Skill Builder Guides & reviews for building and construction
Roger Bisby tries out a few Milwaukee redsticks for size and accuracy.
Milwaukee is continuing its journey into the wonderful world of hand tools with the introduction of a range of Redstick spirit levels. On paper they seem to tick all the boxes but it is early days so we will have to see how they stand up to life out on the test sites where they will be spending the next few months of their lives.
The Lifetime Accuracy Warranty is certainly a sign that they should do well and there is a Limited Lifetime Warranty which basically allows for normal use rather than using them for jobs a level is not designed to do. No company is going to give you that kind of guarantee unless they are sure that their product is up to the job.
These levels have rare earth magnets in them which are ridiculously strong. This is both good and bad. All too often I plonk down the level on something and then discover that one end has picked up a stray nail or screw. There are also times when it will catch the trowel as you are laying on a brick wall and that is off putting. What would be nice is a magnet you could remove when you don’t need that feature.
The rigid box construction with an all metal back-bone and milled edge should help the level stay straight and true provided you don’t use it as a lever. Who would do that to a precision instrument? Well there are people. The high-visibility vial has a best-in-class rating.
Like many levels these days there is shock absorbency built in the end bumpers and the extra wide grips allow them to be used with gloves. The levels come in a full range of the usual popular sizes and a few less popular ones.
