I Have a ton of “tricks” I use to make my job go easier, but I can never remeber specific ones when I am at the keyboard…

I was laying out some stringers yesterday so this one is fresh in my mind…

when “stepping out” the rise and run on your stringer stock it is often hard to get the square lined up with the point that the last line meets the edge of the lumber.

Edges on framing lumber are either rounded over, waned, or just not suitable for accurate layout.

So when setting my framing square, I use the inside edges for the Layout and attach the gages to the outside edge.

then after I have penciled the first set of rise and run, and before moving the square, I make a tick mark at the appropriate measurement on the opposite side of the square from the rise or run measurement.

eg) if your rise is 7-1/2″ and your run is 10″ and you are stating your layout from the top and sliding down the stringer, you would add the 1-1/2″ to 10″ to get 11-1/2″ and put your tick mark at 11-1/2″ opposite where your tread/run meets the edge of the board.

Then when you slide your square to the next position, you use this tick to line up the other leg of the square’s marking edge.

I find using this technique I can end up with a negligable amount of accumulated error for even long stringers.

A picture will surely make this clearer, but I got to go to work so stay tuned for “film at eleven”