help with weird old level

ljs5757 said:

help with weird old level

I am having a great deal of trouble finding any info on the below pictured Stanley ruler & level co. new Britain Conn level was hoping the brain-trust on this sight may help steer me on a straight and level (pun intended) path to identification, thank you in advance, Louis smith

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Interesting find. A closer photo of the markings on the brass plate might help.

The rounded ends are curious. Makes me suspect that it may have been modified by someone along the way. The dimples on the end look like they could have been where the thing was put on a lathe.

Or the other thing those points may have been used for is to mount it on centers on a surveyor's theodolite similar to this metal one.

ljs5757 said:

help with weird old level

I am having a great deal of trouble finding any info on the below pictured Stanley ruler & level co. new Britain Conn level was hoping the brain-trust on this sight may help steer me on a straight and level (pun intended) path to identification, thank you in advance, Louis smith

Click to expand...

Never seen one with turned ends and a quick google didn't turn up anything. Wonder if maybe it's user-modified?

ljs5757 said:

help with weird old level

I am having a great deal of trouble finding any info on the below pictured Stanley ruler & level co. new Britain Conn level was hoping the brain-trust on this sight may help steer me on a straight and level (pun intended) path to identification, thank you in advance, Louis smith

Click to expand...

Hey thanks, it was my grandfathers, he was born in 1899 and was the lead carpenter at his union, he would have been around construction sites and had access to such things, as a kid i watched in sheer amazement him doing things like cutting the bird-mouth on a roof and the cuts would be seamless, using just a folding ruler and pencil the old guys could do magic with wood

ljs5757 said:

help with weird old level

I am having a great deal of trouble finding any info on the below pictured Stanley ruler & level co. new Britain Conn level was hoping the brain-trust on this sight may help steer me on a straight and level (pun intended) path to identification, thank you in advance, Louis smith

Click to expand...

Got an email from a antique tool seller saying "It is a machinist level fashioned after Davis levels from the same period. Most Davis levels this size had acorn finials. 1860s - 1880s or there abouts. Most Stanley versions found do not have the finials, but some early ones did. It has nothing to do with a surveying instrument. Its value is going to depend largely on how it comes out after being cleaned and or refinished"
I looked up Davis pocket levels and they are very similar but, i've yet to find an exact picture or description anywhere on Stanley's version, I found this picture on Mel Millers site



https://melmillerantiquetools.com/davis_level_toolpage.htm
i'm still not sure any more thoughts, thanks Louis smith

ljs5757 said:

help with weird old level

I am having a great deal of trouble finding any info on the below pictured Stanley ruler & level co. new Britain Conn level was hoping the brain-trust on this sight may help steer me on a straight and level (pun intended) path to identification, thank you in advance, Louis smith

Click to expand...

Never seen a wooden machinist's level. But who knows that far back??