Heard a guy at the lumber yard say he never uses a chalk line for long cuts anymore

I was picking up some 2x12s for a deck frame in Eugene last week and this older guy ahead of me was talking to the yard manager. He said, 'I haven't snapped a chalk line for a straight cut in ten years, I just use a 4-foot level and a pencil.' It made me stop and think because I use my chalk box all the time for sheathing and layout. His point was that chalk can drift if the board isn't perfectly flat, and a long level gives you a true straight edge you can follow with your saw. I tried it yesterday on some 16-foot treated pine for a stringer, and you know what? It worked really well. The cut was dead straight and I didn't have any blue chalk dust to clean up. Has anyone else switched to a method like this for long rips instead of chalk?

2 comments

2 Comments

emerycarr2d ago

Honestly, that tracks. I watched a guy frame a whole garage with just a speed square and a sharp pencil. Sometimes the extra step just gets in the way.

olivers281d ago

Exactly, @emerycarr. A sharp pencil and a steady hand beat a fancy tool you don't know how to use. I've seen guys waste half a day just trying to set up a laser level for a simple job. Keep it simple and trust your marks.