Have you ever drug a chain?

I agree.

Yes I have drug a chain and I also learned to throw a chain in college.

Have you ever "thrown a chain".

>
> Have you ever "thrown a chain".

Yes, on a regular basis in the early 1980s.

It was a steel highway tape. No reel.

It was only marked for each foot, and the first/last foot was marked into hundredths.

A very good experience for this (still) young surveyor.

Yes, I have snarled a chain. I mean, Throwed one!

(For those who don't know, there is a technique of "Doing up the TAPE" without a reel, that involves lapping the tap, upon itself, without twisting it. It is then tied with a leather thong)

Throwing it, after it is done up like that, is an art, that if done properly, leaves it pullable, without kinking. I have snarled a chain.

Taping, became known as "Chaining" and yelling CHAIN meant that the head chainman should stop, as the end of the tape was at the tail chainman.

Real chaining is harder than "Taping".

Ya ever "Chained level, with 66' chain pulled into the air?

Hmmmmm

N

In Forestry class we had an introduction to compass and pacing lab. We were all given a wire flag with our name on it, and 5 course of bearings and distances.

Everyone else starting running courses while I just sat down. Took out my HP41 out and some paper. Calc'd the latitudes and departures to get the closing bearing and distance. Then got up walked one single course and I was finished before anyone else. You see I had worked for a land survey two summers prior to going to college and had good knowledge of how to use the HP41.

Old Creighton Fee was always trying to catch my buddy and I in the lab with an error. My buddy was the son of a surveyor from Connecticut.

One day Fee finally did get us.

We had a lab out at the dog sled area near Saranac Lake. We had to layout a house foundation and batter boards, the property corners and the road alignment with curves. All this using a transit and chain. Then we checked our work with a Total Station w/ EDM. Ken and I got this done in just a few hours. Creighton had me run the gun, Ken ran the rod for the checks. Everything was spot on, until Creighton says "OK chum, now give me the middle ordinate". He got us. We argued for an hour. Who would ever need that laid out on a highway. And which do you want the M.O on the curve or on the chord. Ken saw me arguing with Fee and finally walked over to see what we had missed. Later he said I should have just told that Fee wanted the M.O. and Ken would have just walked close to the MO to get a shot in the approximate area, so as not get zero for the entire lab grade.

All of Fee's lab were pass or fail, no partial credit. Just like real life surveying. The client doesn't care if you got it 95% right, they will only know that you did it wrong.

This was one of the things he taught me well.

Lee Green

I hope not

A real chain was never "drug" - the front and rear chainman would never let go and they would carry it together - preferably suspended.

I have "drug" a steel tape hundreds of miles.

And, yes, I have "thrown" many a 100' tape. Never tried a 200' or 300' tape because the boss had reels and when I started my own business I always had reels.

Good story, Lee.
Thanks,

Don

I've thrown a chain. Boss wasn't too happy either!:-P

Yes, My first crew chief was an old timer, we did much work with a field book, pencil, and a plumb bob. One day he showed me how to chain, with a chain. We found most every monument called for. Then after hiking out of the woods feeling like I learned something, he showed me how to clean it. He's long retired, but still around. I still call him "that old bastard", and he still calls me "youngin'".

I hope not

That was my impression. They didn't drag the chain. They were called chain men or chain carriers. Most in my area used a half chain. Would be a lot better to carry suspended than a full length chain.

I think if they drug a chain it wouldn't last to long (or hold its length).

And no, I've never drug or carried a chain (not the steel tape type).

I hope not

:good:

Most of us less than a 100 years old say chain when we actually mean a steel tape.

Steve

Why would I want to drug my chain?

Don't want a stoned chain.

One with 100 links totaling to 66 feet----Never
Steel tape----Too many miles to count
Reels, man, they invented reels, use them.

I hope not

>A real chain was never "drug"

I got to hold one end of a chain at a historical event several years ago, and the leader was letting it drag through the grass between stations. When we went to cross a gravel path I figured it shouldn't drag on the gravel, so I picked it up in several loops. Unfortunately I created a tangled mess that took 5 or 10 minutes to unravel. Very red faced. I guess the leader really did intend to drag it across the gravel.

Yes, I used a "chain" in the early 80's - a 100' steel tape. I can "throw" a chain and "do it up."

Reel? I need no stinkin' reel! I still use a plumb bob on occasion. I bought a replacement on E-Bay as an "antique" - a Dietzgen!

I took a surveying history seminar once, and we used a replica Gunter's Chain. Fascinating!

Now, I mash buttons. Geez, I miss the old days.....B-)

My first civilian crew used a highway chain. My first day the chief 'threw the chain' as a demo. He then tossed it out and drug it flat and said 'your turn'. I dutifully copied his technique and bam, perfect.
He was moderately impressed until after lunch. That's when he pulled out the chain and SNAP! When he went to undo the tape he twisted as always. In so doing he discovered I was left handed. It took a while to get past that one...

> One with 100 links totaling to 66 feet----Never
> Steel tape----Too many miles to count
> Reels, man, they invented reels, use them.

:good:

Well, I learned something... you don't "drag" a 66' link chain. You carry it!

Wow! Now I see why it took a 4 man+ crew. One or two to cut brush. One head chainman. One tail chainman. One on the Compass, keeping notes, and keeping it moving, and of course, a camp cook!

N

I have drug 3 types of chains. 30 meter chains in the Army, 200' chains , and logging chains!:-P

Uh huh. Thrown and repaired 'em too.
Compass? Pffft...Dad had me on the plane table reading stadia when I was 10...

Have a nice day!