My old foreman told me to always mix mortar by feel, not just the bag specs, and after a tricky job in Spokane last month, I finally get it.

He said 'the bag doesn't know it's raining' and watching a wall I built with perfect spec mix weep for a week made his advice click, so what's one old-school tip you ignored at first but now swear by?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliotpalmer20d ago

Oh man, that's so true. I read an article once about how bakers say to feel the dough, not just follow the recipe time. It's the same idea, you gotta adjust for your actual conditions. That old guy knew his stuff.

lee92611d ago

Exactly. That's the whole point of having skill, right? Recipes and dates are just a starting place. You need the hands-on feel to make it work for real. Otherwise you're just a robot following steps. The best people in any field know when to trust the plan and when to trust their gut.

hannah_davis20d ago

That Spokane rain story is exactly why you check the bag's date first, not just the feel.