I finally stopped using a 4-foot level for everything after a plumber called me out

For years I thought my 4-foot level was the only tool I needed for any straight line, from shelves to door frames. Then a plumber I hired to fix a shower drain last month saw me checking a long baseboard with it and said, 'You're going to get a wave doing it like that, you need a longer straight edge for anything over six feet.' I argued at first, but he showed me the slight bow in my last piece. I bought an 8-foot aluminum level the next week and the difference on long runs is huge. Has anyone else had a basic tool habit they had to break for bigger projects?

2 comments

2 Comments

black.jordan15d ago

Ever notice how we stick with the first way we learn to do something? It's like my old habit of using a tiny paintbrush for everything until a whole wall took me three days.

pauljones15d ago

Switched to a roller and finished in an hour, felt like a total game changer.