spirit level resto question

[digitalbot]

Does anyone know what the material/substance was that they used to bed and level the glass vials in the old spirit levels.
I need to replace the vial in an old wooden one, the original being cracked and devoid of fluid, and on taking it apart it looks like some sort of putty but it seems too 'soft' and crumbly for that. The old putty i've come across sets rock hard. I can't think of what else it could be. Any ideas anyone? Or a modern alternative that sets and doesn't shrink over time.

 

[lurker]

Plaster of Paris. IIRC

 

[Jamesc]

Some of the levels I have restored appeared to have good old fashioned putty. I have used this in my restorations and they have held true for a good few years now.
I have no evidence this is correct other than it looked like the putty I have taken out of numerous windows (I used to install stained glass for a living) and it seems to have worked fine for me.

James

 

[skelph]

I seem to remember using exterior Polyfilla to set bubble tubes in when repairing/resetting wooden levels for our employees about 30 years ago.

 

[Billy Flitch]

Close on 50 years ago as a young apprentice I made quite a number of mahogany levels for our Dept and just as skelph says the vials where set in polyfilla.

 

[ED65]

You can use any type of plaster or cellulose filler for this if handy, if you don't have any though a mix of sawdust and glue will do the job nicely. I've repaired two or three old levels using this mix, which I also used to repair stripped holes for some of the mounting screws elsewhere on the same levels.