A Variable Sensitivity Level.

[ariscats]

I have got an idea for a variable,calibrated, sensitivity level.Is this a useful instrument?Is any one
at any time wished to have one?Shall i pursuit the idea to prototype ?I am not interested in paten-
ding it.I don't even know if such a thing exists. I do not want to make money on it.It is just for
the fun of thinking and making things.Please share your opinions.
Ariscats

 

[rgray]

I think that could come in real handy every now and then. I say build it!!!

 

[JimDawson]

Sounds like an interesting project. Go for it!!

 

[18w]

Aricats, what range of sensitivity would the level have? Length? Means of calibration? From seeing your other projects, I too would like to see what you come up with.


Darrell

 

[Doubleeboy]

sounds great, please keep us posted on your progress.
michael

 

[ariscats]

Thanks for the interest .I can feel now that it is worth the effort.I have to work out the maths but i believe a range between
1mm/m to 0.01 mm/m is quite achievable.Calibration will be by using a long sine bar.Also I have spotted a ready made vial
that is very appropriate for the purpose.For the time being the Orthodox Easter comes this Sunday and Spring is going
full blast here in Greece.So i will meet you after about a week.Thanks again
Ariscats

 

[RJSakowski]

I saw a design on another site for what is essentially a variable sensitivity machinists level. I did a search of my browsing history and have not found the site yet. When I do, I will post it.

It works by placing a fulcrum under the center of a filled and sealed glass tube and applying a downward bias on either end. The curvature will be slight which is what you would want in a high sensitivity level.

I had done up a design but am looking for a piece of precision bore glass tubing to complete it. I have looked on e-bay and you can find 1 ml glass syringes at a reasonable price. I am thinking that should be about the right bore diameter. I my former employment, we made .25 ml syringes and they had a bore of .09". Quadrupling the volume will give twice the bore diameter and .18 sounds good to me. One other innovation the designer had was to use butane for the working fluid. Butane has one of the lowest surface tensions of any liquid and I would think that would allow the bubble to move more freely. He epoxied one end of the bore and put a fill port at the other. I believe that he salvaged the fill port from a refillable lighter.

 

[ariscats]

I saw a design on another site for what is essentially a variable sensitivity machinists level. I did a search of my browsing history and have not found the site yet. When I do, I will post it.

It works by placing a fulcrum under the center of a filled and sealed glass tube and applying a downward bias on either end. The curvature will be slight which is what you would want in a high sensitivity level.

I had done up a design but am looking for a piece of precision bore glass tubing to complete it. I have looked on e-bay and you can find 1 ml glass syringes at a reasonable price. I am thinking that should be about the right bore diameter. I my former employment, we made .25 ml syringes and they had a bore of .09". Quadrupling the volume will give twice the bore diameter and .18 sounds good to me. One other innovation the designer had was to use butane for the working fluid. Butane has one of the lowest surface tensions of any liquid and I would think that would allow the bubble to move more freely. He epoxied one end of the bore and put a fill port at the other. I believe that he salvaged the fill port from a refillable lighter.

I have seen this solution in another forum,may be 'Practical machinist' but i do not really remember.My idea is to use a ready made vial from,lets say,
http://www.leveldevelopments.com/products/ without stressing the vial in any way avoiding repeatability problems and temperature effects.The use of butane
gas (fluid) is a marvelous idea together with the lighter filling valve.I will use them if i decide to make my own vials and thank you for bringing this up.
You got it right that a bent and not a ground tube is involved.But allow me to keep the "mystery" till i will finish the calculations.
Ariscats

 

[RJSakowski]

I have seen this solution in another forum,may be 'Practical machinist' but i do not really remember.My idea is to use a ready made vial from,lets say,
http://www.leveldevelopments.com/products/ without stressing the vial in any way avoiding repeatability problems and temperature effects.The use of butane
gas (fluid) is a marvelous idea together with the lighter filling valve.I will use them if i decide to make my own vials and thank you for bringing this up.
You got it right that a bent and not a ground tube is involved.But allow me to keep the "mystery" till i will finish the calculations.
Ariscats

I am looking forward to seeing your design!

 

[randyc]

I saw a design on another site for what is essentially a variable sensitivity machinists level. I did a search of my browsing history and have not found the site yet. When I do, I will post it.

It works by placing a fulcrum under the center of a filled and sealed glass tube and applying a downward bias on either end. The curvature will be slight which is what you would want in a high sensitivity level...

I believe that was posted in a shop-made tooling thread that ran to over 200 posts on another HSM forum. That thread included a lot of good ideas. (A bit of liquid soap in water will reduce surface tension in devices such as remote leveling tools, where two vertical, calibrated pipettes are linked with flexible tubing. Might not be as good as using a liquid gas or even alcohol, however.)