It’s rugged and durable, and I can see it doing a great job protecting the laser in a storage compartment of a ute or van. And Empire has a great reputation for accuracy which holds true for this laser. It’s accurate to ±6mm@10m. It’s also IP54 water & dust rated for peace of mind when wind and weather turn ugly.
For our testing we enlisted the help of Dan & Jye from Danstruct. The boys were in a massive home build, and the concrete construction using Dincel required all wall coverings and cabinetry to be fitted to the concrete structure with precision and accuracy.
TEST #1: SET UP & EASE OF USE
The beauty of this laser is it’s extremely easy to use and set up.
There is one slider with 3 settings (off, on and on with pendulum lock). The pendulumlock position allows the user to create perfectly straight diagonals for marking things like stairs or handrails. Because it’s a no-fuss laser it’s a great choice for anyone looking for both plumb (vertical) and flush (level) markings. It’ll suit tilers, plasterers (sheet linings) and installers of any residential or commercial features that need a true and accurate fitting. When I asked Dan about the Laser he said, “Our other rotary laser is more for external use and is a lot more time consuming to set up. This Empire Crossline Laser took only seconds to set up and was perfect for the internal stages of this job.”
BRIGHTNESS AND READABILITY
It is said the green-beam laser is up to 4 times easier to read than the traditional red laser. In low light both are easy to read, but as the work conditions get brighter the green beam comes into its own. Dan shared, “I found this green beam bright and very sharp and precise to read. The cross line is perfect for ensuring both your vertical and horizontal elements of any task are perfect. It made the installation of any panelling or sheeting a breeze. The two rare-earth magnets are really strong and were perfect for the metal columns on this job. Also, the 360-degree swivel base further simplified use and was a great addition.”
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
From the blue moulded carrier to the rugged overmold case of the laser itself, Empire has constructed a durable and tough laser. When I think of what’s needed in a laser of this type it ticks all the boxes. It’s easy to use and quick to set up, produces a bright and precise laser and has an excellent runtime of basically two full workdays (15 hours), all at a great price point.
The Empire 25m Self Leveling Crossline Laser will more than meet the needs and expectations of a great many tradies.
Visit: www.empiretools.com.au