spirit levels

[Fred]

Hi,

Does the group have any recommendations for a good spirit level, or any tales of bad spirit levels best to avoid?

I ask because some years ago, I bought a 4' level from Screwfix. It was a cheap, unbranded one. I have used it to put up shelves and radiators without problems but the other week, I was trying to install a door frame.

The level said the wall was plumb, the frame was plumb, and the door was plumb. But the door would not close; it fouled against the frame.

Standing back, I noticed that the wall (and thus the frame) were not truly vertical. I put a packer between the top of the frame and the wall, which bought the frame true and the door shut perfectly.

I cannot understand why the level said the frame and wall were plumb when they were not. Is it that they are less accurate when used vertically than horizontal? Is it that unbranded ones are just less accurate?

I notice that branded ones say they are accurate to 0.5mm/m but unbranded ones keep quiet about their accuracy!

TIA

[Roger Mills]

It's best to check *any* spirit level periodically by putting it on a levelish surface and then turning it round to make sure that the bubble is in the same relative position. The same applies for vertical measurement, by putting each edge in turn against (say) a door jamb, and checking that it tells the same story both ways round. Some levels have the bubble bits in circular housings which can be rotated slightly to make them read true.

The only trouble I've had with the cheap Screwfix levels is that if you put one down a bit heavily, the bubble breaks up into hundreds of little bubbles and takes ages to re-combine.

[NT]

I've used levels from fancy quality quality to poundland, and they all work perfectly well. Is good practice to check the level before each job - just put it on a level surface both ways round, if it reads the same each way its good.

NT

[The Medway Handyman]

As others have said, check the bubble by turning the level.

Cheap levels work OK if treated gently. I did have a Magnusson B&Q own label level which was s**te as the vial frequently fell out!

[ARWadsworth]

As I am an electrician I have to ask "what is a spirit level and why would you need one?"

[F Murtz]

If the vertical has only one bubble unit it may or may not read upside down.

[charles]

You might want to install eitehr a socket outlet or a switch and have the top edge hoizontal - you know it makes sense.

[Hugh - Was Invisible]

or make a cable run vertical or horizontal

[John Rumm]

Depend a bit on what you want to use them for... For example, my medium sized level (approx 90 cm) I have found great for many tasks, but not good for brickwork, because the vial is not as easy to see from the top

- being partially enclosed.

With any level it is worth checking from time to time. Draw a line on a surface, then reverse and draw again - the lines should be parallel!

It could be its always been out on the vertical vial, but since that gets used less it has not been noticed.

Better levels are adjustable, cheap ones might be stuck wrong!

That's before they have been dropped and kicked about a bit as well.

[Bill]

In message , ARWadsworth writes

They are handy for leaning on, when I hurt my back earlier this year I used one as a walking stick for a couple of days.

Handy for beating the apprentice with?

[ARWadsworth]

I spent an hour last week teaching an apprentice to use one. He is OK with new builds where the back boxes are surface mounted but he struggled with rewires where the boxes are sunk flush and he could not rest the level on top of the back box. He got there in the end. I double checked all the boxes he installed and only one had to be altered.

I was rather pleased with his work. In fact I was so pleased with his work I sent him to the shop in the pouring rain to buy 2 massive bacon, sausage and egg sandwiches for us (with my money). I even let him use my hi-viz waterproof jacket and my hi-viz waterproof trousers for the trip:-)

[pcb1962]

That would explain this :-)

[ARWadsworth]

was on yesterdays snagging list.

It is still not my problem:-)

[Jo Stein]

If it do not reads the same each way it is still good. You just make a note in your head where that bubble must be located in order to have a leveled surface. As simple as that!

[Steve Firth]

You're all heart, Adam.

[PeterC]

I've a 2m level where the vertical is only a couple of inches from one end - my eye-level is about 1m 83 and I can't read the vial thing!

[PeterC]

I recently got a set of four (300, 600, 1200 and 2m) from Axminster as a special offer. The set is still here:

seems expensive compared with the set of three plus the 2m separately (I haven't compared the details).

They seem to be OK when checked and I've just been using the 600 on a new fence[1].

[1] Bit redundant for vertical as the posts were such that a banana would have been of more use!

[Stephen H]

Shame on you!!!

When I do electrics, I use a spirit level to make sure my back boxes, surface mount boxes wall sockets, light switches, are all level..... There is nothing worse than standing back and spotting a crooked faceplate or box...

Same goes for when I do plumbing, I use a spirit level on the radiator wall brackets, on vertical pipes, and for checking that there is a fall or rise on certain types of pipes such as gravity fed circuits.

Stephen

Stephen

[Andy Champ]

Use the other edge. You have no reason to believe that the two bubbles will show the same level.

Come to that, I don't think I've ever seen two for opposite levels. Mine all have a vertical and a horizontal bubble, and a couple have a 45 degree one.

Andy

[Rick Hughes]

Most you are in Wickes / B&Q etc are only 1mm/1m accuracy .

Worth paying the extra and getting 0.5mm / 1m aqccuracy .... much more accurate ..

I have a 300mm, 12000, 20000mm level ... the first 2 are DRAPER expert range and the long one is a FISCO Big X