This is a pendulum level I made to help setup my lathe, it’s obviously not as accurate as a machinists level, but it's certainly more accurate than a builders level. Made from scraps, it’s about 1.5metres high and uses a pendulum system. The unit is clamped to the bed via a bicycle seat clamp, which can be released and the unit then slid to the other end and re-clamped. Up top the pendulum is mounted to a knife edge balance point via a bronze bush which allows the pendulum to hang true vertically, mounted at the lower end of the pendulum is a rule. A vernier scale, in 0.05mm increments, is mounted on a slide at the base and zeroed via a spring loaded screw. The scale can be moved closer to the ruler via thumb screws on the ends of the knife edge. Not for everyone, but at $0, it’s certainly cheaper than a machinists level.
