Getting a string line straight advice needed

[DazzaSt]

Hi All,

I know this may sound very basic to most of you but how do I get a 5m string line straight when I have nothing really to measure it to? I can of course eyeball it but that won't be accurate enough.

Cheers
Darren

[mickg]

buy steel road pins from your local builders merchants and a builders line, they are not expensive

knock a pin into the ground at either side and fasten the builders line to the pins, have a loop on the end of the line which slips down the pin so you only have to tie one side

you need to have the line to the finished height of your paving, use a level or a level and a piece of straight wood if your level is not long enough to transfer the height of the finished paving from the pool side to the line, once you have the correct height wrap insulation tape round the steel pin at the under side of the line so if the line was to break or came loose its saves having to go through the same levelling process again

[DazzaSt]

Thanks Mick but I don't think I explained myself too well!

What I mean is best described by the very crude drawing below. The black line is what I'm trying to achieve, the red one is what I've got, I've exaggerated it though obviously as my eye balling isn't that bad!

[digerjones]

run a line along the side of pool like mick said and then measure off that one to get the line you want, simples.

[DazzaSt]

The straight side of the pool isn't probably straight either or doesn't that matter?

[rimexboy]

Is your old block paving square (up the step)if so transfer that along the side of the pool

[lutonlagerlout]

put 2 lamp irons in about 100mm and pull the string ,then measure to the pool
keep moving them till you get a parallel line at the correct distance
last 25 i bought lamp irons were £1.80 each
you will need 2 for each face = 12 in total
LLL

[mickg]

whats a lamp iron ?

[seanandruby]

A lamp iron is a steel road pin with the pigs tail. before we used them for lines, back in the day we used to hang the old paraffin lights on them. The night watchman would go round lighting them. You must remember the old yellow lights at your age Mick :;): :laugh:

[seanandruby]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/unused-Chalwy ... 3a820b33b5
Dazza, take care when knocking in lamp irons' incase services could be below.

[rimexboy]

[seanandruby]

Show off :;):
Forgot how to make a link, thanks.

[rimexboy]

Only took me 25 mins

[mickg]

ah its easy when you know the answer init ???

I do indeed sean

[seanandruby]

Only took me 25 mins

Took me 2 mins' to find it and post it :p :laugh:
Mick i remember sneaking out in middle of the night when i was a kid and sitting in the shantee with old Fred the watcman. Used to help him refill the lanterns. He'd be locked up and treated as nonce if happened these days.