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A client in Austin made me rethink how I mark for post holes
For years, I just used a string line and a tape measure, maybe a can of spray paint if I was feeling fancy. It worked, but I'd always end up adjusting a post or two by hand because something was a hair off. Then, about three months ago, I was putting in a cedar fence for a guy who used to survey land. He watched me set up for a minute and said, 'You know, a plumb bob and some stakes would save you that back-and-forth walk.' I felt kind of dumb for not thinking of it. Now I drive a stake at each corner, run my string, and use a plumb bob to drop my mark straight down from the string intersection. It adds maybe five minutes to the setup, but I haven't had to tweak a single post position since. The line is always dead on. Has anyone else picked up a simple trick like that from a client?
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ivanl186mo ago
Oh man, that's a solid tip. I started using a cheap laser level for the same reason, just to shoot a line. Saves so much time over the old string and guess method.
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the_barbara3mo ago
Wait, you guys actually trust a cheap laser to hold its line outdoors?
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aaronowens6mo ago
Cheap lasers drift like crazy in bright light though... you end up checking them every five minutes. A chalk line snapped once is a permanent reference you can actually see. Batteries die at the worst times too, always when you're halfway through a cut.
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