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Uses for Old Plumb Bobs
This historically vital surveying tool is becoming closer to extinction every day. However, there must be a thousand potential ways to put them to use.
Doorstop
Hammer
Staple puller
Can opener -
26 Replies
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Skewer for shish ka-plumbob.
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They make an excellent weapon. (don’t ask how I know that.)
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Snake sticker. Be honest, we’ve all practiced that. Well maybe just the older guys:-(
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Good Q-Tip. And the ends are replaceable.
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> This historically vital surveying tool is becoming closer to extinction every day. However, there must be a thousand potential ways to put them to use.
>
> Doorstop
> Hammer
> Staple puller
> Can openerA hammer, what else could they be good for? For traverse nail points? Now, if you’re gonna leave the point AND the string on, then a can opener, or possibly a weapon, for sure. I just mostly like to look at them for sh_ts and giggles anymore. Hell of a tool for it’s day, though.
Take care,
Ed -
They may be antiquated for most, but mine will remain on my belt until I retire.
We still tape most things under 50′ anyway when tying somthing in with gps, so we use them semi regularly.
However, if we didn’t
hammer (obviously)
set up for checking prisim poles
can opener
adjusting line points so the client doesn’t look down a crooked row
of sticks and call you about it
using for turning angles when you’re too close to the gun -
> They may be antiquated for most, but mine will remain on my belt until I retire.
>When I die,
You can cut me up for bait
And use my plumb bob
As a trotline weight.http://www.mulewagon.com/product/trotline-weights-anchors-catfish-tackle-fishing
DDSM
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I agree – they’ll pry it from my cold, dead hand. Whenever I’m in the field the first thing I do upon exiting the vehicle is put on my field belt with the plumb bob. Use it on a regular basis.
And for what it’s worth, this summer was my 39th year surveying and I have used the same plumb bob since my first summer job. Lots of new points, lots of string & gammon reels, but the same plumb bob! If my wife doesn’t cremate me, I hope she’ll stick the plumb bob in my casket.
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spring time… stickin sugar maple trees. Also turning points on level runs (all the time)
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Fingernail cleaner
Ice pick
Butt scratcher? -
Christmas tree.
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Don’t you still traverse thru the woods? You hold the plumbob up over your proposed trav nail to see if you can still see the gun.
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Almost 30 years ago, each new rodman was issued a plumb bob with a gammon reel and sheath. One new hire happened to start while we were shooting a lot of grades so we didn’t use the plumb bobs the first few days she was there.
On the second day she finally asked me what it was for. I told her it was a retractable snake killer and demonstrated throwing it into the ground and snatching it back with the string. She believed it, I didn’t tell her any different until quiting time.
I had several young nieces and nephews at the time. I told them it was my pull starter. They would pull on the gammon reel like they were starting a chainsaw and I would make the noise of an engine revving up.
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the kid that works for me just eyeballs it…
no plumb bob.
On one setup up I was hot and annoyed so I yelled “NOT NEARLY HIGH ENOUGH.”
In a more annoyed voice he yelled back “I HAVEN’T FINISHED TRIMMING YET!”
He was right, he whacked some brush down lower and there it was shining like a diamond in a Goat’s … 🙂
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the kid that works for me just eyeballs it…
Dave,
If no kid….plumb bob. (former solo surveyor)
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Woulda been funny to see her come back up out of the woods with a dead snake hanging from her plumb bob…
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> When I die,
> You can cut me up for bait
> And use my plumb bob
> As a trotline weight.That’s a keeper!
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the kid that works for me just eyeballs it…
Doing some survey work with the total station today with my friend at his house. His sons were following us around and the curious one said how do you know that yellow thing measures correctly, so we pulled out the 200 ft. steel tape and plumb-bobs and showed him the low tech way to measure. Good thing for us the measurements came out the same…
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They can even be used to give line for stake out… shoot iI still use mine
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Don’t ever say anything bad about my plumb bob
Unless you want to start a fight….
I still carry and use mine.
🙂
Nate
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