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Alignment tools


Jim Wilson

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Smartlevel is the way to go!! Got to watch how I say this, before so engineer type flames me... The read out is to the 10th of a degree. SEEMS highly accurate...but you calibrate it to a spirit level...

 

This along with a few other levels and a tape measure is all you need to ensure your fuse is level, plumb,square ETC..

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A good tool set to get is the Cozy Girrrl Composite Construction Kit from Wicks. The Smart Level is part of the kit.

 

One of the things you might want to consider is how bright your laser level is. If you are doing things like the spar alignment, you might need your room fairly dark to see the line full length.

Nathan Gifford

Tickfaw, LA USA

Cozy Mk IV Plans Set 1330

Better still --> Now at CH 9

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About ten years ago, I had to use a Smart Level for my job, and it was great. I kept telling myself that whenever I'd eventually need a level like this for my hobbies, I'd buy one. The problem at the time was that they were pretty expensive at Lowes or Home Depot, and for the home repairs and such that I was doing, I didn't need that much accuracy.

 

Fast forward ten years. Now I'm building a Cozy and finally "need" a Smart Level. Now, I can't find them at Lowes, Home Depot, or any other hardware store as they have been displaced by a myriad of laser levels. Many of these laser levels are less accurate than most good carpenter bubble levels, but they extend that brilliant line and make it easy to align long items or distant items on walls. I guess these hardware stores realized that most projects don't need accuracy, just more reach than traditional levels.

 

The price hasn't dropped on the Smart Level in that time, and now I can't get it locally anymore. At least Wicks still carries them.

 

-- Len

-- Len Evansic, Cozy Mk. IV Plans #1283

Do you need a Flightline Chair, or other embroidered aviation accessory?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wow -a that's high tech. I used a long piece of clear plastic tubing with green cooking dye and water - and would you believe this is so accurate that you must mix the water and dye in one batch so it all has the same density and also you must not let the sunlight warm one arm of your level! Works a treat. Use it to level the table too.

Tony

Cozy-3

VH-COZ

Australia

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I wound up using a theodolite and laser for the wings, winglets, canard, centresection spar because my Civil Engineer mate wanted to get it right. Took us a couple of weekends, and I fly ball centred.

 

For everything else I made 2 steel benches with removeable legs, and screw in feet. i.e. You can level it anywhere with or without the legs. I build wings on the floor, and was able to jig damned near everything by adapting the benches.

 

Lasers are good for toe-in.

 

Cheers,

 

Wayne Blackler

IO-360 Long EZ VH-WEZ

AUSTRALIA

Cheers,

 

Wayne Blackler

IO-360 Long EZ

VH-WEZ (N360WZ)

Melbourne, AUSTRALIA

http://v2.ez.org/feature/F0411-1/F0411-1.htm

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I just ordered a laser dot and line level from www.harborfreight.com for $5.99. I already have a smart level, but needed something to verify that I'll be mounting my longerons perfectly straight.

 

I suppose I could have used a $0.50 length of string...

Jon Matcho :busy:
Builder & Canard Zone Admin
Now:  Rebuilding Quickie Tri-Q200 N479E
Next:  Resume building a Cozy Mark IV

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