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Back in '19 we'd finish a whole driveway with just a bull float and a hand trowel in Phoenix heat.
Last week I watched a crew use a power trowel on a patio that size and they were done before lunch. It got me thinking about how much the gear has changed even in a few years. What's one old school technique you still find yourself using even with new tools around?
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ericp676mo ago
Ever catch yourself using a tape measure when the laser is right in your bag? I do it all the time. My excuse is I need the workout, but really I just trust the click of the lock more. Feels like I'm getting a real number, not just a dot on the wall. Probably looks pretty dumb to the new guys.
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rowan_butler935mo ago
And @ericp67 I still eyeball my levels half the time because the battery always dies right when you need it most.
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thomas1056mo ago
Man, that's it exactly. It's not just tools, it's the whole pace. We used to HAVE to slow down for certain steps, and that slowness built in a kind of quality check. Now everything is so fast, the biggest skill is knowing when NOT to use the faster tool. I still mark my cuts with a pencil and a speed square instead of a laser for simple stuff, because setting up the gadget takes longer than just doing it. The old way keeps you connected to the work in a way buttons and batteries just don't.
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