This thread is intended to go on for a long time to come, as others add to this.
NEVER write a description, before setting corners.
IF you write it, and THEN go to set it, and FIND some other corner already there, you are now in a predicament. It's BEST not to write it, until you have SET all corners, and VISITED them all. I am in the middle of retracing another surveyor, who was being PUSHED to ger 'er done, and I have one of his descriptions, and it is on the PERIMETER of the project. And, we have a 31' difference, between where he SAYS the corner is, and where I found an old one.... I'd bet he never saw it.
OK, your turn.
Agree 100%. What happens if the corner you "set" turns out to land in a tree, concrete, rock etc? You now claimed to have set, a iron rod that can't be set! Not to mention the times that you go back to set a rod and find another within tenths of where you calculated. It happens and no one likes to admit but it does but monuments can be missed the first time thru. I think this accounts to a large number of pincushions, along with inadequate training of party chiefs.
Side note I know a couple of surveyors that call for rods "to be set" that way if it falls in a tree they are good... Still doesn't change the times that another monument was there you just needed to narrow down search
Last week I delivered a recordable plat to a client and walked the boundary with him. Upon walking the boundary I found I mislabeled a corner. Back to the office I went.
When your magic box is telling you to jumped over the fence and marched through the neighbors yard 50 feet, stop and think, more investigation is required. This doesn't mean the corner is not in the neighbors yard but at least investigate before setting your monument.
Listen to those who have years of experience more than what you do. Within that haystack of words is that golden needle that will guide you in the direction that you need to go. Maybe not today. Maybe not next week. But, you will know when and you will be very thankful.
Doubt your own measurements first, before doubting others', until you have checked them from enough independent methods to have the required confidence.
Dang, Brad, I really offended another surveyor. I mis entered his plat, thought he had a blunder. Sorely offended him. I wish I had checked and double checked. It was a change of N89å¡xx'W to S89å¡xxW, and I missed the little quadrant change.
Good advice there.
N
Some days you hear your boss tell you to do something that is not the best way to do things.
Do it because they are the boss and in responsible charge.
Talk with him and hopefully they will explain the reason and purpose of that and then investigate on your own.
Whether they are actually correct or not, remember, you are learning by experience.
:plumbbob:
I once had two crews working on a rather large 1600 acre survey that "stair-stepped" all over the place and laid in 4 different sections. The field work took a couple of weeks and since most of the section lines were closed I schooled both crews about "reading the original notes" and keeping their eyes peeled.
We didn't find any "original" stone evidence at any of the corners and it bugged me a little...but I trusted my crews.
Came the couple of days that we setting pins and I decided to play "field marshal" and observe the proceedings. Sure enough, we were looking for suitable bearing trees in the vicinity of a quarter corner....and found that little booger poking its head up...about 25 links from where I had calc'd it. Shoot.
Had to redraw the survey and call back all the copies I had already circulated...a pain in the ass.
Nate The Surveyor, post: 374654, member: 291 wrote: This thread is intended to go on for a long time to come, as others add to this.
NEVER write a description, before setting corners.
IF you write it, and THEN go to set it, and FIND some other corner already there, you are now in a predicament. It's BEST not to write it, until you have SET all corners, and VISITED them all. I am in the middle of retracing another surveyor, who was being PUSHED to ger 'er done, and I have one of his descriptions, and it is on the PERIMETER of the project. And, we have a 31' difference, between where he SAYS the corner is, and where I found an old one.... I'd bet he never saw it.
OK, your turn.
I agree completely. A few years ago here in Maine our licensing board (rightfully, in my opinion) came down on a surveyor who had shown pins "to be set" in a subdivision on his plan, but had never set them. His excuse was that he had intended to set them after his client paid him, but the client never did so. The Board did not find this very compelling and made him go set them anyway.
Um, gschrock, I might add, finding a setup, from the tobacco juice is hard as well! 🙂
N
Every bit of this, including the sunflower seeds, has been applicable to me within the last couple of months. Good advice. Thanks guys.
Do not set pincushions, unless you can show fraud, blunder, or material LEGAL conflict. We don't care how great, superior and perfect your measurements are. The objective is to retrace existing property lines, or establish well measured new property lines. Don't write legal descriptions until after you have found or set the corners.
When it's Friday afternoon and thoughts are turning to cold beer and other good things, and you just loaded up the last tripod in the survey chariot, take just a moment to make sure that the tip of the tripod foot is not sticking out just far enough that when you slam that back door closed, the tip of the foot makes contact with the back window.
ALWAYS make sure that there is a fresh roll of tp in the Survey Chariot for those times when nature calls...
Beer Legs, post: 374774, member: 33 wrote: ALWAYS make sure that there is a fresh roll of tp in the Survey Chariot for those times when nature calls...
Oh c'mon...haven't you ever planted a sock or an old t-shirt in the woods?
PS - I do prefer tp..
I always used to write a checklist on the back tailgate or door of the truck.... Hammer, plumb bob, data collector, tripod, is my backsight still on the hill....etc.
Related to the lack of setting pincushions, don't call a monument off by 0.01'. The instrument can't reliably measure to that precision, you can't hold the rod that steady, and you can't guarantee that the bubble is that accurate.
If someone wants to show you the line, let them, even if you know where it is. The addtional information, and history you receive can be invaluable.
Cee Gee, post: 374674, member: 451 wrote: I agree completely. A few years ago here in Maine our licensing board (rightfully, in my opinion) came down on a surveyor who had shown pins "to be set" in a subdivision on his plan, but had never set them. His excuse was that he had intended to set them after his client paid him, but the client never did so. The Board did not find this very compelling and made him go set them anyway.
That process appears to be approved by my Board... we have dozens of unmonumented subdivisions now...
