Old timer told me to use a string line instead of a level for long runs

He said levels lie over distance because the ground is never truly flat, and I thought he was just being old fashioned. After fighting a 150 foot vinyl fence for two days straight, I tried his method and had it perfectly straight in under 3 hours. Has anyone else had a seasoned guy give you advice that felt wrong but actually saved your hide?

2 comments

2 Comments

robin77723d ago

Ha, I guess the old guy knew what he was talking about after all! That's how it always goes, right? They give you this piece of advice that sounds like something from the stone age, and you roll your eyes, only to find out they were dead right. I had a guy tell me to use a chalk line for a deck once, and I thought he was just trying to make me do extra work. Turns out, that string was way more accurate than my fancy level ever was. I swear, some of these old timers have been doing it so long they've got a sixth sense for what actually works. Guess we should listen more and assume less, huh?

casey94323d ago

Fr fr, the chalk line thing is real. I fought my grandpa on that one for years and finally tried it, never went back. It's like they figured out all the shortcuts before there was even a name for them.