Author Topic: Nice little level I found on ebay  (Read 3451 times)

Offline nickle

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 36
  • Country: au
Nice little level I found on ebay
« on: February 17, 2017, 06:17:23 AM »
Hello All,

I found this nice little level on ebay. I haven't been able to find any manufacturers mark so i think someone has made it for themselves. It seems nicely made and pretty sensitive. I got it calibrated after building an adjustable plate to get the bubble somewhat centered ( piece of 50mm x 3mm x 150mm aluminium with three cap head bolts for feet). Once it was adjusted to read the same when the level was turned through 180 degrees I was able to confirm that there was not a single level bench or any other surface for that matter in my house or shed.

I am keen to know more about it.

It was sold as a machinists level but seems pretty fragile when you compare it with commercial items, has anyone seen one like this before who could tell me a little about it?

What is the finish? Its pretty even all over but I would like to address the rust visible in the lighter picture and would need to make sure whatever method I use is safe on the finish.

Any thoughts on the above would be welcome.

Cheers,


Nick

Offline ieezitin

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 662
Re: Nice little level I found on ebay
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2017, 08:16:53 AM »
Hard to tell from the pictures so hence my questions is it a drab mat green, is the body made from brass or bronze? is there a chevon stamp on it?

Anthony.
If you cant fix it, get another hobby.

Offline awemawson

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8966
  • Country: gb
  • East Sussex, UK
Re: Nice little level I found on ebay
« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2017, 08:27:21 AM »
It does have a vaguely military look about it - many levels were used in gun laying. The finish might be Parkerizing  :scratch:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkerizing
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline nickle

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 36
  • Country: au
Re: Nice little level I found on ebay
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2017, 04:09:55 PM »
I must admit the military came to mind for me as well. I looked for the chevron. I guess the chevron was a commonwealth marking, not sure if it was on American stuff and it wouldnt have been on the German or Japanese gear.  There are no markings at all.  The level appears to be made of small parts of steel with pretty simple but nicely made geometry screwed together except for the arched part and knurled handle which are black painted brass. The description of parkerising sounds very similar to what the steel parts look like except for the bottom the feet which are bright (or were once) with a shallow v ground in them.. I will post some more images a little later today showing some different angles.

Offline nickle

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 36
  • Country: au
Re: Nice little level I found on ebay
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2017, 05:43:48 PM »
OK here are some more pictures to help provide a bit more info. Another clue may be that the main dimensions  of the bar that everything else is screwed to are bang on 20mm x 100mm so its been made somewhere that was working in metric.