Help Identifying aluminum level?

[Ksem89]

Hey guys,

This is purely out of curiosity. I'm wondering who the maker of this aluminum level is? Got this from my dad a long time back. I think it was my grandpas.

Most of the glass is missing or so dirty its hard to use, so Im going to strip her down, get new glass, paint her, and make it useable again!

From looking online it looks like a craftsman level, but all the ones I see online say craftsman. All mine says is 24" at one end and 'PAT APPL'D FOR' at the other end.

Any input would be appreciated.

thanks

k

 

[Roberts210]

I've got two cast aluminum levels. One is a 4-footer, with "Sands Tool & Level" "Wichita, Kansas" "Sands Levels Tell the Truth" lettering cast into the side. The other, a 2-footer, has "Belknap's Blue Grass" "Louisville, Kentucky" cast on it. The 4-footer I bought new in the 1980's, the Belnap Blue Grass I got from a thrift store a few years ago, but looks to be similar in age. Yours looks to my eye to be older--maybe from the 1960's.

 

[The Cobbler]

definitely an older level.

 

[Ksem89]

Thanks! Yea I figured it was pretty old! Just too bad there are no makers marks!

Would paint color give any clues? It's like a deep navy blue, Stanley?

Anyways, I'm just excited to get it looking brand new again!

K

 

[Ksem89]

Does anyone know what this putty like material is? Its holding in the bubble tubes, and it was also used to hold the round glass covers in place as well. It is dry and hard, but it softens when wet.

Would like to find something similar to install the new glass with.

thanks for any input

k

 

[larry_g]

Does anyone know what this putty like material is? Its holding in the bubble tubes, and it was also used to hold the round glass covers in place as well. It is dry and hard, but it softens when wet.

Would like to find something similar to install the new glass with.

thanks for any input

k

I guessing here but maybe plumbing or window glazing putty? Some levels have use plaster of paris for bedding vials.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Ksem89]

I guessing here but maybe plumbing or window glazing putty? Some levels have use plaster of paris for bedding vials.

lg
no neat sig line

Those are both fantastic suggestions!!! I bet either would do the trick, ill use whichever one my local hardware store carries.

Thank you much!

k

 

[RTM]

Plaster of Paris is what a friend recommends

 

[cgrutt]

I'm thinking Stanley but not sure. These are a couple of my FILs levels they're similar although the site glass is different. If I had to guess I'd say these are 1970s or 1980s. The black one is much heavier and seems better constructed than the blue.

 

[four.cycle]

@Ksem89 -
"shot in the dark" method:
download the LIST here
open in Windows notepad. click "edit" at top left. click "search". enter "levels"
use process of elimination.

 

[Ksem89]

@Ksem89 -
"shot in the dark" method:
download the LIST here
open in Windows notepad. click "edit" at top left. click "search". enter "levels"
use process of elimination.

Thanks! But this doesnt take to me to any downloadable content.

k

 

[Ksem89]

The site glass covers on mine looks exactly like:

Craftsman #3992 24​

Which is easily found online, the only differences I can see is mine has slotted screws vs phillips, mine does not say Craftsman on it, and where the craftsman ones say 3992, mine just says "pat appl d' for"

k

 

[four.cycle]

Thanks! But this doesnt take to me to any downloadable content.

this is the link to the LIST

on the SECOND LINE, where it says "Please Click HERE", click that link and then download the *.txt file (which is updated almost daily. I cannot keep the list up-to-date ON the site because of the edit limitations here.)

 

[Ksem89]

this is the link to the LIST

on the SECOND LINE, where it says "Please Click HERE", click that link and then download the *.txt file (which is updated almost daily. I cannot keep the list up-to-date ON the site because of the edit limitations here.)

I must not understand, Im sorry. When I follow those instructions it takes me to your post :

"
List of Manufacturers and Brands of Mechanics Hand Tools

Updates to this list can be downloaded here in *.txt format. The content of the thread above will not be updated.

This list was last updated: Mon Dec 04 13:23:07 2023 Pacific Standard Time"

There is nothing clickable or downloadable here that I can find at least.

Sorry

k

 

[four.cycle]

oops! last time I went to post the update I forgot to upload the file. try it now.
click it right below where it says "attachments"

Sat Dec 09 10:40:13 2023

List of Manufacturers and Brands of Mechanics Hand Tools

List of Manufacturers and Brands of Mechanics Hand Tools S1 S. & A. / S. & A. Mfg. Co., 263 Summer St., Boston, MA / "Quixet Rapid Wrench" / * Jan 1909 Hardware Dealers Magazine * / Sackett / H.B. Sackett Screen & Chute Co., 1681-1693 Elston Ave., Chicago, IL / "Ideal" railroad car mover /...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Ksem89]

oops! last time I went to post the update I forgot to upload the file. try it now.
click it right below where it says "attachments"

Sat Dec 09 10:40:13 2023

List of Manufacturers and Brands of Mechanics Hand Tools

List of Manufacturers and Brands of Mechanics Hand Tools S1 S. & A. / S. & A. Mfg. Co., 263 Summer St., Boston, MA / "Quixet Rapid Wrench" / * Jan 1909 Hardware Dealers Magazine * / Sackett / H.B. Sackett Screen & Chute Co., 1681-1693 Elston Ave., Chicago, IL / "Ideal" railroad car mover /...

www.garagejournal.com

Perfect thank you!!!!

k

 

[four.cycle]

sorry about that... another one of my bleary-eyed late-night blunders.

 

[Ksem89]

I am 95% certain it must be a craftsman. Here is a picture of a craftsman 3992 level and a picture of the site glass cover from mine, they seem identical and I cannot see any other vintage model with this type. The '24" marking also looks the same. And frame looks similar.

Any reason why mine would not say craftsman, and not have the model number on it just "pat appl d' for"

thanks

k

 

[RTM]

The site glass covers on mine looks exactly like:

Craftsman #3992 24​

Which is easily found online, the only differences I can see is mine has slotted screws vs phillips, mine does not say Craftsman on it, and where the craftsman ones say 3992, mine just says "pat appl d' for"

k

Remember Craftsman never made anything. They paid other makers to make special stuff, and put the Craftsman me on it, or just rebrand their regular stuff to say Craftsman.

You can look here for who made what by number

Craftsman OEM List | VintageMachinery.org

I tried looking for Level, and then Sands, and drew nothing useful. Not sure who other vintage level makers might have been

 

[Ksem89]

Remember Craftsman never made anything. They paid other makers to make special stuff, and put the Craftsman me on it, or just rebrand their regular stuff to say Craftsman.

You can look here for who made what by number

Craftsman OEM List | VintageMachinery.org

I tried looking for Level, and then Sands, and drew nothing useful. Not sure who other vintage level makers might have been

Ah ok, it's tough because there is no number on mine but the 24"

She may just remain a mystery!

Thanks

K

K

 

[Mick56]

It may have just had a Craftsman decal that has worn off.

 

[Ksem89]

It may have just had a Craftsman decal that has worn off.

I thought about that, but I could not find any examples of these that had craftsman stickers on them, all have the 'craftsman' and '3992' stamped.

k

 

[four.cycle]

look for a letter code somewhere and then refer to Mr. Gary Lauver's definitive list of Craftsman production codes and dates.
HERE:

 

[Ksem89]

look for a letter code somewhere and then refer to Mr. Gary Lauver's definitive list of Craftsman production codes and dates.
HERE:

No letter anywhere at all. Just 24" at one end, and PAT APPL 'D FOR at the other end.

k

 

[four.cycle]

those are the resources that we have at hand....
there's always Google.. if you take enough stabs at it something usually turns up.
in your case, however, with no identifying marks or really distinctive design, it's the proverbial needle in the haystack.
there is no end to the number of unsolved mysteries in the vintage tool world

 

[Ksem89]

those are the resources that we have at hand....
there's always Google.. if you take enough stabs at it something usually turns up.
in your case, however, with no identifying marks or really distinctive design, it's the proverbial needle in the haystack.
there is no end to the number of unsolved mysteries in the vintage tool world

And I appreciate the resources. I have only found one other person who has the same one. He asked about it too on some collector worlds forum 6 years ago and he never got a response.

In the end, I'm sure it's USA made.

The only distinct thing is it looks exactly how a craftsman did, so maybe mine is from before craftsman used them, and/or before the patent was approved.

Thanks!

K

 

[four.cycle]

again, as should be evident from the photo I posted above, there are items out there we may never figure out.
the evidence makes itself apparent on its own time in some cases.

 

[RTM]

The only distinct thing is it looks exactly how a craftsman did, so maybe mine is from before craftsman used them, and/or before the patent was approved.

Could be that that was under the makers label when first sold, and eventually Craftsman had them made for them too. Eventually they got the patent, updated the castings, and sold more

 

[PugetDude]

Whoever was making those levels for Craftsman probably ran a few batches off-label for Hardware stores, discount outlets, etc. The only badging would have been on a cardboard merchandising sleeve.

 

[Ksem89]

She is like new and ready for action.
- Clean up, left original paint and wear, thought about repainting, but I love the look.
- All new glass
- Plaster of paris used to reset the glass, and glass bubble tubes.
- Calibrated and ready to go!

k