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Digital level box

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Digital level box

Postby Lurker » 24 Jun 2022, 11:28

Can someone recommend one for me?
I don’t want to pay the earth.
I had a quick google and a trend one for around £20 seems to be very common from many retailers
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Re: Digital level box

Postby novocaine » 24 Jun 2022, 11:54

I have this one, more expensive than the Trend one surprisingly, but a great little bit of kit that has it's uses although somewhat few and far between (I use it for initial bed leveling on the lathe)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001YJ8F8K/ ... _lig_dp_it

it's repeatable and precise as indicated by the tests with my engineers level.
Last edited by novocaine on 24 Jun 2022, 12:06, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Digital level box

Postby Woodbloke » 24 Jun 2022, 11:55

I've got the GemRed one which is pretty good; £20 from Amazon - Rob
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Re: Digital level box

Postby Woodster » 24 Jun 2022, 12:58

£11.99 on Amazon.

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Re: Digital level box

Postby TrimTheKing » 24 Jun 2022, 14:29

Here's a question on these, do they need calibrating each time you use it, or is it pre-calibrated and as soon as you un-box and set it on a surface it will tell you if it's level or not?

Reason for asking, if it's the former then how will you ever know if something is actually level without having calibrated in on something you absolutely KNOW to be level, which I imagine there's NOTHING any of us could guarantee that of in our lives...
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Re: Digital level box

Postby Trevanion » 24 Jun 2022, 14:55

TrimTheKing wrote:Here's a question on these, do they need calibrating each time you use it, or is it pre-calibrated and as soon as you un-box and set it on a surface it will tell you if it's level or not?

Reason for asking, if it's the former then how will you ever know if something is actually level without having calibrated in on something you absolutely KNOW to be level, which I imagine there's NOTHING any of us could guarantee that of in our lives...


I think their primary use is for checking an angle relative to an existing surface, I.E. you zero it on the cast iron table of your machine and then place it upon the blade and make accurate adjustments off that. The table needn't be level, but so long as it's flat and stable you will be able to use it as a reference point.
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Re: Digital level box

Postby AJB Temple » 24 Jun 2022, 14:55

You can calibrate level by floating it on a piece of flat board in a bowl of water.

I guarantee you that leaving aside earth curvature (mathematically minuscule in a bow) that will be dead on level.
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Re: Digital level box

Postby Malc2098 » 24 Jun 2022, 14:58

Don't laser level suspend from something inside their fixtures?

If you suspended a tray from all four corners with four equal length cords to a single point, would the tray be level?
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Re: Digital level box

Postby Lurker » 24 Jun 2022, 15:05

AJB Temple wrote:You can calibrate level by floating it on a piece of flat board in a bowl of water.

I guarantee you that leaving aside earth curvature (mathematically minuscule in a bow) that will be dead on level.


:text-bravo:
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Re: Digital level box

Postby Woodster » 24 Jun 2022, 15:06

AJB Temple wrote:You can calibrate level by floating it on a piece of flat board in a bowl of water.

I guarantee you that leaving aside earth curvature (mathematically minuscule in a bow) that will be dead on level.


The board would need to be exactly the same thickness and density all over. You’d also need to check the centre of gravity of the device and ensure it’s exactly on the centre of the board. All rather pointless though as these things don’t seem to be better than 0.1 - 0.2° accurate anyway.
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Re: Digital level box

Postby Lurker » 24 Jun 2022, 15:06

Woodster wrote:£11.99 on Amazon.

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Are you recommending this ?
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Re: Digital level box

Postby novocaine » 24 Jun 2022, 15:07

it's a reference level. you level it on anything, doesn't need to be especially level to do it. you level it one way, turn it round and see what the difference is, stack one edge till it matches and calibrate level and just like that it's exactly level. this is how I calibrate my engineers level too.
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Re: Digital level box

Postby spb » 24 Jun 2022, 15:27

Yep - anything that measures 'level' is just measuring 'square to vertical', and can be calibrated the way you'd calibrate any other square. If it measures the same 'square' from opposite directions, it's accurate.
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Re: Digital level box

Postby novocaine » 24 Jun 2022, 15:34

other uses for this silly little box of witch craft.

I've set camber angle on the car with it, guess no one here is ever going to do that though.
I've used it when welding to set out angles, again rather specific.
I've used to for lathe bed leveling as already said.
blade angle from table
break angle on guitar (not really, was just messing with it to prove what I'd measured previously).

they are useful, but only if you can see a use for it, otherwise there are other ways to achieve it. mine was a gift.
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Re: Digital level box

Postby AJB Temple » 24 Jun 2022, 15:36

Woodster - I knew someone would say that. :lol: I come back at ya with a small piece of polystyrene board just big enough to float the level - if the level itself is not buoyant. It's going to be near enough perfect for anything anyone on a DIY forum could need.

To be really accurate though you need a drop of washing up liquid in the water, to reduce meniscus effect. 8-)
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Re: Digital level box

Postby Woodster » 25 Jun 2022, 14:04

Lurker wrote:
Woodster wrote:£11.99 on Amazon.

Are you recommending this ?


No, just happened to see it.

I’ve got several devices but they all seem to have their limitations. :lol:
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