Leveling a table frame

Ralph Kramden

Ralph Kramden

BOOM!.. ZOOM!.. MOON!
Silver Member
After leveling the table legs, raising the low end of the table, adding shims, checking for level, adding more shims, checking again and finding it still isn't level.... I said to myself.... "There must be a better way".

I took out all shims. I put a board across the top of the table frame, in the center of the frame. The board ran from one table frame side, to the other side.

I put a 9" pan (with about 3/4" of water in it) on top of the board. After I centered the 9" pan on the board, I floated an empty 8" pan inside the pan holding the water.

I placed a small laser inside of the 8" pan so it would float freely inside of the smaller pan. ( I now have 2 pans, one holding water, one floating in the water, and a laser inside the floating pan ) I turned the laser on.

I used a ruler to measure the height of the beam from where it was being projected out of the laser. I then stood the ruler up at one end of the frame. The ruler was placed standing up to meaure the beam height at the end of the table frame.

Moving the laser back and forth in the pan, and changing the balance point of the floating 8" pan, I got the beam to contact the ruler at the same height. (The beam height, as projected by the laser, should be the exact height as where it shines on the ruler).

Being careful as to not touch the laser itself, I could slowly turn the 8" floating pan and the laser beam would be visible 360 degrees all the way around the room.

I moved the ruler to the corners of the table and wrote down each corner measurement where the beam contacted the ruler. The shortest measurement is the highest corner, the longest measurement is the lowest corner.

After subtracting the differences in measurements, I cut new shims and placed them the appropriate corners. After placing the shims I rechecked the laser measurements... It is a better way!

Water always seeks its' own level. The projected floating laser beam height always remains the same if the laser itself doesn't change position in the pan. Rotating the 8" pan by hand for measurements is OK.

The beam height can be changed if needed. The 9" pan could be raised, or more water could be added. Recheck where the beam shines on the ruler.

No, I'm not a table mechanic, but I have a very level table frame.
 
Last edited:
Ralph Kramden said:
After leveling the table legs, raising the low end of the table, adding shims, checking for level, adding more shims, checking again and finding it still isn't level.... I said to myself.... "There must be a better way".

I took out all shims. I put a board across the top of the table frame, in the center of the frame. The board ran from one table frame side, to the other side.

I put a 9" pan with about 3/4" of water in it on top of the board. After I centered the 9" pan on the board, I floated an empty 8" pan inside the pan holding the water.

I placed a small lazer inside of the 8" pan so it would float freely inside of the smaller pan. ( I now have 2 pans, one holding water, one floating in the water, and a lazer inside the floating pan ) I turned the lazer on.

I used a ruler to measure the height of the beam from where it was being projected out of the lazer. I then stood the ruler up at one of the frame. The ruler was placed standing up to meaure the beam height at the end of the table frame.

Moving the lazer back and forth in the pan, and changing the balance point of the floating 8" pan, I got the beam to contact the ruler at the same height. (The beam height, as projected by the lazer, should be the exact height as where it shines on the ruler).

Being careful as to not touch the lazer itself, I could slowly turn the 8" floating pan and the lazer beam would be visible 360 degrees all the way around the room.

I moved the ruler to the corners of the table and wrote down each corner measurement where the beam contacted the ruler. The shortest measurement is the highest corner, the longest measurement is the lowest corner.

After subtracting the differences in measurements, I cut new shims and placed them the appropriate corners. After placing the shims I rechecked the lazer measurements... It is a better way!

Water always seeks its' own level. The projected floating lazer beam height always remains the same if the lazer itself doesn't change position in the pan. Moving the 8" pan for measurements is OK.

The beam height can be changed if needed. The 9" pan could be raised, or more water could be added. Recheck where the beam shines on the ruler.

No, I'm not a table mechanic, but I have a very level table frame.
Click to expand...

Now level the slate the same way and you'll impress me:grin:
 
How thick is the laser beam when it strikes the ruler? 1/8", 1/16", 1/32"?? Try raising a piece of slate 1/32" at one end and read with a real level and see how far the bubble moves.
 
reverend said:
How thick is the laser beam when it strikes the ruler? 1/8", 1/16", 1/32"?? Try raising a piece of slate 1/32" at one end and read with a real level and see how far the bubble moves.
Click to expand...

I'm not suggesting that the slate itself should be leveled using the lazer beam. It's just used to lazer beam the table frame for level.

There are small dips, waves, twists and wood warpage to deal with when a machinist level is placed on the wooden frame.

The slate itself should be checked with a level for flatness and also checked for any excessive ball roll out.

The frame is the foundation for a level playing surface. I'd rather shim up the frame for flatness and minimize shimming the slates themselves.
 
Great idea Ralph, way to think outside of the box.

Reverend, I understand what you mean about the thickness of the laser beam, I use lasers alot for chassis fabrication, I use either the bottom of the laser beam or the top of the laser beam, on a good laser it is very well defined.
 
Ralph Kramden said:
After leveling the table legs, raising the low end of the table, adding shims, checking for level, adding more shims, checking again and finding it still isn't level.... I said to myself.... "There must be a better way".

I took out all shims. I put a board across the top of the table frame, in the center of the frame. The board ran from one table frame side, to the other side.

I put a 9" pan with about 3/4" of water in it on top of the board. After I centered the 9" pan on the board, I floated an empty 8" pan inside the pan holding the water.

I placed a small lazer inside of the 8" pan so it would float freely inside of the smaller pan. ( I now have 2 pans, one holding water, one floating in the water, and a lazer inside the floating pan ) I turned the lazer on.

I used a ruler to measure the height of the beam from where it was being projected out of the lazer. I then stood the ruler up at one of the frame. The ruler was placed standing up to meaure the beam height at the end of the table frame.

Moving the lazer back and forth in the pan, and changing the balance point of the floating 8" pan, I got the beam to contact the ruler at the same height. (The beam height, as projected by the lazer, should be the exact height as where it shines on the ruler).

Being careful as to not touch the lazer itself, I could slowly turn the 8" floating pan and the lazer beam would be visible 360 degrees all the way around the room.

I moved the ruler to the corners of the table and wrote down each corner measurement where the beam contacted the ruler. The shortest measurement is the highest corner, the longest measurement is the lowest corner.

After subtracting the differences in measurements, I cut new shims and placed them the appropriate corners. After placing the shims I rechecked the lazer measurements... It is a better way!

Water always seeks its' own level. The projected floating lazer beam height always remains the same if the lazer itself doesn't change position in the pan. Moving the 8" pan for measurements is OK.

The beam height can be changed if needed. The 9" pan could be raised, or more water could be added. Recheck where the beam shines on the ruler.

No, I'm not a table mechanic, but I have a very level table frame.
Click to expand...

And allllllll of that was easier than leveling the way we have all be doing it for years?
 
ChesapeakeBlrds said:
And allllllll of that was easier than leveling the way we have all be doing it for years?
Click to expand...

Not saying you have to do it... but it's a quick way to a starting point if you still want to use a machinists level.

All 4 corners of the frame will be the same height without checking back and forth, side to side, and end to end.

Is it easier than the way it's been done for umpteen years? I dunno'.. but it was easier for me.. so I thought I'd share the idea.

The explanation I wrote makes it seem like a long process, but once you've tried it you'll see that it's not.

I just wanted to clearly explain the set up process I used.
 
realkingcobra said:
Now level the slate the same way and you'll impress me:grin:
Click to expand...

RKC - I think the laser will just get the frame surface level. You can tweek in the frame using a machinists level if need be.
The slates will still need to be checked with a level... hopefully using fewer slate shims.
Here is some insight as what to else I did, and some other info that can be added to my first post.

As I stated in post #1... the laser beam needs to be the exact height from the laser to the ruler (I used a Starret machinists square). I say the same height for 2 reasons.

1 - The readings taken on the 4 corners could be done without the laser beam being the same height... but the distance the readings would be taken are then critical.
The beam would only be the same height at a distance where it would cross a certain plane, and could be anywhere. Measurements could only be taken at that distance.

2 - If the beam is at the same height, a straight edge can be used to check for level at any given distance. Would it be perfect? No... it's wood... but it will be very close.

I used a Black & Decker Sight Line Laser Level (BDL 210 S) that projects a dot and also a horizontal line.
After measuring the frame corners, I set up a straight edge so the horizontal laser beam would just touch the top of it.
The horizontal beam was touching the top of the straight edge, and also projecting on the wall... splitting the beam.
I ran the straight edge sideways, going from the end of the frame, up to the laser, watching the beam.
After rotating the laser I did the same thing on the other frame end. That frame end split the laser beam also.

All these extra checks aren't really that nessesary... but it's MY table.

Not trying to impress anybody. Hope you will give the laser level a try.
 
Ralph Kramden said:
RKC - I think the laser will just get the frame surface level. You can tweek in the frame using a machinists level if need be.
The slates will still need to be checked with a level... hopefully using fewer slate shims.
Here is some insight as what to else I did, and some other info that can be added to my first post.

As I stated in post #1... the laser beam needs to be the exact height from the laser to the ruler (I used a Starret machinists square). I say the same height for 2 reasons.

1 - The readings taken on the 4 corners could be done without the laser beam being the same height... but the distance the readings would be taken are then critical.
The beam would only be the same height at a distance where it would cross a certain plane, and could be anywhere. Measurements could only be taken at that distance.

2 - If the beam is at the same height, a straight edge can be used to check for level at any given distance. Would it be perfect? No... it's wood... but it will be very close.

I used a Black & Decker Sight Line Laser Level (BDL 210 S) that projects a dot and also a horizontal line.
After measuring the frame corners, I set up a straight edge so the horizontal laser beam would just touch the top of it.
The horizontal beam was touching the top of the straight edge, and also projecting on the wall... splitting the beam.
I ran the straight edge sideways, going from the end of the frame, up to the laser, watching the beam.
After rotating the laser I did the same thing on the other frame end. That frame end split the laser beam also.

All these extra checks aren't really that nessesary... but it's MY table.

Not trying to impress anybody. Hope you will give the laser level a try.
Click to expand...

Read my sticky at the top on leveling, I wouldn't take 2 hours to do what only takes 5 minutes otherwise:grin: but I commend you for your efforts:grin:
 
FWIW: It is spelled LASER - Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. There is no z in laser.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top