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

 

[shanky887614]

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!

we cut our holes after boards go up and before skim

 

[CTID]

I have both a laser level, a bosch one with tripod and wall mount. Also I have a chalk line, both have their place. Chalk lines are great until you need to install onto finished walls and surfaces, also any obstacles in the way make a chalk line impossible, no such issue with a laser. Lasers are also great for dado/ trunking etc. Set up on the tripod and rotate it 360 degrees maintain the exact same height throughout without messing with levels etc.
I do mainly do commercial though and don't know how much use I would have for a laser in a domestic situation.

 

[Lagentium]

I recently did a large kitchen the laser level didn't half help with the socket heights!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

just don't ever make the mistake of doing that in john macenroe's house... Chalkdust

it was in !!!

The can was in !!!

You cannot be serious man!!!

 

[GMES]

it was in !!!

The can was in !!!

You cannot be serious man!!!

The young one's probably have no idea what we are on about Glenn, it will be lost on them I think Shanky is only about 12 the young whipper snapper.

 

[driverman]

we cut our holes after boards go up and before skim

Do others do this particular way?

 

[GLENNSPARK]

The young one's probably have no idea what we are on about Glenn, it will be lost on them I think Shanky is only about 12 the young whipper snapper.

i saw it....theyre wor chawlk durst!!!

 

[imago]

If it's a board and skim ceiling then I cut the holes before skimming. Sometimes it's just an overskim so they get cut afterwards.

I don't do commercial so no need for a laser level as I find that anything which gets in the way of a chalk line on domestic would also be in the way of a laser. I also try to get the lines chalked and holes marked earlier than I need so that I can show the customer where the lights are going. That way there's no issues with "I wanted a star pattern" or whatever.

 

[gutterball]

some of these Just Stationery Hanging Box Push Pin (Pack of 50): Amazon.co.uk: Office Products
and some of this http://www.amazon.co.uk/1000mt-Poly...8&qid=1399199955&sr=8-5&keywords=black+cotton

 

[uksparks]

we cut our holes after boards go up and before skim

I put the holes in after the skim myself.

 

[Zebra Stripe]

I can cut holes before and after cos its easy even with a pad saw

Has to be a dewalt laser about £180 or £100 second hand, only one that puts a visable line over entire ceiling… as said mark out middle and go from there

 

[driverman]

is there a laser on the market that can do both ceilings and walls? If so which ones would you choose?

 

[Zebra Stripe]

Dewalt cross laser level its the only one worth buying

 

[Slowhand]

I cut the holes with a starret cutter after the skim. The pilot drill makes it easy to keep the centres of the holes on the line. It makes it easier for the plasterers, they whinge if they have to clean the holes out. You just have to make sure you draw yourself an accurate plan of where they are.

 

[imago]

It makes it easier for the plasterers, they whinge if they have to clean the holes out. You just have to make sure you draw yourself an accurate plan of where they are.

Plasterers can whinge all they like. It takes them far less time to clear the holes than it does for me to mess about drawing treasure maps. That said, I've never had any complain about the holes being cut into the board. Perhaps spreads are more belligerent in Dorset? :smiley2: