In this article, I want to discuss my favorite levels for electricians.. whether you are making sure plugs are straight, or bending EMT pipe!
What We Cover in this Article:
- Two Levels an Electrician Needs
Two Levels an Electrician Needs
It was very hard to find the difference between these heavy-duty levels for bending pipe, as they are also a torpedo level..
But in short, I recommend commercial electricians to have a lower-quality torpedo level that they use in the finishing stages, and a heavy-duty level with strong rare earth magnets which makes pipe bending much easier, as the level will NEVER fall off your pipe.
Torpedo Level Example
When you buy a torpedo level, they can be VERY cheap.. but sometimes it may be all you need to do the job!
If you pay a little more, they typically have a metal frame for improved durability, and the magnet can possibly be stronger..
I recommend an electrician have a basic torpedo level!!
Level for Bending EMT Pipe for Electricians
I was trying to figure out the actual name to classify these types of levels as.. but it seems they are also a torpedo level.. and they often use the word billet torpedo level.
It seems this word billet is to do with the frame.. (please leave a comment if you know the difference!)
Regardless, getting a level like the Empire Level above, will really help you enjoy your pipe bending.
After watching a couple YouTube tutorials, I noticed a lot of people use the screw to clamp down on the end of a pipe to find level, but I often found the screw a bit iffy. I preferred to put the level on the actual pipe.
In more rare situations is where I’d use the screw, but you feel free to use the screw to clamp down if you’d like 🙂.. one thing to mention is that if you do use the screw, make sure not to clamp it down too hard, as you may disform the pipe, making it harder to put the pipe into a connector/coupling, or even gouge the wire!
Klein Tools Level for Bending Pipe
I can’t leave out the Klein Tools level I talked about in the video.. I know I said my favorite level is the Empire level.. but comparing both of them side-by-side, I think the Klein Tools would do just as good of a job, if not better, as things are a bit more visual!:
I will also leave another image here for a comparison between the two..
Conclusion.. My Favorite Levels as an Electrician..
There’s some tools you buy over the years as an electrician that really stand out.. and once I grabbed that Empire Level.. which is actually called the 841.6 – 6″ Magnetic Billet Torpedo Level.. it was absolutely game changing!
It really allowed me to enjoy bending pipe, and know my level was a great companion to help me accomplish the task easily.
Since it’s a bit smaller, it’d fit on awkward areas like on a box with connectors in it.. and it even has the screw to clamp down if you need it!
So there you go… I hope the video helps you decide how to buy a level as an electrician for daily tasks, and when bending pipe.
You’ll need both a torpedo level, and one of these levels with strong magnets for pipe bending.
Leave a comment below if you have any questions!
