Help me buy a laser measure!

[gbruzze1]

I need help.
I cant decide which laser measure to buy, and am hesitant to pull the trigger and spend the cash. Id have to say I've narrowed it down to the stabila 400, stabila 300 and the bosch. I'll be using it primarily to take long measurements of crown and base and use it for quick measurements when figuring out material for a job, but i know once i get one i'll be using it for other things that i never thought of.

Sorry if this topic might have been beaten to death as I've searched this topic and gone through some other threads about these tools. Any input would be appreciated and things that you use it for that you didnt think you would.

Thanks guys

[Ottoman]

Stabilia stores up to 19 numbers I think. I was down to that vs the Hilti. Never looked back after buying the stabilia.

[Greg Di]

I had a Hilti PD30 which I just replaced with the Stabila 300 (I think).

The Hilti was awesome except my model only gave me Feet-Inches. I wanted running inches. The Stablia had that. The only down side with the Stabila is that it doesn't have an audible beep to let you know the laser is on and ready to measure. Sounds like a dumb feature, but the Hilti had it and it is very helpful to have because I find myself not knowing if I took a measurement or turned the laser on with the Stabila.

[slimpickens]

I have the Stabila LE200. It stores the last 15 measurements, measures in ft/in, in, and metric, beeps when turned on (and when it turns off[automatically]), does square and cubic, and adds as you go if you want it to. It's pretty sweet. I've never owned any other brand and probably don't need to. It does everything I need it to. Although after looking at the Stabila site, they seem to have come out with a new version of the 200. "Time delay measuring?" I'm not sure what that is...

[newman]

I have the Stabila LE200. It stores the last 15 measurements, measures in ft/in, in, and metric, beeps when turned on (and when it turns off[automatically]), does square and cubic, and adds as you go if you want it to. It's pretty sweet. I've never owned any other brand and probably don't need to. It does everything I need it to. Although after looking at the Stabila site, they seem to have come out with a new version of the 200. "Time delay measuring?" I'm not sure what that is...

time delay means after you hit the button for a measurement, it gives you a second to steady your hand before it displays the measurement.


I have the Hilti and I'm very happy with it. made in Germany (not China like most things today) and it has running inches and beeps when taking measurements. it's very accurate too.

[Stef B]

I just got this Stabila from Amazon. Very happy with it.


http://www.amazon.com/Stabila-06300-...9632321&sr=8-1

[Hickorywind]

hilti Pd 42

[Carapace79]

I have the Leica DISTO D3, and have been very happy with it. My understanding is that many of the top measures are made by Leica. Anyways, it's got an enormous memory and has served me quite well, particularly for long trim runs and for bidding. Good luck!

[jobercian]

hilti pd40 here- thing is dead on, I mean DEAD ON. Everyone obviouly loves the Stabila. Bosch was tempting except it displays feet and inches (not runnning inches) which is horrible for running trim. The Leica always gets praised, but it seems like Hilti and Stabila are the ones backed most by real world use. Don't recall seeing anyone who regrets buying either one, even if each has their ups and downs.

[Quiglag]

The Bosch DLR165K does not do inches, only feet-inches. The Bosch DLR130K does both, but it is missing features like Pythagorean theorem (a2 + b2= c2).

I have the DLR165K, and use it to measure and install crown. It works great except for the fact that it doesn't do inches. Accurate to a 1/16th, but I have never run into problem when installing trim. I figure my tape is probably out more then that at 16' with the droop of the tape.

For installing trim, I don't see a reason to buy a laser that is accurate to 300 feet, when less will do. If the DLR130K was out when I got mine, I would have bought the DLR130k.

[Kubbie]

Another + for the Hilti. I have a PD30
1) Accurate, always.
2) Durability - Been out of the case in my dusty pouch a lot. Frozen in my van countless times, and embarrassingly, dropped more times than I'm willing to admit for a tool I paid $300 a few years back.

Don't know how the others hold up, but I have the Hilti, and in real life conditions it's passed the contractor-grade test.

[tom dickey]

The stabila 300 is a great tool and if you do not need all the bels and whistles of the 400 like saving measurements and average measurements it does the job at a much lower price either is a tool that you can {ouch} drop and not cry and both have the square cubic and triangle measure features.
ps good deals on them at jlc shows

tool tip
wear your red laser glasses when using them outside in the light

[Jeremy]

Stabila 400. Great tool. Excellent features.

[kreg McMahon]

as said the 400 is better for a first one if you have the bucks because it stores measurements so you can shoot it 2-3 times to double check.... plus lots of other great things.. however, if short on cash go for the 300. much better than the bosch... in fact I do not even recomend the bosch.. does not do inches only feet and inches and that is confusing some times.

let us know which one you get... you have till wednesday high noon to decide.

[archmolding]

I too have been wanting one of these especially for bidding! But i hear about guys using them to install crown and trim. How do you measure crown with them to cut? I understand how to get the measurement from the wall...easy enough...but how do you put the laser dot on the material itself on the cutting table? Are you able to get the dot on say..the short or long point to measure? seems hard to do...Or are you just translating a stop of somesort for the laser to read off of and just line up your Short point to the stop? I guess that would work...Hmmmm