Tips for Building
The red Cross90 adds a second vertical at 90° to the cross, to set out a tiling or partition square from a single point. Stated accuracy ± 5 mm at 10 m, 12 m range, IP50: an indoor unit at a low price.
What its figures are worth
- Stated accuracy at 10 m 40 %5 mm · 6/10
- Price per metre of range 25 %7.1 USD per m · 8.5/10
- Stated visible range 20 %12 m · 4.5/10
- IP rating, read as a number 15 %50 · 4/10
Every criterion in the scale could be calculated. Weighting: Stated accuracy at 10 m 40 %, Price per metre of range 25 %, Stated visible range 20 %, IP rating, read as a number 15 %.
Choose it if
- Setting out the starting square of a tiled floor without a chalk line.
- A small budget: the cheapest of the Stanleys, two AA batteries.
Skip it if
- ± 5 mm at 10 m and a 12 m range: the red beam fades in a bright room.
- IP50: dust protection, no water protection.
Published specifications
| Specification | Stated value |
|---|---|
| Stated accuracy, expressed at 10 m | 5 mm |
| Stated visible range | 12 m |
| Lines projected | 1 horizontal, 1 vertical and 1 vertical at 90° |
| Beam colour | red |
| Self-levelling range | ± 4° |
| Levelling time | not published on the page we consulted |
| IP rating | IP50 |
| Laser class | not published on the page we consulted |
| Power | 2 AA alkaline batteries |
| Stated runtime | not published on the page we consulted |
| Weight | 0.585 kg |
| Tripod thread | 1/4" |
Before switching on
- Never look into the beam or point it at anyone, even at class 2: the blink reflex protects the eye for less than a quarter of a second.
- Lock the pendulum before packing the unit away. A compensator rattling in a case is the first cause of a laser going out of calibration.
- Check the unit on site: mark a line at 5 m, turn the unit through 180°, mark the same line again; the gap between the two marks must stay within the published tolerance.
- Outdoors, plan on the receiver: even a green beam vanishes in sunlight, whatever the stated range.
Frequently asked questions
Where does this machine's score come from?
It is calculated, not awarded. Five measurable criteria are weighted, and each value is mapped onto a scale relative to the other machines in the comparison. For this machine, 100% of the scale could be applied: criteria the maker does not publish drop out rather than being replaced by an estimate.
Green beam or red?
Green shows up better in a bright room and from further away, which is what every maker states as range. It changes nothing about accuracy: in this panel the red and green Stanley Cross90 publish the same ± 5 mm at 10 m. Green also drains batteries faster: Laserliner states 6 h in green against 20 h in red.
How accurate does it need to be for a stud wall or tiling?
A stated ± 3 mm at 10 m covers a whole room without the error showing on the skirting. The ± 5 or ± 6 mm of DIY lasers is fine for a border, a shelf or a small wall tiling, not for an 8 m track.