digital vs machinist levels

That is why when I frame level a table with the slates on the frame, I use a 4' carpenters level with my Starrett 8" level in the middle of the carpenters level, and I place 2 razor blades under both ends of the carpenters level, so that I'm only reading the level of the frame and not the flatness of the slate. Then, and only then do I come back and start leveling the slates on the level frame.

Glen
 
And for those of you who don't, you should take some calipers and check your carpenter levels. You may see big problems there which then give you misreads as you are only looking at the machinist levels on top of the others
 
OTLB said:
And for those of you who don't, you should take some calipers and check your carpenter levels. You may see big problems there which then give you misreads as you are only looking at the machinist levels on top of the others
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I check my carpenters levels before I buy them with 3 starrett 8" levels, 1 placed at each end and 1 in the center, if they all 3 read the same, I buy it;)
 
a level is going to tell you exactly that how level something is to the ground and that base is only going to sit on the highs under it so if you had a level that could span to the centers of two pieces of slate which should be the highest after tightening down the rails. i would guess that is the best way to level a table i have never done it and would have to be there for it to see how all those different things effect the flatness of the slate. How bout this for a suggestion after putting the rails on since there isn't much you can do about flatness as far as putting the table together get two large pieces of glass about 12 inch squares and put them down on the slate obviously clean slate no grit or shit like that and level off of that. Glass is pretty flat and parallel as far as the tolerances you guys were throwing around. It will sit on more high spots saving you time of checking a bunch of spots on the slate as someone stated before.


Now that i think about it nevermind
the quickest and most accurate way would be to have something that is flat and parallel within .003 that is the length of the table and then you could throw any accurate level on there and do it in one shot the more high points it sits on the better i might be getting a little to precise for what you all are talking about. imo
 
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Your right Scottyr44 dial indicator wont do it but it was the only link I could find with a picture to give him an idea. Straight edge would and wouldn't work as you add shims you could creat another high spotand a 2 low spots, it would be like chasing the bubble on a level but you could see were it was going with some control. Now if you make a straight edge with a machined spot for a level then you might be onto something but you need a long box to protect it from abuse while not in use.

Craig
 
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