Why use a level when building something?

I dont understand the point in using a level when someone is building something. That level may show that the floor, wall, or roof is completely level right now, but in an hour or day from now, it will no longer be level. The earth is rotating, gravity changes as the world turns, and what was level yesterday is not level today because of the earths rotation. After all, that bubble in the level is measuring whatever you're building, in relationship to the earths surface you are positioned on at that moment, and nothing more. This means nothing, because that piece of soil where you're working, will not be the same position in space in another hour.

When I build something, I do it all by sight. If I put a fence post in the ground, I can actually see it's off by as little as 1/4". If I measure that post from something like a house, I am nearly always accurate within 1/4". If I use a level, it almost always ends up being off by an inch or more, and I have several levels, and they are all accurate. That's if you want to call any level accutate, because none of them are accurate, simply because they are based on the present rotation of the earth.

It amazes me that in this age of high technology, we still use levels based on the surface of the earth, rather than having levels based on the entire solar system, the earth's position based on it's angle to the sun an other planets, and the plane of space that our solar system rides upon. Such a level would be operated by satellites in space sending signals similar to a GPS. It's measurements would be based on ALL the planets, not just the earth.

Yet, to date, we have nothing even close to this, and continue to build homes and skyscrapers based on outdated mathematic formulas which dictate the earth as a static object, which it is not. If we build a 1000foot tall building, it could at times be as much as 18 feet off of level at the top, in relationship the the our solar system and the universe. Of course this puts stress and strain on the foundation as well as the earth surrounding this structure, and results in eventual destruction of the building from within.

In a simple one or two story home, this is not noticable except for slight dips and sags in the floor. And most homes are built of wood, which tends to "float" and form according the position in relation to space. But these tall structures built of rigid materials such as steel and concrete, (including bridges), do not flex and are prone to disaster mostly because they are not of "TRUE level", that is level with the entire solar system.

Reply to
JoseGomez
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Sounds like a University thesis is being worked on; trying to prove something that can never be proven, but written to sound somewhat logical in order to get grant money.

Reply to
EXT

Perhaps because precipitation and drainage are the main local problems, and rain falls under local rather than cosmic gravity.

Reply to
Don Phillipson

Your basic premise is wrong to begin with. Levels do not work 'based on the ground, earth's positon, etc." It works on gravity which is permanently fixed to the center of mass of whatever planet, star, moon, etc. you are on.

Try again but get an education first.

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

He needs this.

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Guaranteed to point straight to China.

--Vic

Reply to
Vic Smith

And why make it level anyway? Trees aren't level. Nothing wrong with a crooked house or garage. Nothing 'NEEDS' to be level.

Reply to
Dbdblocker

please don't feed the trolls...

Reply to
dpb

The problem is that you never know in which direction your structure will sag, so you make it as level as possible to minimize the eventual impact, whichever way it goes.

Reply to
Pavel314

I score it 3 out of 10.

On this board you might even get a few on your side.

As to using sight vs. a level, you're using the level wrong. You can do pretty well by sight, but a level should increase your accuracy.

For a fun experiment for the gullible, put your level on a flat surface and come back in an hour and watch that bubble move all over the place.

Now sober up and try again.

:)

Reply to
despen

Do not - I repeat *do not* - buy this level.

I bought one last year and found out after the fact that Harbor Freight does not carry replacement bubbles.

Once you use up the bubbles that come with the level, all you are left with is a 24" straight edge.

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Reply to
DerbyDad03

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Reply to
Fat-Dumb and Happy

From that site:

"This gives the bricklayer a perfect, taut, vertical string to guarantee that the wall of bricks will be all the same distance from the string and hence be vertically straight."

Actually, this gives the bricklayer a perfect, taut, vertical string to use as a reference when laying his brick. The string itself will not "guarantee" anything. The distance and straightness is based on the skill of the mason.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Do not - I repeat *do not* - buy this level.

I bought one last year and found out after the fact that Harbor Freight does not carry replacement bubbles.

Once you use up the bubbles that come with the level, all you are left with is a 24" straight edge.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- How does one "use up" the bubbles?

FWIW, I've purchased wonderful little stick-on bubbles that I've placed on my cordless drills so that I can drill holes with some assurance that they are level. Maybe you could retrofit them onto your level.

-- Bobby G.

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Reply to
Robert Green

Mexican, huh?

Reply to
Steve B

Just in case....I was joking. You know, digging to China....uh, never mind. I have a few levels, all Stanleys I think, including a 3 footer, but have used them mostly as straight edges when marking lines. Here's what I nearly always use when I level or want a slope. Much easier to see than bubbles, and gives you degree of slope. And probably more accurate. Can't get much more simple than a needle pointer on a pendulum.

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Mine's a Craftsman and as I remember cost somewhere around 10 bucks. Don't see it on the Sears site now. Looks pretty much the same as this one, but this one is priced too high. I'm on my second one. The first one I bought 30-40 years ago and lost it on along the way.

--Vic

Reply to
Vic Smith

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Reply to
DerbyDad03

re: "How does one "use up" the bubbles?"

If you hold a level vertical for too long, the bubbles used for leveling go up into the wood never to be seen again.

If you hold it horizontal for too long, the bubbles used to check for plumb go away.

It's best to store your levels at a 45 degree angle for maximum bubble life.

BTW...They last a little longer in aluminum and plastic levels because the material is denser.

(Eventually I'll start adding smiley faces to these posts.)

Reply to
DerbyDad03

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Reply to
DerbyDad03

Think mine is about 6" but I left that weakness out. I've actually put it atop my aluminum 3 foot level when my eyeball says something's not true. Think I did that when pitching gutters. It was clumsy. Maybe I should get one just to glue to the 3 footer. Nah. It's just easy to see the needle, and easy to move it on the work. With lumber you have to watch for that warped stuff. I don't trust my eyes when it's expensive and I can't afford a surprise. I put 2 edges on the floor when selecting. If nothing wants to match the floor, the floor is probably bad. But once 2 pieces match the floor you can count on it. Something like the odds with DNA. Doesn't work on gravel.

--Vic

Reply to
Vic Smith

How futile a battle is that? (-: This is like a troll-based food court at a huge shopping mall. At least this is a repair related troll and not a Farsi travel ad. Most of the others involve bodily functions, politics and really bad humor. I've set my "mark as read" time for just long enough to insure I read each message long enough to be sure that it's a trolling and move on.

Doesn't hurt to remind people, I guess.

-- Bobby G.

Reply to
Robert Green

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