What Did You Buy Today?

Received my 8” master precision level. I live in a house built in 1960, and I’m struggling to find something level enough to calibrate this thing.

I’m losing.

so far it’s Level - 1, Budding Machinist - 0
 
Is it a machinist level. To calibrate it you just flip the level over and re ord where the bubble sits in the vile and adjust until the bubble is in the exact same spot as when you flip the level over. There is a bunch of videos on youtube on how to also do it.
 
Brento said:
Is it a machinist level. To calibrate it you just flip the level over and re ord where the bubble sits in the vile and adjust until the bubble is in the exact same spot as when you flip the level over. There is a bunch of videos on youtube on how to also do it.
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Yeah. I’ve been trying that. It’s soooo sensitive though, and apparently my house is off level enough that if I don’t clock it exactly 180 degrees the bubble won’t repeat. I think tomorrow I’ll try again on my kitchen countertop, but it’s not on slab, and the floor is apparently flexing so I’m not getting repeatability.
 
Your best bet is make a fence on your mill table this way you can put the level up against the fence and it will be very repeatable to get it fine tuned. I think i used my big parallels but if you have like a cast iron angle plate. That will also work great.
 
^ What Brento said. Or, setup stops on a surface plate (assumed heavy on solid structure).
 
I’m still waiting for my mill and lathe, and I have no surface plates. I think I have it within a few tick marks. Good enough to level my lathe when delivered. I’ll just put a piece of tape on one side, and use the level in the same direction when checking the level front to back, and left to right.
 
@Christianstark ok, lets do this in a rough format. go to the store, pick up a piece of MDF, 12x12 x 3/4

Pick up 3 carriage bolts 1/4 20 x 2 or 3 inch. and 6 washers and 6 nuts
drill 3 holes in the mdf 120 degrees apart.

are you getting where I am going. Once you are done, take a regular level and start leveling the piece. you should be able to get in a rough level.
you should now be able to get to a workable point for maybe $5-10

oh btw, put the heads of the carriage bolts down, the semi circular domes will give you nice support.
 
@woodchucker @Christianstark that is not a bad idea but also if you are waiting for you lathe to arrive. What you can do is, well wait. Once your lathe is here and you want to level it. You now have a smooth nice surface to calibrate the level on. These levels are great in that you can calibrate and level a machine at the exact same time and sitting roughly. You can use your tailstock or even your headstock as a stop and from there just go at it with calibrating. It is going to be finicky bc that is the type of level they are. Just a little patience and it will go a long way.
 
Christianstark said:
I’m still waiting for my mill and lathe, and I have no surface plates. I think I have it within a few tick marks. Good enough to level my lathe when delivered. I’ll just put a piece of tape on one side, and use the level in the same direction when checking the level front to back, and left to right.
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What part of Atlanta are you in? I have a surface plate I would part with if you need one... I'm about 45 miles west of Atl.

IIRC, this surface plate is a 12x18... it needs cleaning, but should be in decent condition otherwise...

-Bear
 
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