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The spirit level is an ancient tool used to determine straight or plumb lines. It contains a liquid, often ethanol, and a bubble that should be centered between two lines. Laser levels are becoming popular, but accuracy is important in construction and engineering.
The spirit level is a very old tool, used by carpenters, bricklayers, and even people at home trying to hang a painting, that helps you determine straight or plumb lines. These are also called bubble levels because the goal when you align one horizontally is that you want the bubble in a small amount of liquid in the center of the level to be in the center, between two lines. This will let you know with a fair amount of accuracy if your line is straight. There are also types of spirit levels for measuring vertical level lines, which may work to slightly different standards.
As mentioned above, the bubble level is verifiably ancient. The former was invented by Melchisedech Thevenot in the 17th century AD However, they may not have been widely used until the early 18th century, although Thevenot shared the design with other scientists and philosophers such as Robert Hooke of England. The original spirit level had several vials of liquid that would help a person measure a straight line horizontally. The design, which is now commonly seen and certainly in use in many homes, which contains a single vial with a bubble was not created until the 1917’s, and Harry Zeiman is credited with inventing him.
The spirit name in the spirit level comes from the use of the liquid contained within the vial, often ethanol. Those that contain ethanol usually have a yellow colored fluid in the center vial. Some prefer the more accurate, intensely blue liquid-filled spirit levels, which may have a slightly differently shaped glass tube. Many also claim that they are easier to read and are useful for their accuracy, which can be extremely important when building or leveling things.
A number of people have switched to the laser level, which can help measure straight lines along three planes and combines some aspects of the spirit level. These project a laser light so that the straight line is displayed over a long surface. They are used extensively in the construction industry and are also becoming a popular tool for the home, with some models being much less expensive than professional ones.
Levels aren’t simply used in home construction or home improvement projects. Engineers use variations of the bubble level or laser level to make sure that machine components are completely level. Even slight inaccuracies in the placement of a machine’s foundation can cause problems with accurate operation.
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