Met an old mason at a job in Philly who showed me a trick with a string line

We were building a garden wall last fall and my line kept sagging in the middle. This guy, Frank, saw me fussing with it and came over. He took my line pin, tied a simple overhand knot about six inches from the end, and then hooked it. He said, 'The knot takes up the stretch, keeps it tight all day.' I've done it on every brick job since. Anyone else use a trick like that to keep their lines straight?

3 comments

3 Comments

olivia_barnes976d ago

My grandpa swore by that exact knot trick.

tessawebb5d ago

Ever see those old timers use a chalk line as a plumb bob in a pinch? Works way better than you'd think.

diana_bell743d ago

Wait, you were building a wall without knowing the knot trick? That's like masonry 101 (or so I've been told). Frank saved you a world of frustration right there. It's wild how the simplest fixes are always the best.