The World’s Greatest Building and Carpentry Trick

[@ILikeWafflz]

HANDY TIP: Many may already know about the "multiples of 3,4, and 5" aspect of this, and I too have been using it for a while. HOWEVER, another very handy way to use this math exploit allows you to put a mark exactly where you want it and not have to check it again. For instance, say, in this video, the run he's squaring is 79" to the outside corner. What you can do is divide 79 by 3, resulting in 26.33, and then multiply 26.33 by 4, getting you 105.33, then by 5, for 131.66. You can then measure 131.66 from the corner to use as the hypotenuse, then measure 105.33 back, and you'll have exactly what you need. This is no doubt no revelation, but it took me a while to realize that usage, and in some specific situations, it is WAY easier than trying straight multiples of 3, 4, and 5, so some might really appreciate this idea. In fact, I would like for you guys to make a video about that idea! It could save a lot of time for some people!

[@michaelsparks8632]

I agree, would love to see this Vid.

[@oracle1155]

I am a licensed builder. I pay attention to keep learning. Love your work & the tricks. You are awesome.

[@RSoles-hz9nc]

You can use any measurement as long as it is the same length such as 10’x10’ then multiply by 1.414 , the distance across is 14.14 ‘

[@kaydonahue]

I taught math showing that a'b'c' a"b"c" a'"b'"c'" cut from cardboard where a" is 2xa' etc. , a'" is 3 x a'. We used the Egyptian knot method with the cardboard. Putting the largest on the ground, and standing over it with the next size, proves they have equivalent angles. The theorem can be charted: a' b' c' a" b" c" a'" b'" c'" To show, if you take a large square triangle, place the hypotenuse on the ground, draw a square line to the opposing angle from the hypotenuse, then make a straight cut on that line, you will have two triangles a'b'c', the small one, a"b"c", the larger of the two, and put together, they create a'"b'"c'". This helped my children with their homework, when neither could figure out what the theorem was saying. Using the chart, you can figure the unknown measurements, if you know the trick to figuring it is so simple. Using tiles also explains squares, and square roots, fantasticly fast. 1 +3 +5 +7 +9 = 25 (5 squared) 11 +13 +15 +17 +19 = 75 The first ten odd numbers = 10 squared 100 +300 +500 +700 +900 = (50 squared) 400 900 1600 2500 Number patterns can show how squares and square root patterns repeat forward, then backwards, then forwards, in incomprehensible ways. Look at the patterns in the squares to 100.

[@gregred78]

I learned that when I started roofing 24 years ago. We needed to make sure our 40ft panels were square with the center of the roof.

[@djfglobal3377]

Gregred78 Coming up on your silver anniversary! Stay safe and congrats!

[@reddawgrup1779]

No doubt simple and basic but truly important! Makes the whole building process go much smoother no matter the size of the building be it a dog house or a 4 story wood structure.

[@9mmkahr]

Idk how you can wear that hammer in front... knee slapper !!!

[@e13c7r0nic]

Love the shoutouts to your teachers.

[@aservant2287]

I remember when I was taught this for first floor decking on houses. A lot of guys just go to the foundation which is dangerous cause it could be off big time depending on the other trades. Lol one time I had a boss who said, " we're not using this method!" to me. It ended up being 4" out square. Lol watching them sheet the roof was funny. Oh bless his heart, he was old school. You can't teach old dogs new tricks

[@jefffrayer8238]

Whew, 4" out? You were the smart one. I think this is why soooo many rooms are out of square because they didn't check their work using this method.

[@davesmith2150]

I did a house 12in out because my amigo decided to burn a foot on the dumb end of the tape.

[@aservant2287]

@@davesmith2150 lol. Wow! Lol how you finish the roof?

[@davesmith2150]

@@aservant2287 wasn't all that bad we had to pull some of the trusses around

[@aservant2287]

@@davesmith2150 about 6" or so. Lol

[@stanteskac2824]

Super trick....simple math, but very useful. Thanks!

[@RPHPros]

I use this trick to layout sports fields. Does the trick every time and saved me about 5 hours once I discovered it per field!!

[@MrDtaylor099]

Oldest trick in the book, literally, thousands of years old...

[@kennyshepherd8311]

I'm glad you showed how to fix the angle!

[@tracycolorado]

also depends upon wood being straight and not warped

[@PerkinsBuilderBrothers]

You are correct.. This won’t work with a super curved board

[@heknows5418]

tracycolorado that's when you pull a string along the board and make certain your board is straight. Most good carpenters can sight down a board and tell if it is straight. Years ago the young apprentice had to sight down all the studs and toss the bad ones to the side, that's how you learn to check your material.

[@manandatractor]

I hated math in school and continually flunked the class thus having to go to summer school on multiple occasions. Boy did I find out what math was for when I went out into the real world. I believe if teachers would teach practical application, such as this video, then it would captivate the student's attention and avoid the brain haze that I went through.

[@JPalm_93]

Glade to see someone has shared this trick. I’ve been using it for years as well!

[@rudyando]

I’d call this Perkins Theorem!

[@76shogun1]

I think you mean Pythagorean theorem.

[@mikeadams2252]

If you build it plumb and square, makes the rest of the job so much easier. 👍

[@cruisinthru3916]

Ya love the 3,4,5 method. Use it for 10 different things on a home build site.

[@ben-vf]

Im curious what the other 9 things might be other than obtaining a 90 degree corner?

[@patriot1303]

Its good for making soccer fields when the lines are all gone too!

[@drymoonproperties]

I have been using this old trick as long as I can remember you can use it in about any denominations you can possibly think of and still will be correct never had it let me down.

[@Unc1eMike]

Why use this trick to check your work and make adjustments, when you can use it figure out where to form the 90 (so it's actually 90) in the first place? Instead of marking 6 feet from the first-attempt 90, and measuring to see if the hypotenuse is 10 feet, make a mark where a 10 foot hypotenuse would be, then message 6 feet to where the 90 should be. You'll get it right the first time.

[@kaydonahue]

The Egyptians used string on a model without measuring, making a knot for short side, long side, and hypotenuse. Multiplying each length the same number of times of the stone to be cut, they made a perfect cut for the real building, miles away, with the string knotted three times. Engines of Our Ingenuity podcast, Dr. John Leinhard. Don't know the episode.

[@AlexRides808]

You're right except one fact is off. It wasn't called Egypt at th but t time. It was called Kemet.

[@michaelnobibux2886]

Some fall protection seems to be in order..... Everyone should know this magic triangle.

[@michaelnobibux2886]

@Damnit Bobby You didn't account for the slope. Please check the OSHA rules.

[@josephwelburn]

Great video! I've found that trick to be incredibly handy. On a different note, I wanted to know if you guys have any tips on cord management? It seems to always be a struggle to set up and gather up air and electric lines.

[@shawnfreeoftyranny8849]

All cords and hoses need to be trained by rolling them up properly and flicking out all twists every time. They should be rolled in decent sized loops hanging from one hand as their rolled up. Always cringe when I see guys grab them and proceed with smaller loops as they easily wrap them around hand and elbow. Most of their cords ate full with kinks and curls that lead to early breakage. All my cords/hoses are ancient with ends needing replaced from being so old their getting dry cracking at ends. Also always grab female ends to start rolling them up as they will be ready each morning to plug in and roll out to needed spots. The more their trained the easier they get.

[@rayjackson4547]

When the video started I thought you were up about 30 feet off the ground. I said this guy is a cat. Then the chubby guy walked over to hold the tape and you're only up about 5'. Optical allusion. I love my 3-4-5 !

[@xgreenx76x]

Thanks for your videos and time. Hope your brother it's in good spirits

[@elimartin5105]

Best way is to measure full length of the board you're moving find the diagonal and then measure back from that.. that way you just get a mark. put your rim board on the mark nail it off you pulled tape out twice

[@rebelwithoutacause5853]

You guys are awesome and do it in a amusing way thanks for that and I've used a lot of your advice being a new home owner. Keep up the videos and the great advice.

[@JMC-e1w]

Mark the 10' dimension 1st, then the 6' dimension. Place the joist on the 6' mark, Done.

[@joshwooley9580]

Nice common practice trick

[@arlynsmith9196]

Nice shout-out for math!

[@romycruz4498]

To some viewers, maybe its simple, but to some its helpful. So this is for who needs help. If everyone knows everything then there's no need for vlogs like this. Keep it PBs.

[@robertray3746]

Had to check this out when I saw the title didn't expect triangulation to be the trick definitely a important thing to know I use it all the time

[@CaptainCurt07]

I actually learned that WORKING something young kid think they don’t need to do! My uncle was a carpenter and I would work during summer break or weekends while snowflake kids were playing 😂

[@christianmcgee555]

"That's bang on it!" Nice.. I'm going to use that line now

[@kking5652]

I learned this in 1977 from a brick layer who lived in South charleston WV.

[@defenda1]

back when I was starting out as a hammerhand on the island of Samos this old bloke Pythagoras showed me this so its nothing new.

[@RichardMcDonaldJr]

You gents must have got a nice warm front. Started out the morning in Ohio @ 8°. Jealous of that T-shirt weather. Good tip on the 90° method. Blessings.

[@devinbooth609]

Great old school trick!

[@joseluisruiz771]

Pero hombre, que los egipcios hace 3500 años ya sabían hacer esquinas, pirámides, y fue Pitagoras a visitarles. Un respeto. Por favor. Saludos.

[@Fun4GA]

Did you factor the white cap board that ends in your 6 feet length?

[@downhilltwofour0082]

Simple but excellent tip!

[@MostlyPeacefulCombatVet]

I love this channel! We also use 3/4/5 when we are trying to get a perfect layout in a huge and or chopped up area for our flooring. Especially when the building is finished and you can't rely on the corners or flats of the building in an entirety. And Mainly when the dw089LG isn't handy or worth getting out of a trailer. We're building another large addition with one of the biggest outdoor living spaces we've done to date. It has gotten the 3/4/5 treatment more than a few times. We always triple check those measurements. I've had my guys "inch" things before on accident. Lol makes for a bad Monday. Never mind that...... I love this channel! 💪🇺🇸🍻

[@plympytheplumber4605]

I didn’t pay attention in math class that’s why I’m a plumber😜

[@kadinhendrickson8968]

Timothy Plympton My dads a plumber. Let’s just say I’m handy with a shovel and a level. 1/4”-1/8” a foot all day long.

[@justindecker9557]

@@kadinhendrickson8968 your only handy is at the pickle park hangin out in an abandoned car under the bridge when ur makin homeless dudes squirt for spare change

[@justindecker9557]

@@kadinhendrickson8968 read more Read more

[@huejanus5505]

A friendly tease we tell the plumbers: All you need to know to be a plumber is that sh!t flows downhill and payday is Thursday.

[@borntwice4724]

That’s why I work at a pipe and supply.

[@shantanarain2841]

Love it thx again u guys inspire me no joke oh and ray and Jay builds = awesome

[@msimmons223]

Good tip

[@builderxx]

Used to use this foundation layout, excavator was always shocked that a GC took care of that. I was shocked that all Generals didn't lay out the job site to make sure its right

[@stevehairston9940]

GC's don't want to take responsibility for a screw up, so they put it on the subs shoulders. That way the GC can back charge the sub.

[@Lugnut64052]

That kinda looks like a wooden stretch plank. Didn't now they still made them. I have one which I use all the time, but figured it was an antique.

[@s8mdevo]

Could you of just marked a new line with pencil for the 10 foot mark on the joist and then measured back the 8 foot to save stuffing about with little adjustments?

[@StratKruzer]

It would have helped if you had explained why you moved the joist in the direction you did based on the hypotenuse being long versus short.

[@danielgrabske3545]

Learned that from my father and he learned it from hes father, its a very old trick thats been used by masons and carpenters for years.

[@lawrenceharvey976]

It’s the 3:4:5 rule you start with 3:4:5 You double the numbers as you go bigger (6:8:10) (12:16:20) I’m jelly 😂👍 i’m a carpenter and I’ve been using this for years

[@Robocoppat]

My uncle taught me this back in the 70s when I was 12. So it's nothing new.

[@ManBearPig617x]

No one said it was new you clown

[@GOLDSLF]

To master layout where can I start ? I just graduated from apprentice to journey . Yet, I still don’t have the 7 year experience a carpenter should or to have in able to be considered a carpenter . I started buying books and looking up my own research .

[@clintjones1193]

Just get the trig app for your phone and use the actual measurements

[@MarkThomas123]

You would be surprised at how many "Carpenters" don't know that.. It's the first question I ask someone if I am going to hire someone to work for me.. How do you know if something like a 10x12 shed is square.. Works for plumbing walls/squaring walls too.. Works for all kinds of stuff.. Use it all the time.. Use it in welding small fixtures too.. Have used it in inches to get a precise measurement.. Nantahala..

[@davecarroll5989]

Used this for years

[@williamgrone6027]

Love all the great tips you guys put out! It's been very helpful and your houses are so inspiring. Anyway you can send a hat this way or tell me where to get one? 😂

[@glennmanchester1568]

We use the right triangle in plumbing too two equal sides tho multiply that by 1.41 and it gives you the length of pipe on the 45 side and since the two sides are equal I know where to put my wye or 45 whichever may be the case now don't get me wrong if I'm using 3 inch pvc it's no big deal but if I'm running 10 inch iron pipe in the air I can't just hold a wye up and take a measurement it's all laid out on the floor before hand and cut and it better fit first time let's see y'all pvc plumbers do all that lol

[@sebastianduta1937]

Could it be that Pythagoras' famous formula, known for thousands of years, is such a great mystery to Americans?

[@jimyeats]

No. But not everyone is able to apply the formula in the correct context. It may not occur to a newer carpenter or DIY’er that you can use that to check square.

[@strokerace4765]

A square plus B square = C square. And a few magic right angle triangles mofo 3,4,5 in the house

[@davidleasure9138]

Nice shout out to your math teachers. Math is the only class that counts.

[@randyrussell6246]

The .Most accurate measument to square up in this senerio is......measure all the way to end of deck and use the rise and run on construction calculator....then hit Diagonal........that's your number. I've been using it since the construction master calculator came out decades ago. How easy is that ?

[@antondeannova7016]

I like your vidio all. Thx bro

[@officialmultie]

Great work bro! Thnks

[@romycruz4498]

hmmm time to review geometry and trigonometry.

[@ironlion805]

They said we wouldn’t have calculators on us all the time...we proved them wrong!

[@nofish5966]

You'd be suprised how many guys on a job site don't know this.

[@jordankernozicky659]

What wood is best for sheds?

[@markpotter2485]

Why didn't you start with a 2' square? Would have been a lot closer to start with.

[@scotts4125]

Great stuff love your vids!

[@maxsmart8786]

Sir, it appeared that you were measuring on 2x header behind the corner. Better check that again.

[@christophercrawford2736]

Everyone here commenting “I learned this as a roofer” or “I learned this from a bricklayer in the 70’s” or “I learned this from working with my uncle who’s a carpenter” and meanwhile I’m like, “I learned that in like 8th grade geometry”

[@CoachBru999]

We do it nice because we do it twice!

[@ericl8743]

Next week, law of sines

[@wboquist]

A 5, 12, 13 triangle will work, too.

[@huejanus5505]

Pythagoras strikes again.

[@paulburdett9521]

How about using a framing square?

[@joenugent1306]

3 4 5

[@larrywhite2862]

Wow

[@safemasteryoh2717]

You should have called the title finding the Pythagorean Theorem.

[@PerkinsBuilderBrothers]

Haha... should have, but no one would have watched it I bet!

[@toolmike100]

@@PerkinsBuilderBrothers It's also the same formula stated by the Scarecrow in the Wizard Of Oz :).

[@jefffrayer8238]

@@toolmike100 Wow, I didn't realize that. Cool. I have used that formula for years.

[@9mmkahr]

@@toolmike100 but not really. Scarecrow says "isoceles triangle", not right triangle. Also he says the "sum of the square roots...", and it's the sum of the squares. He alsoooo says "any 2 sides" and it's only the opposite and adjacent, when finding hypotenuse. I know i know, i suck.

[@3dandyrandy3]

Why not measure the full length of both sides and the find the C squared side??

[@richardhill8715]

Cuz that wouldn't CHECK NOTHING.....it' like A × B = C ....but that DON'T CHECK NOTHING.... He gives you A - 3 & B - 4. = C 5 SO one KNOWS ITS 90°.....does it your way it could be Any angle

[@GotTwins29]

Simple math and I like it ;) Will definitely help with hardwood I'm installing this weekend!

[@Grunt49]

I can't extrapolate! I am a baptist!

[@boltup5566]

How do you know whether to bump the adjustable piece left or right at 1:41?

[@PerkinsBuilderBrothers]

Good question... The diagonal was longer than it was supposed to be... meaning that the corner in question was greater than 90 degrees. So I moved it in the direction that would correct that

[@stoweman34]

I’ve always been confused on where to measure from...outside edge? Middle to middle? On this video, it looks like you hooked to your screw in the middle and then measured to the outside edge. That could easily make it 3/8 off.

[@PerkinsBuilderBrothers]

I always do the inside edges on both marks. I don’t usually use a screw but I had it so the head was perfectly flush with the edge of the board. Just did this so I could do it myself without someone holding the tape.

[@PerkinsBuilderBrothers]

Really it doesn’t matter as long as you pull both directions from the same point and rstay on the same edge of that point out both directions

[@rubenvarela4077]

@@PerkinsBuilderBrothers yupppp

[@charleyandsarah]

Ya no, he's right, that is a 6 ft, 8.128, 10.125 (or so) triangle with the screw. The tape is hooked to the head of the screw. It wont make any difference though, it's not a space ship

[@gonebarefoot69]

Sweet

[@jasnonya3005]

Aka magic number!

[@davidmartinsen332]

It's not a trick its geometry

[@juniusrosario3089]

That only works if that band is straight

[@henrybarrick7205]

Its called the pethagoreum therom

[@farmfitnesspham4913]

Mr Livingston lol he is my teacher too lol

[@johnnyluck8102]

I paid attention to Tom Silva lol.

[@PerkinsBuilderBrothers]

Tom is the man!

[@georgebliss7674]

Hey bud what's the brand/model# of that sidewall staging bracket(?) That I can see past your right shoulder at the beginning of the video?

[@PerkinsBuilderBrothers]

It’s called Wall Walker Scaffolding.

[@georgebliss7674]

@@PerkinsBuilderBrothers thanks

[@roger_is_red]

Ha nice and good to know

[@Natedoc808]

Yup, the ol 3-4-5

[@mrahim826]

That metal tab on end of tape measure moves, do you find your measurements different depending on if its pushed in or pulled out?

[@bgt63]

Metal hook moves exactly it's own thickness. When you butt in for a measurement you measure to the front side of the hook. When you hook on, you measure to the inside of the hook. It is exact either way

[@heknows5418]

bgt63 you sir are correct, I love when people make comments that don't work in the trades, then someone corrects them good job.

[@christophercrawford2736]

JackedMumin only if it’s worn out. It’s designed to move.

[@liberalismcerebraldysfunct455]

3 4 5.- 6 8 10. -12 16 20. can be inches, feet, yards, miles, anything

[@dneuman7455]

How to use a speed square !