Just dropped $300 on a fancy level and it broke day one

I bought a digital level from a brand my buddy swore by for pipe alignments, and on my first job at a plant in Gary, the screen went blank after one drop off a 4 foot ladder. Turns out the plastic casing is garbage and the warranty doesn't cover impact damage, so I'm out the cash. Anyone else had a tool fail on the first use and just had to eat the cost?

3 comments

3 Comments

reesemoore26d ago

Wait, you're telling me that level had a plastic casing? I wouldn't trust a plastic level for anything more than hanging a picture frame, let alone pipe work in a plant. Seems like some brands just slap their name on whatever cheap stuff they can find and hope nobody drops it. Honestly, most of the time when a tool fails that fast, it's not just bad luck - the company knew the design was weak but shipped it anyway. If you haven't already, blast them on social media with a photo of the broken screen, sometimes that's the only way to get their attention when the warranty is useless.

nina_jenkins26d ago

Wait, you actually changed my mind, @reesemoore. Never thought about it that way.

the_ryan26d ago

Whoa, I'm pretty sure that level wasn't plastic - I think it was a digital level with a glass screen that cracked after one drop. Different problem than cheap materials, more of a design flaw for a tool that's gonna take hits on a job site.

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