I think everyone's wrong about using a laser level for every single brick course

Okay, hear me out. I know the laser level is the go to tool now, and I used mine for years. But last week, I was working on a curved garden wall in a backyard in Springfield, and the thing just failed me. The battery died halfway through the third course, right when I was setting the arch. I had my old 4 foot aluminum level in the truck, and I had to finish the whole curve by hand, checking plumb and level the old fashioned way. It took longer, sure, but I swear the work felt more solid, and I caught a slight bow in the middle that the laser might have missed because I was moving it. I'm not saying ditch the tech, but maybe we rely on it too much for simple jobs. Has anyone else had a tool fail and gone back to basics, only to find it worked better?

4 comments

4 Comments

emery_lopez2mo ago

Mila's got a point about your hands feeling the work. It's like you get a better sense of the whole structure when you're physically checking each brick with a level, instead of just lining up a red dot. That direct contact lets you spot small problems, like a brick that's just a bit off, before they turn into bigger ones. My old boss used to say a tool is only as good as the person using it, and sometimes a simpler tool makes you pay more attention.

lindaowens2mo ago

Your hands feel the work better than any gadget can" - that's exactly right, @mila_flores8, unless your hands are covered in mud and you can't feel a thing! Jokes aside, I've had a laser level die on me mid job before, and you realize how much you rely on the gadget instead of just trusting your own eyes and hands. That old boss of yours knew what he was talking about. A simple tool forces you to slow down and actually look at what you're doing, which is where the real skill comes from. Plus, you avoid the whole "well the laser said it was straight" excuse when something's crooked. Who else has had a battery die at the worst possible moment?

mila_flores82mo ago

Totally agree. Sometimes your hands just feel the work better than any gadget can.

butler.finley2mo ago

Yeah but even with a laser level, it's still your hands that set it up and your eyes that check it. The tool just makes the decision easier, it doesn't replace the skill.