Level

[Nasutushenri]

This 4¼" level belonged to my father, so it is rather old.
On US eBay I saw a similar one, but longer.

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/ANTIQUE-MACHINIST-LEVEL-WITH-WOODEN-BOX-/302535085284?hash=item46707f0ce4

Can they been made in the US ?

Regards
Henri

[Northwoods]

Not to worry. All of us have bad English.
About the level. I don't know where it came from, but it is attractive.
Good luck to you.

[bill300d]

Henri
It is possible that it is US made but I've got a feeling that it's European in origin. I have no evidence or clues, just a gut feeling.

[p_toad]

Nice tool and obviously much used.   Two questions:
(1) is that lead in the end?
(2) does the bubble show in all three windows?

and no, i don't know who made it; wish i did.

[Nasutushenri]

Northwoods, bill300d and p-toad, thanks for the prompt responses.

p-toad, both ends of the level are sealed with lead and the bubble can be seen in all three windows.

I always thought  it was more or less a toy, till I saw a similar one on eBay and its price 
Of course my level is smaller and I do not have a wooden box, but nevertheless.......

At least I know now that it is called a machinist's level.

Regards
Henri

[gibsontool]

Henri. I don't know this for sure or if it applies to every machinists level but I was taught that a machinists level had a shallow v notch in the base so that when you were leveling a shaft the notch would ensure that you were parralel to the shaft. Machinist levels as I know them were aslo very precise when I was working we had levels that varied from 1/2 a thou per inch to 5 thou per inch and were any where from 6" long to 18" long. Think I still have a few hiding out in the shop.We had a few different brands but I think Starrett was the most common.

[gibsontool]

I need to correct my last post. The increments on the Starrett levels are per foot not per inch.
  Sorry about that.

[Nasutushenri]

gibsontool,

Interesting technical explanation. It make sense.
My father never used this level.
He inherited it from his brother, a fortress artillery officer in the first world war.
Perhaps the level was used by him.

Maybe I can just call it old "level" from now on and not "machinist's level".

Regards
Henri

[gibsontool]

Henri. Very interesting history on that level,a keeper for sure. Jim.

[turnnut]

 Henri, that is an interesting level.

 also, I prefer  to call "old" tools "vintage", although I am called old, not vintage.

[Nasutushenri]

turnnut,

You are right: A newspaper from yesterday is "old".
In Europe, in general, "vintage" means "made before 1930" and
"antique" is one hundred years ore more old.

So my level is at least "vintage", maybe even "antique".

Regards
Henri

[Bill Houghton]

Machinist's levels will generally be very sensitive, detecting very small changes in level.  Set it on your bench and place thin paper - card stock or printer paper - under it until the bubble is centered.  It's handy to put down a piece of printer paper first, and mark around the level, for reasons I'll explain in the next paragraph.

While you've got the bubble centered, pick up the level and turn it end for end, carefully setting it down in the exact same place (that's why you marked around it in the first step).  If the bubble's still centered, it is in fact a level; if not, it's a pretty little piece of metal with a bubble in it; making it into a level would require getting a replacement vial (the part with the liquid and bubble in it) and carefully replacing the old one, installing the new one so it's accurately level, not an easy job.

Now add one more piece of paper, and see how much the bubble moves.  If it takes several pieces of paper before you see much movement, it's probably just a handy little level; if the bubble moves quickly, it's likely a machinist's level.