Update: my helper asked why I still tap every brick with my trowel handle and it made me rethink my whole setup
I was laying a garden wall in Fresno last week and my new helper Marcus watched me tap each brick down with the handle of my trowel like I always do. He asked why I don't just trust the level and move on, and I couldn't give him a good answer at first. Then I counted it out on one course and realized I was spending about 20 extra minutes per 100 bricks just tapping and checking twice. I still think the tap has its place on the first course and corners, but I've started trusting the string line more on the field and my production is up maybe 15 percent with no soft spots so far. Any of you old timers actually dropped the tap habit, or does it bite you later when the wall cures?