Finally got the hang of laying a full course without a line

For the first two years I was on the job, I used a line for every single course, no matter what. It felt safe, but it was slow. About six months ago, my foreman on a job in Cincinnati told me to try going without it on a simple garden wall. I was off by almost half an inch by the end. Kept at it, practicing on small stuff after hours. Now I can run a full course on a straight run just by eye and a level check, and I'm way faster. What's a small skill you guys worked on that made a big difference in your speed?

2 comments

2 Comments

lindareed11h ago

Saw a thing once about how that's called "running the line" and it's a real milestone. Getting the eye for it must feel pretty good after all that practice.

christopher_ross11h ago

Honestly, that sounds like a great way to build in a lean. I'd never trust my eye over a line for anything that needs to be plumb.