Bubble levels

Bubble levels

I recently picked up the metal and small red levels. I had the large red and Stanley level from dad's workshop.

The Stanley is the handyman series, kind of their cheap line introducing tools to the masses. The small red level is Johnson Level by Johnson Products Company..Haven't found anything about them so far...may be related to a company that's still in business? The metal level has some pieces missing, but still pretty cool.

DON'T HOSE IT UP
"Because the surface of a body of water is always horizontal, a trough or channel filled with water can serve as a reference in some situations. The hose level, first described in 1629, consisted of a length of hose fitted with a glass tube at each end. Water was added until it rose in both vertically held tubes; when the surfaces of the water in each tube were at the same height, the object was level."

THE HAND, THE BUBBLE AND THE SPIRIT
All names for levels. "A spirit level is a ruler-shaped tool of varying lengths that holds one or more transparent vials containing liquid and an air bubble. "
"The spirit, or bubble, level, a sealed glass tube containing alcohol and an air bubble, was invented in 1661. It was first used on telescopes and later on surveying instruments, but it did not become a carpenter’s tool until the factory-made models were introduced in the mid-19th century. The circular level, in which a bubble floated under a circular glass to indicate level in all directions, was invented in 1777. It lacked the sensitivity of the conventional level."

WHEN IN ROME
"The Romans were thought to use water in cisterns as leveling devices during construction projects. The ancient builders used the appearance of the water line as a visual indicator of the evenness of a structure."

WHAT ABOUT BOB?
Before the spirit levels, we had plumb bobs. We know these date back to the Egyptians, over 4000 years ago.