# Lathe level



## togl (Sep 15, 2012)

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.


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## 12bolts (Sep 15, 2012)

Well done Tony,
What prompted you to come up with the idea of a pendulum level?
Have you hardened the knife edges at all?
What lathe have you got that set up on?
Oh and welcome to the forum, from another aussie 

Cheers Phil


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## NortonDommi (Jul 1, 2017)

Looks like a bought one. Love the bicycle clamp.


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## Mark_f (Jul 21, 2017)

Well done. You did a wonderful job on this. It looks much better than another one I was looking at. Could you post more construction details, particularly at the top?


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