Comments on: Finds: The Stabila HL-100 Hole Laser http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/ All tools. All the time. Your source for news, information, and reviews of hand tools, power tools, and tools of all kinds. Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:28:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: melvin http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-60786 melvin Fri, 04 May 2007 01:39:38 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-60786 If you are going to run a piece of conduit or black iron pipe through the holes after drilling you'd like the holes to line up as much as humanly possible. I use a story board/template but sometimes your base isn't all that level. If you are going to run a piece of conduit or black iron pipe through the holes after drilling you’d like the holes to line up as much as humanly possible. I use a story board/template but sometimes your base isn’t all that level.

]]> By: Mel http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-6237 Mel Thu, 07 Dec 2006 05:03:40 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-6237 so this god knows how much battery eating gizmo is that much better than my 8 buck chalk line? I chalk can leave your hands a little dirty, but isn't getting dirty doing these things half the fun?! so this god knows how much battery eating gizmo is that much better than my 8 buck chalk line? I chalk can leave your hands a little dirty, but isn’t getting dirty doing these things half the fun?!

]]> By: anonymous http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-4427 anonymous Wed, 22 Nov 2006 20:20:22 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-4427 Uh, maybe it's the professional, time=money, carpenter in me, but what in the world are you feeding through those studs that demands that type of accuracy? Call me crazy, but your going to cover all that sh*t up, and probably got more important things to do, with your lasers and your time. That accuracy helps with grout lines, not running electrical lines. Uh, maybe it’s the professional, time=money, carpenter in me, but what in the world are you feeding through those studs that demands that type of accuracy? Call me crazy, but your going to cover all that sh*t up, and probably got more important things to do, with your lasers and your time. That accuracy helps with grout lines, not running electrical lines.

]]> By: joeyd http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-890 joeyd Mon, 04 Sep 2006 07:06:47 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-890 "The procedure is to drill a hole after laying out accurately...." so you're saying that I have to drill each hole accurately? how is this different from doing it without the laser and checking periodically at the first hole if I can see through all the other holes? “The procedure is to drill a hole after laying out accurately….”

so you’re saying that I have to drill each hole accurately? how is this different from doing it without the laser and checking periodically at the first hole if I can see through all the other holes?

]]> By: Toolmonger » Blog Archive » You Said It: Best Reader Comments, 6/16/06 - 6/23/06 - all tools, all the time. http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-650 Toolmonger » Blog Archive » You Said It: Best Reader Comments, 6/16/06 - 6/23/06 - all tools, all the time. Wed, 23 Aug 2006 21:51:17 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-650 [...] On Finds: The Stabila HL-100 Hole Laser, Nick made a good point, specifically that if the stud to which the HL-100’s bolted isn’t square, the laser’ll be way off.  (He gives some great estimate calculations — see the post for more detail.)  Jason also suggested that something like this could be home-brewed with a laser pointer. [...] [...] On Finds: The Stabila HL-100 Hole Laser, Nick made a good point, specifically that if the stud to which the HL-100’s bolted isn’t square, the laser’ll be way off.  (He gives some great estimate calculations — see the post for more detail.)  Jason also suggested that something like this could be home-brewed with a laser pointer. [...]

]]> By: Jason http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-619 Jason Mon, 21 Aug 2006 14:03:19 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-619 Maybe I'm being naive, but it seems that something like this could be made with a laser pointer, some small levels, and a home-brew jig. Maybe I’m being naive, but it seems that something like this could be made with a laser pointer, some small levels, and a home-brew jig.

]]> By: Nick Carter http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-600 Nick Carter Sun, 20 Aug 2006 05:02:13 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-600 I just looked at the manual. The procedure is to drill a hole after laying out accurately, then mount the Stabila. You then lay out the next hole accurately and use it to calibrate the beam so it is aiming at the location of the 2nd hole. Now how much of an error will you make in layout? Let's assume you are pretty good and lay the 2nd, calibration hole, out to within 1/16" That gives us an angular error over the 16" between studs (another assumption) of .22 degrees. Now that's a pretty small error, however over 50 feet that means the hole will be off 2.34" Now you could of course check the alignment every 10 feet or so and get it back on track iteratively. So for short distances it probaably works well, but over longer, not good unless you are very careful with layout of the 2nd alignment hole (the 2nd hole would have to be laid out to .0016" max error , to give a 1/16" error over 50'). Angular errors are sneaky! As usual all numbers above are suspect until verified as it was done on a Saturday at 10:00 p.m. I just looked at the manual.
The procedure is to drill a hole after laying out accurately, then mount the Stabila. You then lay out the next hole accurately and use it to calibrate the beam so it is aiming at the location of the 2nd hole.

Now how much of an error will you make in layout? Let’s assume you are pretty good and lay the 2nd, calibration hole, out to within 1/16″
That gives us an angular error over the 16″ between studs (another assumption) of .22 degrees.

Now that’s a pretty small error, however over 50 feet that means the hole will be off 2.34″
Now you could of course check the alignment every 10 feet or so and get it back on track iteratively.
So for short distances it probaably works well, but over longer, not good unless you are very careful with layout of the 2nd alignment hole (the 2nd hole would have to be laid out to .0016″ max error , to give a 1/16″ error over 50′). Angular errors are sneaky!

As usual all numbers above are suspect until verified as it was done on a Saturday at 10:00 p.m.

]]> By: Rick http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-599 Rick Sun, 20 Aug 2006 00:04:22 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-599 judging from the pictures on the Stabila website. It appears to have some adjustment built into the mechanism. So you can measure it the first time out, and make sure it's spot on.. then start drilling. judging from the pictures on the Stabila website. It appears to have some adjustment built into the mechanism. So you can measure it the first time out, and make sure it’s spot on.. then start drilling.

]]> By: Sean O'Hara http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-598 Sean O'Hara Sat, 19 Aug 2006 22:14:48 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-598 A good point sir! Were I facing that problem I might bring a Fubar with me to help straighten out wayward boards or shim the HL to get it to the proper adjustment. A good point sir! Were I facing that problem I might bring a Fubar with me to help straighten out wayward boards or shim the HL to get it to the proper adjustment.

]]> By: Nick Carter http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-597 Nick Carter Sat, 19 Aug 2006 17:42:36 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/08/19/finds-stabila-hl-100-hole-laser/#comment-597 But if the stud isn't square, or the hole isn't square, it would lead you astray? Let's say the stud has a 2 degree twist, of the hole is off 2 degrees - over 30 feet that's a heck of an error, (over a foot, if my math is correct) But if the stud isn’t square, or the hole isn’t square, it would lead you astray? Let’s say the stud has a 2 degree twist, of the hole is off 2 degrees - over 30 feet that’s a heck of an error, (over a foot, if my math is correct)

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