| Project by skywalker01 | posted 189 days ago | 380 views | 2 times favorited | 8 comments |  |
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I made three of these torpedos for myself, father and brother. They are very accurate and should last a very long time. Wax Finish. I took apart cheap levels that I bought just for this purpose and reused the indicators. They are so cheap it almost made no sense to go and order the little bubbles from somewhere. I just broke them apart and slipped them out. If you don’t know how to level a level… you just put it up against something, mark the bubble location flip it over to the other side and make sure that it’s the same location. I bedded them in clear silicone and leveled them after inserting, as it would still move some before it dried but not enough to cause it to get out of whack. The brass is from a door plate. The kind you can get at home depot or similar. I just cut it to size on the scroll and sanded smooth. A coat of clear poly or something would seal it I suppose but I opted to let it patina. The hole(for the bubble level) looks off center in the right side of the picture but for some reason the plans called for that? In hind sight I would drill them in the center of the hole….. I did change the plans up quite a bit with all the improvising but it seemed logical.
-- LAS
8 comments so far
GaryK
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9536 posts in 885 days
posted 189 days ago
Very nice.
One of those is on my list of things to make.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
lew
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4496 posts in 652 days
posted 189 days ago
These turned out really Nice!
I have often wondered how you would set the level vial into the level body.
sikrap
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210 posts in 256 days
posted 189 days ago
Nice job!! If you want to send me one, I’d be happy to field test it for you :)
-- Dave, Colonie, NY
a1Jim
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16977 posts in 474 days
posted 189 days ago
It’s cool to make your own tools good job
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon
ChuckM
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147 posts in 563 days
posted 189 days ago
If you are interested in making one of these, find the article and plan in WOOD May 2004 Issue 155. Tip: you can buy small tube levels (vials) at dollar stores and use them instead of buying the level kit from www.schsons.com. Will save you about $15 US.
-- The time I enjoy wasting is not time wasted
skywalker01
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92 posts in 191 days
posted 189 days ago
Yes, exactly chuck, thats what I’m talking about. That’s even better than getting them out of the crappy levels at wall mart or w/e. I don’t EVER go to the dollar stores. I despise them. I’m not sure why. I would go in there to get the levels though. That is the plan that I used to make mine. Thanks for looking that up.
-- LAS
jockmike2
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7328 posts in 1143 days
posted 188 days ago
cool idea, nice job making them.
-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com
Edward E Nock II
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42 posts in 1041 days
posted 188 days ago
Skywalker…....I like your Torpedo Level. I have three sons & one brother-in-law,& each Christmas I make a tool for them. The Tropedo Level was one I made several years ago. The only problem I had was to maintain a level & vertical surfaces. They turned out great. Yours look fantasatic. it’s great to make something useful.
Great work.
ED
-- ED NOCK