Comments on: Festool 4 Ft. (Stabila) Level http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/2010/02/12/festool-4-ft-stabila-level/ A new eMagazine BY carpenters, FOR carpenters. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:04:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Gary Katz /2010/02/12/festool-4-ft-stabila-level/#comment-17666 Gary Katz Sun, 27 Feb 2011 12:11:33 +0000 http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/?p=371#comment-17666 Glenn, I thought it was stocked by most Festool dealers? I'll ask Festool. And most Stabila dealers should stock those light packs or be able to order them from Stabila Gary Glenn,
I thought it was stocked by most Festool dealers? I’ll ask Festool. And most Stabila dealers should stock those light packs or be able to order them from Stabila
Gary

]]> By: Glenn Westbrook /2010/02/12/festool-4-ft-stabila-level/#comment-17661 Glenn Westbrook Sun, 27 Feb 2011 08:00:20 +0000 http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/?p=371#comment-17661 were do you buy this level and I have a STABILA level and I lost my light packs can you tell were I can buy some and the Festool level too. thank you GW. were do you buy this level and I have a STABILA level and I lost my light packs can you tell were I can buy some and the Festool level too. thank you GW.

]]> By: Steve Underhill /2010/02/12/festool-4-ft-stabila-level/#comment-12297 Steve Underhill Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:06:06 +0000 http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/?p=371#comment-12297 Hi Guys Just thought I would drop you a line, unfortunately Jason Becker no longer works for Stabila, my name is Steve Underhill and I hold the same position that Jason did but based in the UK. So if you ever have anymore queries regarding Stabila Products, drop me an email and I will kindly help out. Regards Steve Underhill Stabila UK and Ireland. Hi Guys
Just thought I would drop you a line, unfortunately Jason Becker no longer works for Stabila, my name is Steve Underhill and I hold the same position that Jason did but based in the UK.
So if you ever have anymore queries regarding Stabila Products, drop me an email and I will kindly help out.
Regards
Steve Underhill
Stabila UK and Ireland.

]]> By: Ronald Sauve /2010/02/12/festool-4-ft-stabila-level/#comment-3957 Ronald Sauve Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:09:38 +0000 http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/?p=371#comment-3957 I agree with Tim's comment about the lights. I've even used my Makita impact driver for lighting when I've stayed late to finish a job in the dark! I just won this level at a Gary Katz Roadshow in Portsmouth, NH. Very much looking forward to using it. From, Ronald Sauve I agree with Tim’s comment about the lights. I’ve even used my Makita impact driver for lighting when I’ve stayed late to finish a job in the dark! I just won this level at a Gary Katz Roadshow in Portsmouth, NH. Very much looking forward to using it. From, Ronald Sauve

]]> By: Doug Horgan /2010/02/12/festool-4-ft-stabila-level/#comment-1237 Doug Horgan Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:48:21 +0000 http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/?p=371#comment-1237 It's nice to see that Stabila keeps moving forward. I still own the first 4' level I bought from Stabila and never bought another company's tools since my first Stabila. That four footer convinced me when I dropped it three stories down a chimney shaft, where it landed end first on the concrete hearth with a spectacular metallic sound as the end cap shattered. I was sure it was history but it wasn't even bent and still reads accurate to this day. The beefier end caps with retainer buttons, and the new lights, might make an upgrade worth it at this point. But it would seem I will never be able to render my old one inaccurate. It’s nice to see that Stabila keeps moving forward.
I still own the first 4′ level I bought from Stabila and never bought another company’s tools since my first Stabila.
That four footer convinced me when I dropped it three stories down a chimney shaft, where it landed end first on the concrete hearth with a spectacular metallic sound as the end cap shattered. I was sure it was history but it wasn’t even bent and still reads accurate to this day.
The beefier end caps with retainer buttons, and the new lights, might make an upgrade worth it at this point. But it would seem I will never be able to render my old one inaccurate.

]]> By: Tim Ridges /2010/02/12/festool-4-ft-stabila-level/#comment-513 Tim Ridges Sun, 04 Apr 2010 20:00:28 +0000 http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/?p=371#comment-513 Gary, Thank you for the article, I really appreciate it as the fest/stabil 4 footer is on my list of tools to buy. The lighted vials may seem a little gimicky at first but so did the lights on my Makita screw guns when they first came out. Once they perform in a situation where they are truly needed I curse the many days previous where they could have improved my performance. These days I do most of my closet shelf or any horizontal layout for that matter with a 360 degree self leveling laser. As with any tool that require batteries I always have an extra set of rechargeables ready to roll thus eliminating the frustration of a dead battery. I think I've had a conversation with every carpenter I've worked with in the past about the bubble size in the vial relating to the gap between the lines. The bubble always seems too small. Your conversation with J Becker solves this mystery. As well as the tapered end cap issue (my end caps come off after purchase and live in my tool bag and are used only when needed). As with every Festool I own as well as any other tool that stimulates the "I can't believe you paid that much" statement I am reminded of my stock response.... "I can't afford not to buy it". Thanks again, Tim Ridges Gary,

Thank you for the article, I really appreciate it as the fest/stabil 4 footer is on my list of tools to buy. The lighted vials may seem a little gimicky at first but so did the lights on my Makita screw guns when they first came out. Once they perform in a situation where they are truly needed I curse the many days previous where they could have improved my performance. These days I do most of my closet shelf or any horizontal layout for that matter with a 360 degree self leveling laser. As with any tool that require batteries I always have an extra set of rechargeables ready to roll thus eliminating the frustration of a dead battery.
I think I’ve had a conversation with every carpenter I’ve worked with in the past about the bubble size in the vial relating to the gap between the lines. The bubble always seems too small. Your conversation with J Becker solves this mystery. As well as the tapered end cap issue (my end caps come off after purchase and live in my tool bag and are used only when needed).
As with every Festool I own as well as any other tool that stimulates the “I can’t believe you paid that much” statement I am reminded of my stock response…. “I can’t afford not to buy it”.
Thanks again,

Tim Ridges

]]> By: Bo Stills /2010/02/12/festool-4-ft-stabila-level/#comment-156 Bo Stills Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:56:03 +0000 http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/?p=371#comment-156 Thanks Gary , i believe i'll be either pulling out those end caps or trimming them down to almost the metal.Too often i believe work is done off the end of the level. If these levels are stay true and easy to read true (beside lit) i guess i will get one before long. Thanks Gary , i believe i’ll be either pulling out those end caps or trimming them down to almost the metal.Too often i believe work is done off the end of the level. If these levels are stay true and easy to read true (beside lit) i guess i will get one before long.

]]> By: Gary Katz /2010/02/12/festool-4-ft-stabila-level/#comment-154 Gary Katz Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:22:58 +0000 http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/?p=371#comment-154 Bo, Sorry it took so long to get back to you with answers. I tracked down Jason Becker in Germany while he was at Stabila headquarters. Here's what he had to say in response to your queries: "Beveled end caps! Boy do we totally understand the question. The size and shape of the end caps are the way they are for two reason. First, the material is different and can expand and contract at different rates. We can't allow any chance that an end cap might ever be larger because that would throw off the accuracy of the level! And the second reason the end caps have beveled edges is to avoid sharp corners. Sensitivity! What a great question. That's at the heart of any highly accurate measuring system. Sensitivity varies with and is almost a function of vial shape, material, texture and size. We use a barrel-shaped vial and a specific texture in order to control the speed of the bubble traveling through the vial; we balance those features while maintaining the highest possible accuracy which is comfortable to use for tradesmen. It is possible to be even more accurate, but then the level becomes finicky and difficult to use. Bubble size. It is not a good thing to have a larger bubble that gets closer to the lines for the very reason you mentioned! In cold temperatures, the bubble gets larger. If the bubble gets so large that it touches both lines, the level is useless." I hope Jason's explanations help! Gary Bo,
Sorry it took so long to get back to you with answers. I tracked down Jason Becker in Germany while he was at Stabila headquarters. Here’s what he had to say in response to your queries:

“Beveled end caps! Boy do we totally understand the question. The size and shape of the end caps are the way they are for two reason. First, the material is different and can expand and contract at different rates. We can’t allow any chance that an end cap might ever be larger because that would throw off the accuracy of the level! And the second reason the end caps have beveled edges is to avoid sharp corners.

Sensitivity! What a great question. That’s at the heart of any highly accurate measuring system. Sensitivity varies with and is almost a function of vial shape, material, texture and size. We use a barrel-shaped vial and a specific texture in order to control the speed of the bubble traveling through the vial; we balance those features while maintaining the highest possible accuracy which is comfortable to use for tradesmen. It is possible to be even more accurate, but then the level becomes finicky and difficult to use.

Bubble size. It is not a good thing to have a larger bubble that gets closer to the lines for the very reason you mentioned! In cold temperatures, the bubble gets larger. If the bubble gets so large that it touches both lines, the level is useless.”

I hope Jason’s explanations help!
Gary

]]> By: Bo Stills /2010/02/12/festool-4-ft-stabila-level/#comment-114 Bo Stills Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:10:05 +0000 http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/?p=371#comment-114 At times we level off a mark in a corner that a beveled end cap makes guess work out of. I guess the end caps pop out but why can't they be unbeveled ? Am i imagining it or are some levels more sensitive ? How close the bubble fits to the "lines" also makes a difference i'd say. Does the bubble size change with the temperature ? At times we level off a mark in a corner that a beveled end cap makes guess work out of. I guess the end caps pop out but why can’t they be unbeveled ? Am i imagining it or are some levels more sensitive ? How close the bubble fits to the “lines” also makes a difference i’d say. Does the bubble size change with the temperature ?

]]> By: Gary Katz /2010/02/12/festool-4-ft-stabila-level/#comment-72 Gary Katz Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:33:12 +0000 http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/?p=371#comment-72 How bad of me!!! I just checked online and the only source I found for the new level was at Highland Woodworking: http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/festool48installerslevelbystabila.aspx And the price is $150.00, which is about $50.00 more than a a Stabila 4 ft. level without lights! How bad of me!!! I just checked online and the only source I found for the new level was at Highland Woodworking:
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/festool48installerslevelbystabila.aspx
And the price is $150.00, which is about $50.00 more than a a Stabila 4 ft. level without lights!

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