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Group buy of 4 arc-second (0.02mm/m) level vials

sfriedberg

Diamond
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Location
Oregon, USA
After procrastinating for a couple of years, I am finally organizing a group buy of ground spirit level vials. I'm looking specifically at Level Development's 5726/101 model, with a sensitivity of 4 arc-second (0.02mm/m) per division. As you can see from the link, these are raw vials without a housing, so you'd need to use plaster or similar to bed the vials in your preferred housing or instrument.

In quantity 10, these go for US$ 22.59 each. When I last looked into this, cross-Atlantic shipping was needed, but Level Developments now has a US sales office, so this might not be an issue any longer.

I will collect interest either in this thread or via email through 17 February. Please do not use the forum private message system. Be sure to tell me how you want me to contact you. If the quantity is fairly low, as I expect it will be, I will ask for payment after I have vials in hand and ready to ship. I will charge no markup, just what LD charges me for the goods plus shipping (from LD to me split equally, and from me to you).

I already have interest in four vials. I'd like to make the quantity 10 price break.
 
I'll join the group and sign up for one. I'll follow developments here but you can also contact me at jdm at tallgrasstools dot com.

Thanks for stepping out and trying to get this launched.
 
You may want to check out Starrett . I have been told by students they sell cheaper then wholesale. On .0005" / 12". The vials they use in there 199 levels.

Unless there's a problem with my trig, the Starrett vial that is .0005"/12" would be 8.6 arc seconds per division, so slightly less than 1/2 the resolution.
 
My 199 is pretty damn sensitive.

What do you use something with twice the sensitivity for?


I found my 0.2 thou/10" one (in a 10" square) pretty damned useful when verifying the alignment of my milling machine and my shaper when I rebuilt them.

I'll be using a couple more of the LD vials in a home-made King-Way alignment tool when I do the V and flat ways on the surface grinder.

I'd go for a couple via Mr friedberg, but Level developments are here in the UK and it's cheaper for me to buy locally.
 
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I just wrote this in the HM forum. same questions are being asked. I have purchased from both places. Never bought from Starrett, but from what I have heard Starrett is cheaper. Moyer will sell 2nds cheap if they have any,

2 places in the states.
Don Bauck
Operations Manager
W.A. Moyer Company
Ph: 620-343-2366
Fx: 620-343-8085
E: [email protected]

0r

David Oster
Geier & Bluhm
Division of HJM Precision, Inc.
9 New Turnpike Road
Troy, NY 12182
T: 518-272-6951
F: 518-272-0533
[email protected]
 
My 199 is pretty damn sensitive.

What do you use something with twice the sensitivity for?

I found 0.0005" in 10" levels more that adequate for 95% of shop work. Many years ago I had a lovely " Hilger & Watts " 0.0001" in 10" box level and I ended up selling it. It was just too slow to settle and long beds took ages to level.

Regards Tyrone.
 
Never bought from Starrett, but from what I have heard Starrett is cheaper.

I tried to buy some parts for a 199 level from a Starrett distributor and they told me that Starrett has a minimum of $500 per order. Needless to say they were not able to order the parts for me so I made them. Daryl
 
I recently ordered screws for a caliper. The $500 minimum apparently does not apply to repair parts.

Where did you order them from? I would really like to know because all I needed were screws too. I had the Starrett part numbers and the distributor wouldn't order them. It's been a while but I called Starrett directly and they told me to go thru a local distributor.
 
Where did you order them from? I would really like to know because all I needed were screws too. I had the Starrett part numbers and the distributor wouldn't order them. It's been a while but I called Starrett directly and they told me to go thru a local distributor.

Did you try to order them from MSC? I have had my best luck ordering parts through them, both Starrett and Mitutoyo parts.

Charles
 








 
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