Finally tried a chalk line reel instead of a tape measure for long cuts

I spent 20 minutes measuring and marking plywood sheets for a shed roof last week and kept messing up the lines. Guy at the lumber yard said to just pop a chalk line and cut along it. Grabbed a 100 foot reel for 8 bucks and it lined up perfect on the first try. Anyone else switched to chalk for big panels or is this just one of those things everyone knows but me?

2 comments

2 Comments

mila3953d ago

Learned that exact same lesson building a deck last summer, never going back for anything over four feet. Quick tip: twist the line a few times before you snap it to get a finer, cleaner mark on the wood.

elizabethhart2d ago

Twisting the line is a good trick, but I've found that using a dark colored chalk and a steady hand works just as well for me. Last time I snapped a line on wet wood I ended up with more chalk on my face than on the board. Made the mistake of leaning over to blow the excess off and sneezed right into the cloud.