What You Might Not Know About Spirit Levels
A spirit level is a tool for measuring how parallel (level) or perpendicular (plumb) a surface is to the ground compared to the earth. The name “spirit level” comes from the mineral spirit solution that fills the levels.
Typically, spirit levels have a yellowish-green hue and added components for UV protection and optimal performance in temperatures ranging from -20 degrees F to 130 degrees F. The ideal spirit level is accurate to within plus or minus 0.5 millimetres/meter, or 0.005 inches/inch, or .029 degrees. The following level of precision displayed is 0.75mm/m or.043 degrees. A spirit level, also known as a bubble level, can be configured like a barrel, a rectangular block, or even a banana-shaped curved to assess slope infractions per foot of pitch; and today, rather than formerly, they are mostly produced from acrylic.
How to Use a Spirit Level
- Remove any debris and grime from the level’s walls.
- Using a pencil and level, establish a baseline for the bottom edge of the wall.
- Turn the level over so that the bottom becomes the top. Align the new top edge with the drawn line. If your level is correct, the bubble will be the centre. It’s defective if not.
- Place the level on the object’s surface for which you wish to discover the genuine horizontal (the “horizon”). Make sure the spirit tube is parallel to the subject. Let the bubble rise to the top of the spirit tube.
- Look into the spirit tube at eye level. Close one eye to get a more accurate reading.
- Make a mental note of the location of the bubble within the spirit tube. If the bubble is in between the lines on the tube, your item is level. If the bubble is to the right of the lines, your thing slopes downward from right to left. Your thing slopes downward from left to right if it’s to the left of them.
- Repeat the same procedure vertically to discover the real vertical or “plumb.”
How Do Spirit Levels Get Made?
Levels are constructed of a variety of materials, including aluminium, polymers, wood, cast iron, and composite materials. Professional contractors and tradesmen, such as carpenters, masons, framers, electricians, plumbers, and woodworkers use spirit levels; whereas do-it-yourselfers, such as homeowners, employ them.
Spirit Levels Types
There are several types of spirit levels to pick from, with the most popular being I-beam levels (the level frame is shaped like an “I” when viewed from the end), box beam levels (the level frame is a rectangle) and torpedo levels (slightly larger than pocket-sized, 9″ to 12″).
The most popular spirit levels are: line levels (one vial with a hook on a string), cross-check levels (pocket size; two-level vials at right angles), circular levels (surface and surface levels), pocket levels (pen shape, with a magnetic tip) and post levels (two sides of a pole to measure level and plumb).
Spirit levels are used to ensure that surfaces are level, but there is more than one way to use them. In this article, we have explored the different ways in which spirit levels can be utilized so that you can get the most from your equipment. We hope you found this information helpful and enlightening.