evah40•20d ago

Trade school taught me one way, job site taught me another

I learned to lay out flanges using a chalk line and tape measure at the union hall in Cleveland, but last spring on a shutdown at the refinery my foreman showed me how he sets up everything with a laser level and a digital protractor. It took me about 6 jobs before I trusted the laser on wet pipe where the chalk line kept washing off. Anyone else made that switch during a turnaround and had trouble getting the old habits out of your head?

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1 Comment

lunawilson19d agoMost Upvoted

I mean, the laser thing is cool and all, but "trusting" it sounds a little dramatic. You're not doing brain surgery, it's pipe. Chalk line washes off, you dry it off and snap another one. I get that the laser is faster, but it's not like the old way was broken, it just needed a dry rag. Maybe it's just me, but I've seen guys mess up way worse with a digital protractor because they forgot to zero it out than a guy who just knows how to read a 45. The tools don't make the job, you know?