DeWalt DW088K or DW0811

[rbacon705]

I can't decide between these two lasers. Which one is better? I'm in Australia and there is only a $10 difference between the two. 

[JimboS1ice]

What's the difference?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RTJR]

On 12/26/2016 at 1:40 PM, rbacon705 said:

I can't decide between these two lasers. Which one is better? I'm in Australia and there is only a $10 difference between the two. 

The DW0811 will do plumb/level cross lines plus full 360 degrees horizontal The DW088K is just plumb/level cross lines. The 0811 has a pendulum lock and the DW088K doesn't.

 

I just picked up a DW088LR. Cross lines, but will wrap the room if set in a corner. It has a pendulum lock, so I chose it over the DW088K. Luckily, it was dead on accurate when tested.

 

I have a DW0811 arriving today. If it passes calibration tests it'll be a winner. Amazon gold box deal of the day last week. $120!

[rbacon705]

On 12/27/2016 at 7:15 PM, RTJR said:

The DW0811 will do plumb/level cross lines plus full 360 degrees horizontal The DW088K is just plumb/level cross lines. The 0811 has a pendulum lock and the DW088K doesn't.

 

I just picked up a DW088LR. Cross lines, but will wrap the room if set in a corner. It has a pendulum lock, so I chose it over the DW088K. Luckily, it was dead on accurate when tested.

 

I have a DW0811 arriving today. If it passes calibration tests it'll be a winner. Amazon gold box deal of the day last week. $120!

Thanks for the help Rich! 

[Framer joe]

Does either one have pulse mode to use a laser detection..?

[RTJR]

1 hour ago, Framer joe said:

Does either one have pulse mode to use a laser detection..?

Dewalt claims that both have pulse mode. Neither of my red Dewalt lasers actuate my PLS detector and I don't own a Dewalt red detector, so I can't comment on the effective useful range of either.

[RTJR]

I wanted to follow up on the DW0811. I didn't have very high expectations for a multi-aperture laser at this price point. Mostly, I just wanted a kick around unit that wasn't a $600 heartbreak if the worst happened.

 

The first unit that arrived was a mixed bag. The plumb line was pretty much dead on over 15'. However, the level line was out at least a 1/4" over 30'. The spec claims that acceptable tolerance over that range is 5/32" which is .156", or just a shade over an 1/8", or just a skosh over 3mm. 

 

The stated acceptable tolerance is a bit loose for me, but it's just a tolerance. It doesn't mean the error is defined by that number. So I took a chance on a second unit.

 

I have a 30' space set up with both vertical and horizontal benchmarks. The replacement laser was just about dead on in the horizontal plane. I didn't see a variation greater than 1/32" to the match marks in the calibration tests. Fantastic. The vertical line test showed this new unit was off by a good 1/16th to the left over 15' though. Not as good as the 1st one, but no big deal really. 1/32nd over 8 feet is nothing in the real world. When marking walls for setting marble or granite, or whatever, it's no problem to simply mark the other side of the line to compensate for this error.

 

So, this *can* be a good buy. But, like any laser, you must check the calibration when you first get it and regularly thereafter. I've purchased far more expensive ones that were fubar out of the box. It happens. This one survived shipping for the most part. We'll see how well it survives washboard roads and potholes on the way to the job site. If it makes it through to the 30 day return window it'll be a keeper.