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Introduction to Plumb and Plumb Bobs

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How to use a plumb bob

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What happens here

The presenter begins by explaining the term 'plumb,' which means vertical or straight up and down. He clarifies that the word originates from the Latin 'plumbum,' meaning lead, referring to the heavy lead weights historically used. He then introduces the modern plumb bob tool, showcasing its parts: a string and a heavy, pointed weight.

Goal: Understand the meaning of 'plumb' and identify the plumb bob tool.

Tools and materials

  • Plumb Bob Unspecified — Illustrating the tool and its components
  • Spirit Level Empire — Showing a common tool for checking verticality for comparison

What they say

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What does plumb actually mean? And why is this thing named Bob? Let's get after it. Plumb simply means vertical, straight up and down. It comes from the Latin word plumbum, which means lead. Builders used to hang a heavy lead weight from a line. And gravity pulled the weight straight down, giving them a vertical reference. And that's eventually where we got the word plumb for something that's perfectly vertical. And for Bobby you might ask, that's not some dude. That's just the name of the weight at the end of the line. Set your length so

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