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Thread: Restoring old spirit level
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8th August 2006, 11:29 AM #1
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Restoring old spirit level
During the clean-out of an uncle-in-laws shed, we found a toolbox made by SWMBO's grandfather. Nothing swish, (read "rough as guts") but my 14 y.o. son seemed to appreciate being 4th generation owner.
I tossed the crap, kept the potential users, and the obviously hand-made tools, and set up a sort of ongoing project with my son to turn box and contents into something worth keeping in the family for another generation or so.
First tool project is a "Bodmann" level. A quick google didn't turn up anything, so maybe it's so rare that we're multi-millionaires
:confused:
The horizontal vial looks easy to remove and clean - 2 screws in the top edge.
However, the vertical vial has me stumped at the moment. It's got an iron "plug" that looks like it's involved in holding it in place. Any suggestions / links to diagrams on disassembling the vial windows for cleaning?
Cheers,
Andrew
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8th August 2006, 06:20 PM #2
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Dodgy brother
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Pics could be the go, Andrew, may be unique but similar to other vintage tools in construction.
Hope you have fun with your young bloke doing the project.
Cheers.................Sean
The beatings will continue until morale improves.
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8th August 2006, 11:54 PM #3
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On the ones I've cleaned up, all family hand on's it has been straightforward. They all had a side plate that you removed and then took out the brass unit that holds the vial. Often set in plaster of paris, I think they all had a retaining spring but it's been some time since the last got cleaned and adjusted so I've forgotten. Damn memory used to have one but it seems to have been mislaid.
John
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12th August 2006, 10:01 AM #4
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I bought half a dozen at a clearing sale and fixed up a couple.
Like John said, they have a spring, not coil, just an angled pice of spring steel with a set screw to adjust.
The plate needs to be removed for adjusting, if it is the same as my Stanley and Rabones.
Apart from that they are straightforward to pull down and clean up and come up nicely.
Of the ones I got (it was 8 and two were beyond redemption) I was happy with the result and the polished brass looks nice, two were rotted out but the spirit levels were OK, some others had empty levels so a bit of swapping around and they came up fine, polish up nicely too.
I am not sure about the accuracy but it was only a display restoration.Stupidity kills. Absolute stupidity kills absolutely.
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