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A retired builder in Boise showed me his trick for marking studs without a pencil
I was working on a remodel in Boise last fall, and the homeowner, a guy named Frank who used to be a builder, kept watching me. After I pulled out my pencil to mark a stud for blocking, he just said, 'Let me show you something.' He took a small finish nail from his pocket, held it against the stud, and gave it one solid tap with his hammer. It left a perfect, tiny dent right on center. He said, 'No graphite to sand off later, and you can feel it in the dark.' I've used that trick on every trim job since. It's so simple but saves a step on the finish work. Has anyone else picked up a little trick like that from an old pro on a job site?
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karen_hill36mo ago
That "no graphite to sand off" part is where I see it differently. On a painted surface, a tiny dent from a nail is still a flaw you have to fix with spackle. A pencil line just wipes off with a damp rag before the final coat. I had to fix a bunch of those little dents on my own trim once because I could see every single one in the side light. For me, the pencil is actually less work in the end.
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troyc176mo ago
Ever try a white grease pencil for that?
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samreed6mo ago
Oh man, "see every single one in the side light" is my personal nightmare. I've spent more time fixing my own little dent mistakes than I care to admit, usually while muttering that next time I'll just use the pencil.
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