Pro tip: don't buy those cheap magnetic levels for boiler plate layout

I grabbed a set of three for like $25 online thinking they'd be fine for quick checks. The magnets were so weak they'd slide right off a vertical surface if you breathed on it. Wasted a whole morning re-marking a water tube sheet because my lines kept drifting. What do you guys use that actually stays put?

3 comments

3 Comments

riley8602d ago

Honestly, the magnet strength is the whole point of those things... you can't trust a level that moves on its own. Ended up just using a small torpedo level with a strong clip for vertical work.

jamie_clark2d agoMost Upvoted

Yeah, saw a video where a guy tested a bunch. Magnets were all over the place.

wyatt_jones20h ago

My old boss swore by the magnet in his Empire level, said it could hold a speed square on a steel beam. But I read a tool forum post where a guy tested three new ones from the same store, and the pull force varied by like 30 percent. That's a huge difference for something that needs to stay put. Makes you wonder if the quality control just isn't there anymore. I've had a few just slide right down a duct.