Carpenters level

[Nemonius Agricola]

I have began work on a carpenters level. I will have the plumb bob part of the level done by tomorrow and I will post the picture with it on the level. I might need to make some adjustments to the height of the cross brace if needed.

[Nemonius Agricola]

So I finished the plumb bob today. The rope is hemp and the plumb bob is casted lead. The rope is not attached and is just hanging by its own weight. And notice that my table is level. Good thing I didn't feel like taking the plane to it.

Now I have to add other angles to mark on the wood. One is to find a 23 degree angle for my next project!!!! hock: More to come with the level in action. hock:

[M. Demetrius]

So you have a 90 degree angle at the top vertex? The mosaic looks more obtuse, but I guess it really wouldn't matter, as long as the legs are the same length. Well done!

[jvrjenivs]

Nicely done. Here is one I made some years ago. (but with modern fishing weight)

[Tarbicus]

These are great! It's the first time I've seen these tools, and the logic behind the design is so simple but I'd never even considered it.

[Nemonius Agricola]

So you have a 90 degree angle at the top vertex? The mosaic looks more obtuse, but I guess it really wouldn't matter, as long as the legs are the same length. Well done!

I have a 90 degree angle,a 45 degree angle and a 120 degree angle. If you lay the level on on of its legs you get the 90 degree. If you use the cross piece you can get the 120 degree angle. If its standing up like the picture you get the 45 degree angle. And if you find angle of something you can mark it on the cross beam

One day I hope to cast the bronze version of this one shown in the picture. Same thing but with one of the legs has a thicker piece to use as a foot.

[Tarbicus]

My dad was a fully apprenticed joiner for fifty years, so I sent this link for him to see. Here's my mum's reply:

"Just showed your Dad and he said they used to do something similar."

My dad and uncle also took a look at my new dolabra from Armamantaria a while back. Guess what they both said :wink:

[Nemonius Agricola]

I would bet the tools your Dad and Uncle used are the same style as the finds of roman woodworking tools.

[jvrjenivs]

Yeah, when I need tools I look at second hand websites and markets first. A lot of 'old' tools are good to use (with some mods sometimes)

[P. Clodius Secundus]

Great work, kudos to both of you! Another of the things on my to-do list. Robert Ulrich has some good material about levels, squares and tools in general in his book "Roman Woodworking". I am curious about the notches along all the angled sides. I had assumed that the notches or steps were just due the difficulty of rendering angled lines in the mosaic medium. Are they laid out in a partucular unit of measure (inches, dactyls, etc..)? Any clues as to their intended purpose? I've seen evidence of lines scribed along the cross beam to measure angles, but none on the legs.

[Nemonius Agricola]

I have two lines so far on my cross beam. One line is the center line that lets me know when its level. The other one I have is at 23 degrees. The 23 degree angle is the common angle of roofs that I have researched for roof lines in Roman Britain.

Robert Ulrich books is a great book. That is where I saw the copper level I hope to make soon. I will have to go back later today and find his book in my stack of books somewhere and look up the measurement and the notches. Top of my head I don't remember.

This weekend I hope to have my tool bag done with all my tools in it. And I hope to start work on some woodworking projects with the help of my level.

[AuxArcher]

Jeremy, I hope you post some photos of your entire tool kit and bag. I too want to develop a full set of woodworking tools.

Dane

[M. Demetrius]

How about a tool list for a kit? Here's a partial one, on another thread, so as not to hijack this one:
<!-- l <a class="postlink-local" href="http://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=26386&start=0">viewtopic.php?f=20&t=26386&start=0<!-- l

[Nemonius Agricola]

So I started on my tool bag this weekend. I used a woven basket and some 3-4 oz leather to make the covering and the liner for the basket.

I will post more pictures of how I did and the finished basket either today or tomorrow. The first pictue is the woven basket. The second one is the leather cover and liner. Any questions about it feel free to ask away.

[Nemonius Agricola]

Here is the update on the bag. The shape is almost a cresent shape. It will fit a roll of tools very well. I plan on making a roll for the chisel and such that way I can stack the rolls on top of each other. The lenght of the basket is perfect for my bow drill as it protects the bow part and not have to worry about it breaking.

The first picture is the rim of the bag. It holds the inner lining together with the cover of the bag.

The second picture is how I got the strap for the bag to be attached. The same size leather square is also inside the bag to give a firm base to sew the strap on. It also serves a dual purpose so that tools don't wear down the thinner leather inside liner.

The bag works well. Now its time to put it to field use and see how it hold ups.