Gallery, Projects and General > How do I??
vial for a machinist's level
jcs0001:
Pete
Thanks for the information and link. I guess I'll have to go to the "golden arches" for a coffee and get a drink "straw". That should work ask I believe they are fat enough.
John.
Pete.:
This guy is now selling them by the handful. I have got my own order in already..
http://www.homeworkshop.org.uk/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&view=show_ad&adid=28147&catid=2
RussellT:
I don't need a handful and already have more than enough clutter. Would anyone like to split an order?
Russell
jcs0001:
The level is finally back together with an intact main vial (the other two were good and still are) and is calibrated.
I bought a 2 kg box of plaster of paris (POP) and have about 1.99999999 kg left :D Any ideas for using the remainder are welcome.
I found some fairly thick (like poster paper) acid free white paper for backing and the vial still had a very small amount of room (diameter wise) with one layer of paper so that worked out well.
Transparent tape was used to temporarily hold the vial. The groves for the two circlip springs can be seen here:
I had several plastic drinking straws ready to cover the small "tit" on one end of the vial but found that I did not need to use them. Instead I applied POP in small amounts with a bamboo skewer and kept it away from the "tit". The other end was easier although I used the same method. I did 3 applications of POP to get both ends nicely anchored and was quite happy with the final result. The pointy end of the skewers was used to wedge the vial up towards the opening at the top. A very small amount of cleaning up was done at each end.
I put the two spring wires in place and with great difficulty finally managed to get the protective cover over them. This was likely the most difficult part of the process as they did not wish to sit in their respective groves.
Putting the plugs in each end was causing me a lot of headaches, trying to figure out how to keep them properly aligned. I have a surface plate along with a decently flat piece of glass and a pair of 123 blocks so checking them was easy. I was thinking of making a jig with the 123 blocks - basically bolting the plugs, one to each block and then pressing the blocks together on the surface plate. This idea was abandoned as too complex plus my larger clamps did not want to cooperate.
Finally I decided do the following:
1) press one end in as close as my eye would allow.
2) align the two plugs resting each on a 123 block on the glass.
3) squeeze them together as much as possible by hand while aligned on the blocks
4) do the final compression in my rather decent sized wood working vice checking the alignment regularly as I pressed them together.
I found that the plugs required a lot of pressure to press into the tube. Large C clamps and other types of clamp either could not provide enough pressure or were to wobbly to be effective. My large wood vice is lined on each side with plywood and the plugs ended up pressing into it without any damage. Here is a mock up with a piece of similar sized brass - I don't have photos of the tube in the vice.
And a final couple of photos with the level back in operation.
John.
Pete W.:
Hi there, John,
I'm pleased you eventually got the level repaired and back to a functional condition. :D :D :D
Getting the vial aligned with the tube window and then getting the two end plugs fitted and aligned with the window and each other are more tricky than it sounds - there isn't a lot to get hold of!! I have a level repair project that's stalled at that stage. I have it in mind to make a special clamping jig but it's a lot of work for a once-off operation!
How did you calibrate your level? There's a relevant Youtube video by Stan Zinkovsky (aka Z ) in which he shows that even on a tilted surface plate there's a line that is level, i.e. at right angles to the line of maximum slope. However, you do need another level to find it but that one can be borrowed from a friend! You place a parallel along that line and then set the level under test against it. That certainly gets you near enough for most of the calibration. Then you do the final trim by comparing bubble positions when the level is turned end-for-end.
Maybe you should make your penultimate photo your Mad Modders avatar? :ddb: :nrocks: :ddb: :nrocks:
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