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Build Walls Plumb With a Plumb Bob
One of the quickest and easiest ways to plumb up or down from any given point is with a plumb bob. The brass plumb bob shown costs about $12, but less expensive versions will work just as well. We’re using the plumb bob to transfer wall layout marks from the ceiling to the floor. Suspend the plumb bob about 1/2 in. above the floor and center the point exactly over the intersecting lines. Then mark the location on the ceiling. The key to accuracy is to wait for the bob to stop swinging. To speed things up, ask a helper to steady the plumb bob while you adjust the position of the string. Plumb bobs have one major drawback: They don’t work in windy conditions.
Drop the plumb bob from the ceiling and suspend it about 1/2 in. above your floor.
Ask a helper to steady the plumb bob and tell you which way to move the string to center it over the point on the floor.
Slope Pipes With a Shim
The next time you need to put a consistent slope on pipes, concrete formwork or land-scaping projects, try this hint. Tape a shim to one end of your level to establish the desired slope—say, 1/4 in. per foot for a drain. Center the bubble and your project will be perfectly sloped. Calculate the thickness of the shim by multiplying the length of your level in feet by the desired slope (inches per foot). We wanted 1/4-in. per foot slope on this drainpipe, so for our 2-ft. level we needed a 1/2-in. thick shim. If it’s more convenient to set the level on top of your project, tape the shim to the bottom instead.
Click image to enlarge.
Tape a shim to one end of your level and use it to set the slope of plumbing pipes.
Check the Accuracy of Your Level
I’ve never understood how it happens, but it seems like every level eventually gets a little “off.” In some cases, this small inaccuracy won’t matter. But if you’re doing finicky work like setting kitchen cabinets or installing doors and windows, you’ll want an accurate level. The photos show how to check your level. Expensive levels may be worth repairing. Call the manufacturer to find out if yours is repairable. When you’re buying a new level, use the same technique to check it for accuracy before leaving the store with it.
Follow the same procedure to check the level’s accuracy in the “plumb,” or vertical, position. You’ll have to hold the playing cards in place while you check the level.
Shim the end of your level with playing cards until the bubble is centered. (If the bubble is already centered, you won’t need any cards.) We’ve marked one end of the level with blue tape to distinguish it from the opposite end.
Rotate the level 180 degrees (end for end) and rest it on the same stack of cards. If the bubble is in the center, your level is accurate. If not, have it repaired or get a new level.
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