The Hilti Laser Level PM 2-L is a rotating laser level from Hilti that uses an exciting sounding technology called ‘always on pulse power’. That sounds like something from a comic book but does it actually have any real-world benefit? Just what is a Hilti PM 2-L anyway, and do you need one?
Hold the Line
The Hilti Laser Level PM 2-L is capable of drawing either a horizontal or vertical line that has a big fan angle to allow you to cover your entire work area. It also includes a self-levelling functionality, which basically allows it to show you precisely where ‘down’ is (in case you forget) and to make sure that everything is perfectly parallel with the ground that should be.
The device has excellent accuracy at 3mm at 10m. It also has a self-levelling accuracy of +/- 4 degrees at room temperature. The lines it can create are 10m and 30m.
The Hilti Laser Level PM 2-L itself is relatively small and compact and has plenty of rubber to ensure that it can survive a fall – good news for butter fingers (and another way that it can quickly find the ground…). It is red and black and has just a single switch for locking the laser in place. It can fit in a pocket and allow you to measure things all around the neighbourhood, if you so wish.
So, what are the applications for something like this? Well one obvious use is when hanging wall brackets, pictures and the like. This will help you to not only find ‘down’ but also ensure that all everything is hung along the same horizontal line. It can also be useful for making a series of identical cuts, or for cutting a straight line – simply follow the laser!
Pros and Cons: Accurate and With Lots of Features
The device is highly accurate and the potential applications quickly present themselves once you get one of these. While you might love home improvement and DIY, you probably don’t love spending hours lining up pieces of wood only to find your cuts aren’t straight. And you probably don’t love drilling holes into your wall and hoping against hope that they’re in the right place!
This device has everything you need to remove those concerns and a few nice added features too. The integrated magnets for example are great for attaching to drywall tacks or to steel beams. Also included is a wall angle bracket for fixing to a range of other points and generally, this is a very versatile device. It’s also great for playing limbo and doing your best M:I impression.
But is it more accurate than other devices of its ilk? Not especially. And you’ll have a hard time finding any reasonable explanation as to what ‘pulse power’ actually means or why we should care about it!
At $310 it is a little on the expensive side considering it’s not self-leveling and there are more affordable options out there. Judged on its own merits though, this is a very useful device for levelling and for providing guiding lines to help you cut straight and hang everything nice and evenly. For those with even mild OCD, that is going to come as a great relief.
Conclusions: Let’s Level With You…
At the end of the day, this is an excellent rotary laser level and does exactly what it says it does. Reviews are very positive and in our testing, we found that the lasers had great visibility. The included wall bracket and magnets are good choices and the construction is solid and will survive the occasional fall.
With all that in mind though, it won’t be a necessary expense for every hobbyist and you need to think whether this is the right choice for you. You can use simple bubble levels and even phone apps for finding the ground in a less accurate manner and there’s an awful lot you can do with a pencil.
Like all these gadgets the benefits are very much worth it for professionals and can make life much easier for hobbyists. The question is just how to best spend your hard earned cash and what you think is a priority.
Source: http://www.toolerant.com/1445-2/
Toolerant 