That old brick mason told me to quit using a level every 3 courses

I was on a job in Philly last summer and this veteran mason named Frankie just straight up told me I was wasting time checking my level every 3 rows. He said to trust my eye more and only use the level every 5 or 6 courses, then make tiny adjustments with the mud. Changed my whole rhythm honestly, I was probably spending an extra 20 minutes per wall being paranoid. Anyone else get a piece of advice from an older guy that totally flipped their process?

2 comments

2 Comments

reesemoore5d ago

Watched a 70 year old roofer just kick a stubborn tile into place instead of going for his hammer.

dylan_bell5d ago

Man's been on the roof since before cordless drills were a thing. If he doesn't want to waste time walking over to grab a hammer, that's his call. I'd rather watch a 70 year old finish a job in 20 minutes than a 25 year old take 2 hours with all the right tools.