Show us your levels

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

I searched to see if this had already been done, but found nothing specific. Here are 4 of my precision (machinist) levels..

 

[lbgradwell]

What do mechanics use such levels for?

I've only known these as machinist tools...

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

My past experience (replacing the vial on the 18" one on the second page in the early 1980's) was that Starrett called that level a mechanics level previously..I've got an old catalog of theirs at home, and I'll double check that tonight.. I suspect the term mechanic was used in a broad sense to include mill wrights, machinists, tool makers, machine setters, machine repairmen, etc. etc. These are less capable levels vs. Starrett's "master precision level"..which I suspect can be used by these same folks and more..

I just checked their online version and they have changed their nomenclature to machinist levels. My vernacular was obviously out of date, so I've made the revision.

As an aside.. I've actually used one of these levels (it was the only one I had with me at the time) for carpentry...

Dennis

 

[larry_g]

In the industrial world the mechanics would install the machines and the machinists would run them. Mechanics work on much more than automobiles. In some areas they may also be called millwrights, field engineers, maintenance techs, or some other terms.

Me I traveled for awhile and installed production machines. I used bubble levels as shown above, optical and laser levels. The correct tool for the job was determined by the needs of the machine.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[ER70S-2]

What do mechanics use such levels for?

I've only known these as machinist tools...

Any garage with a lathe in the shop would need one. Are we not allowed to talk about machine tools or machinists tools here? Serious question as I'm new here.

 

[454ragtop]

Any garage with a lathe in the shop would need one. Are we not allowed to talk about machine tools or machinists tools here? Serious question as I'm new here.

It's all good, all tools are fair game. I've got a collection of them, will post up some pics later.
Jim

 

[lbgradwell]

Are we not allowed to talk about machine tools or machinists tools here?

Certainly! I just automatically thought of auto mechanic when I read the post and was genuinely confused as to what the application would be...

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Certainly! I just automatically thought of auto mechanic when I read the post and was genuinely confused as to what the application would be...

All good... when I get home I'll grab some more levels of mine to add to the discussion.. I do have an unusual assortment for some reason...

Dennis..

 

[brownbagg]

how sensitive are they?

 

[ER70S-2]

Very. The ones I am looking to buy to set up my lathe have graduations of 0.005" per foot. Others may be more precise, I don't know.

 

[454ragtop]

Here's a pic of my collection. All are Starrett in the 2nd pic, 2nd one up from the bottom is a cool engineers level, with a vial that came be set at inches per foot to read pitch. In the first pic, bottom one is a master precision level, European, and just above it is an old Stanley.
Jim

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

I checked a Starrett catalog that I had from the early 1990s, it shows them as Machinist Levels..

Here are a few of my other levels...

 

[454ragtop]

Listed here as an engineers http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002FS0OG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Listed here as an engineers http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002FS0OG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

That one is on my "watch for a deal" list...