Pro Handyman Blog

Handyman Use Of A Chalk Line

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There are times when you need a long straight line and they just don't make a straightedge long enough. This is where a chalk line comes in handy. As a handyman, I use a chalk line when laying out a cut on a large piece of lumber, or laying out straight lines for landscaping projects, etc.

A chalk line is simply a piece of string that is wound up inside a housing. In this housing is also colored powdered chalk. The end of the string has a small hook on it that allows the user to attach it to, for example, the edge of a piece of plywood. Once the string is stretched taut, the user picks up the string and lifts it a few inches above the surface and lets it go. The chalked-up piece of string snaps a straight line on the surface and you now have an accurate line to work from. You can use whatever color chalk suits you, and there is a sliding door to fill the dispenser with the chalk.

Once the user has snapped a chalk line, there is a handle that is used to retrieve the string back into the housing. This also recoats the string with additional chalk.