AMOEBA LEVEL: A CUSTOMIZABLE SPIRIT LEVEL

A spirit level is an easily available regular measuring instrument. Most of them are not that expensive. Ability to make one with simple tools economically and without loss of accuracy is what makes the difference. This allows a spirit level to be installed in almost every other project. Even use-and-throw type spirit levels are possible.

Salient Features

1. Simple to make yet can beat many of its counterparts
2. Combines at least three spirit levels i.e. horizontal, vertical and 45°, in one
3. 360° level i.e. works in all directions
4. Accurate and precise
5. Inclinometer
6. Economic
7. Highly custimizable
   • Sensitivity of spirit level
   • Properties of spirit level liquid like colour, surface tension and viscosity are customizable
   • Shape of outer body
   • Bubble size
8. Mountable

A personalized logo can also be marked on the level.

This spirit level was not originally inspired from amoeba. Rather name was kept because it suits the spirit level. Amoeba can assume any shape. It is a cell consisting of different parts with cell membrane, cytoplasm and vacuole being the relevant ones. These features of amoeba can be found in this spirit level as follows:

• Cell membrane corresponds to the body of spirit level
• Cytoplasm corresponds to the spirit or the liquid used in spirit level
• Vacuole corresponds to the bubble of the spirit level
• The capability of amoeba assuming any shape corresponds to the level of customization this spirit level can achieve

There are some things that are to be taken care of while making a spirit level. For instance,

1. What is the principle of working of a spirit level?
2. How to calibrate or check a spirit level?
3. What are the desirable properties of the liquid filled in the spirit level? For instance,
   • It should not wet the surface of the tube
   • It should be easily visible
4. What should be the size of air bubble?

These questions and some other aspects form the content of further steps. Accuracy, precision, level of functionality and built quality are considered as the parameters that define quality of the spirit level. Some of the desirable features of spirit level are taken just by observing commercial spirit levels.

One more point. This spirit level has the spirit of spirit level and not the spirit as liquid! That's why this can be called as spirit level even when there is no spirit in it.

Step 1: MATERIALS REQUIRED

The following materials and tools will be required for this instructable:

1. Saw
2. Cutter
3. Syringe
4. Glue stick
5. Drill press
6. Wax polish
7. Common salt
8. Black gel pen
9. Instant adhesive
10. Sand paper (#540)
11. Glycerine (optional)
12. 3mm transparent acrylic sheet
13. Water (preferably distilled water)
14. 3 geometrical shapes, triangle, circle and octagon
15. Tri-square (this is required for all right angles and straight edges)
16. 32mm hole cutting saw (other diameters as per requirements can be used)
17. Highlighter (green colour recommended; yellow for exact colour; sketch pen may also be used but it will not glow in UV)

Comments

[kurshiukas]

I would suggest adding 360 dial to the circle (or just parts of it) so it can tell you exactly how much you are off.

[Captain Vyom]

Yes, some parts or complete 360° dial may be added to the circle in place of octagon. Octagon is just one of the many possibilities. Octagon was selected due to triangular shape of amoeba level. With a 360° level other shape like square may be more useful.

[audreyobscura]

This came out really great, thank you so much for sharing this. I have seen these available before and wasnt too sure how to use them, so thanks for the education :)