Howdy, folks. Brewer here again. No, I’m not much of a poker player. That title refers to a way to find the middle of something when you don’t have the proper measuring tools.
For instance, let’s say you’ve already used the three-four-five triangle to start a new fence going out perpendicular to another fence. And let’s say your new fence is going to be 200 feet long. But the problem is you want to set up bracing posts smack dab in the middle, and you’ve only got an eight-foot tape measure. What to do. You fiddle around in your junk box and, lo and behold, you find a stick wound with at least 200 feet of string.
So, how does that get us to the middle? If you’ve got a fence post on each end of your 200-foot gap, tack a six-penny nail into the same side of each post about a foot or less from the ground. Each nail will alternately secure one end end of your string. If you don’t have posts, then drive stakes into the ground, or figure out some other way to anchor one end of the string. We’ll get back to that in a moment, but you will also need two markers. These can be the wire markers with little flags on the top, stakes, rocks, shoes, or anything else big enough to see from a distance but small enough to carry. You’ll also need some kind of a pen, crayon, or grease pencil to make a mark on the string. In a pinch, you can just tie a little overhand knot in the string to mark it.
If you are using nails or hooks to anchor the string, you will want to tie a good loop in the end, a loop that won’t slip. I recommend a bowline, but there are other knots that will work just as well. If you don’t know how to tie a bowline, here’s a link to a site that has a neat animation of how to do it: Animated Bowline
All right, let’s get going. Attach your string to one nail, and walk directly toward the other side of your field, paying out the string as you go. Estimate a little over half the distance, and then use your shoe or your flag to mark the spot. Also use your pen to mark the string in the same place.
Remove the string from the post on the first side, and then attach it to the post on the other side. Repeat the first procedure, but go exactly to the mark on the string and set your flag there. You should have passed your first marker. If not, go farther, set your flag, and make a new mark on your string. Remove your first marker and re-do that one.
Now you should have two markers, and the middle of the two markers is the exact middle of the field. If your markers are less than a foot apart, then you’re done. If not, then continue with the next step.
Keep your string attached to the same post, and wind string back onto the reel until you get close to, but not past, the middle. Set the string down and go get your last flag, then pick up the string, pull it tight, set your flag, and mark your string. Move the end of the string to the other post and measure back to your new string mark. Make sure you’ve gone past the last flag you set, or else you’ll have to start again. Set your string down and get your second flag. Pull your string tight and set your flag at the mark.
Now your flags should be much closer together.  If they’re close enough to guess the center, or if you can now use your tape measure or yardstick, then you’re done.
This method also works in the woodworking shop for finding the middles of two sticks of identical length. Put the two sticks together and use a pencil to mark across them near the middle. Turn one of the sticks end for end, and there will be a small gap between the two marks. Estimate the middle of the two marks with another mark, and then turn the stick again. Keep doing this until you find the middle. This is a very precise way of finding it, limited only by how sharp your eyes and pencil are.
Now, actually, the two sticks don’t have to be of the same length, as long as one is more than half the length of the other. That way, it works more like the string method. Try it, and see if you can play both ends against the middle.Â
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