marking out

[terry198920]

Evening all.. Been putting up rows of square lights this week.. Some rooms 3 lights ( in a row) some rooms 2 rows of 4.. My questions is.. What is the hack to getting these spot on? The problem i was having, was lining the rows up with each other.. Got there eventually but there has got to be a hack or some kind of basic way to help you out?

Thanks

 

[trev]

An old fashioned way of doing it is a string line. The posh way is a laser level

 

[imago]

An old fashioned way of doing it is a string line. The posh way is a laser level

Old fashioned! I tried the whole laser level carry on and went back to my trusty chalk line. By the time you've p1ssed about levelling and sighting (not to mention charging the damn thing up) the lines are on with chalk.

The other things to consider with lighting positions are where the shadows will fall from things like chimney breasts or cabinets etc. Also, find a centre line for the room, mark that then measure off of it. Don't measure from the walls as you move down the room as they're likely to be out of true.

 

[trev]

Completely agree mate. Old ways are often the best.

 

[shanky887614]

Completely agree mate. Old ways are often the best.

I got one of those fancy metal stanley chalklines with gears in them so line comes back well quick.

I was laughing at a mate that tried to use there chalkline with no chalk in it

chalk in mines blue and there is a viewing window to see how much is there.

(I replace my plastic one when I dropped it off roof onto concrete)

 

[imago]

I use red chalk in mine. Doesn't half **** the decorators off :smug:

 

[trev]

I also have blue in mine (it matches some of my guitars) it does exactly the same mate.

 

[shanky887614]

I use red chalk in mine. Doesn't half **** the decorators off :smug:

might put black in mine when it runs out

 

[Hawk]

I've tried laser levels and they're no use! Chalk line is the best way. You could always mark the 2 at the end then put a screw at each end and tie a string between them this would give you a straight line with no mess.

 

[trev]

Like Imago said, find the centre of the room and chalk it, work from that. You can't go wrong.

 

[GMES]

Like Imago said, find the centre of the room and chalk it, work from that. You can't go wrong.

Just don't ever make the mistake of doing that in John Macenroe's house... CHALKDUST

 

[uksparks]

I use a £550 laser with a bosch pole and it's a piece of p*** and takes no time at all. One of the best thing I ever purchased!

This is it: Bosch GLL-380P

 

[trev]

Me chalk line cost me about £10

 

[Megavolt]

Laser ever time for me

 

[Lagentium]

Laser level for me, pain in the arse to set up but once it set up it pays for itself, although if you're doing six lights in a bathroom I'd use a chalk line with no chalk, is that just a string line then? Just to offer it up and see how it looks. Chalk is a pain in the arse for the decorators as has been mentioned, depends on how you get on with them!