Rod Out of Level Tip
Matthew Schick
You're in the woods and your rodman bangs the rod on a tree. Is
it still level you ask? Well, here's a simple way to check. Put a
nail into a tree branch roughly a little taller than the rod itself and
let a plumb bob hang down. Mark the spot. Now align the rod
between those two points and there's your answer! Depending
on the accuracy of your work you could also re-level it. This could
save a trip back to the office!
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Dealing with Corner Monuments in Cold Weather Tip
Bill Anderson
Now that colder weather is setting in it's time to get out the charcoal
and lighter fluid in order to aid in the digging out of corner monuments
that fall in gravel roads. Just a small pile of briquettes will thaw out
the area isolated by your magnetic locater. This is usually more cost
effective if you have more than one or two monuments to dig up as it
takes a little while to draw the frost out of the ground. (Time that you
could actually be using to chip the frozen gravel.) This method also
works well in getting through layers of bituminous.
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Lost Lens Caps?
Ed Caste
Have you ever lost your instrument lens cap? Here's a way to keep it secure when not in use, take a piece of velcro attach it to the side of your instrument and the lens cap. When your instrument is being used simply place on the velcro stip.
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Stuck rod sections
B. W. Roberts
If you use a multiple section rod,like the ones for GPS, and have trouble getting it apart. Try placing O-rings on the thread ends. This will seal the theads from water and dirt, and will make for easier disassembly. A little white grease on the theads will help too. This also works on the rod points . Good luck.
Digging in the road
Tom Freed
Ever try digging up a section corner or monument in the road? It's hard to keep the hole small when you have to go 6" or more. I have found that using an average $1.99 ice cream scoop, plastic or metal, I can keep the hole no bigger than my hand, yet go down 12" or more. Use the curved type
scoop, not the round ones with the thumb trigger.They are cheap and effective.
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Ribbon Dispenser - Tool belt carry all
David Shafer
Ever on a staking job where cuts are one color, fills, another, atgrade another, and slope stakes yet another color? It can be a pain to
carry that much ribbon on you for staking, but here is a great way to keep
track of your ribbon:
Head down to your army surplus store and pick up some ammo pouches (The
small ones fit on your tool belt and measure about 4" x 6" x 2") Each pouch
will hold about 4 rolls of ribbon and with a dowel rod thru all of the
spools of ribbon you have a protected ribbon pouch. Just place the ribbon
in the pouch with the free end hanging out and then pull off more ribbon as
needed.
The pouches also work great for carrying your HP48, suntan lotion, field
book, and bug spray. Most of the pouches also have a smaller front area
that holds a compass just right. When you are in the woods you are a lot
less likely to drop an item out of an ammo pouch than a standard tool belt.
Typical cost should be less than $5 each.
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