My old foreman said to never use a laser level for a simple garden wall. He was totally wrong.

Honestly, he told me that about 2 years ago on a job in Boise, saying it was a waste of time and a crutch. So I spent months doing everything by hand with a 4-foot level and string lines. Ngl, it was slow. Then I got a cheap laser level for a personal project last fall and laid 150 feet of retaining wall block in a single weekend. The line was perfect and it saved me hours. Has anyone else had a boss give them advice that just held them back?

3 comments

3 Comments

riverh492mo ago

What did he think the laser was for, just decoration? That's wild. I had a boss who insisted on hand mixing all mortar for small jobs, said machines made it weak. Took forever and my arms were dead. Borrowed a mixer once when he was gone and did three times the work before lunch. Some people just get stuck in their ways.

smith.nancy2mo agoTop Commenter

Borrowed a mixer once when he was gone" is the real pro move. Reminds me of the time we had to hide a new pallet jack from the old shift lead because he thought they scratched the floors.

james_bell2mo ago

Your boss might have had a point about control, riverh49. Hand mixing can sometimes give you a better feel for the mix, which matters on finicky jobs. The right tool just depends on the task.