I learned how to do this many years ago. It was a quick and easy method that was shown to me by a veteran surveyor. It was one of those things you have done so often that is has become second nature and you forget to tell the newbie how to do it. I was waiting for a shot one time after I had instructed the newbie to tie a piece of flagging around the nail before he set it. It was taking longer than usual (more than three seconds) when I walked over to see what he was doing. Thence began the teaching of yet another methodology; this time on "how to flag and where to set a nail." When it was all said and done, he learned to set the nail more than about ten feet away from large trees, visible to the instrument, can see "ahead" (had to 'splain that, too), clear off the leaves and grass for a place to put a nail, either stomp the ground or use the hammer (had to let him borrow mine) to provide a hard spot on the earth to drive a flagged nail. I gave him a nail (he forgot) and a roll of flagging (he forgot that, too). I showed him how to tie three different methods to use when flagging a nail a when to use each method. In the sequence of pictures below, I start off with the primary tie-off that I use most of the time. I am using a 40-penny coated un-dimpled nail as a prop, along with a shameless subliminal view of my business card and the survey connect website visible on my computer screen in the background.
Here are two alternate methods for affixing flagging to a nail. The first one has long ends and is similiar to the one in the first post., but it takes longer to do. The second one is with no loose ends primarily used to help hide my nails, but yet give me the ability to identify my nail. As you know, "orange glo is my favorite color."
I usually sink my nails to just under the surface and either kick dirt on top or place a local item like a rock or stick on top to hide my nail from view and discovery by the curious and those who seek to start trouble. Too many people have pulled up my points thinking they were "corner stobs" and "ain't right" while completely ignoring the flagged and capped re-bar nearby with a double-flagged guard stake and overhead flagged limb, all with streamers of orange glo.
60d Galvanized Hubs
It's much like tying one's shoes. We may do it differently or we may do it the same but getting it done is the only thing that counts.
When wearing lace-up boots I grab both laces in one hand, do a sort of Zorro move a few times and voila both laces are equally tight and ready for the pretty knot to be made. Most people don't do it that way.
Harold and A Harris, gentlemen, orange flagging is nose candy to Yankee whitetail deer. If they can smell they will dig it up and your nail and eat the flagging. We make should nail and flagging are well buried. Another thing to teach the newbies.
Fold a length of flagging in half then fold the end opposite of the loose ends a few times and push the nail through that end.
Floyd Carrington, post: 362026, member: 474 wrote: Harold and A Harris, gentlemen, orange flagging is nose candy to Yankee whitetail deer. If they can smell they will dig it up and your nail and eat the flagging. We make should nail and flagging are well buried. Another thing to teach the newbies.
Our Southern whitetails prefer Honeysuckle and White Oak acorns.
Hubs are set subsurface and may have anything from a flat rock to a squashed beer can as a protective cover before being covered by as much as 0.5ft of dirt and sod. Those tin roofing tabs deter many vandals as they are sharp and cut to the bone.
Floyd Carrington, post: 362026, member: 474 wrote: Harold and A Harris, gentlemen, orange flagging is nose candy to Yankee whitetail deer. If they can smell they will dig it up and your nail and eat the flagging. We make should nail and flagging are well buried. Another thing to teach the newbies.
I always blamed this on raccoons. Usually the flagging is still intact.
Licensed Land Surveyor
Finger Lakes Region, Upstate New York
1. Fold flagging in half over left index finger.
2. Simultaneously holding spike in left hand with head pointing away or to the right (point on wrist end).
3. With right hand wrap the two ends of the flagging once around the nail shaft.
4. Put loop on left index finger over head of the nail and cinch it tight.
I Have been young, and now am old.
I set my first traverse nail, when I was about 10 yrs old. (This gives me 40 years experience.) It was down hwy 415, locally called "the Raymond road" in Coarsegold CA. I've retraced a lot of surveys. One thing I've seen, is that IF you double the flagging, before tying it on the nail, or, before making your "accordion", you double it, and you bury it, so that sunlight does not hit it, it will last almost indefinitely.
I can do either one pretty fast. And, they both have their place. But doubling it, definitely makes it last longer.
Same for flagging a tree. Wrap it at least 2x. It will decay much more slowly.
Arctic Fade Guard is good, and so is presco Texas flagging.
I like placing a crushed alum. can over it, then dirt, to hide it.
Floyd Carrington, post: 362026, member: 474 wrote: Harold and A Harris, gentlemen, orange flagging is nose candy to Yankee whitetail deer. If they can smell they will dig it up and your nail and eat the flagging. We make should nail and flagging are well buried. Another thing to teach the newbies.
turkeys like em' too
knew a guy that insisted that they be tied up in a chain (still connected with flagging)... that way was more handy and he stuffed a wad of them in the back of his vest.
I do the old fold the ribbon over and push the nail through it. I use your loop swoop snare method shown in the first illustration to lasso pipes and pins in a hole when just a little bit is sticking up. (Easier than tying). I also use that method on lath sometimes and branches and stuff....
I was taught by the old guys the chain method. Tie the end of a roll of flagging to something, count out the nails you need and tie them in a chain, break them off as needed,,,,,,way faster
A simple clove hitch works well for tying what we used to call redheads, 20d nail w/ flagging
