Just realized that 'pencil trick' for aligning ductwork isn't always safe

I was on a job site in Richmond last week and overheard an older drafter telling a new guy to use a pencil to mark and align duct sections before locking them in. Sounded clever at first, but then the new guy's pencil snapped and a piece got stuck inside a supply run. We had to fish it out with a magnet, and it took 20 extra minutes. Has anyone else run into a hack that sounded good but caused more problems than it solved?

3 comments

3 Comments

susan_adams1mo agoMost Upvoted

Oh man, I tried the pencil thing once and ended up snapping the tip off inside a return plenum. Spent an hour digging for it with a flashlight and a piece of wire, feeling like the world's worst surgeon. Sometimes the "smart" shortcuts really aren't.

the_christopher1mo ago

Pencils and metal shavings in ductwork can cause real headaches down the line if a piece gets lodged near a blower or joint. Always go with a non marking tool or a wax pencil that won't leave debris behind.

angelarivera1mo ago

Disagree @the_christopher, bits of pencil graphite won't hurt a blower if you just clean up after yourself.