Plumb bob levels

Welcome to the Leverguns.Com Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here ... politely.

Moderators: AmBraCol, Hobie

Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.

Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
Pitchy
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 13136
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:15 am
Location: Minnesooooota

Plumb bob levels

Post by Pitchy »

We made some levels of the plumb bob style, the big one in the middle we made today. :)

Image

Image
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
User avatar
J Miller
Member Emeritus
Posts: 14880
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:46 pm
Location: Not in IL no more ... :)

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by J Miller »

Neat!

Old school technology, no batteries to die, no electronics to fizzle out, nothing to go wrong.
You could build a house with those.

Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts ;) .***
EdinCT
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 775
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:27 pm
Location: Southeast CT

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by EdinCT »

Nice Pitchy! I remember building a two story building with my Grandfather and he always used a large lead plum bob to plumb his walls. It's dead accurate. Also watched a man I worked for clamp a set of peep sights on a 6 foot level and he marked all the batter boards to level the deck for a home. I have heard that the human eye is capable of 1 min of angle accuracy at 100 yards so why not.
User avatar
KirkD
Desktop Artiste
Posts: 4406
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:52 am
Location: Central Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by KirkD »

Very nice! With all those amazing projects you have made, you could start up a museum. The only problem would be all the people coming would be hard on the peace and quiet!
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
piller
Posting leader...
Posts: 15188
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:49 pm
Location: South of Dallas

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by piller »

Fancy as those are, shouldn't they be Plumb Roberts?
D. Brian Casady
Quid Llatine Dictum Sit, Altum Viditur.
Advanced is being able to do the basics while your leg is on fire---Bill Jeans
Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up---Robert Frost
User avatar
Pitchy
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 13136
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:15 am
Location: Minnesooooota

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by Pitchy »

Thanks guys, the upright one on the right i guess dates back to building the Pyramid days. :)
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
User avatar
OldWin
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8962
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:38 pm

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by OldWin »

Good job buddy. We still use plumb bobs a fair amount around here.
"Oh bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round.
User avatar
marlinman93
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6432
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:40 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by marlinman93 »

I personally prefer these:

Image

They don't just give me perfectly plumb, but also tell me how many degrees off I am. Good when you want to set angles beyond plumb.
Of course not nearly as cool looking as Pitchy's.
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
Bill in Oregon
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8846
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:05 am
Location: Sweetwater, TX

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by Bill in Oregon »

You sure get a lot of great ideas, Lenn!
Alan in Vermont
Levergunner 1.0
Posts: 98
Joined: Thu Nov 28, 2013 8:09 pm
Location: NW Corner of Vermont

Warning: Thread Drift

Post by Alan in Vermont »

Something that not many people outside of the iron working trades have ever seen, much less used is the "Bazooka Bob". https://bazookabob.com/

It is a plumb bob inside a telescoping tube, it locates on the side of the tube on points at either end. Magnets in the attaching points hold the tube in place when plumbing steel.

The actual plumb bob is suspended inside the tube and is visible through a cutout in the tube. There is some wizardry inside the tube that extends the line as the tube is extended, allowing the bob to remain visible in the view opening. Being shrouded in the tube the bob is unaffected by wind, something that plagues a conventional plumb bob.

I now return you to our regularly scheduled programming.
User avatar
Pitchy
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 13136
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:15 am
Location: Minnesooooota

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by Pitchy »

Thanks fellers. :)
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
User avatar
OldWin
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8962
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:38 pm

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by OldWin »

marlinman93 wrote: Fri Jul 05, 2019 10:36 am I personally prefer these:

Image

They don't just give me perfectly plumb, but also tell me how many degrees off I am. Good when you want to set angles beyond plumb.
Of course not nearly as cool looking as Pitchy's.

I have one of those! But I mostly use it to set pinion angles on my Jeep after suspension mods.
"Oh bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round.
User avatar
marlinman93
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6432
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:40 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by marlinman93 »

OldWin wrote: Fri Jul 05, 2019 4:21 pm
marlinman93 wrote: Fri Jul 05, 2019 10:36 am I personally prefer these:

Image

They don't just give me perfectly plumb, but also tell me how many degrees off I am. Good when you want to set angles beyond plumb.
Of course not nearly as cool looking as Pitchy's.

I have one of those! But I mostly use it to set pinion angles on my Jeep after suspension mods.
I have several and use them for all sorts of fabrication work on hotrods, or just whatever fab work I do. I also set pinion angles, driveline angles, kingpin angles, crossmembers, etc. I have several just so when I'm setting something up and need to check angles in 2-3 places I don't have to keep moving them around. They're cheap enough that it saves time to own several.
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
M. M. Wright
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 4296
Joined: Wed Sep 15, 2010 12:57 pm
Location: Vinita, I.T.

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by M. M. Wright »

marlinman93 wrote: Sat Jul 06, 2019 10:02 am
OldWin wrote: Fri Jul 05, 2019 4:21 pm
marlinman93 wrote: Fri Jul 05, 2019 10:36 am I personally prefer these:

Image

They don't just give me perfectly plumb, but also tell me how many degrees off I am. Good when you want to set angles beyond plumb.
Of course not nearly as cool looking as Pitchy's.

I have one of those! But I mostly use it to set pinion angles on my Jeep after suspension mods.
I have several and use them for all sorts of fabrication work on hotrods, or just whatever fab work I do. I also set pinion angles, driveline angles, kingpin angles, crossmembers, etc. I have several just so when I'm setting something up and need to check angles in 2-3 places I don't have to keep moving them around. They're cheap enough that it saves time to own several.
I use mine when screwing barrels in, like new barrel in my Garand. I'll bet I could use one of Pitchy's just as well though. Just have to clamp it instead of using the magnet.
M. M. Wright, Sheriff, Green county Arkansas (1860)
Currently living my eternal life.
NRA Life
SASS
ITSASS
User avatar
Grizz
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 11808
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:15 pm

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by Grizz »

Pitchy, if you invert the instrument so that the bob hangs from the wood and the line passes the protracter, and sight a star along the wood edge, you have a navigation instrument that can give you latitude from Polaris or the Sun with tables to correct the sun's diameter.

I have my some of my Grandfather's plumbs and used them in Alaska setting piling under the house, and lining up foundation parts. It was a fresh smile every time Gramp's plumb spotted the piling location on the mud sill. Thanks for showing yours.
User avatar
Pitchy
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 13136
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:15 am
Location: Minnesooooota

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by Pitchy »

Thanks Grizz 8)
Have ya seen that instrument that ya line up with the north star to tell time, i forget what its called i made one and they work good.

Image
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
User avatar
OldWin
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8962
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:38 pm

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by OldWin »

That's cool, Lenn. Never saw one of those.
Install a band and it's an antique wrist watch. :D
"Oh bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round.
User avatar
marlinman93
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6432
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:40 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by marlinman93 »

M. M. Wright wrote: Sat Jul 06, 2019 11:15 am
I use mine when screwing barrels in, like new barrel in my Garand. I'll bet I could use one of Pitchy's just as well though. Just have to clamp it instead of using the magnet.
I use a torpedo level when installing barrels. A lot more accurate than my angle finder.

Image
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
User avatar
Grizz
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 11808
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:15 pm

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by Grizz »

Have ya seen that instrument that ya line up with the north star to tell time, i forget what its called i made one and they work good.
Thanks Pitchy,

I had not seen those. Time and longitude are functions of one another. Finding or knowing Zulu time where you are, or the difference, or the angle between the meridian I'm on and the Zero meridian, tells you the exact meridian we're standing on, a great circle that goes through both poles. Slick stuff. No way that arrangement evolved from nothing. See Ya . . .
User avatar
Grizz
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 11808
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:15 pm

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by Grizz »

I use a torpedo level when installing barrels. A lot more accurate than my angle finder.
those bubbles are astonishing aren't they? how could they possibly know what dead level is?

I've wound up with lots of levels over the years. I guess fishermen are suckers for shiny new stuff. :lol:
piller
Posting leader...
Posts: 15188
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:49 pm
Location: South of Dallas

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by piller »

Grizz, it is not only fishermen who like shiny new stuff. Although, suckers are related to carp and rarely go for shiny things. Trout and bass are more like us in going fot shiny things.
D. Brian Casady
Quid Llatine Dictum Sit, Altum Viditur.
Advanced is being able to do the basics while your leg is on fire---Bill Jeans
Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up---Robert Frost
User avatar
marlinman93
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6432
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:40 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by marlinman93 »

Grizz wrote: Sun Jul 07, 2019 9:38 pm
I use a torpedo level when installing barrels. A lot more accurate than my angle finder.
those bubbles are astonishing aren't they? how could they possibly know what dead level is?

I've wound up with lots of levels over the years. I guess fishermen are suckers for shiny new stuff. :lol:
For how simple they are, they work better than just about anything. Of course the new fangled digital torpedo levels are even more accurate, but I don't do anything that requires that type of accuracy. The torpedo level works for me, and is much more accurate for barrel installation than the angle finder. Looking at the pointer on the angle finder is tough to get as exacting as looking at that bubble between the lines.
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
piller
Posting leader...
Posts: 15188
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:49 pm
Location: South of Dallas

Re: Plumb bob levels

Post by piller »

Back when biplanes and triplanes ruled, they used bubbles to help the pilot tell if he was climbing or descending, tilted left or right. In clouds or poor visibility, knowing that was a life saver. Levels and plumb bobs are incredibly useful.
D. Brian Casady
Quid Llatine Dictum Sit, Altum Viditur.
Advanced is being able to do the basics while your leg is on fire---Bill Jeans
Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up---Robert Frost
Post Reply