12" machinist level

I realize this is a brand new level, but have you ever placed a straight edge across the bottom just to be sure it wasn't grossly damaged before you got it? Even a minute amount of damage could be causing your problem. I would place a straight edge against the bottom and hold it in front of a light source. If you can see light between the straight edge and the level you'll know it's damaged.

The reason I say to check for damage is because I've been in a situation where someone dropped a level and put it back in the box without telling anyone. Myself and another coworker spent the better part of a frustrating night attempting to repair and relevel a machine. We must have disassembled, shimmed and reassembled a machine section at least a dozen times and could never get it level. We were at our patience end working through multiple shifts when one of the facility mechanics was assigned to give us some assistance.

The first thing out of his mouth was "Do you really trust that level?" When we asked why he told us the story about how it had been dropped. With the new information we once again set it on the machine. It was painfully obvious that the readings were completely different depending on how it was placed on the machine. We spent another couple hours attempting to calibrate it before we finally gave up.

We bought another level which if memory serves correctly was in the $250.00 plus range and completed the job by the end of the shift. In this case the hard lesson learned was to make sure the level is in good shape, and properly calibrated before attempting to use it.
 
I do not have an official straight edge, but I have used the rule from my SS combo square, it was flat, and I did a "scrape" across the bottom too, to check if there were high spots. All good there.
Running out of real estate

Flip
 
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Mike, adjust the level so the bubble is not pegged in either position.
 
Last right bubble

last right bubble flip
 
All variances peg to the right on the flip
Full left bubble flips hard right
full right bubble stays hard right
The tray is still level.
 
I really did walk 5 miles to school in the snow UP HILL BOTH WAYS.....

I did another check but in reverse, maxed the adjuster so the bubble was full left, and it went full right on the flip. bottomed the adjuster on the threads. Today's exercise
Next I ran the adjuster, and compressed the spring to the top. The bubble was full right, and went left on the flip. hooray, I thought.

I started running the adjuster back down, and got motion on the flip, back side facing me left to right, with the front facing me it stayed pegged to the right.
Back, and forth moving the adjuster down the threads, the bubble moving to center with the back facing me, still pegged right facing me. I did very small incremental adjustments, and when the bubble/level facing away from me moved over to the right. Both the front, and back facing me stayed to the right. I hope this makes sense, I'm fried.
Same outcome, but reciprocal?
 
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Aukai said:
I really did walk 5 miles to school in the snow UP HILL BOTH WAYS.....

I did another check but in reverse, maxed the adjuster so the bubble was full left, and it went full right on the flip. bottomed the adjuster on the threads. Today's exercise
Next I ran the adjuster, and compressed the spring to the top. The bubble was full right, and went left on the flip. hooray, I thought.

I started running the adjuster back down, and got motion on the flip, back side facing me left to right, with the front facing me it stayed pegged to the right.
Back, and forth moving the adjuster down the threads, the bubble moving to center with the back facing me, still pegged right facing me. I did very small incremental adjustments, and when the bubble/level facing away from me moved over to the right. Both the front, and back facing me stayed to the right. I hope this makes sense, I'm fried.
Same outcome, but reciprocal?
Click to expand...

I read this, word for word, 6 times and cannot understand what you're doing, Mike.

There will be a point where the bubble will move towards center. It will not be on center but it will move towards it. When you flip the level, it will also be somewhat towards the center. This is what you're looking for and you have to make tiny adjustments and wait a while for the bubble to settle before making more changes. When the bubble is no longer pegged to one side or the other but is somewhere in the middle, take pics.

If we cannot get this done, send it to me in Honolulu and I will calibrate it for you.
 
I was afraid I was talking gibberish. In one plane the bubble moved, but the flip buried back. The adjuster on the threaded shaft( the pukas) was bottomed all the way down to up, then tried opposite from all the way up to down. That is where I had to do the mirror effort to see effects. There should be somewhere it cooperates, but I have not found it. Sorry you adopted a dummy :grin:

 
Aukai said:
I was afraid I was talking gibberish. In one plane the bubble moved, but the flip buried back. The adjuster on the threaded shaft( the pukas) was bottomed all the way down to up, then tried opposite from all the way up to down. That is where I had to do the mirror effort to see effects. There should be somewhere it cooperates, but I have not found it. Sorry you adopted a dummy :grin:
Click to expand...

I'm beginning to wonder if it might not be the mechanism they use. I agree that there should be some part where it cooperates but you are no dummy, no Paramedic is, so I'm wondering if it isn't you. Hence, my offer to give it a shot.

Maybe we should give it a rest and try again tomorrow. I promise to stay with you until we get it.
 
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