If you look at a long level there are usually two "bubbles", side by
side ... one concave up and the other concave down. I have always read
the one that is concave up in any application. No one at Home Depot or
Lowes home improvement stores seems to know the difference. Would you
please explain the difference, and which to use?

Thanks for your input,

Bob Burkett

air displaces the water & stays at the top of the tube. The highest point
should always be up.
hth
Rob

seniorgeezer wrote:
If you look at a long level there are usually two "bubbles", side by
side ... one concave up and the other concave down. I have always read
the one that is concave up in any application. No one at Home Depot or
Lowes home improvement stores seems to know the difference. Would you
please explain the difference, and which to use?

Thanks for your input,

Bob Burkett


The two bubbles are for convenience. Use the one with the concave down
for the position you are holding the level. You would use one if
leveling something on the floor, the other if holding the level against
something overhead.

Harry K

In article .com, "Harry K" wrote:

seniorgeezer wrote:
If you look at a long level there are usually two "bubbles", side by
side ... one concave up and the other concave down. I have always read
the one that is concave up in any application. No one at Home Depot or
Lowes home improvement stores seems to know the difference. Would you
please explain the difference, and which to use?

The two bubbles are for convenience. Use the one with the concave down
for the position you are holding the level. You would use one if
leveling something on the floor, the other if holding the level against
something overhead.

Nonsense. You always use the one with the convex side up (or concave down, if
you prefer), regardless of where you are taking your measurements. There are
two vials so that you can use either side of the level. Makes no difference
whether you're checking a floor or a ceiling, you *always* use the upper vial.
The vials are slightly convex for two reasons: (1) so that the bubble will
move slowly and gradually to the center as the level approaches level, and (2)
to *keep* it centered. But this works only if you're using it properly: convex
up.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

The difference is that if you read the one concave up, like letter "U" then
the bubble goes to one end or the other. Lifting or lowering an end of the
level, and the bubble stays in the same place. [this is less useful]

If you read the one that is concave down (convex up) like the letter "n"
then the bubble is in the center if the level is level. Or off to one side,
if it's off level. [this is very useful]

Since you're reading the useless one, I presume people wonder why you're
building crooked stuff all the time?

--

Christopher A. Young
Do good work.
It's longer in the short run
but shorter in the long run.
..
..


"seniorgeezer" wrote in message
oups.com...
If you look at a long level there are usually two "bubbles", side by
side ... one concave up and the other concave down. I have always read
the one that is concave up in any application. No one at Home Depot or
Lowes home improvement stores seems to know the difference. Would you
please explain the difference, and which to use?

Thanks for your input,

Bob Burkett

seniorgeezer writes:

If you look at a long level there are usually two "bubbles", side by
side ... one concave up and the other concave down.

A good level has a single vial that works either way. The concavity is
bored into the inside of the tube.

seniorgeezer wrote:

If you look at a long level there are usually two "bubbles", side by
side ... one concave up and the other concave down. I have always read
the one that is concave up in any application. No one at Home Depot or
Lowes home improvement stores seems to know the difference. Would you
please explain the difference, and which to use?

Thanks for your input,

Bob Burkett



I THEENK........



.:\:/:.
+-------------------+ .:\:\:/:/:.
| PLEASE DO NOT | :.:\:\:/:/:.:
| FEED THE TROLLS | :=.' - - '.=:
| | '=(\ 9 9 /)='
| Thank you, | ( (_) )
| Jeff | /`-vvv-'\
+-------------------+ / \
| | @@@ / /|,,,,,|\ \
| | @@@ /_// /^\ \\_\
@x@@x@ | | |/ WW( ( ) )WW
\||||/ | | \| __\,,\ /,,/__
\||/ | | | jgs (______Y______)
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\//\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\


--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented."

seniorgeezer wrote:
If you look at a long level there are usually two "bubbles", side by
side ... one concave up and the other concave down. I have always read
the one that is concave up in any application. No one at Home Depot or
Lowes home improvement stores seems to know the difference. Would you
please explain the difference, and which to use?

One is for use in the northern hemisphere and the other for use in the
southern. Do _not_ confuse the two or you'll find your building is
negatively level.

R

Richard J Kinch wrote:
seniorgeezer writes:


If you look at a long level there are usually two "bubbles", side by
side ... one concave up and the other concave down.


A good level has a single vial that works either way. The concavity is
bored into the inside of the tube.

You mean like my $10 orange plastic Home Depot level?

Doug Miller wrote:
In article .com, "Harry K" wrote:

seniorgeezer wrote:
If you look at a long level there are usually two "bubbles", side by
side ... one concave up and the other concave down. I have always read
the one that is concave up in any application. No one at Home Depot or
Lowes home improvement stores seems to know the difference. Would you
please explain the difference, and which to use?

The two bubbles are for convenience. Use the one with the concave down
for the position you are holding the level. You would use one if
leveling something on the floor, the other if holding the level against
something overhead.

Nonsense. You always use the one with the convex side up (or concave down, if
you prefer), regardless of where you are taking your measurements. There are
two vials so that you can use either side of the level. Makes no difference
whether you're checking a floor or a ceiling, you *always* use the upper vial.
The vials are slightly convex for two reasons: (1) so that the bubble will
move slowly and gradually to the center as the level approaches level, and (2)
to *keep* it centered. But this works only if you're using it properly: convex
up.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

You're Right! I had to mentally picture it to see it.

Harry K

RicodJour wrote:

seniorgeezer wrote:
If you look at a long level there are usually two "bubbles", side by
side ... one concave up and the other concave down. I have always read
the one that is concave up in any application. No one at Home Depot or
Lowes home improvement stores seems to know the difference. Would you
please explain the difference, and which to use?

One is for use in the northern hemisphere and the other for use in the
southern. Do _not_ confuse the two or you'll find your building is
negatively level.

R

Does this mean you need to read both vials on the Equator or at
the Poles ??

Jeff! Missed you!

--

Christopher A. Young
Do good work.
It's longer in the short run
but shorter in the long run.
..
..


"Jeff Wisnia" wrote in message
...

I THEENK........



.:\:/:.
+-------------------+ .:\:\:/:/:.
| PLEASE DO NOT | :.:\:\:/:/:.:
| FEED THE TROLLS | :=.' - - '.=:
| | '=(\ 9 9 /)='
| Thank you, | ( (_) )
| Jeff | /`-vvv-'\
+-------------------+ / \
| | @@@ / /|,,,,,|\ \
| | @@@ /_// /^\ \\_\
@x@@x@ | | |/ WW( ( ) )WW
\||||/ | | \| __\,,\ /,,/__
\||/ | | | jgs (______Y______)
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\//\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\


--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented."

Reed wrote:
RicodJour wrote:

seniorgeezer wrote:
If you look at a long level there are usually two "bubbles", side by
side ... one concave up and the other concave down. I have always read
the one that is concave up in any application. No one at Home Depot or
Lowes home improvement stores seems to know the difference. Would you
please explain the difference, and which to use?

One is for use in the northern hemisphere and the other for use in the
southern. Do _not_ confuse the two or you'll find your building is
negatively level.

R

Does this mean you need to read both vials on the Equator or at
the Poles ??

Now you're being silly. The Equator is essentially self-leveling since
everything runs uphill from there. It might look different on a globe,
but it's really at the bottom of a trough. The poles as expected are
just the opposite - you just have to worry about plumb. If you don't
believe me, just take a look at an Eskimo's igloo. That's what happens
when you try to find level at one of the poles.

R

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 09:14:41 -0700, RicodJour wrote:

Reed wrote:
RicodJour wrote:

seniorgeezer wrote:
If you look at a long level there are usually two "bubbles", side by
side ... one concave up and the other concave down. I have always read
the one that is concave up in any application. No one at Home Depot or
Lowes home improvement stores seems to know the difference. Would you
please explain the difference, and which to use?

One is for use in the northern hemisphere and the other for use in the
southern. Do _not_ confuse the two or you'll find your building is
negatively level.

R

Does this mean you need to read both vials on the Equator or at
the Poles ??

Now you're being silly. The Equator is essentially self-leveling since
everything runs uphill from there. It might look different on a globe,
but it's really at the bottom of a trough.

Nope. Antarctica is really on the bottom. Why do you think the ozone
hole is there. It's all floated up to the top. You never hear of a ozone
hole over Canuckistan!

The poles as expected are
just the opposite - you just have to worry about plumb. If you don't
believe me, just take a look at an Eskimo's igloo. That's what happens
when you try to find level at one of the poles.

It's easy to level one at the equator.

--
Keith