digital levels and trying to find a cheap but good answer.

[Janger]

Digital levels ...

I like this fancy thing - two axis simultaneous reading to 0.01 degrees

https://www.amazon.ca/Digi-Pas-Mach...ords=digi-pas&qid=1565377154&s=gateway&sr=8-8

or even better

https://www.amazon.com/Digi-Pas-DWL...ords=digi-pas&qid=1565377302&s=gateway&sr=8-5


I can afford this more realistically:
https://www.banggood.com/DXL360S-Hi...Angle-Level-Gauge-p-1065398.html?rmmds=search

Anybody have any experience with these? I have one of the single digit precision ones from princess auto e.g. 0.1 degree - nothing fancy I find it helpful but not accurate enough for setups or leveling.

 

[Tom O]

You should have asked while you were here, mine is I believe from Busy
Bee about 5-6 inches long x 2 inches tall and works great that’s how I machined the angles on the piece foot my saw.

 

[Bofobo]

I used your “realistic option” in my apprenticeship, older, different look and functions likely not a knock off version but incredibly useful and was go-to for everything not finer than +/-.003, when angle blocks were then used

 

[PeterT]

Are you wanting to set up machines or is it for setting up parts at weird angles where angle blocks & such are not conducive?

For lathe beds & precision gantry movements seems like people favor the bubble level. I was going to buy a Chinese digital versoin to a zillion decimal places but some folks said they are actually ind of PITA to set up & read. A few guys on the forum have Starrets which you can find good deals on used too. So these are high resolution/accuracy but always relative to 'horizontal'.
https://www.amazon.ca/Starrett-98-12-Precision-Machinists-Length/dp/B0002FUO8G
https://www.accusizetools.com/master-precision-levels/

Re the digital box's for 0-90 deg oddball angles, there seems to be newer products arriving every day including the ones you have shown. I haven seen any kind of rigorous testing but it wouldnt surprise me if theyare overstated just like verniers & everything else. Sm maybe +/- 0.1 deg really means +/- 1-deg and maybe (hopefully) +/- 0.01 deg means 0.1 deg. The question is are you really going to be machining to that tolerance. I would trust a sine bar & gage block system more, but they can require some more elaborate setups than plopping a digital gage on a surface which is nice & easy.

I have an older Fowler version of the typical magnetic block & Fowler is just a label from who knows where. It has a semi decent ground metal datum surface which looks better than some of the cheesy boxes out there that are basically sheet metal or worse yet, plastic. I did kind of a general interest test. I clamped a 12"precision bar in my mill vise, did the the zeroing ritual by flipping the inclinometer 180 deg on the surface which nulls it. Then I set the bar to some arbitrary digital angle like 4.50 deg using the digital box. Then I ran my 0.0001" DTI on the surface to physically measure the 2 vertical distances & worked out the math. I seem to recall it was within a 0.5 deg but not 0.01 like the scale suggests.

(they are usually called inclinometers).
https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesal...rchText=inclinometer+digital&switch_new_app=y

 

[Janger]

So I ordered one of these from Banggood... How well did it work? Well it's so bad it made the PA level seem like a fantastic high quality item. This one is useless. Interestingly they didn't even want it back. The measurements rock back and forth like you're on a boat when measuring a flat surface. It was swinging +/- about 3 degrees. recalibration made it worse. I think the digi-pas at $350 is probably better.

https://www.banggood.com/DXL360S-Hi...Angle-Level-Gauge-p-1065398.html?rmmds=search

Funny the reviews seems to vaguely indicate the thing does not measure steady but everyone rates it 5 stars. Perhaps banggood bumps the stars up? Or people are morons? Or all the reviews are fake?

Anyway thought people might enjoy my back and forth with banggood and their BS over about a week.

Begin forwarded message:

From: JohnA <JC@>JC@
Subject: Re order 71322684
Date: August 27, 2019 at 10:44:47 AM MDT
To: [email protected]
Cc: JohnA <JC@>

Hi
I’m having problems with my product on this order. See below. I would like a refund and to return this product.

Also - Your feedback mechanism is broken. See below.
John



Begin forwarded message:

On Tuesday, August 27, 2019, 10:41 AM, Mail Delivery System <[email protected]> wrote:

This is the mail system at host wap3.banggood.com.

I'm sorry to have to inform you that your message could not
be delivered to one or more recipients. It's attached below.

For further assistance, please send mail to postmaster.

If you do so, please include this problem report. You can
delete your own text from the attached returned message.

The mail system

<[email protected]>: host mxbiz1.qq.com[184.105.206.58] said: 550 Mail
content denied.
http://service.exmail.qq.com/cgi-bin/help?subtype=1&&id=20022&&no=1000726
(in reply to end of DATA command)

Re order 71322684 Hi This level has unacceptable quality -it does not work. I’ve done both calibration steps several times. The measurement drifts +/- 3 degrees while sitting still on a steady table. The case is warped. The sticker is crooked and does not fit. This is useless. I want a refund. Thank




Begin forwarded message:

From: [email protected]
Subject: Re order 71322684
Date: August 28, 2019 at 3:54:51 AM MDT
To: JC@

Dear John A,

Thank you for your email regarding order 71322684.




If it is a quality question, can you provide some detailed picture or video to us to confirm the problem?


We hope for your understanding on this matter and look forward to receiving your reply.

Best regards,



Fay


Sure Fay Thank you.
You can see in the pictures the level should show a single steady value of 0.00 but instead it shows all kinds of numbers. The values change constantly. Compare to my other digital protractor showing 0.0. The bottom and back are not flat which is hard to show.

As I said earlier I have reset the level and run the two calibration cycles - it did not help. The box was not damaged so I don’t think it was a shipping problem.

Can I get a RMA now and get a refund?
Thank you for your kind help.
John



Hi Fay
This is completely unacceptable. This isn’t some minor problem - the product is completely worthless. It does not work as a level. I spent a lot of money on this device and I have higher expectations of banggood. I want a full refund. Some minor discount is not acceptable. Thank you,
John




On Thursday, August 29, 2019, 3:23 AM, [email protected] wrote:

Dear John A,



Thank you for your email regarding order 71322684.



Regarding this frustrating situation, would you like to receive 800 BG points as a token of our apologies? If you have any questions regarding the usage of the points please kindly refer to the following link:

https://www.banggood.com/Points-and-coupons_hl22



Please also kindly note that the points can be exchanged to give up to 15%-20% off your order and can not be applied to the following circumstances which are already in discount: promotional products, snap-up products. Alternatively, the points can not be used if you are a customer of drop-ship or wholesale.



Looking forward to your reply.


Best regards,



Fay



Fey
Perhaps my other email was not quite clear. In the pictures the level should have measured 0.00 degrees. Instead the level is showing a constantly changing value. As If you were in a rocking boat. So you can see this will not work.
John







Begin forwarded message:

From: JohnA <JC@>
Subject: Re: 未下载邮件:Re: Re order 71322684
Date: August 29, 2019 at 10:09:38 PM MDT
To: <[email protected]>

Hello Fey,
So no this is not going to work. There is no service provider who can fix this for anything similar to the cost of the part. Perhaps in China this could be done but not here. Please refund my money because this device does not meet even the most basic standards of quality. Stop asking me your standard questions and get to the part where you refund my money for something that does not work.
Thank you Fey.
John





On Thursday, August 29, 2019, 9:47 PM, [email protected] wrote:

Dear JohnA,


Thank you for your email regarding order 71322684.




According to the information you provide, we suggest that you can take it to the local store for a diagnose and repair. If you don't mind that and the cost of repair is reasonable,then we'll compensate you for the cost of reparation.


Besides, if you accept the advice, we hope you can inform us how much the reparation will cost before you start to do.


We hope for your understanding on this matter and look forward to receiving your reply.

Best regards,



Fay




Dear Loco and Fey,

Can I expect a new one to work properly? I don’t think it will. I would prefer a refund. However if you sent me this item instead I would be satisfied with that as a compromise.

https://m.banggood.com/Machifit-6pc...ement-Lathe-Tools-p-1454255.html?rmmds=search

Thank you
John





On Friday, August 30, 2019, 3:21 AM, [email protected] wrote:

Dear ,

Thanks for your order .

Sorry for the inconvenience caused.

For this case , we would like to resend you a new item .

If you accept this solution ,please let us know.

Best regards,

Loco




Begin forwarded message:

From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: 未下载邮件:Re: Re order 71322684
Date: September 2, 2019 at 1:34:01 AM MDT
To: JC@

Dear John A,



First of all, thank you for your reply and time in dealing with the order 71322684. Under our joint efforts, we finally reach an agreement on this issue. Hope you will be satisfied with the solution.



Banggood will do what we have promised to our customers. When you receive this email, we have already arranged a refund USD54.66 to your payment account. But for different payment methods, the time for refund reaching to your account is different. We have checked your payment way is PayPal Express Checkout, so please wait for another 48-72 hours.



We hope to receive a continuance of your kind patronage and we shall spare no efforts in providing fast shipping and best services for you at all times.



For any questions or further assistance, please feel free to contact us.



Have a nice day!



Best regards,

Luna

 

[Janger]

Follow up...the bang good system won't let me leave a review as apparently I have not purchased this item. hmmm. So if I return something I'm not a purchaser? banggood isn't amazon that's for sure. ok world I'll title this thread DXL360S review - simply don't believe the banggood comments and ratings. In summary the level does not read a steady value on a still surface, the case was warped making the item rock when at rest, the control cover sticker was miscut interfering with button operations. Recalibration did not help. Maybe the one I got is a counterfeit or defective I don't know.

 

[PeterT]

Wow, what an episode. Hope it was an isolated dud but that's the whole issue, how does one ever tell? I only had one AliExpress incident like this & it was 1 email resolution, send new one or send money (credit visa card on file). I chose door#2, boom done. I wonder if they are structured differently? One guy gave me heat because I only gave 4 stars instead of 5 without a comment explaining the 1 star miss, so apparently he takes his stars seriously.

I'm still wondering why you didn't drive the unit over to one of the 7 convenient Inclinometers-R-Us locations around Calgary for a free assessment before engaging Fay with all these petty problems? HaHaHa

 

[CalgaryPT]

Follow up...the bang good system won't let me leave a review as apparently I have not purchased this item. hmmm. So if I return something I'm not a purchaser? banggood isn't amazon that's for sure. ok world I'll title this thread DXL360S review - simply don't believe the banggood comments and ratings. In summary the level does not read a steady value on a still surface, the case was warped making the item rock when at rest, the control cover sticker was miscut interfering with button operations. Recalibration did not help. Maybe the one I got is a counterfeit or defective I don't know.

Sorry you're having a bad experience here John. I'm too scared to buy from anyone but Amazon, but I alway keep hoping to hear people say they've found another site just as good. Hope it gets resolved...

 

[Janger]

They did refund the entire amount.

 

[YYCHM]

I think I'll stay away from Banggood after reading this. I hadn't tried them yet.

My AliExpress purchase sure went smooth. Amazon.ca no problem.

 

[Janger]

Yup...

 

[CalgaryPT]

yikes.

 

[Johnwa]

I’ve placed a lot of orders on Aliexpress with few problems. Any issues I did have were resolved fairly quickly.
My understanding is that Aliexpress keeps the money in escrow until you’ve confirmed the order or it has expired. Only then does the seller get his money.

 

[Janger]

NEXT!

I spotted this bubble level at home depot made by Empire. I thought hmmm. maybe. for $8. That's a lot less than a quality machining level so I thought I'd try it. It's actually surprising - it's good. I think this will suffice.

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/empire-bullseye-level/1000812274



I have put it here on my vise which I believe is level. One pic shows a 0.004" thick piece of paper under one side, and the other pic just laying flat. So it is reasonably sensitive.

I should rename this thread analog levels....old school is better than digital...

 

[Janger]

Well maybe not... Here you can see the PA digital level is just registering 0.1 degree and that amount is showing a visible but small deflection of the bubble. So about the same...

The search continues...