I have an Exact model MPO 48. I have had it since the late 80's. Soon after I bought it an old girl friend tossed my hammer off the passenger seat, to behind the sea and broke the center glass in front of the vile. I replaced the glass and vile at that time with a piece of window glass, and reset the vile in window glaze. Fast forward to last year. I went to use it and noticed the level was lying. I looked at it, and I can see the vile has come loose again. Now my questions are
How do I get the old glazing off?
Is there a place I could buy the original vile holder? Or just use window glazing again?
I was in the Navy at the time working in a calibration lab so when I set the vile back I had it on a floating granite table to make sue it was right, how do I do it now?
Window glaze will soften with steam or heat, but I would not use a heat gun or steam if this is a wooden level, because it may warp. You might just be able to chip it out with a small chisel, or try something like soldering iron or wood-burning iron to get it started.
Window glaze (especially Dap brand) takes a pretty long time to set up, so I would be tempted to use something like silicone or even latex caulk next time.
I know nothing about that level. A good machine shop may have a granite surface plate but don't know about floating. Or a laser/optics lab, but I have no idea how to find one now - I used to work in a group that had several floating tables for optical setups.
How perfect do you need it? I'd probably try to borrow another good level and support it well (steel beam on a concrete floor?) shimmed as necessary, and put the broken one on top the other for the repair.
If a replacement vial holder is not available you might be able to get a replacement made at a machine shop or 3D printed if you know anyone with that capability.
Personally I would use my saw table. Really all you need is a flat rigid surface! Mark a pencil line on the table then lay the level on the surface, then reverse the level and adjust the vial until it reads exactly the same after each reversal! That is as close as you can read any level.
I worked as an Engineer at a large facility and was the management representative for our QS-9000 and
ISO-9000. Granite plates do not necessary lie level - they just to be "Flat". The "Flatness" was calibrated by a laser by an outside house with complete certification to the NIST (National bureau of standards). We did have a precision level used to set equipment and it was accurate to a few thousands (full scale was about 1/32" in 4 foot!). It did not need to have the NIST certification as it was not used to check customers product. It was checked as above!
However a normal level is no more accurate than the person reading it and the procedure outlined above will achieve that. If you wish to check it again for accuracy, use it to level your saw table (or other flat surface - like a joiner), if it reads level reverse the level end for end and it should be perfectly level.
I got the glazing off the outside of the glass and it popped right out. The holder for the vial is intact, so I should be good to just use some? To hold it in place.
Caulk or something else. I can level it using another level and the turn around method.
I believe that you'll introduce error using two levels.
Larry's approach is a good one - work on a stable, adjustable surface (such as a table saw), establish a reference mark so you can go back to the same position, and refine the vial's location until it reads the same after reversing the level in direction and with the same edge of the level down.
I have a level that is off kilter. I usually don't use it, but when I must I place it left-to-right and note where the bubble lies, then I turn it around right-to-left and note where the bubble lies. When the bubble is off the same amount left-to right as it is right-to-left, then it is level.
Have a couple that need to be reset (after about 50 years). Did those for my dad back then after he engaged in a bout with the levels. Job got done but the levels suffered.
