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Thread: Medieval "spirit" level
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23-05-2022, 12:26 #1
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Medieval "spirit" level
I've been watching a fascinating YouTube video of the building of a new medieval castle. It is being built in France using original materials, tools and techniques. Original means, for example, quarrying the stone by hand methods and using local clay to make tiles. It really is extraordinary what was accomplished with primitive methods. One of the small details that got my attention was a 90/45 degree triangle made of wood. It was as big as could conveniently be handled, about 600mm along the hypotenuse. It had a clear mark in the middle of the hypotenuse and a nail installed at the apex. A plumb line hung from the nail and lined up with the mark made the hypotenuse dead level. Very accurate. Who needs a modern spirit level ?
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23-05-2022, 13:46 #2
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Re: Medieval "spirit" level
Sounds very interesting, Im going to look for that video on YouTube.
Being from Wales originaly, I have visited many castles & still try to queeze one or two in every time i go back to to visit family.
If you ever read the book & sequal/s to Pillars of The Earth by Ken Follet, I'm sure you would also find it gobsmacking the methods used by "master builders" in the building of cathererals back in the day.
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23-05-2022, 13:51 #3
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Re: Medieval "spirit" level
Its a fantastic series. The most comprehensive and long running bit of experimental archaeology that I have come across. I believe the project is already over 20 years in the making.
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23-05-2022, 15:47 #4
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Re: Medieval "spirit" level
Theodorus in the 6th BC invented the square and the water level device. He was a very invented architect in his time.
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23-05-2022, 17:56 #5
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Re: Medieval "spirit" level
The plumb line level also has the advantage of not having 2 confusing bubbles on a Monday...
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23-05-2022, 19:49 #6
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Re: Medieval "spirit" level
That is where the "speed square" trick originated. I dabble with wood on occasion, and always find that modern tools takes away the craft skills
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23-05-2022, 20:51 #7
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23-05-2022, 21:42 #8
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Re: Medieval "spirit" level
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23-05-2022, 21:45 #9
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23-05-2022, 22:40 #10
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Re: Medieval "spirit" level
The Egyptians used a plumb bob for the pyramids too. Given a long enough vertical drop you can detect very small angles. Problem is that it takes forever for the damn thing to stop swinging.
Before I got a machinist level I leveled my lathe by using a plumb on the end of a 1.5m pole. By using a very sharp plumb and then using a digital microscope to "view" where it was pointing I worked out that it could detect a angle of about 90 seconds or 0.025 degrees
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