I'm serious, what's the best way to put a dimple...

Buy mag-hubs or use a drill press with a homemade jig to hold the nail. We used to drill them ourself. A box of mag-hubs is way cheaper in the long run.

A company I know used to have a rodman, on rain-out days, drill a hole into the nails with a drillpress.

I purchased a cold punch set from the big orange box store and punch them as I need.
I also purchased the Mag Spike nails from the local supply store. They come pre-punched and with a "cross" (+) formed in it.

Better yet, use a lathe

I use a center punch.

I don't know how it was right side up on photobucket and upside down on the upload but I give up. You get the idea.

I made the hitch myself. Drilled a hole for centerpunching nails and driving concrete nails thru shiners. I wish I had drilled one on each side because the ball gets in the way of placing the shiner.

James
try this
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I use same method - nail thru shiner over hole in tongue of trailer and center punch for dimple.

I buy galavnized 60d when I can find them because they have a crosshatched face on the nail head

Make up a box full in the backyard in short time that will last on boundary surveys for awhile

Punch, another 60d nail,file a cross in it, drill it, et cetera

I use a 1/8" drill bit and a cordless drill. I normally wouldn't dimple a traverse point nail, but if I intend to the use the nail as a static GPS point with 2 meter rod, it does keep the rod from sliding off after I've walked away .. Which used to happen all the time.

Are you in Australia, by chance?

All these years and I've never seen a mag-hub. Hayes sells them very reasonably.
Think I'll get some for my seco poles that have the usual sharp points that I use on my conventional equipment.

Thanks for the replies (seriously 😐 ) I ended up with a leica pole that came with my leica robot that has blunt round tips (not pointed) that slide easily across the top of my smooth 60d nails (cross hatched top would definitely be better.) One of the above methods is going to really help.

> Are you in Australia, by chance?

Nope, East Texas.

The trailer balls are 2" and 1 7/8". I must have accidentally flipped the whole truck over the last time I changed balls.

James

One of our competitors here would have the I-men/rodmen spend the non-field days drilling dimples with an electric drill or drill press. They did this for the 60D and larger nails.

Brian N. and I might have the same competitor...

[sarcasm]Use a Cotton Picker Spindle[/sarcasm]

Galvanized Are Much Harder To Find With A Metal Locator

I stay away from them.

I use 10" dock spikes.

My buddy uses 8" dock spikes.

Paul in PA

I used to use a center punch with the nails lined up in a vice. It sort of worked, but the dimples were small and hard to find after the nail has been in the ground for a while. I just buy Mag Hubs now.

Dremel with a carbide drill bit. Can spit out a couple dozen in no time. Hate those dang 60-d's with the smooth top, particularly when in at an angle and are iced up. Save the survey nails and mags with dimples for pavement. Hate walking around with a half dozen 8" galvis jangling around in my vest, but, alas, they are the best.

I made a jig with a dozen 3/8" holes in a line. Over top of that was welded a plate with 1/8" holes. The Jig and drill plate were welded together with a hinge. Load the nails in the big holes, flip over the plate (the 1/8" holes align with the center of the nails, drill the holes. Used to punch a 50lb box in very little time.

When I first began my surveying career as a rodman I would spend hours on a rain day with a center punch and a table vise. Works just fine with 80d nails.