bubble levels

[LG1247]

What would be a good 24" level for doing small around the home projects? Any preference as to aluminum or polycast plastic? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

LG

[bumtracks]

get yourself a good one, they're all off a hair I bought a stanley alum one back around 1979 & zero'd it ,, it still works.

[Roger]

What would be a good 24" level for doing small around the home projects?

My first and most useful level was a 24". Later a 12" or less, most recently a 48". Aluminum is generally better, and can be used more conveniently as a straight-edge to mark your work, altho Aluminum can leave marks on walls.Don't try to save money. I got a top of the line Craftsman 40 yrs ago and it works fine today. Once you decide on a model, take all the stock off the shelf, find a place that measures level, then pile 4 or 5 levels on top of that one to check agreement for both vertical and horizontal. There is often at least one that tells its own story, has probably been slammed, and should be rejected.

[Stormin Mormon]

I just try the level, and then turn it end fo rend, and see if it reads the same.

I use my 24 inch level quite a lot while installing furnaces. that and a sharpie, can mark a level line on a duct. Just the cats nuts for installing Aprilaires.

[Rick Brandt]

Correct. A level that reads the same when spun end to end is dead on. The only other difference is sensitivity. They can vary the amount of curvature in the tube to make the level more or less sensitive. Some might read level just because you are in the ballpark whereas others will be very particular. That means two levels that read different could still be accurate according to the spin test, and yet read different.

[LG1247]

Thanks folks for your advice.

LG

[SteveB]

Metabo

[Duane Bozarth]

I'm somewhat partial to Stabila but any quality level will do...I don't (personally) like the platic, but others swear by them...if you have any metal frames at all, the magnetic is a nice feature, otherwise little, if any value...

[LG1247]

Any particular reason or cons of the plastic versions? Thanks

LG

[Duane Bozarth]

Personal preference, really. They just don't "feel/look" right...almost purely subjective opinion as I've not owned one, simply looked at them and used others' on the rare occasion on cooperative builds, for example. Probably significant that I'm over 55, too... :)

[LG1247]

Don't feel alone, me too

Thanks LG

[TOM KAN PA]

No matter what kind you get, if you're going to put a line across a length, say for a chair rail, keep flipping the level end for end. This will correct one that's slightly off.

[meirman]

In alt.home.repair on 19 Dec 2004 03:04:54 GMT [e-mail] (LG1247) posted:

When verifying that it reads correctly vertically, place it against a post or a wall and look at how it reads. Then twist it 180 degrees and, like they say, it should read the same. This works even if the post is not vertical.

P&M

Meirman

If emailing, please let me know whether or not you are posting the same letter. Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

[Duane Bozarth]

Think about it...now, see why they taught geometry??? :)

[LG1247]

What a great group, lots of good tips. Never knew about rotating to check accuracy.

Thanks LG

[yaofengchen]

If you want accuracy over distance, get a 20 foot long 3/8" clear plastic tube. Fill it with water and ask your young son as a helper to mark level. He'll learn something. The longer the tube the more accurate over distance.

[Sexytom976]

Two words...

LASER LEVEL!

Doing a wide area I would use one of these (I have)

Just make sure that you check your laser line with your handy trusty 4 foot level too!