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A variation on a tack ball

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(@pdop-10)
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we do a lot of construction layout, we knock 1inch masonary nails into cast concrete to mark the walls, columns or services.

Getting the nails out of the pouch and into your hand in tight trenches has always been a pain. I have heard of a tack ball that Seco have, but have never seen or used one, but I come up with this idea to make the job of knocking in nails easier and faster.

I took a tree brace, basically a rubber reusable cable tie, attached the magnet from a hard disk drive to it with normal cable ties . Strap it to your wrist and it holds about 20 steel nails right at the point of impact where the action happens.

My guys were dubious to use it at first... the one guy even holds the nails in his mouth some times, but they took to it and we use it all the time, it works for us.

Here is what it looks like, try it out if you want.

 
Posted : September 27, 2014 12:29 pm
(@john1minor2)
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Looks like a good idea but I think I would wear the bracelet on the hand that wasn't doing the hammering. Seems like the impact would cause nails to fly off to say nothing of the annoyance of having it flop around while I was hammering.

 
Posted : September 27, 2014 1:21 pm
(@ctbailey)
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He keeps his credit cards in his left pocket, and the mag would ruin the cards, if he strapped his nail-mag to the left hand. 🙂

 
Posted : September 27, 2014 1:41 pm
(@derek-g-graham-ols-olip)
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Good idea.

This demonstrates the practical "Head and Hand" capability of a surveyor so well !

Cheers,

Derek

 
Posted : September 27, 2014 2:33 pm
(@norman-oklahoma)
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I've seen a ready-made version for sale at my local Home Depot store.

 
Posted : September 28, 2014 4:37 pm
(@pdop-10)
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Oh No, there goes my early retirement plans out the window, maybe I can market it as a magic health bracelet to help with many non de-script ailments .

Oh well guess it's back to pounding nails, its monday morning here and we start work on a new greenfields school today.

 
Posted : September 28, 2014 9:10 pm