Update: My dad's old trick for checking a level finally made sense

I was helping my cousin hang a shelf in his apartment, and he pulled out his phone to use a level app. I mentioned my dad always said to flip a level end over end to check it, and my cousin just stared at me. I had to show him: you put the level on a surface, note the bubble, then flip it 180 degrees. If it reads the same, it's true. He said 'oh, that's actually smart' and put his phone away. It's wild how a simple hardware store tip from 30 years ago still works better than an app sometimes. Anyone have other old-school tricks that still beat new tech?

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jenny_sullivan975mo ago

Three chalk marks and a level saved me an alignment check.

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the_oliver6mo ago

Remember the bubble trick for tires. Find a flat spot, mark the tire's high point with chalk, roll the car until the mark is at the bottom. If the bubble in the level on the tread is centered, your spot is flat. Saves a trip to the garage for a slow leak.

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finley_wells666mo ago

That's a solid trick for finding a flat spot in your garage floor. You can also use it to check your jack stands are level before you lift the car. Just put the level on the stand's base plate. A friend of mine found his concrete slab had a serious slope that way, saved him from a scary wobble. What do you use to mark the tire, just regular chalk?

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