Pro tip: I used to think the old way of checking tube alignment was fine until a job in Toledo.

We used to just eyeball it with a straightedge, but on a big boiler retrofit last fall, we had a 2-inch gap on a 30-foot run that we missed. Now I always use a laser level and a tape measure for every single tube before we tack anything. Anyone else have a better method for long runs?

3 comments

3 Comments

leo_murphy15d ago

That laser is a solid upgrade from eyeballing it. For runs over 20 feet, we still run a tight string line as a primary check. The laser can get bumped, but a string under tension doesn't lie. Do you double-check the laser against a string on your critical jobs?

the_charlie15d ago

Oh man, I was just reading a thread where a guy said his whole crew missed a laser that got nudged by a conduit run. They had to tear out a section of framing. So yeah, on anything that really matters, I definitely snap a chalk line or check with a string. That old school method is a lifesaver for a final sign-off. What's the worst laser fail you've seen?

jesse_nguyen14d ago

Yeah, that's brutal. I saw a post where a crew laid out a whole basement floor with a laser that had a dead battery, so the line drifted as it died. They were off by over an inch on the far wall. Now I always check my battery level before starting and do a quick manual measure at both ends. How often do you test your laser against a tape?