The disadvantage of using a chalk line instead of a plumb-bob is that many chalk lines will not be perfectly symmetrical or balanced and therefore may not give accurate readings.Įven smart phones have apps that can give you a plumb-bob to use on your phone. Some even have a pointed bottom to make accurate marking easier. Many chalk lines can be used as plumb-bobs as they are essentially a weight tied to a string. You would have to make it yourself if you wanted one of these tools so you might be better off just purchasing a spirit level as spirit levels can measure horizontal surfaces as well as vertical. The disadvantage of this tool is that it is a little cumbersome and hardly anybody actually sells them. If the surface you lay it against is not plumb, the line will hang away from the lower beam or curve inwards towards it. When the level is laid against a truly plumb surface, the line will hang directly in line with the lower horizontal beam. The plumb-bob level consists of a roughly F-shaped frame with a plumb-bob attached to the top. The plumb-bob’s line is fed through a hole in the uppermost horizontal beam of the “F” frame and the plumb-bob is suspended and allowed to dangle freely below. Plumb-bob levels, or “plumb rods” have been used for centuries as a simple and accurate way to determine whether a surface is vertical and plumb. If, however, you are only a one-off or infrequent user, then the simplicity and inexpensiveness of a plumb-bob may be the right choice for you. If you are going to be using a laser level on a regular basis, then it may be worth the extra expense. Laser levels are impressive tools, but they can be expensive. They can be set for vertical and horizontal planes for quick and easy reference lines. Laser levels are the high-tech tool of the marking-out world. For checking over long distances, a plumb-bob would be more suitable. The disadvantage of using a spirit level over a plumb-bob is that a spirit level is only accurate over the distance of its length. If it is more to one side or the other, then your surface is not plumb. The main metal used for this was lead, from the Latin for lead Plumbum. If your surface is plumb, the little bubble should line-up directly in the middle of the two lines on the vial. Plumb Bob: A weight suspended on a string line, cord or wire to find true vertical. Using a spirit level is an excellent way to determine whether or not a horizontal surface is level, but it can also be used to tell whether a vertical surface is plumb.īy holding the spirit level against a vertical surface and looking at its bubble, you will be able to determine whether the surface is plumb or not. Some bobs have pointed tips that can be bent by repeated use or abuse if the point on yours is bent or out of alignment, replace it.If you don’t have a plumb-bob handy, then there are a few alternatives you can use: Excavation and foundation contractors rely upon the plumb line, and constructing a chimney the tool can indicate whether a flue is running true vertical or veering off plumb. Surveyors sometimes use plumb bobs for lining up points or transferring them. The plumb line in one place can be used to sight an object in another - a pipe, for example - for plumb.
Once it is hung and still, the top and bottom points can be marked and used as guides. For example, you can locate fixtures or decorations in relation to an object or surface below (or above) using the plumb line. A spirit level will also accomplish those tasks, but some jobs are much more easily done using the tool.
The plumb bob is useful in establishing vertical for a wall in construction or a doorjamb when hanging a door.
#DIY PLUMB BOB FREE#
(Note that the line must be hanging free to get an accurate reading.) The weight, or bob, is then allowed to swing freely when it stops, the point of the bob is precisely below the point at which the string is fixed above. To use the tool, the string is fixed at the point to be plumbed.
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