Quote Originally Posted by steven c newman View Post
Make a loop around a finger...spin the loop about 10 turns...slip the loop over the pin/nail/stake. Pull as tightly as you can. wrap the rest of the line around the loop in a figure 8 fashion. Line will stay tight, yet release when needed...takes about 30 seconds to tie.

Hook end went under a square of 3/4" plywood scrap. Nail that to one end of the top plate of a wall. go to the other end of the wall, pull line tight and add to another such block. Use a ladder and a third block to straighten the wall. Block to check the "gap", turnbuckle braces to adjust in or out.
Thanks Steve. Great explanation. That's the same knot my Dad taught me. Of course, you know that if you push the looped string back towards the nail after stretching the stringline, the string it will usually knot itself automatically. It works perfectly.

And your explanation for checking/straightening a wall is excellent. Thanks.