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Low-cost levels? Bubble or electronic vendor sources?


NBCshooter

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First-time post here . . . after dumping my Cinema Products' Model II years ago, I recently purchased a Steadicam Flyer to shoot personal projects with. I used to stick those Home Depot kind of levels on the back of my camera, and also taped above the monitor on the sled to help keep my horizons in check. This is probably somewhere on the forum, but I can't find it . . .

 

First of all, I can't seem to find those levels anymore at hardware stores (small black plastic bubble level about 3" long). Any national-chain vendor happen to have a good supply of those kinds of levels? Are there any electronic levels available under, say, a few hundred dollars that you all have found that do the trick? Thanks!

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hi,

 

a quick search of "bubble level" turned up these hits on the site:

 

http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index...te=bubble+level

 

they are old posts but the people mentioned in them are still around.

 

also, its requested that you sign your real name in you posts (and in your member name but thats too late) so we know who we are speaking with.

 

welcome to the forum.

 

kind regards...

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Sorry, didn't know about the real name deal here. I did that exact search before I posted the above and researched the XCS electronic level unit mentioned, but I couldn't find a price for their stand-alone electronic level. I just thought someone had already researched this before and perhaps found a sub-$400 electronic level (I have no idea how much the XCS unit is), or at least an expendable supply or hardware store chain that had those old-school levels in their regular stock.

 

Ralph Oshiro

Edited by NBCshooter
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I can't seem to find those levels anymore at hardware stores (small black plastic bubble level about 3" long).

 

Hey Ralph,

 

I had the same problem trying to find those bubbles. I ended up "borrowing" my uncle's three bubble level you would use for putting up shelves or sex swings and such. Pop out the bubbles and there you go. Seems to do the trick. And you can find them at Home Depot easily. They're right next to the sex swing ceiling hooks. May have moved since then, so don't quote me. Good luck

 

David

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"Where I grew up it's so flat it's where they make levels". - Anonymous stand-up comic.

 

Go here:

http://www.mcmaster.com/

 

Under "Find Products" enter "Tubular levels" and click "Find". This will take you to catalog page 2105. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

 

Level Heaven. I'm pretty sure this is where we got the ones we used back at CPC.

 

Jim "level headed" Bartell

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Hey! Thanks guys! David--great tip on the sex swing hooks at Home Depot--I'll have to try those when my size-zero girlfriend gets back in town! Those hooks . . . they "spin" right?

 

Ralph Oshiro

 

Level Heaven. I'm pretty sure this is where we got the ones we used back at CPC.
Hey, thanks, Jim! Did you used to work at Cinema Products? I worked there for one summer in 1980 making CameraPrompters, just before I started film school. Garrett Brown came to the back to say hi once--I was in awe. I just saw Garrett at NAB2005, and he actually pretended to remember me (maybe he did 'cause I nearly dumped his Arri IIC rig at the Monterey workshop).

 

Ralph Oshiro

Edited by NBCshooter
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Level Heaven. I'm pretty sure this is where we got the ones we used back at CPC.
Hey, thanks, Jim! Did you used to work at Cinema Products? I worked there for one summer in 1980 making CameraPrompters, just before I started film school. Garrett Brown came to the back to say hi once--I was in awe. I just saw Garrett at NAB2005, and he actually pretended to remember me (maybe he did 'cause I nearly dumped his Arri IIC rig at the Monterey workshop).

 

Ralph Oshiro

 

I was the Dir. of Electrical Engineering At CP from 1990 to 1997. Garret and I have known each other for 15 years now. He is a great guy and I'm proud to call him a friend.

 

Jim "slowly becoming part of history" Bartell

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