I have one the same as yours. Got it from my step-father-in-law. He also gave me an old wood plane and a number of auger bits. I had never really looked at it closely and so I enjoyed your video and took a closer look at my adjustable level. Thanks!
You can date the tool based on the patent date. No earlier than the most recent patent date and within 17 years of the oldest patent. The manufacturer stopped stamping the patent date once it run out. So your level was manufactured between 1896 and 1907. Good job restoring it.
Enjoyed your video a lot, thanks. Just started cleaning up my Grandfather's level that has been sitting in my garage for many years. It has 03 stamped in the wood just above the Stanley on the plate but has no other model numbers on it. The brass plate on top does not have an adjustment screw like yours does. I can send you some pics if you have interest. I'm going to put a satin poly on it and hang it in my woodshop as it obviously has sentimental value and he was the reason I have been interested in woodworking, auto mechanics and I have his "I can fix anything" gene :)
Thanks for this review. I just watched a video about the Stanley company's history, and decided with my recent return to woodworking from a 20+ year absence, to buy one of the old Stanley levels. Fortunately they're not too expensive, and am bidding on a No. 3. Your video helped me pull the trigger on it and hope to have it by next weekend if the price doesn't get out of hand. :) Thanks so much.
Another great, instructive and entertaining video! Good call on not doing a full restoration. Getting it to function and keeping the patina was perfect!
every hobbyist, craftsman or woodworker/carpenter has probably one or two 'Stanley' tool tucked in their boxes... sometime, long ago, it was of pride to have used yellow and black colored Stanley Branded Tools and products in jobsites, and in homes...🙂🙄👍👌
Well i ran 4 different times types of industrial saws, over dozens of types of materials and grades of steel... I used tape measurers to cut repeated accuracies within 1 millimeter. In industrial usage, with grit and oil and metal lubrucants that can act as solvents, I'd go through 1 tape measurer roughly every 3-4 weeks... Which was incredible. Stanley repeatedly is of high quality and is seriously the best measuring tape on the market for the price and reliability. They litter jobsites because they are an industry standard. The best in the business choose Stanley. And this isn't a commercial!!! It's the TRUTH! The TYLON coated are THE EASIEST AND BEST TO READ.... and the FAT MAX can measurer spans of 8 feet or so without collapsing, ridiculous tensile strength.... anyways. YES. Stanley. And I got one of the No. 3 levels for Christmas. Well deserved!! Lol : )
You too Kloyd! I feel like I earned it for sure... I was a little stoked, but had to brag. Prior to being an official "saw guy" for straight year, I honestly thought it was as easy as "measure twice, cut once." So much more went into it than I could have expected. Now I'm doing much more machining. I might have thought I deserved things like this prior to going industrial, but no... Before the factory I was a teacher for 11 years who couldn't change his oil! Lol. I still take my share of heckling but revealed "yes, teachers CAN DO." It took a lot of blood sweat and tears to wake up in the shop and realize, "Here I am, a part if a "dying breed", working on a small team that does machining and fixes machines the same as we always have, and always will - with our HANDS. All the mountains of technology will never do away with us. Until we can smile at the work we've done with our own hands, there is NO satisfaction, and no TRUE feeling of accomplishment - No AWE... and we'll never know our own value if all of it was removed. 3 weeks back I had to cut some washers... I cut one (out of about 12) off at a perfect .100, using a rickety old jetsaw. It's times like that where I feel God blessed a portion of man. Like a little perk. Not .101, .104, .110, .990 inches. Dead nuts. The times where I'm left shaking my head thinking, "I didn't do it. This was just one of those gifts... How far would the zeroes go if I measured out to the micrometer, the nanometer, etc... Nothing is perfect. Not even the finest machine. Not even a single nut or bolt! So... with that I'm off to an event with family. It's important we do our work and leave the rest up to God. No expectations (especially now during Christmas). Have a sweet day. I'm off to write the rest of my book.
Have the same level same dates...the number 3 is hard stamped into the wood between the two top brass plates that hold the adjustment screw...cherry wood I'm guessing...
Graduated , just means increments are on level glass. Some lvls have a few lines that show different degrees. Most carpentry friends buy new levels every so often, as warping, dropping, or shock can hurt them. Neat 2 see an adjustable vial as new are epoxy or permeated set.
Love these old tools i had a level just like that one. Unfortunately over the many years of moving here and there it snuck off. That was a nice find something to really appreciate hope you find many more in time. Those old tool was built back wh ed n quality really mattered. One thing i meant to say I'm old enough to remember seeing these when they were new on the store shelves. Not that i am old or anything. He he
I have a level very similar to that. I bought it when I was an apprentice joiner propably around the 1960's in the UK. Unfortunately, due to misuse on sites etc it's in pretty poor condition.
your level looks like one that ole grandpa had. not sure what ever happened to it. yes - I'm an elder now to. when I was young ... Sesame Street was still a dirt road. good video.
You got a pretty good sense for conserving national heritage when you decided not to restore the level. You would have destroyed the patina and that's absolutely against any idea of true conservation of antiques. Yes, as this level is older than 100 years it IS antique! Keep it as it is, use it moderately and show the world what good American craftsmanship was more than 120 years ago. Over-restoration to "newer than new" kills the national heritage and is done by ignorants. Thank you.
Non Nomen Thank you, Non. I do enjoy the results of restoration projects...but I like keeping the character of these old tools much more. Appreciate you watching.
I love old tools. They just don't make them like they use too. Great content. Thanks for sharing.
-Will
I have one the same as yours. Got it from my step-father-in-law. He also gave me an old wood plane and a number of auger bits. I had never really looked at it closely and so I enjoyed your video and took a closer look at my adjustable level. Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
You can date the tool based on the patent date. No earlier than the most recent patent date and within 17 years of the oldest patent. The manufacturer stopped stamping the patent date once it run out. So your level was manufactured between 1896 and 1907. Good job restoring it.
Enjoyed your video a lot, thanks. Just started cleaning up my Grandfather's level that has been sitting in my garage for many years. It has 03 stamped in the wood just above the Stanley on the plate but has no other model numbers on it. The brass plate on top does not have an adjustment screw like yours does. I can send you some pics if you have interest. I'm going to put a satin poly on it and hang it in my woodshop as it obviously has sentimental value and he was the reason I have been interested in woodworking, auto mechanics and I have his "I can fix anything" gene :)
Thanks for this review. I just watched a video about the Stanley company's history, and decided with my recent return to woodworking from a 20+ year absence, to buy one of the old Stanley levels. Fortunately they're not too expensive, and am bidding on a No. 3. Your video helped me pull the trigger on it and hope to have it by next weekend if the price doesn't get out of hand. :) Thanks so much.
Another great, instructive and entertaining video! Good call on not doing a full restoration. Getting it to function and keeping the patina was perfect!
Thank you, Slade!
I just picked up one of these yesterday in excellent shape for $15
Old tools are the best, just the fact they are old means they have stood up to a lot of use .
Mike Wiscombe Indeed.
My dad was a carpenter. In the old days, you had a lot of carpenter's that did it all.
The viles were set into plaster to hold them in and set it at the factory pretty kool !!!
every hobbyist, craftsman or woodworker/carpenter has probably one or two 'Stanley' tool tucked in their boxes...
sometime, long ago, it was of pride to have used yellow and black colored Stanley Branded Tools and products in jobsites, and in homes...🙂🙄👍👌
Well i ran 4 different times types of industrial saws, over dozens of types of materials and grades of steel... I used tape measurers to cut repeated accuracies within 1 millimeter. In industrial usage, with grit and oil and metal lubrucants that can act as solvents, I'd go through 1 tape measurer roughly every 3-4 weeks... Which was incredible. Stanley repeatedly is of high quality and is seriously the best measuring tape on the market for the price and reliability.
They litter jobsites because they are an industry standard. The best in the business choose Stanley. And this isn't a commercial!!! It's the TRUTH! The TYLON coated are THE EASIEST AND BEST TO READ.... and the FAT MAX can measurer spans of 8 feet or so without collapsing, ridiculous tensile strength.... anyways. YES. Stanley. And I got one of the No. 3 levels for Christmas. Well deserved!! Lol
: )
@@matthewszlaga6993 @ happy holidays Matthew...!!!👍👌👊
You too Kloyd! I feel like I earned it for sure... I was a little stoked, but had to brag. Prior to being an official "saw guy" for straight year, I honestly thought it was as easy as "measure twice, cut once." So much more went into it than I could have expected.
Now I'm doing much more machining.
I might have thought I deserved things like this prior to going industrial, but no... Before the factory I was a teacher for 11 years who couldn't change his oil! Lol.
I still take my share of heckling but revealed "yes, teachers CAN DO."
It took a lot of blood sweat and tears to wake up in the shop and realize, "Here I am, a part if a "dying breed", working on a small team that does machining and fixes machines the same as we always have, and always will - with our HANDS.
All the mountains of technology will never do away with us. Until we can smile at the work we've done with our own hands, there is NO satisfaction, and no TRUE feeling of accomplishment - No AWE... and we'll never know our own value if all of it was removed.
3 weeks back I had to cut some washers... I cut one (out of about 12) off at a perfect .100, using a rickety old jetsaw.
It's times like that where I feel God blessed a portion of man. Like a little perk. Not .101, .104, .110, .990 inches. Dead nuts. The times where I'm left shaking my head thinking, "I didn't do it. This was just one of those gifts... How far would the zeroes go if I measured out to the micrometer, the nanometer, etc... Nothing is perfect. Not even the finest machine. Not even a single nut or bolt!
So... with that I'm off to an event with family. It's important we do our work and leave the rest up to God. No expectations (especially now during Christmas).
Have a sweet day. I'm off to write the rest of my book.
Have the same level same dates...the number 3 is hard stamped into the wood between the two top brass plates that hold the adjustment screw...cherry wood I'm guessing...
Graduated , just means increments are on level glass. Some lvls have a few lines that show different degrees. Most carpentry friends buy new levels every so often, as warping, dropping, or shock can hurt them. Neat 2 see an adjustable vial as new are epoxy or permeated set.
Nice!!! Glad you kept the age on this one✅✅. If it was beat up, restoration would be in order. ... this is a nice ‘survivor’ class item👍
Jennifer WhiteWolf Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for another informative and interesting video
Thanks Glenn!
Love these old tools i had a level just like that one. Unfortunately over the many years of moving here and there it snuck off. That was a nice find something to really appreciate hope you find many more in time. Those old tool was built back wh ed n quality really mattered. One thing i meant to say I'm old enough to remember seeing these when they were new on the store shelves. Not that i am old or anything. He he
I think "experienced" is a better term, Ken! Appreciate you watching as always.
@@falllineridge thank you for such a respectful reply that is something lost among most of our younger generations.
I have a level very similar to that. I bought it when I was an apprentice joiner propably around the 1960's in the UK. Unfortunately, due to misuse on sites etc it's in pretty poor condition.
your level looks like one that ole grandpa had. not sure what ever happened to it. yes - I'm an elder now to. when I was young ... Sesame Street was still a dirt road. good video.
Norm Thank you, Norm.
Double check level and plumb by flipping it 180degrees.
i just picked one up yesterday, how were you able to figure out when it was manufactured?
I have several they came with the house we bought along with many antique. What kind of oil did you use?
Brenda Schafer Just some standard 3 in 1 oil.
You got a pretty good sense for conserving national heritage when you decided not to restore the level. You would have destroyed the patina and that's absolutely against any idea of true conservation of antiques. Yes, as this level is older than 100 years it IS antique! Keep it as it is, use it moderately and show the world what good American craftsmanship was more than 120 years ago. Over-restoration to "newer than new" kills the national heritage and is done by ignorants. Thank you.
Non Nomen Thank you, Non. I do enjoy the results of restoration projects...but I like keeping the character of these old tools much more. Appreciate you watching.
Please! Use only a hollow ground precision screwdriver on those screws.
Use Lacquer thinner will remove paint without damaging the wood
right just a clean up and leave it or oil it
They don't make tools like they use to....
that's fantastic...!!! 🙂👍👌👊
Kloyd Arne Peña Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching.
I have one just like yours send me a message on Facebook