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Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work. |
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#1
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Smart Tool Level or Smart Level
Recently I bought a Smart Tool Level along w/ the 2', 4' frames & the
magnetic holder, all for ~ $200 inc shipping. I am very disappointed. Not so much w/ the Smart Tool Level it's self but w/ the 3 accessories. Before I go into my complaints, I have a comment & question. ~ 10 yrs ago I worked for a company that supplied me w/ this type of level. I just loved it. I've been meaning to buy one for years. The thing is that now that I think of it, I don't remember it being named “Smart Tool Level” I think it was called “Smart Level”. In any case the original one had a 2' & a 3' frame. (I think), besides being able to be used bare) These frames were made of very nice wood w/ metal around the edges. And the level fit into them w/o much hassle. I had the feeling it was a quality package. My question is was the older unit I used called “Smart Level” or was it also called “Smart Tool Level”? Now my complaints: Both alloy frames are very cheesy aluminum. I don't think they could take much accidental abuse. The magnetic frame is a real joke; it has about a 2 or 3” magnet on the very end of it. Now how accurate can that be? It certainly wasn't worth the 10 bucks I paid for it. Also the level has no way to hang it on a wall, & a protective bag wasn't even included. But my real bitch is that in order to mount it into any of the frames, the 2 screws that hold it together have to to be removed which splits the unit lengthwise allowing the 9V battery to fall out & dangle by it's leads before the entire affair is sandwiched back together, clamping the level down on the frame. This strikes me as about as cheap & poorly engineered as possible in this day & age of constant falling prices for electronic gear. Does anyone else use one of these? And if so what are your thoughts. |
#2
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Smart Tool Level or Smart Level
"Cynthia McGraw" wrote in message ... Recently I bought a Smart Tool Level along w/ the 2', 4' frames & the magnetic holder, all for ~ $200 inc shipping. I am very disappointed. Not so much w/ the Smart Tool Level it's self but w/ the 3 accessories. Before I go into my complaints, I have a comment & question. ~ 10 yrs ago I worked for a company that supplied me w/ this type of level. I just loved it. I've been meaning to buy one for years. The thing is that now that I think of it, I don't remember it being named “Smart Tool Level” I think it was called “Smart Level”. In any case the original one had a 2' & a 3' frame. (I think), besides being able to be used bare) These frames were made of very nice wood w/ metal around the edges. And the level fit into them w/o much hassle. I had the feeling it was a quality package. My question is was the older unit I used called “Smart Level” or was it also called “Smart Tool Level”? Now my complaints: Both alloy frames are very cheesy aluminum. I don't think they could take much accidental abuse. The magnetic frame is a real joke; it has about a 2 or 3” magnet on the very end of it. Now how accurate can that be? It certainly wasn't worth the 10 bucks I paid for it. Also the level has no way to hang it on a wall, & a protective bag wasn't even included. But my real bitch is that in order to mount it into any of the frames, the 2 screws that hold it together have to to be removed which splits the unit lengthwise allowing the 9V battery to fall out & dangle by it's leads before the entire affair is sandwiched back together, clamping the level down on the frame. This strikes me as about as cheap & poorly engineered as possible in this day & age of constant falling prices for electronic gear. Does anyone else use one of these? And if so what are your thoughts. I've got one and use it once in awhile. Every time I pick it up, the battery is dead and needs replacement and then of course the calibration routine. Mine only reads to 0.1 degree. There is a more sensitive one that reads to 0.01 degree but I think it's accuracy is not that good. Stu Fields |
#3
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Smart Tool Level or Smart Level
I don't understand why any "Level" would need a battery.
Bubble vials with arc seconds accuracy have been available for many many years. And anything of lesser accuracy is really cheep. ?????? ...lew... |
#4
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Smart Tool Level or Smart Level
"Lewis Hartswick" wrote in message news I don't understand why any "Level" would need a battery. Bubble vials with arc seconds accuracy have been available for many many years. And anything of lesser accuracy is really cheep. ?????? ...lew... Lew: This "Smart Level" that I have is more like a digital protractor. Yep I have a machinist level that is super precise but is hard to use to measure angles. I've used electronic tiltmeters to read to better than 10 seconds of arc. Stu |
#5
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Smart Tool Level or Smart Level
On Aug 19, 8:20*am, Lewis Hartswick wrote:
I don't understand why any "Level" would need a battery. Bubble vials with arc seconds accuracy have been available for many many years. And anything of lesser accuracy is really cheep. ?????? * * ...lew... I could be very mistaken, but the accurate levels w/ a rotating bubble are more expensive that my set up & I'm not aware of any that will fit into various length frames. I would be glad to be mistaken. Please advise of Mfg s & models that would do this, & I'll return this POS & get your recommendations. I hope I'm more ignorant in this manor than I thought I was. It does many things that I thought a bubble level won't do. For example reading the angle of a tube of a bicycle frame to 0.1 deg. (Although in all reality 0.5 deg or 1.0 deg would probably be good enough) But please believe me the original set I used was very accurate, useful & a pleasure to use. It's just that I'm doubting that my set is made by the same Company. Does any one have any insight into this? Thank you very much |
#6
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Smart Tool Level or Smart Level
Stu Fields wrote:
"Lewis Hartswick" wrote in message news I don't understand why any "Level" would need a battery. Bubble vials with arc seconds accuracy have been available for many many years. And anything of lesser accuracy is really cheep. ?????? ...lew... Lew: This "Smart Level" that I have is more like a digital protractor. Yep I have a machinist level that is super precise but is hard to use to measure angles. I've used electronic tiltmeters to read to better than 10 seconds of arc. Stu Then it's NOT a "level". Why in the world do they call it that? It's an inclinometer or as you say tilt meter. ...lew... |
#7
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Smart Tool Level or Smart Level
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