Bought a cheap magnetic level for boiler tube alignment and it cost me a full day

I was trying to save some cash and grabbed a $25 magnetic level off a discount site last week. Used it to line up some new tubes on a small water tube job. The thing was off by almost 1/8 inch over 4 feet, which I didn't catch until after I'd tacked everything. Had to cut all the tacks, re-measure with my old Starrett, and start over. Lost a full day's pay, which is about $400 around here. Has anyone found a decent budget brand for levels that actually holds up, or is it just not worth the risk?

2 comments

2 Comments

paulc931mo ago

Oh man, I feel that. Did the same thing with a cheap torpedo level from a hardware store bargain bin. Thing was so far out of whack it put a whole rack of conduit on a slant. Now I just bite the bullet and buy the good stuff. That false economy is a total trap. You end up paying for the tool twice, once when you buy it and again when you fix its mess. My rule now is if it's for layout, it doesn't come from a discount site.

the_joseph1mo ago

My $15 knockoff level once turned a simple door frame into a modern art installation.