My brother laughed at me for using a speed square on my first deck build

I was building a deck at my place near Austin and my brother came over to help. He told me a speed square was for rookies and real framers just eye ball angles. So I tossed it aside and tried to cut a few 45s on the joists by feel. Let me tell you, that was a mistake lol. Three cuts later and nothing lined up right when I went to attach the ledger board. I ended up buying a whole new 2x8 because I messed up the angles so bad. Now I keep a speed square in my apron at all times and my brother owes me $12 for the lumber. Has anyone else had a know-it-all family member steer you wrong on a project?

4 comments

4 Comments

lilyt2310d ago

Yeah man, the whole "real men dont use tools" thing is such a load. Thats like saying real chefs dont use measuring cups. I see guys at work all the time who think theyre too good for a simple thermometer or timer and then wonder why their steaks come out like shoe leather or their bread is raw inside. People get this idea in their heads that struggling through something makes you more legit or something. But using the right tool for the job is just smart, not a sign of weakness. Your brother owes you $12 and an apology.

the_laura10d ago

My neighbor spent 4 hours hand sanding a deck last summer, refused to rent a power sander because it felt like cheating, and then ended up buying one halfway through when his arms gave out. That mindset shows up everywhere, from cooking to car repairs to woodworking, this weird pride in doing things the hard way even when it makes the result worse. People treat shortcuts like a character flaw but really they just help you get from point A to point B without the unnecessary suffering.

river_thompson10d agoMost Upvoted

Right? Isn't that just wasting your own time to prove a point nobody else cares about?

the_lucas9d ago

Yeah but I kinda get where your brother was coming from. Not that you should ditch the speed square, but there's something to be said for learning to read your cuts without relying on a tool for every single angle. If the power goes out or you forget your apron you're not totally screwed.