anyone make their own level?

Re: anyone make their own level?

Jack Guzman from Maine

>I haven't done this but I've given it alot of thought.I have alot of old wooden levels and as a carpenter have used many different sizes and shapes of older and newer ones.

If you're bedding the vial all you need is a known level,flat surface to work on.However,I think a better idea would be to make it adjustable.The stanley #95 has adjustable vials.You could bed the vial in a separate holder that is raised and lowered by a screw on each end.

Just food for thought.Have fun and post your results.I'll build mine as soon as I find the right piece of wood.---Jack

Re: anyone make their own level?

Bruce, a MN Galoot

>Tom,

would you mind posting the vial vendor url? I have a couple of levels that need new vials.

Thanks

Bruce

Re: anyone make their own level?

Tony - Memphis

>I've always use the old thing where you set the level on a relatively flat surface, note the position of the bevel, turn it 180�, note that position...now, level should be in between the two positions. You keep flipping it and adjusting it....or something like that!

Sounds like a neat project. Keep us up with your progress.

Tony

Re: anyone make their own level?

Aaron Cunningham - Bothell, WA

>WOOD Magazine did one in the May 2004 issue if you have access to a source. It's on my list of projects as well.

I could send you a copy of the article if you don't have access to that issue.

Aaron

vial source *LINK*

Tom Sontag - St. Louis

>Page 2105 of McMaster's catalog is a good start.


search for tubular levels

Thanks, Tom.

Bruce, a MN galoot

>

Re: anyone make their own level?

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>If you're getting a tubular vial - just the vial - they were traditionally held in with what looks like plaster of paris. I've never done this, but assume that the level was set on a known true and level surface, the vial set down into the plaster of paris bed, and then fiddled until level, and held there until the plaster set, hoping in the meantime that there would be no earthquakes, passing heavy vehicles, teenagers with loud, thumpy music equipment mounted on their horses, etc. to disturb the setting.

Plaster of paris

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>So that's what the white gunk is!

Thanks, Bill

Pam

Re: anyone make their own level?

Alan Hamilton

>Tom,

Have you considered making a real old-fashioned style level, one without any bubbles? So long as you're making your own, you might as well not try to duplicate what some factory can probably do better.

The kind I'm thinking of goes WAAAYYYY back, all the way back to the Egyptian pyramid builders. It's just an equilateral triangle with a plumb bob suspended from the corner where the two equal-length sides meet. When the plumb hits the exact middle of the bottom edge, whatever the two legs rest on is level.

With some small additions it could be used on vertical surfaces; you could even make it adjustable.

It's something to think about.

Alan

Re: Plaster of paris

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>I'm not absolutely sure, you understand - it could be plaster of calais or even plaster of lubbock (not likely, the color's wrong) - but I seem to recall reading something somewhere that this was what was used, and the gunk in question sure behaves like plaster of paris - plus the characteristics of the material are correct for the application.

Re: Plaster of paris

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Yeah, plaster of lubbock, maybe plaster of waco. :) Anyhow, thanks for reminding me about the contents of those gunky formulations.

Pam

Great idea, Alan.

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>

I once knew a fellow from Athol...

David Barnett

>- which fairly begs four more lines of lispy limerick -

Anyway, he told me that Starrett levels were tradionally set with a mixture of plaster and 20 to 30 percent sifted grog, which limits shrinkage and movement upon setting (which it also speeds up). He also said many modern levels use acrylic vials in round disk inserts (the best which are machined to .0005" precision) and are often set with thermoplastic resins, such as epoxies filled with micro-balloons.

Grog?

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida

>Would that be three-water grog, or four-water? With a little lime juice, to ward off scurvy?

Re: Grog?

David Barnett

>'tis a cardinal sin to cut w' even three waters, but such were the way o' an 'nglish vessel. But that's a different 'vile' concoction, altogether.

The only lyme found in a level's 'vial' setting plaster would've likely been slaked, and this other grog would've been a bit drier and harsher (but not much) to the throat, made of crushed brick or other refractory recyclings.