Fantastic Super Precision Level Repair

In this video we repair a fantastic Fell All Way level. This spectacular instrument was invented and patented by William Fell around 1940. It is unique in that it can simultaneously evaluate two axes. It is ideal for machine leveling and setting up precision equipment. This level can resolve below .0005/ft or roughly 8 arc seconds of angle. Check out, patents.google...
We disassemble the level and open the vial for refilling and bring this unique instrument back to life.

[@donpollard9460]

I'm an electronics technician, and when we want to remove a soldered (sodered to you) part we use Soderwick (Goot make a similar product), which will remove the solder to the point that the hole becomes exposed then add liquid and solder as normal...

[@Conservator.]

Exactly my thoughts.

[@stevenholton438]

Don Pollard Yeah he wouldn't listen to me either!

[@chrisretusn]

Yup, my line of thought as well.

[@miles11we]

As far as I'm aware we all still spell it solder even if some of us pronounce it sodder.

[@guygfm4243]

Tom it’s like another world you live in and thanks for taking me with you. I have learnt so much from you. I was shouting at you to use a soldering Iron to open the whole as no bits would get in, but you managed well with your way. Wow worn out now but thanks. From U.K.

[@hellonwheels0o3]

When tom said the " the little nutcase inside me says to play with it some more" talking about leaving the solder alone. I lost it that was funny.

[@highpwr]

Been there, done that - more times than I care to admit. The man has a lot of company in that regard I'm sure. Even with that knowledge and experience under his belt, he DID give in to the dark side ONCE - but didn't tempt fate with a second try. Attaboy! L O L

[@TheFeller1554]

My problem is the little nutcase in my head has a voice like Sam Kinison and the logic of Robin Renzetti or so it seems.

[@highpwr]

@@TheFeller1554 If I could possess the logic of Robin Renzetti I would gladly endure listening to Sam Kinison AND Gilbert Gottfried battling it out in my head. My little nutcase has a voice like Jim Varney.... nowhutamean? 😄

[@charlesmadisonrhea]

Agreed w all. It was my favorite part of the video. I laughed out loud.

[@swp466]

Regarding the bubble size, the other commenters who mentioned that it should just touch all four inner lines are correct. Refer to the patent drawings that you linked -- it clearly shows the bubble just touching all four inner lines.

[@1911wood]

Tom I believe the curvature of the glass is achieved by using telescope lens grinding techniques which are capable of millionth of an inch accuracies. Enjoyed your sharing.

[@vitygas]

Looked up the patent. The bubble should just touch the inner lines: “the bubble appears in the exact center with the innermost graduation lines tangent thereto and it is obvious that any out of level condition can be detected “

[@KnocclHead]

Makes sens to me. Otherwise you restrict the maximum readout range you could get, from the scale. I guess the other shown exampel also lost some fluid.

[@scroungasworkshop4663]

Fill er up! Tom.

[@TheYear2525]

I'm one of those telescope folks who has ground their own mirror and I definately hadn't expected you to mention amateur telescope makers :D . Thanks for that

[@theWichd]

Parabola on a standard Newtonian reflector

[@malcolmtill]

American"Graham" electric clocks made in the 30s 40s had sealed motors in a metal case that were sealed in exactly the same way. When I used to repair them I would simply De solder the solder seal, De solder the case, clean and repair them then re solder them back together, add the oil then re solder the seal.

[@klasstrandberg3207]

Not boring, thank you.

[@waynekiely4137]

Nice one! Just a tiny correction... The amateur telescope makers turn a sphere into a parabola.

[@craigulatorOne]

desoldering wick might have worked for this job?

[@davidwatson3711]

All your work tables are out of level. Enjoyed the video

[@janeinarwold2663]

This whole social distancing thing is every home shop machinists dream, finally we can justify staying in the shop 24/7 😎 and to be serious there is a good reason for it now as we all have some elderly loved ones. Stay safe!

[@alanhutchison4207]

Or my best excuse yet for staying in the shop? I am the elderly loved one? I think??!!! :-)

[@MaturePatriot]

@Haha MissMiss Unless you are a CNC home shop, or have a 3D printer, then you have "friends" wanting odd object made all the time.

[@MaturePatriot]

@@alanhutchison4207 Me too. My wife is much younger than I am, she is only 65, while I am almost 68. LOL

[@Wa3ypx]

Machinists and fire extinguisher techs! I think I've ran the hydro test machine everyday all day for the last 2 weeks!

[@RGSneaker]

A word from a couch machinist: "I'd make it touch the innermost full lines and assume it will evaporate again over time. At the same time I am assuming your previous level also has evaporated some"

[@kmcwhq]

Yes, just what I was thinking.

[@tylerhensley2312]

I agree on the evaporation but I think the bubble should be at the 2nd to 3rd inner most lines so the bubble can be read not only from either side but I think as the bubble starts to travel off center it becomes distorted slightly and can give false readings if you can only compare to the one side of the bubble. look at it like this, if the bubble is the one exact same size as the inner most lines when the bubble is off there is no reference line for the edge of the bubble in the center most part of the glass and since the bubble is distorted the reading on the outer most side would be inaccurate.

[@bobbyw9046]

That is why the sealing solder is easily drilled and resealable (easily serviceable). I doubt there is any amount of fluid that will last forever, so I see this as a normal service item like a car tire's air volume - eventually some always leaks out! Exactly which line the fluid is touching is really a moot point - you read it for consistency within all 4 sides.

[@cliffordfender1159]

I ... think I agree.

[@xenonram]

@@bobbyw9046 Where do you think it's "evaporating"? I have levels that are very old. At least 50 years old (because one was my grandfather's) and the alcohol hasn't "evaporated" one bit. That's always confused me as to where the liquid goes. It doesn't osmose through the glass/plastic/metal. (Yes, I understand that levels with glass vials that were sealed, by melting the glass, is a different situation than things like this with plugs/ports.)

[@MetrologyEngineer]

It should be an even number of lines wide if that makes sense so you can line the diameter up with a line on either side when it's level.

[@billrich9129]

Keith Rucker has one of those, could not find the vid, I think he also said that some of the history is that these were not allowed out of the US during WWII. Vary cool!

[@progandy]

Here is the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gaKyknqnqKeYm7s

[@RagsdaleCreek]

Very nice repair . Great video Tom!

[@industriousus]

Echoing a lot of comments below. Thank you for letting us in to your shop again! Stay Healthy!

[@thomasvmanning]

I'm glad my favorite content creators are coming out of the woodwork in this crazy time to help it pass. Great video.

[@cogentdynamics]

I feel so inadequate having only three levels and none so cool as that! I love tools and you have the passion for this stuff I can relate to. I love your videos and always learn stuff I use. I’m also am normally left just a little envious. Thank you so much Tom for your efforts to share and teach!

[@larryshaw6517]

I think you did the proper amount of restoration and leaving a note was a cool idea, thanks again for all of your work. I hope you come out the other side of this OK.

[@larrylawson5172]

This is a serious complement. There are times when watching paint dry can be captivating and fascinating. This is it. Very interesting. You might have discussed how the ether might have evaporated. Small ether molecules that can slide between the solder molecules or small voids in the solder or the joint between the glass and the rest of the containment vial? Similar to why helium balloons deflate over time? I don't know. Rucker just used a Fell level to work on the bed of the planer. I am sure you saw it. Now he knows your secret.

[@royreynolds108]

Hydrogen and helium molecules will pass through regular balloon walls as they are so small. That is how helium is separated from the natural gas it is mixed with up around Amarillo, TX. Hydrogen and helium are used to detect minute leaks in air conditioning systems.

[@phillipyannone3195]

I would say the bubble should be exactly inside the smallest square. I checked some of my levels that are in good condition and the bubble fits just inside the lines.

[@tylerhensley2312]

I think 2.5-3 lines per side is perfect. It's tight in the middle and allows both sides of the bubble to be read.

[@irish-simon]

in work we have one and the bubble is just at the first line on all sides hope this helps

[@t.d.mich.7064]

The material probably used to seal the original hole was called Cerametrix. Low temperature (140 degrees C. 280 degrees F) melting point alloy.

[@thegenrl]

Amazing video thank you for sharing

[@erth2man]

This is an excellent old tool and the type of rescue job I live for. I would have attempted to carefully unsolder the fill hole using solder wick and maybe even doing so upside down but your method worked very well. I would have filled the vile so that the bubble fit exactly in the center square realizing that this will most likely change under atmospheric conditions and will probably enlarge over time anyway. I agree with not "restoring" any of the patina on the tool or case. Good Job

[@HEADDYNAMICS]

Rockford IL was built on machine tools and tool and die. There is still a small amount of shops left but the majority of Rockford is a cesspool a shame really. I still search craigslist every night for good stuff in the Rockford area.

[@curtisvonepp4335]

Just a comment Tom's really. On the LEVEL 🙊.

[@GaryGrumble]

When you were resizing the bubble it occurred to me that your second level might also have lost fluid. Your first guess that the bubble should be inside the first lines may be correct.

[@1kreature]

The bubble should be exactly inside all the inner lines. It has lost fluid and original pictures from Fell show it. There is no sence in having it cross any lines when perfectly levelled. The lines are there to let you measure/gauge how much out of level you are.

[@nevetslleksah]

But most likely temperature and pressure sensitive so the bubble size will change depending on atmospheric conditions.

[@nathanokun8801]

@@1kreature You are correct, but it is absolutely imperative that the bubble NOT get SMALLER than the innermost set of lines or you lose the design tolerance completely. Better to be slightly larger than smaller.

[@Swi55Milk]

@@nevetslleksah an atmosphere of ether/ethanol as the vapors were escaping as soon as he had a small hole I think it's safe to assume there is no oxygen/nitrogen inside in a significant fraction.

[@Bugdriver49]

@@nevetslleksah Respectfully, in order for changing atmospheric pressure to have any effect..it would have to be vented to the ambient atmosphere, or have some part of its container able to move with changes in pressure...like a bellows.

[@chuckphilpot7756]

Ah yes, the level. The only tool in the typical machine shop that measures using gravity.

[@jmegown52302]

The patent drawing shows the bubble within the inner stadia lines.

[@sarman1998]

Thanks for another interesting and educational video! I’m glad I’m not the only one with an “inner nut-job” who can’t help futzing with things just a little more.

[@craigs5212]

Very nice video, you never play with the solder, things almost never get better only worse, same with drywall mud. The reason reason it likely contains ether is due its low viscosity of .224 cP, ethanol being ~5 x more at 1.2 cP. The ether flows much faster allowing the bubble to settle faster. I have seen a video about making amateur precision vial levels. They just take some pyrex or quartz glass tubing put it a jig to give it the desired bend radius, then lap the bore back straight. Once released from the jig the tube returns to its straight position but the bore is now curved to the desired radius, very clever. Cut the tube down to size, fill it, seal, mark the lines and mount it.

[@Siege0787]

Hey mate. Got a link to the video? Or a name to find it? Cheers.

[@craigs5212]

@@Siege0787 I can't seem to find the video but you can see some photos of the jig on a forum called NavList for the preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation. The post was by Randall Morrow on January 5, 2012. Titled Making your own spirit level vials-another attempt to send pictures. fer3.com/x.aspx/17731

[@powaybob]

Thanks for a very cool video. Seems funny that a precision device looks like a loaf of clay.

[@markfergerson2145]

I thought the same thing, but the only surfaces that need to be precise are the bottom and the place the actual level sits. I'm not sure I'd trust the outside edges to be especially flat (or parallel) as he did while aligning the stadia lines. Still it would have been cooler for it to be a precisely machined block (in whole-number of inches dimensions of course) with nice chamfers and mirror finish.

[@Reburned32]

Thats why you have these screws and convex surface inside that block. Place whole block on true surface and adjust 4 screws until you get circle centered between lines.

[@scroungasworkshop4663]

I must admit the OCD in me would have filled the bubble to exactly the inner lines. I have the same problem with knowing when to stop as well, it looks good but I just want to make it look a little bit better and ruin the whole thing. Great video and definitely worth a sub. Cheers Stuart 🇦🇺

[@jamesbruley2843]

Tom, I want to join the many people who have said how much they enjoy your videos.

[@ecliptix1]

That tiny drill index is the cutest thing

[@gottfriedschuss5999]

If it goes missing, I'd check a certain shop near Pensacola, FL. 😎

[@jeffbuckles]

@@gottfriedschuss5999 If it doesn't take two hands to hold it you won't find it in Pensacola :P

[@jobkneppers]

Tom, great to see you again in good health! If the bubble is the same size as the minimum square you'll have the maximum range to look and correct at. I think your other square has lost a little of it contents over the years also.... Thank you for sharing! (I would scrape the solder from the bottom to reveal the contours of the filling hole with a small sharp chisel. But my approach changes with the hour also or as long as you get the job done right is doesn't matter) Best regards, and just curious, do you have any idea of the intended use of the hammer I send you?, Job

[@henrypostulart]

Hi Tom. Thanks for sharing.

[@roswalt1]

A woman in an antique store once told me that a great way to get grunge off of fine wood objects is to use plain GOJO hand cleaner without grit. Just slather it on, give it some time to do its thing and wipe off with some paper towels. This technique works well for kitchen cabinets with a natural finish to cut the grime and oils from cooking. An added bonus is that the GOJO has lanolin in it so it adds natural oils to the wood instead of stripping oils out and drying the wood out.

[@PapiSmerf]

I'm a woodworker, and your story just caused me to break out in a full-body panic sweat. I'll explain when I get home from work if YT doesn't bury you.

[@lwilton]

I used to use mechanic's hand cleaner, which was basically a tub of lanolin, to clean and polish my old car, which tended to get washed about twice a year when it rained, and suffered from oxidized paint. The hand cleaner got grease and much off real easy, and left a polished surface to boot.

[@magnusklahr8190]

Great video!!👍😀

[@scottstarling247]

It is not the size of the ship(bubble) but how you manage the ocean(giggity). All you need, is to see the entire bubble within the glass. First or second line, all around is about right.

[@alexdubinsky6098]

melting the solder away from the hole would have been easier than trying to calculate its position.

[@exdime]

That's what they make solder suckers for

[@RGSneaker]

@@exdime I'd even try solder sucking weave

[@jonanderson5137]

@@RGSneaker solder wick tends to by my preference.

[@stevewilliams587]

Not so much fun though

[@marksnyder2232]

I think adding enough heat to de-solder that would have risked damaging the very thin metal substrate. That would have trashed out the whole thing.

[@victoryfirst2878]

Look up the different characteristics of alcohols in a chemistry book as to what temperature range you need. They all had colored alcohol to keep the veil from freezing.

[@eamonncollins5426]

I love the throw the first Allen wrench out statement, so true I would love to see a KE55 video from you. Thanks, Eamonn

[@josephwilson6651]

You always leave me thinking, which is a great video learning experience. you are an exceptional instructor!!

[@matthewsykes4814]

Oh gods I have seen that double set screw method..... took me by surprise too

[@flinch622]

This makes me think of all the machining that had to be done building ww2 ships - the precision needed on big guns and reduction gears may not have been aerospace, but it darn sure better work. What amazes me is the work that had to be done on tenders: leave the level in the rubbish bin, as ballast trim or rolls underway made them a useless object.

[@ericcommarato7727]

On the size of the bubble, what does the patent drawing show? I would assume the bubble would go to the inner most graduations. It would seem each graduation would be .0001. Don't you think?

[@stevencorley2352]

Kieth Rucker has a Fell level that I think is the same as the one you are working on. Give him a call.

[@DJMUGATTO]

Hola. Una pregunta. Donde es la reparacion?. Saludos.

[@HH-Machining]

Big thanks for sharing this! :)

[@nowayjerk8064]

that tp siting behind the surface plate looks like good stuff , ;)

[@TadTadd]

You sure you didn’t smell butane? I seem to recall that some precision levels use butane, just like those clear plastic lighters.

[@ertplus838]

Wouldn't butane spew out of the hole the moment he burst through?

[@teejaye110]

now I want one of those lighters to carry around as a quick always handy torpedo level

[@jmtx.]

To get at the hole, why not stand it up, use a soldering iron and solder sucker to desolder the seal?

[@Copozeras]

I think you have two broken levels :) chceck out Keith Ruckers video on leveling the metal planer, He has the bubble just big enough to touch the inner lines.

[@ironfeatherstudio4476]

Great vid bro. Thanks

[@peterwright4224]

You need to flow more solder in to make a round uniform bump of solder

[@0verboosted]

Tom - should have checked with Keith Rucker, he has a level exactly like yours!

[@dasworkshop4967]

I'm wondering if it was subjected to high temps at one point, to where the metal back was stretched beyond yield, and so increased the volume of the cavity.

[@MysticalDork]

Yeah, my thoughts also. Especially with ether, it's extra volatile so that extra vapor pressure could make it more sensitive to heat.

[@turningpoint6643]

Possibly a bit of accidental rough handling sometime in the past was just enough to perforate that seal. Even tougher to find is it may not leak until it reaches a certain high or low temperature and barometric pressure.

[@kenny5174]

Good and very informative video! Wayyy above my skill and comfort level, very good for a cup of coffee. Keep them coming.

[@UncleKennysPlace]

Grinding a spherical concave surface is shockingly easy to do, even with _very_ high accuracy. Amateur telescope makers have done that, and also parabolas, for more than a century. Two pieces of glass and some grit, as they say.

[@dsmacd46]

I'm seeing 5 lines per side. I'd fill only until bubble edges bordered middle lines on all sides. Out of level then measurable either + or - on all sides. Of course, none of it matters unless you're verifiably looking straight down from exactly vertical from center ... right? Why no eyepiece on legs or some such to guarantee dead vertical view? Hmmm.

[@sandersn4]

My guess/belief is that the stuff over the hole is called Cerroseal 35 and not conventional solder. It melts at about 260 deg F and sticks to glass and metal and is used in the instrument fab trade. I'll bet it is the same stuff as on the front around the glass.

[@ovalwingnut]

Fantastic ❤ video. THANK YOU First time viewer... Enjoyed the subject matter immensely. aka It RoCkEd 😎 Had no idea that precision bubble levels even existed. I love a good level 😁 but also realized I've never really owned one. SUBBING IS A NO BRAINER & THE CHECK IS IN THE MAIL 🙄 p.s. Your post-production work also top notch, Mr. DeMille Cheers! So.Ca.🇺🇸

[@dgretlein]

Just get a copper wire mesh (solder wick or solder sucker ) soldering iron, and wick it away. Ultra, very clean. Put the booze in, and solder it up!

[@cobraframebuilding]

Hell yeah, tom! Love it.

[@TabletopMachineShop]

"You know what that smells like? It smells like ether" --*thump*--

[@curtisvonepp4335]

Yeah that's what Either does THUMP SNIFF SHALLOW 🙊

[@somebodyelse6673]

Tabletop Machine Shop - ...then the friend who donated the level backs his trailer up to Tom's shop and starts loading...

[@seephor]

The main question is, how did it lose liquid in the first place? Could there be a tiny opening between the glass and metal body? How do they seal the glass to the body? It looks like some caulking.

[@spikey2740]

One point below perfection is achievable. One above, not so much.

[@tachios85]

Tried checking comments for this and found nothing: The 'cylinder' inside a conventional bubble level is NOT 'barrel shaped' - it's torus shaped. A barrel wouldn't work intuitively.

[@TheEvertw]

The advantage of barrel-shaped phials is that the orientation of the level is not super-critical. They even work upside-down. For levels used in construction, this is an important feature; for machinist levels not so much as long as the level is relatively level around the longitudinal axis.

[@bikefreek]

why not desolder the hole instead of drilling?

[@phillaboody260]

Noise reduction on the audio should get rid of the background hiss sound. Nothing fancy, Audacity has a noise reduction effect and works fairly good.

[@bobbyw9046]

Excellent job - BUT leave the case as is!

[@paulhunt598]

So Tom, is the level for sale? I had two Starrett .0005"/1' levels that were shop owned as my favorite machine set up tools. I didn't even know that a precision level that would simultaneously measure two axis was even available. I like your toy.

[@fredio54]

12:20 - taunting us with decoy decorated blue toilet rolls!

[@bboomer7th]

fredio54 Three separate comfort levels!

[@AlBorland3877]

@@bboomer7th Different people - different levels of comfort. XoD

[@ubergreenguru5704]

I'm sure that's Shop-Rag-On-A-Roll... which TBH, is probably lightyears better than toilet paper. (For shop tasks, of course!)

[@mr.t.807]

Hi Tom what type of video editing software are you using.

[@garypeterson3628]

Instead of all the measuring and drilling, why didn't you just use a soldering iron to open the hole.

[@berryreading4809]

Tom didn't have an egg of silly putty on hand in the shop?! I am truly disappointed haha

[@Mitch3D]

This makes me think of Rick and Morty when Morty experiences True Level.

[@pangroszek3498]

Maybe point of view is a problem, but I see that it will not be at zero on any line. I can see on one side on the 1st and on the other on the 2nd line.

[@5naxalotl]

fun telescope fact: for most amateur telescopes, the error from having a spherical mirror is substantially less than the diffraction error from the limited mirror diameter

[@rldoyle5705]

Where did you get those nice tweezers thanks for vidjo and your time

[@bostedtap8399]

Innovative instrument, probably some ghost of one of the men or women who built them is having a good laugh at 21st century engineers trying to fathom it. Great repair Tom. Thanks for sharing and stay safe all.

[@mytech6779]

But the question remains outstanding: Where did the juice get loose? Metals and glass of those thicknesses should be 100% impermeable. Diethyl ether boils at about body temperature, maybe it was left in the sun and burst a section of seal. Compasses tend to use either kerosene or glycerin depending on the style, but they benefit from some damping.

[@kadmow]

You answered your own question, EVEN in perfect condition, the sealing interface between "silver" and Glass will not (as in cannot be guaranteed) be totally gas-tight for ever... (it might last a long time but - differential expansion happens.. lol...)

[@mytech6779]

@@kadmow The seal is either broken or not, if broken it needs to be repaired; other than physical damage or a harsh chemical conditions there is no reason a glass and silver interface couldn't stay sealed for hundreds of years if not thousands.

[@scaletownmodels]

The text of patent by William Fell (patents.google.com/patent/US2316777A/en) does mention it using an ether pool in one part and an ether or other liquid pool in another.. Another part says - "In Fig. 2, the bubble 33 appears in the exact center with the innermost graduation lines tangent thereto..."

[@alext8828]

Excellent. I didn't want to read the entire text, so I'm glad you found that part.

[@dmak_903]

206.8057" radius with the dimensions given

[@3rdaxis649]

Why wouldn't you have simply used a solder wick?

[@point223]

About 4000mm radius

[@Conservator.]

oxtoolco 16:00 You have put so much effort in this video and all I see is three rolls of toilet paper. 🤣 Seriously though: I enjoyed watching the video. Thank you very much! 🙏

[@pbmachines972]

More Ox videos please 👌

[@jesusisalive3227]

I can't tell you how many times the perfectionist in me has ended up ruining a beautiful job because it just wasn't perfect enough lol. A hot air gun would make that solder nice and pretty.

[@bee2hive]

Why is this thing not square?

[@bobtherat99]

I am not sure if the is an artifact of the youtube but that looks like indium solder.

[@eulerizeit]

"Smells like ether" ~takes a big whiff~ :-D

[@jeffo881]

Just keep huffing

[@Windgonner]

And ZZzzzzz...

[@Mishn0]

I'm just a guy on the interwebs with a two year degree in an unrelated subject, but... The comments verifying that the bubble should be tangent to the innermost stadia, by the book, is what makes sense to me. Otherwise your 8 seconds of level per line won't be accurate. The surface of the bubble will meet the curve of the glass at a different angle depending on the size of the bubble. If the bubble is too big, the intersection will be at a steeper part of the arc and the level will be less sensitive. I think...

[@BuickDoc]

I'm not OC, but... Damn, man. Sand blast it! Powder coat it! Polish it! It hurts my soul...

[@TheMetalButcher]

You're OCD bud.

[@martysmith2422]

My father said the exact same thing about allen wrenches 20 yrs ago lol. "Might as well just throw away the first one you grab. It wont be the right one."