Manny,   Would cutting two short pieces from a 1/2 x 1/2 inch (or any such dimension) piece of wood help you.  Put one piece on each outside rail then use your level.  John

Even better would be to put a notch in a single piece of wood to span the center rail.  That makes it simple to set across the tracks and put the level on top.

This may not be possible but here goes. Carefully cut a notch in a torpedo level.

I use this...

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Em...Level-93-3/100520083

Gunrunner john nailed it. That is the easiest method.

@Bruce Brown posted:

I use this...  https://www.homedepot.com/p/Em...Level-93-3/100520083

The issue was the center rail was higher than the two outside rails, this level would not do the job in that situation.

Thanks for the advice guys.

I have one old-school, 8- inch, wooden mason's torpedo level that I bought at  a flea market 20 years ago for $2.00 and have used a lot.   Hate to cut a slot in the bottom of it.

But, I guess I either have to do that, or buy a cheap short plastic level at WalMart or Harbor Freight, and cut a slot in the bottom of it.

Kind of strange that nobody offers one specifically for O gauge track.

Maybe a new idea for Tinplate Art's next tool offering.

Mannyrock

You don't have to cut a slot in any of the tools!  What am I, invisible?

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Even better would be to put a notch in a single piece of wood to span the center rail.  That makes it simple to set across the tracks and put the level on top.

@Mannyrock posted:

Thanks for the advice guys.

I have one old-school, 8- inch, wooden mason's torpedo level that I bought at  a flea market 20 years ago for $2.00 and have used a lot.   Hate to cut a slot in the bottom of it.

But, I guess I either have to do that, or buy a cheap short plastic level at WalMart or Harbor Freight, and cut a slot in the bottom of it.

Kind of strange that nobody offers one specifically for O gauge track.

Maybe a new idea for Tinplate Art's next tool offering.

Mannyrock

Please don't cut a slot in that old level. You don't see many wooden levels anymore. Gunrunner John has the best idea. Just get a piece of oak 1x and slot it.

You could glue a line level to it if you wanted too.

@Mannyrock posted:

Kind of strange that nobody offers one specifically for O gauge track.

Mannyrock

Probably because they would only sell one or two when it would be just as easy to glue two .80" or .100" Evergreen Styrene shims under the bubble level.

Rusty

I just use A piece  small of plywood or 1x4 lumber, then lay my I phone on it.  Not only tells me level in all directions but also gives the percent of slope for super elevation and grade.   Could also use a flat car however the fast angle wheels might mess you up. I also use Gargraves track, all rails same height. I also have a lot of rolling stock without fast angle wheels.

Clem

To get a level platform I used to say I would put a cue ball on the track, if it rolled one way I would kick a leg till it stopped, good to go.  To each his own.

Cheers,       W1

Adjusting track...

A small 6" level is used for small adjustments.  Electricians adjust wall plates with them.  Upper left, picture. I don't remember ever using the 45 degree level.  There is a top, and bottom to this level. Magnetic strip, pictured, is the bottom.

Edit/Add: Tuesday, 4/26/22.   Small blue level, most likely would be found in the electrical tool section, big box stores.

The combination square, middle left, also has a level bubble.  Another small level, is a line level, that attaches to a string line, nice to have bricks some-what level.

@SIRT posted:

Adjusting track...

That only works if the car is truly plumb, not always the case.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

You don't have to cut a slot in any of the tools!  What am I, invisible?

What he said.

When the trains come into the switch on the straight piece of the forked section, and travel straight across the switch, and then hit the 031 curved section attached to the switch, they want to derail because the outside rail of the curved section is lower than the inside rail on the other side of the curved section.

If you know the outside rail is is lower why not just shim the outside rail until the train moves through without the derailing issue and don't worry about a level. To be honest you won't get an 1-1/2" wide platform perfectly level with a carpenters level or any level with a bubble in it.

Dan

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

That only works if the car is truly plumb, not always the case.

? Each Module was level prior to track laying.

Turkey - Certainly not interested in sparring with a person on a toy rain forum.  Every post of yours has a touch of vitriol.  I think they make drugs for that, a chill pill maybe.  Over and out.  Have fun.

What should this guy do?

@Dan Kenny posted:

What should this guy do?

JUMP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

@Dan Kenny posted:

What should this guy do?

Hey, someone broke into my basement and took this picture!

The other thing is they shot this with a telephoto lens, which way makes any kind of warp or kink look much worse than it is. I have seen pictures that show shot normally and shot with a telephoto, and with the telephoto looks like the track was put down by a person with severe problems with spatial reasoning who also is on a permanent acid trip. 

In terms of the OP, I agree with GRJ, a piece of wood with a notch in it (balsa block is great) would work fine, why modify the level? Kind of reminds me of the old joke about the truck stuck under an overpass, and they come up with all these crazy solutions, and a kid says "hey, let the air out of the tires of the truck, it isn't stuck that badly".

Thanks guys.

I have decided that a block of notched oak is the best way to go.

I tried putting my flip phone on top of the track, but it just lost the one bar of signal I have at my place, and then just laid there.

Mannyrock

@Mannyrock posted:

Thanks guys.

I have decided that a block of notched oak is the best way to go.

I tried putting my flip phone on top of the track, but it just lost the one bar of signal I have at my place, and then just laid there.

Mannyrock

Will you level the oak block, first ? 

bigkid - when I was a union laborer and rode side saddle as a flag man per union rules in the cab of Kenworth hauling a lowboy with a big rig in tow we did that more than once.  Took the air out of tires of the trailer to get it under a bridge then when the machine was unloaded on the job pumped some wind back in them.  First time I got punked by the driver who told me to keep tapping on the rims as they were filling but be careful cuz it could come apart and slice me in two.  I’m sure I looked silly, part of the game.  Just as silly as the length of this thread took to figure out how to put a level across a piece of track is.

Cheers,       W1