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  1. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
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    56
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    1,416

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by OxxAndBert View Post
    Not sure if I'm the only one, but I've struggled with getting my head around the various ways of stating the accuracy of these levels.
    There's mm/m, thousandths per foot, decimal degrees, seconds, thousandths per 10"" etc etc!!
    To add to my confusion, often in discussion people don't actually include the units...

    Noting .RC.'s comment about the Starrett 199 being "just about spot on sensitivity wise" I went to check what its accuracy actually was.
    Probably the clearest statement I've seen:

    "Ground and graduated main vial of 10-second accuracy; one division equals 1/2 thousandth (0.0005) of an inch per foot, or 0.04mm per meter"
    Here's the page that statement came from:
    199Z Master Precision Level

    Steve
    If you place the level on something straight that is a meter long then add a 0.4mm feeler gauge under the end the bubble will move one devision.
    If you put a 0.0005 inch shim under the end of the level on it's own it will still move on devision.
    The feet vs mm is just US against the rest of the world lol
    Using Tapatalk

  2. #17
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Tasmania
    Posts
    50

    Default Arrived but damaged..

    sIt5c8CfTaam0JAvcHpLDQ.jpgUnfortunately I have to send it back. Rough handling by the couriers (typical modern day Australia) means it got trashed. Mind you the aluminium case is that thin I doubt the level would detect it as a shim.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

    Default

    I have a starrett 98 level and a Japanese made 0.02mm/m level.

    The more sensitive level is almost impossible to use with machines placed on a standard 100mm thick concrete slab in most sheds. If I leave it on a surface, the bubble will move several increments throughout the day purely from temp variation or walking near the machine.

    The Starrett is a nice to use ball park level for most jobs.

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
    Age
    57
    Posts
    2,651

    Default

    Out of interest, I just checked the specs and the Starrett 98 is 0.005"/ft or 0.42mm/m.
    So not much better from an accuracy perspective than a $30 Torpedo level from Bunnings (0.5mm/m)

    Steve

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by OxxAndBert View Post
    Out of interest, I just checked the specs and the Starrett 98 is 0.005"/ft or 0.42mm/m.
    So not much better from an accuracy perspective than a $30 Torpedo level from Bunnings (0.5mm/m)

    Steve
    Similar sensitivity to the Bunnings level you quote but certainly more accurate or repeatable which still has benefits over a carpenter's level.

    But yes you are correct in that it's sensitivity is not really quite good enough for lathe leveling on it's own.

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
    Age
    57
    Posts
    2,651

    Default Steelmaster machine levels

    I wasn't meaning to imply that the accuracy wasn't good enough, just surprised that there wasn't much difference in the spec.
    I've just been out to the shed and played with my builders level and a borrowed Starrett 98. Definitely one of those cases where the numbers don't tell the whole story.

    Here's what I found:
    The Starrett is 0.005"/ft for each division on the vial. Each of those divisions is only 1/10" wide.
    My builders level is 0.0005"/inch, so 0.006"/ft, but there's only the central markings on the vial and one other division either side.

    In practice, there's a huge difference in how they behave.
    The builders level is the type with machined surfaces top and bottom, so assuming they are reasonably parallel I put the starrett on top of the builders level.

    Here's a photo of each with it as level as I could make the builders level:



    And with the builders level only a whisker off, the Starrett shows significant movement:




    Steve

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

    Default

    I know what you mean. I had actually forgotten the specs on that level but you are correct about the graduations. I have found that the graduations allow for adjustments finer than the specs of paper.

    Ultimately when it comes to leveling the lathe, the proof is in the parallel turning. So unless you or someone else has messed with the headstock alignment, if it's turning parallel (within spec) then it's all that matters. These adjustments can be done without a level.

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

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