My level went missing so I tried using a 2x4 as a straight edge on a brick wall

Last Thursday I was laying a garden wall out back of a house in Oakville and somehow my 4 foot level vanished into thin air. I searched the truck, the site, even the portajohn with no luck. I was in a hurry because the client was coming by at noon to check the progress. So I grabbed a good straight 2x4 from the lumber pile and figured I'd just sight down it like a madman. Turns out if you clamp a string line tight against the wood at both ends it actually works pretty well for checking plumb on face brick. It's not gonna replace a real level any time soon but it got me through that course without any major wavy spots. Has anyone else pulled a dumb substitute trick on site that somehow worked out okay?

2 comments

2 Comments

luna_jackson289d ago

Oh man, that string line trick is actually pretty clever! I once had to use a piece of cardboard as a drywall square when I couldn't find mine halfway through a job. It was floppy and janky but I somehow made it work for a few cuts before I gave up and just bought a new one. Did you ever end up finding that level?

karenf409d agoMost Upvoted

lol @luna_jackson28 nah I never did find it, I swear tools just vanish into some kind of black hole in my garage. Probably sitting right next to that cardboard square of yours somewhere.