# Finally got me some carpenter levels!



## CJ21 (Aug 11, 2007)

I finally got my Kodak to work agian today! And I got me the Sands Professional Magnetic Aluminum Extruded Level 24’’ and 48’’ Made in the USA. I Pay $64 bucks for both, I am going to use them on some carpentry projects. Note, I am sorry for all the treads, I posted that got under you guys skin. :thumbsup:


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## kambrooks (Apr 24, 2012)

You should of posted this on TBA.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

So, you sleep with them?........:whistling:laughing::laughing:

They do look nice & comfy.....:thumbup:


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

griz said:


> So, you sleep with them?........:whistling:laughing::laughing:
> 
> They do look nice & comfy.....:thumbup:


I sleep with my cast SANDS levels...:whistling


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## CJ21 (Aug 11, 2007)

Maybe so, but I need to get some cases for them. They say they are guaranteed accurate to .0004'' per inch what ever that mean, I was taught that you should carpentry work to and 1/8'' of and inch.


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

CJ21 said:


> Maybe so, but I need to get some cases for them. They say they are guaranteed accurate to .0004'' per inch what ever that mean, I was taught that you should carpentry work to and 1/8'' of and inch.


Not over 2' 
...or 4' for that matter.

Should be WAY more accurate.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Love buying new tools, and levels are no exception. I purchased a nice set of Empires, they even sent me name plates! A year or so later I found that the Master Force levels are made by Stabila, but an older model. They had the 4', 2' and 18" all for $79. Wasn't going to pass that up!


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

CJ21 said:


> ... I was taught that you should carpentry work to and *1/8''* of and inch....



1/8" might be ok if your building a trash box....:thumbsup:

But you probably gonna have a problem with that tolerance on finish work...:laughing::laughing:


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

Having a nice level is mandatory. Although anymore, the laser keeps coming out of the truck almost every day too. I still swear by Stabila. I have 2 of the 80" ones that are twelve years old which read perfect and are still absolutely straight. Imagine that on a framing crew.....


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## CJ21 (Aug 11, 2007)

What about 1/16'' :clap: Tenon what do you mean by Should be WAY more accurate?


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

CJ21 said:


> ...What about 1/16'' :clap:...


For raised flower beds that's a reasonable tolerance....:thumbup:


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

CJ21 said:


> What about 1/16'' :clap: Tenon what do you mean by Should be WAY more accurate?


Keep talking to guys on here...
You'll find some of us are splitting 1/32's and 1/64's, depending on what your doing.

You'll get there.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

CJ- The idea is you have to make it fit....TIGHT....:thumbsup:

You don't want them dam painters coming behind you & talking a bunch o' chit....:laughing::laughing::thumbup:


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

It's all relative.

An 1/8" is very accurate over 50'
An 1/8" is fairly accurate in 25'
An 1/8" is terribly inaccurate in 1'


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

"Caulking is not trim"

ooohhh...

that one works for the other post as well.:thumbup:


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## CJ21 (Aug 11, 2007)

Thanks guys, my dad is my painter. So if any bad mouth get out I know who to look for LOL!


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## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

Nice lookin' bubble sticks there CJ:thumbsup:



Watch the yard sales for a tube-type fishing rod case...


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

One of my old bosses used to say "my eye measures tolerances to the 64th....."


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## kyle_dmr (Mar 17, 2009)

Doesnt say Stabila on it. For that matter, wrong color too!


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

kyle_dmr said:


> Doesnt say Stabila on it. For that matter, wrong color too!


Mine don't say Stabila and are the wrong color, but there is no difference.


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## CJ21 (Aug 11, 2007)

mbryan said:


> Yes it does but it's so nice to acquire nice tools. Has made me appreciate the cost of tools and I find myself treating them better too.


Me to, I also am finding out that buying the same tool twice hurts. Because you should have bought a better model the first time.


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## Brutus (May 29, 2007)

CJ21 said:


> If was to start a crew every carpenter would have his own tools, They wont be allow to touch mind. Its taking me awhile to build up my collection. :thumbup:


Every time I buy something.... I realize I am missing something else. :laughing:


There are too many tools to this trade. :laughing::laughing:

I'm not complaining, though...


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## CJ21 (Aug 11, 2007)

I know what ya mean. :clap::clap:


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## SixHoeBob (Jan 26, 2013)

Brutus said:


> Mais, français est mon deuxième langue......


So, What is your second language?


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Don't worry about accuracy. It can always be fixed with 1/4 inch paint....


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## Brutus (May 29, 2007)

SixHoeBob said:


> So, What is your second language?


Hockey. 

:laughing:

I never fully learned french, I am working on it.


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## CJ21 (Aug 11, 2007)

Californiadecks said:


> Don't worry about accuracy. It can always be fixed with 1/4 inch paint....


Thats why so many carpenters are out of work! :laughing:


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## darthdude (Dec 30, 2012)

chetec79 said:


> I have a stabilla bag which holds all my blue empires....72/48/24/18 fat max and 12/torpedo. Great bag and the blue levels have never let me down. I even have the plate level but thats under the roof inside my van.


I've owned some of the blue "professional" Empire levels for years now. They were affordable back when I started buying a lot of my own tools and have held up well. I just replaced my 6 year old 2' Empire a few weeks ago because it was clearly not reading correctly. I did buy a new Stabila since I have a little more money now then I did then, but for the price I feel the blue Empires are great tools if that's what your budget allows. Don't buy the cheaper models though, I've heard some iffy things about them.


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## neill (Sep 29, 2011)

imo for the price sola cannot be beat. great warranty (though i haven't had to make a claim yet), and every bit as good as my stabilas. the magnets on them are nice and strong too.

i have no affiliation with sola, i'm just a fan.


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

griz said:


> CJ- The idea is you have to make it fit....TIGHT....:thumbsup:
> 
> You don't want them dam painters coming behind you & talking a bunch o' chit....:laughing::laughing::thumbup:


or busting out the caulk...


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

Tom Struble said:


> between an Empire and a Stabilia?..Bull****e there ain't


It all depends on how accurate you think is accurate. I used to love my Bostitch levels, then when I started getting really picky I found the 78" level to have a few vials that will show a hair different then others....my 96 and 58 on the other hand are dead on....or so I think. 

I think maybe next year i will buy an all out Stabila set to replace my current levels, most which are Bostitch...9", 16", 24", 32" 48" 58" 78" and 96" :thumbup: Anything over 96" and it time for either the line, dot or rotary laser.... (well 95" as I cut my 96 down to fit inside an 8 foot door jamb.)


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## Gary H (Dec 10, 2008)

I had some of my Stablia levels since the early 90's and they are still dead on.:thumbsup: My 8' level , heavily used for frameing is staight and reads perfect.:thumbup: Even with the nails that were shot though it from a disgrunted employee. Dont ask.


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## mbryan (Dec 6, 2010)

Gary H said:


> Even with the nails that were shot though it from a disgrunted employee. Dont ask.


Ok, we won't so go ahead and tell.


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## Gary H (Dec 10, 2008)

mbryan said:


> Ok, we won't so go ahead and tell.


Ok. You got me.:laughing: We had framed a house and over the week end got 3'' of snow then rain. So there was 4'' of ice that had to be chipped out for us to plumb the walls. I had wanted to do it the day before , but my carpenter wanted to go home. Said he was cold.:laughing:

So he had to chip the ice out to put the level on the bottom plate while I chipped ice to install braces. We fu^&ed around plumbing the walls. Something that could have been done in an hour the night before now is taking hours. 

So we are fighting the walls. One time they are plumb the next time they are not. The soon to be fired carpenter FAILED to clean all the ice AWAY from the bottom plate. So the level read plumb with 1/2'' of ice still frozen to the plate.

So we had to redo the whole house again.

By this time I about had it with him. I am asking him everytime he reads the level if the LEVEL is TIGHT to the PLATE. 

After about 10 minuates of this from me he walks over takes the other gun by his feet and nails the 8' staibla to the wall.:blink: Then says is this tight enough? He then walked off and never did come back for his last check. If he did it would have been short the price of a new level.

Pulled the nails and still is accuate to this day. Every time I use that level , those nail holes remind me of that day. 

Lesson learned? That if the forecast is snow and rain mixed, work late and get the house staight and plumbed before going home.


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

I wish Sands still made them like these.

http://www.contractortalk.com/images/forums/attach/jpg.gif

That was a good story Gary. :laughing:

:thumbsup:


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## Gary H (Dec 10, 2008)

I got one of them up in the shed. Used them to lay blocks back when I was in the skill center.


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## CJ21 (Aug 11, 2007)

Tenon, they still make those. http://www.lewiscontractorsales.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=levelsandsqures


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## Mavis Leonard (Mar 13, 2013)

CJ21 said:


> I finally got my Kodak to work agian today! And I got me the Sands Professional Magnetic Aluminum Extruded Level 24’’ and 48’’ Made in the USA. I Pay $64 bucks for both, I am going to use them on some carpentry projects. Note, I am sorry for all the treads, I posted that got under you guys skin. :thumbsup:


 slepalone? no rom therifr GF


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## Mavis Leonard (Mar 13, 2013)

igot 6nw stablis onth wa with cary bgs


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## Mavis Leonard (Mar 13, 2013)

Gary H said:


> Ok. You got me.:laughing: We had framed a house and over the week end got 3'' of snow then rain. So there was 4'' of ice that had to be chipped out for us to plumb the walls. I had wanted to do it the day before , but my carpenter wanted to go home. Said he was cold.:laughing:
> 
> So he had to chip the ice out to put the level on the bottom plate while I chipped ice to install braces. We fu^&ed around plumbing the walls. Something that could have been done in an hour the night before now is taking hours.
> 
> ...



put markon centof soleplte an mrk oncnetero top plte


getout laser plumbob


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