max808•14d ago

Switched from a line pin to a string line for long walls

Spent 10 years using a line pin on every job, figured it was the only way to keep things straight. Last month on a 60 foot retaining wall in Austin, I borrowed a guys string line setup and it was way faster. No more bending down to reset the pin every few feet, just pull the line tight and lay. Anyone else made this switch or still sticking with pins?

2 comments

2 Comments

abby_martin2814d ago

You mentioned the 60 foot retaining wall in Austin, which is honestly a real test for any layout method. Did you run into any issues with the string sagging on a span that long, especially if there was any wind kicking up while you were setting the forms? Ive used a string line on shorter runs but always worried about it drooping and messing with my level on something that big.

the_kevin14d ago

You bet, @abby_martin28... string sag is a real pain on anything over 40 feet. I did a 55 foot wall in San Antonio last year and had to set an intermediate stake halfway just to keep the line from drooping, even with it pulled tight. And wind? Forget it... had to re-pull the string three times one afternoon when the gusts kept messing with my level readings.