Is anyone else sick of the company lasers disappearing from the jobsite?

I stopped relying exclusively on those green lasers about five years ago after my third one walked off the job site in a drywaller’s bag. Those units are $400 targets for anyone with sticky fingers, and the self-leveling pendulums get knocked out of calibration if you so much as set them down too hard on the deck. I keep a **solid brass 16-ounce bob** in my pack at all times now. It doesn't need a charger, and it’s never once lied to me about what’s vertical. The second that brass hits the air, you have to say the line about how they built the pyramids with these. It is legally required. If you don't say it, the framing won't actualy be plumb; it's some kind of ancient site magic. I usally follow that up by explaining that "plumb" comes from the Latin word *plumbum* for lead, wich is why plumbers are called plumbers. Usually, by the time I finish the history lesson on Roman lead pipes and the downfall of civilization, I realize the lights are off and everyone else has gone home for the day.

For high-ceiling work or checking long vertical runs, a heavy bob is actually more reliable than a cheap laser that might have a 1/4-inch variance over 30 feet. You just have to watch out for the HVAC guys kicking on the blowers and creating a draft. If the string is moving, you’re just guessing. But on a calm day, gravity is the most honest sub on the clock. If you want to relly mess with the tech-heavy crews, pull out a **clear vinyl water level** next time you need to transfer a height across a crowded room. It’s just a tube of water, but it’s often more accurate over long distances than most of the rotary lasers these guys are using. Plus, nobody is going to steal a piece of plastic hose. Between the bob and the water level, you can finish an entire addition while the other trades are still fighting over the one working extension cord to charge thier batteries.

That water level thing sounds wild. I'm just starting out and I've only ever seen those expensive self-leveling lasers at the store. How do you acutally use a tube of water to level a whole room? Does it take two people to hold the ends? I'm definitely going to grab a brass bob for my kit now just so I can say the pyramid line. I bet the guys on my site woud get a kick out of that while I'm still trying to figure out which end of the tape measure is which. Is there a specific weight that's best for a beginner?

To the guy asking about the water level: yeah, you can do it solo by clipping one end to a stake. Just make sure there are no air bubbles in the line or your measurements will be garbage.

The best part about the old-school gear is durability. I've seen guys drop an expensive rotary laser once and it’s toast. You drop a brass bob? You just pick it up and keep going. If you're buying one, get a gammon reel too. It keeps the string tidy and lets you adjust the height without fumbling with knots while the wind is kicking up.

If you're picking up a heavy bob for outdoor jobs, try the bucket trick. If the wind is kicking up, just drop the bob into a bucket of water or some old motor oil. It dampens the swing almost instantly so you aren't waiting forever for the string to settle. I had to do that on a windy site last summer when the lasers were basially useless beacuse of the deck vibration.

It's also hilarious seeing the apprentices stare at a bucket of oil like it's some kind of dark magic. Physics doesn't need a firmware update.