STRAIGHT LINE

A simple guide to the tools used for one of the most fundamental steps of anything you make.

NO. 2 PENCIL MARKING GAUGE LASER CHALK LINE MARKING KNIFE LAYOUT DYE AND A CARBIDETIPPED SCRIBE

1.

Use a level to mark a plumb line on the existing wall at the point at which the new wall will meet it. Have a helper hold a tape measure where the line hits the floor and, using a framing square to ensure a 90-degree corner, extend the tape measure to the point on the floor where the new wall will end. Mark that end point and a few spots along the tape measure on the floor.

2.

Use a stud sensor to locate the direction of the ceiling joists relative to the new wall. If the wall runs parallel to them, you’ll deal with that later. If it runs directly under a joist, mark the sides of the joist in a few places along the length of your new wall. If the wall is perpendicular to the ceiling joists, mark a couple.

3.

Stand on a ladder and sight along the ceiling where your new wall will run for any dips or bulges. Place a level’s edge on the plumb line to see if the existing wall is plumb. The more irregularities you find, the more airspace you’ll need to leave around the wall. And the more creative you’ll have to get with your drywall work to cover these gaps.

4.

Crosscut two 50 x 75 mm planks to match the new wall’s length. These will be the top and bottom plates of the wall. Clamp the plates together, face to face, so that their ends are flush, then measure 380 mm from one end. (This allows you to neatly mark and nail studs 400 mm on centre.) Use a square to draw a line across the two plates. Mark an X on the right side of the line.

5.

Drive a stubby nail or screw in that spot. Hook the end of a tape measure to it and stretch the tape down the length of the plates. Mark every 400 mm until you reach the plates’ end, then go back and use a square to draw a neat line at every mark, across both plates. Mark an X on the right side of each line.

6.

Separate the two plates and turn them so that their 87,5-mm width is facing you. Align their ends with a square, clamp them together and continue the edge marks you made across the face of each plate.

7.

Separate the plates. Measure the floor-to-ceiling height at the corner and end of the new wall. Take the shorter dimension of the two and subtract 8 cm (the thickness of the two plates and a small airspace). This is the length of your studs.

8.

Crosscut the studs to length. Place each one to the right of every line, on the X. Since all studs have a small bow, place the bow face up to ensure a uniformly shaped wall.

2.SLICE THE MEAT Put 1 800 g (yields 600 grams) of flank steak in the freezer for an hour. This makes it easier to cut. Slice each steak across the grain in half-centimetre strips, holding the blade at a 45-degree angle.

reassuring me. I add three coats to the metal in total, waiting five to ten minutes for each to dry before applying the next. This is a running theme of touch-up work: spend two minutes painting and then ten minutes waiting to do another two minutes of painting. In this manner, a man could, hypothetically, consume several beverages, preferably of artisanal origin, in the course of a job.