I will only buy Stabila. In my experience, there is no more accurate level.

They are the Festool of leveling.:thumbsup:

 

Yep, I agree. I have a multiple Empires and within 2 years, I just couldn't trust them anymore. I have Stabilas but I reserved those for "clean" work. Now that I no longer use the the Empires, it pains me to see thinset on any Stabila

I'm told, and agree that Menards Mastercraft brand levels are made by Stabila. They look identical and come with the same guarantee but I just need to see if they are any cheaper. If so, those might need to be the new tiling levels.

 

Don't you guys just eyeball it?

 

I have a Johnson cast aluminum level that looks almost identical to that one. Dual arced vials, fantastic level except it has one HUGE caveat...its all aluminum.

If you put it on a finished surface and move it a bit it really marks things up, unlike the Stabila that has the rubber wall-protecting end-caps. Plus it doesn't have any magnets.

 

Back in the day, if I recall correctly Sands levels were very nice looking & very functional levels. Mostly 2' & 4' brass bound mahogany. I think some were laminated. They started out as Masons levels but most Carpenters had them.

I do agree that Stabila are the way to go now days.:thumbsup:

 

I like my Crick mahogany, but like your stabila, i hate to get it dirty. I have a couple of my old mans wooden levels that are a little more "rough" but still accurate i use for plumbing post and other outdoor work.

 

I was at my tile suppliers this summer and picked up a whole set - six levels for $120.

They are smaller than normal levels. That is they are 1" thick, about 2" high.

They are made by an Italian company called Co.me. They are 'delicate'.

I keep them just for my tile work and some finish carpentry.

I've got more levels than anyone needs. My name is John, and I'm a toolaholic.

 

i want to see these levels ,did a search and came up blank .
plumb bobs drive be nuts -waiting them to stop moving .oh and wind messes with my patience

 

Just found out this week that our Empire 6' was off. Was framing the studs in a basement and I sensed a disturbance in the force. Sure enough, when I put the Empire up to the Stabila there was about a 1/16" to 1/8" bow in the middle of the thing. What a bummer. It's a nice looking level, good weight to it, good magnets, nice clear vials, nice rubber bumpers on the ends and surrounding the vials. However.... it's not level, which is basically everything I want in a level.
Another vote for Stabila.

 

Just found out this week that our Empire 6' was off. Was framing the studs in a basement and I sensed a disturbance in the force. Sure enough, when I put the Empire up to the Stabila there was about a 1/16" to 1/8" bow in the middle of the thing.

Have to admit that I seldom check my levels for being straight. But every time I get one out, the first order of business is to check the bubble, reverse the level, and check the bubble again.

Haven't been caught with my pants down (level-wise) for years.

 

The durability and accuracy of Stabila's is unmatched. I used to buy a new level at least every other year. My oldest Stabila now is probably 12 years old and still dead on. I have added two more over the years.

 

Being a mason, we prefer wood or plastic I-beams. It's the aluminium level posted earlier, but is covered in wood or solid plastic. I could never keep a Stabila clean.

 

 

Mine? probably 15 years old

I have a 4' and 2' Sands cast aluminum level that are the go to when I need something I can trust to stay level while doing some rough work. Their indestructible mostly except when I break the glass:no: but since i'm the glass guy that just gets fixed next time i have some. Stabila's they look like a nice system but I haven't ever had a need for replacing the levels I paid good money for first. However I couldn't find a sands 4 foot with every bubble spot on so I had to black one out with a marker and never use it.

 

I have the fatmax set and the stabila 120 year anniversary set. To be honest I don't think either is any better than the other. The fatmax levels do take a beating though and they are my banger levels that get abuse like using them as pry bars and leverage bars. They have stayed straight and true since I bought them about 2 years ago. They have been dropped from decks many a time and I even had the whole bubble unit fall out of one. I just popped it back in and its been good as new. The stabila only get used for clean indoor work so they get looked after. I even keep them in a tube case.

 

I agree about stablia's.

Just an FYI for everyone who checks a level with another level. You can check a single level by taking a reading, then flipping the level 180* and checking for any variance. If so, your level is out. :thumbup:


^As far as using a level as a pry bar, no thanks. I know I'm a finishing carpenter, but I hope you guys treat your tools better than that :blink:

 

I've never had an accuracy problem with Sands. My father's 4' is about 20 years old, and even though he's managed to break the glass out of 4/6 panes (very careless with his tools), it's still absolutely accurate to this day.

 

It pains me to say I witnessed an event so horrific that sometimes I still wake up in a cold sweat from it. While hanging doors in a house with a friend I looked over just as my nearly new 78" Stabila went tumbling down the basement stairs end for end making complete revolutions each time. It felt like that level was tumbling in slow motion. We checked it for level and by god it was still spot. Still, not something I want to have to see again. So, another vote for Stabila here.

 

A few years ago the Stabila rep had a counter day at a local tool supply. one of the activities was the level toss, whoever heaved a four ft. level across the parking lot the furthest won a four ft level (not the one being tossed).

The level that got tossed onto asphalt for three hours was checked against the winners brand new one, it still read accurate.

 

Better still is your trusty plumb bob.

I use mine for verticle and horizontal layouts.

 

I've heard of this before, never seen it though. I think when it was my turn to throw the level I would take off in dead sprint and meet up with my buddy parked down the street.

I've seen 4' FatMAX levels get thrown out from a drop off 1 cube of staging. That 78" hit like 5 treads on the way down. If you had slowed it down on film you probably could have seen the entire box beam shudder as it slammed on each end. Frightening.

 

We only use Stabila & the BMI super robust. We don't baby them at all and both are excellent levels. The newest one is over ten years old and we use them regularly.

 

I used to use cast aluminum Sands levels but swore off them because the first two I bought warped (due I assume to some sort of stress in the casting). One developed a nice curve and the other a more spectacular S shape, IIRC they stayed nice and flat though (Grin).

 

Stabila is the best .
Ive had my 4 ' er replaced a few times since the 80s.
I must have 20 different sizes now .
one set for masonry one for framing one for cabinet /trim work .
one set for metal stud framing and a door set and 3 or 4 small bullet type levels .
To think i use to build with a 4' level all the time for every thing .

 

When a HO questions the work being level, I tell them not to worry the earth is round
I have gone through many levels cheap and expensive but the old Sands just keeps on going

 

When I was framing my boss had a cast Sands 4' level. It was prob 20 years old. One day we dropped it standing on the ridge of the 10/12 of the second story. Ridge height was something like 45', it hit a few things on the way down to the slab. When we got back to the truck we checked it. Dead on.

 

Im waiting for a cordless plumb bob:whistling

 

laser:thumbup:

 

i have a very old 48" Sands of canada level. same as the pic. It works good, i dropped it off my ridge beam and its still dead on:thumbsup:

 

Hey Guys, something to check out for future needs. Port Austin Level & Tool Mfg. Co. makes levels and small masonry tools the old fashioned way and in the U.S.A. I have had these levels for years and they are still great.

 

1 post on a 9 year old thread. :blink:

You rep for those guys?