Level vs eye test

[perriboy]

I see many new guys spend ten minutes checking every single brick with a four foot level until the mud starts to set. I prefer to get my corners dead on and then trust my line and my eye for the middle of the run. If the line is tight and the lead is plumb the rest should follow without constant checking. Buy do any of your guys stop to level every unit or do you trust your string to keep the course straight? Just curious. I may have read something like this here too.

 

[last goodbye]

I see many new guys spend ten minutes checking every single brick with a four foot level until the mud starts to set. I prefer to get my corners dead on and then trust my line and my eye for the middle of the run. If the line is tight and the lead is plumb the rest should follow without constant checking. Buy do any of your guys stop to level every unit or do you trust your string to keep the course straight? Just curious. I may have read something like this here too.

Agree that a tight line is your best friend on a long run. If you get your leads dead plumb and the line is pulled so tight it hums then you really shouldn't need to check every single brick. Over-leveling can actually lead to a wavy wall because you end up chasing small fractions that don't matter in the big picture.

 

[purriitttooo]

I still prefer to put my torpedo level on every three or four bricks just to stay honest. It only takes a second to check the cross-level and it prevents a lean that might be hard to fix later on. My eyes have cheated me before especially on late Friday afternoons when I am tired.

 

[bigbuster]

The eye test is a skill that takes years to master and I don't think a beginner should try it. You have to learn how to see the shadow lines and the way the units sit in the mud before you can ditch the level. Once you have that "mason's eye" you can definitely work much faster.

 

[the reflection]

Does your string line ever sag over a really long distance? I learned through experience that even with a line pin or a twig it can dip just enough to cause a frown in the course. That is the only time I really rely on my four-foot level to check the middle of the span.

 

[simply_sam]

I think the eye test is actually better for matching old work that might have settled. If you build a perfectly level patch in a house that is leaning two inches it is going to look completely wrong. Sometimes you have to build "wrong" to make it look right to the eye.