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My boss laughed at my $20 chalk line from Harbor Freight until it snapped on a 30 yard pour
Been using the same old Stanley chalk line for 8 years. Dropped it in mud, ran over it with a buggy, it was beat up but still worked. Guy at the supply house told me to try one of those cheap red ones from Harbor Freight. Said they were fine for residential. First big pour I used it on, a 30 yard driveway in Akron, the line snapped halfway across the form. Ended up having to eyeball the control joint layout and it came out crooked. Took me an extra 45 minutes to fix it with a straight edge and a fresh line from my old Stanley. Has anyone else had bad luck with those off brand chalk lines or did I just get a dud?
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murray.jana3d ago
...and then the next day he borrowed my Stanley and it worked fine. Same tape he'd been using for five years, no issues. I swear those cheap ones must use thinner plastic or something. The tape itself just doesn't hold up under tension, especially if there's any moisture or grit in it. He said his tape snapped so clean it looked like it was cut with scissors, not a tear from being pulled too hard.
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mia7003d ago
Heard this same story from my buddy Dave out in Medina. Bought one of those cheap chalk lines thinking he was saving a few bucks, snapped on a small patio pour and completely killed his layout. Said he threw it in the trash and went back to his old one.
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