Tool Talk
Machinist Forum => Machinist => Topic started by: oldgoaly on July 03, 2020, 09:04:54 PM
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My question is it better to leave it with a bad silver paint job or strip it and make it black.
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Wow that is a beauty! I don't know what is better but if it was mine it would get painted by someone better qualified than myself
and I would have the brass around the vials polished.
There is a similar one on Ebay priced at $95. I did a little research on Davis levels but did not find any painted silver.
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That appears to be an uncommon level. I looked through Rosebrook's level book and didn’t find anything like it under the Davis levels. Nothing in the Tool Archives catalogs either.
The offset level vial is uncommon and you wonder what the holes in the center are for.
Keep it safe and don’t let it get chipped.
Mike
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Hello, oldgoaly. Nice level!! How do you view the level vial? Thanks, Lou
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Don't know what the holes the inside of the large one is smooth like it was for holding with one finger? The vials.... big one is broke, small one is good. To see them hold your head at an angle stick you tongue out to the side and wiggle your ears. They are not easy to see! Especially for people like me that are a half a bubble off.This is another of the wife's "is this level worth anything it was in with some other stuff in a box at an auction."
oops forgot the webpage that showed this level.
https://www.davistownmuseum.org/bioDavis.htm
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Hello,oldgoaly. I clicked on the link, but I didn't see your level. Thanks, Lou
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Yep, it's bigger than it looks! it's 16" long, not 12"
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OG, the level that is shown on the Davistown Museum site is an inclinometer type, which is actually a fairly common level. Yours is not common. It’s too bad it’s broken but stuff happens.
I’ve reached out to one guy to see what he knows and I have another one I’m going to ask.
Don’t leave your wife at home, she has a good eye!
Mike
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Somewhere in my workshop are level vials, found them in an auction box 30+ years ago. Fixed one level 20-25 years ago. I have an idea where in the shop, now can I reach them with these bad shoulders?
I'm thinking it would look cool with the Barnes 4 1/2 lather along with the other goodies from back when they were new.
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I do believe you have a Davis/Robinson that someone has cut off shorter for some reason we will never know.
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Ouch!! Good research, papadan!!!
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Are you thinking it was a 24" some of the pattern in the casting is repeated?I'll have to take a close look at the ends, should be able to tell if it was cut off.
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Did some online searching and annotated a pic, now to get the magnifying glass to look for saw to file marks.
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This is another picture of a Davis Robinson. Regards, Lou
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It is cut off, damn thought it would look good with my Barnes treadle lathe.
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I still think it will look good!! We'll never tell :cheesy:
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It can still look good, strip it and paint it black!!!
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Sorry to be the bearer, but now you know you have a unique old level. Bet you can never find another just like it. ;-)
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I started to file and grind the end to match the other end, to be closer it would need cast iron added. Even though I can weld cast iron using cast iron rods (you don't see the difference in color) Probably not worth the time and effort. Still a ways to go, don't want to take too much off!
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I've got a Stanley cast iron level that was similarly cut off. I don't know if it lost an argument with the floor and was trimmed to get rid of the break, or if a previous owner needed a shorter level. I've held on to it so I can salvage the vials, if ever I figure out how to remove those little setscrews, which have long since gotten married to the casting.
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I just got one of the 3 screws out. a 50/50 mixture of atf (automatic transmission fluid and acetone works well) 2 more to go.
Just put a little drop or to on top of the screw and let it soak. Did that on the 6th, gave it another drop on the 7th, got one loose on the 8th. By the end of the week with a little luck all 3 will be out!
I mix up a batch of atf/acetone and put it in empty liquid wrench cans keep it in multiple places in the shop so it easier to find one.
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Known as JAFE Juice!
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I found that soaking rusted parts in Coca Cola works quite well too. I learned about this from guys getting a piston
freed up on old hit and miss engines.
I also told a friend about it when he was having no luck getting the breech plug out of a black powder rifle that someone had left loaded for years, he poured some coke down the barrel and the next day he easily pulled the breech plug out.
I do believe part of the process when removing rusted screws is having good luck.
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I gotta like oldgoaly"s post re, fill mt cans and keep them in multiple places in the shop. You must be peaking in my shop windows. :grin:
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I tried the coca-cola thing on some piston rings once, and all I got was sugar-coated pistons. Vinegar for me. Less sticky.