Lets talk levels

[quattro_sinko]

I started 40 years ago buying MQ and switched to Levelotuion. Except torpedo levels I don't buy a level I can't adjust. I had to teach every guy I hired how to check a level. Stabilla makes a quality piece but what happens when it does go out, and they do. Mail it back and wait three weeks?

The main take away here is, you need to know how to check your level no matter how much you spent to know if it is telling you the truth.

I bought a full set of Leveloution Levels when they first came out and loved them, especially for the possibility of adjusting them should they get out of level. Unfortunately, my supply house ended their relationship with them about 12-18 months after they started selling them due in part to the rubber ends not staying installed. Mine were great and stayed true despite my being rough with them. 10 years later I was leaving work and leaned my level bag up against my truck to get my keys out, and, you guessed it, forgot them and backed over the bag. Unfortunately, my 6'6" and my 36" levels got bent (and twisted).

I couldn't find replacements available retail, because of that I've since switched to Stabilas.

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

Crick it is! In masonry building leads you have LPS level,plum and straight edge.Leveling I beat the level with rubber handel of estwing hammer.Dropped them tothers wear out.
Just seen a new 48" crick at sunbelt,$125.
24" $76

I agree however wood levels don’t get much love nowadays,

here’s a good video to watch of a guy standing on a crick level and it doesn’t ruin it. And also it shows how to test a level after the fact

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gmwelder86]

All depends on what level of accuracy you are going for. Are the standard torpedo levels super accurate most of the time probably not. Are they good enough for their intended purpose most of the time. I’ve found laser levels to be more untrustworthy than you torpedo,2 foot or 4foot+ levels ever are and the box level is much easier to check for being accurate than a line laser is.

 

[16again]

I don't use a level often BUT I want it accurate when I need it. Ordered a CRICK a few months ago. Expensive yes, I don't mind paying for AMERICAN Made quality.

 

[BrokeEF]

This thread makes me think about the old fart who taught me to do finish carpentry. He was famous for asking new guys "What's the best use for an-out-of whack level?". His answer was " a ******' concrete screed!"

Fond memories.

Funny you should say that, I used the 4' as a screed Because of that I pretty much have never tried to use it as a level.

I quickly checked them the other day and they didn't seem to be too far off. I will try and set up a way to get good pics of them this week.

While I don't want to spend a grand on a level, I am OK spending some money on good ones. I use the torpedo level the most since I do a lot of fabrication on cars (turbo kits). But as I said, nothing is worse than trying to use a precision tool that isn't precise.

I do also have a Bosh laser level, but I haven't checked that against any of them yet. I used it when I was doing shelves in our pantry and some other places and didn't ever feel like it was off. If I use my other levels I can stand back and see its not good. I am not a carpenter by any stretch of the imagination, so maybe its just user error?


Sean

 

[highland512]

My guess is your not building bridges or driving piles. If most of your work is in the home on walls or wood work I would consider a wood level. Mayes is one of my favorites.
https://www.amazon.com/Mayes-10136-48-Inch-Laminated-Level/dp/B00176LF96
Any work with electrical boxes, conduit, tubing, or anything steel get a magnet level. This has worked well for me.
https://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Level-Tool-5500M-GLO-Magnetic/dp/B0015TOG5K?keywords=usa+made+level&qid=1540839442&s=Home+Improvement&sr=1-5&ref=sr_1_5

 

[IdahoMan]

Stabila 48" Digital. Buy once, cry once.

Says the salesman.

Reminds of a Simpsons episode where they have a security salesman at their house trying to sell them something. They are interested until he shows them the price.. The next scene shows Homer ushering him out the door, to which he the man says "Surely you can't put a price on your family's lives." Homer responds "I didn't think so either, but here we are." *slam*

I despise Snap-On, Starrett, et al for example. I believe if they owned the candy companies, we'd be paying $5-6 for a $.90 Snickers bar at the check-out line. They know they have the tools we need so they set their prices to unacceptable levels, like selling a man dying in the desert a bottle of water for $20. People who swoon and ooze over their Starrett/SO/Mity stuff do so either for antiquity, fanboy-ism, or a sense of aristocratic "I spent more money than you" mentality.

People need tools, I need tools. But the only choices there seems to be is either: A. The ChiChi-Trough (what used to be called "Hardware Stores"), or B. Sell-us-your-soul-for-a-socket-wrench snots. I'm not paying $200 for *bleep* level, thank you.