Old framer taught me a trick that saved my back

I was framing a basement in Des Moines last spring. This guy Joe, must have been 70 years old, showed up to help his nephew. He watched me lift a header wrong and just shook his head. Said 'lift with your legs but keep the board close to your chest, not your arms out.' I tried it and it made such a difference. Been doing it ever since and my lower back is way less angry at night. He also showed me how to stack lumber so you don't have to bend over twice. Anyone else got a tip from an older carpenter that just stuck?

2 comments

2 Comments

webb.victor11d ago

Yep that board close trick saved my back too after just one day.

taylor.susan11d ago

Hell yeah that old framer sounds like a legend. I've been doing this long enough to know a bad back catches up with you fast, and that little trick about keeping the board close is pure gold. The stacking tip too - I started doing that years ago and it's amazing how much you save your spine just by not bending twice for every board. These little tweaks from guys who've been doing it since before power tools were good are priceless. I still catch myself going back to stuff some old timer showed me and it's always the simple stuff that sticks.