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Why does nobody talk about using a string line for setting post depth?
After fighting with a laser level on a 200-foot run in bright sun last month, I tried the old string line trick my grandpa swore by and got posts dead straight with zero rework, so what do you use when the laser washes out?
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jesse845mo ago
My buddy Dave learned this the hard way on a 180 foot run of vinyl fence last spring. He spent two hours messing with his laser, trying to shade the lens with his hat, even taped a cardboard tube to it. The sun won and he ended up with a 4 inch dip in the middle that made the whole fence look like a roller coaster. He had to pull three posts and redo them with a string line my grandpa would have used in 1952. Now he keeps a ball of mason line in his truck and laughs at anyone pulling out a laser on a sunny day.
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parker_campbell5mo ago
Yeah the laser washing out is a nightmare on long runs, I feel you. I tried a string line for the first time last summer on a 150 foot fence and it was night and day easier. Pro tip is to pull it super tight and use a line level on it to double check your grade so you're not guessing on dips. Also cling wrap on the laser lens can help with glare but strings just work when you're out in direct sun.
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johnson.ryan5mo ago
Same thing applies to a lot of outdoor projects honestly. No matter how fancy the tool gets, sometimes the simple old school method just cuts through the noise better.
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