That time I skipped the leveling jacks on a short pit job in Chicago

Last month I had a hydro in a tight 6-foot pit and the jacks wouldn't fit, so I just shimmed the rail brackets by eye and ran the car. It leveled within 1/8 inch on every floor after three test runs, no adjustments needed. Anyone else ever skip a standard step and have it just work out weirdly perfect like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

shane_wilson1mo ago

Shimmed by eye and it leveled to an 8th?" That's insane, man.

blair9901mo ago

Right? That's wild luck right there. I'd never trust my eye that much.

adam4141d ago

Always thought that was just an old timer's tale, but seeing @shane_wilson get it to an 8th changes my mind a little (even if I still wouldn't try it myself). There's something to be said for that kind of feel, I guess. Maybe I'm just too much of a "measure twice cut once" guy to ever trust my eye that far.

joseph481mo ago

Oh wow, you bet. I tried the same thing once on an old lathe and it came out to about a 10th, still can't believe I got away with it.