Chalk line trick from a framer changed how I do layouts

I was framing a shed addition in my backyard last weekend and this old framer named Dave walked by. He saw me struggling to snap a straight line on a concrete slab and just laughed. He told me to stop using cheap blue chalk and switch to a high-temp red chalk that won't fade in the sun. Then he showed me how to double-snap the line by going over it twice for walls that have to be dead-on. I been doing layouts the hard way for 5 years and this one tip saved me 30 minutes of rework. Has anyone else picked up a simple trick from a total stranger that changed how you do stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

kelly9685d ago

You ever have one of those moments where a stranger gives you advice and it just sticks with you forever? My buddy Tom was building a deck and this old timer walked by, saw him trying to level the posts with a standard bubble level. The guy just shook his head and told him to use a laser level and a string line instead. He said to run the string from one end to the other and use the laser to check the height every few feet. Tom said it cut his leveling time in half and made the whole thing way flatter. He still talks about that guy to this day. Funny how a random passing tip can save you hours of frustration.

mary_kelly5d ago

Had a similar thing with a neighbor and my fence posts, changed everything.