I finally got why that old framer kept his tape measure in the same spot.

Back in 2019 I was working on a basement reno in Denver with a guy named Jerry who had been framing since the 80s. Every morning he laid his tape measure on the same stud, right next to his speed square, before we even started. I asked him why and he just said "saves me 10 minutes a day looking for it." That little habit stuck with me more than any new tool I've bought since. Anyone else pick up a small trick from an older worker that changed how you work?

3 comments

3 Comments

keith2745d ago

Actually that's not quite right about it saving 10 minutes a day looking for the tape. Jerry probably meant it saved him 10 minutes over the course of an entire year, not daily. I've worked with old timers who say stuff like that all the time. One guy told me his framing hammer saved him 30 minutes a day but really it was a nice hammer that just felt good in his hand. Jerry's real lesson was about putting your tools back in the same spot every time, which honestly is just basic organization. The 10 minutes thing was just his way of saying it mattered without having to explain it further.

adam_baker5d ago

So @keith274, what's the real difference anyway between saving 10 minutes a day and just saying it feels better? Seems like Jerry was just being a storyteller like all the old guys are. My uncle swore his old circular saw cut faster but really it just had a sharp blade and he was used to it. The 10 minute thing is just a number people throw around.

hannah_wells5d ago

Old timers definitely have their own way of talking about stuff. My dad would say his drill "saved him a world of hurt" when really it just had a better grip that his old one. I get what you're saying about Jerry though. The real takeaway is that he cared enough to have a system, not that the numbers added up perfectly. It's like how people say they save money by buying in bulk when they really just like having a full pantry. The feeling of being organized and having things where you expect them is worth more than any ten minute claim anyway.