I have a project (I'm the engineer) where I need to have an excavator do a tiny bit of dirt work at 500 locations on the ground. The locations are random - it doesn't really matter where they are - but I suspect the operator will want to know where to dig so he can focus on digging rather than figuring out where to dig.
What is the cheapest way to communicate to the operator the locations of the 500 points that he needs to dig? I can set out flags, but that would require 1-2 days work. It is easy to use AutoCAD to generate the 500 points and I could provide a?ÿcoordinate list to the operator, but Smartphone accuracy is poor and some of the points might lie outside the work boundary, which would be bad.
I'm thinking I'll just need to buckle down and set out 500 flags so the operator can work as efficiently as possible.
The cheapest way to do anything, is to do it right the first time.?ÿ Focus on meeting the objectives of the work before focusing on cost.?ÿ
I have no idea what you are trying to accomplish?ÿdigging 500 holes, but is there a chance that the location of these "random" spots will need to be known in the future??ÿ If so, hire a surveyor?ÿto help you out, it probably will be cheaper?ÿin the long run if you are keeping track of locations and related information now than at some point in the future.
The cheapest way to do anything, is to do it right the first time.?ÿ Focus on meeting the objectives of the work before focusing on cost.?ÿ
I have no idea what you are trying to accomplish?ÿdigging 500 holes, but is there a chance that the location of these "random" spots will need to be known in the future??ÿ If so, hire a surveyor?ÿto help you out, it probably will be cheaper?ÿin the long run if you are keeping track of locations and related information now than at some point in the future.
No, there is zero chance that anyone will need to know the locations in the future.
The job is to plant 500 tree seedlings in random locations. Each seedling planting site will be prepared by the excavator.?ÿ All I need to do is communicate to the operator where to excavate. I think the simplest probably will be to flag out all 500 sites ahead of time. I'm just looking for a better way that is also cost-effective.
?ÿ
Who's going to make sure the excavation operator doesn't try to pull a fast one and only dig 499 holes??ÿ ??ÿ
The cheapest way is just to do it yourself. The Operator probably charges by the hour maybe the day, the less he needs to think about where to dig, and just to dig and plant a tree, will also save you money. Let him just do his job of digging.
By the way how deep do these holes need to be?
The cheapest way is just to do it yourself. The Operator probably charges by the hour maybe the day, the less he needs to think about where to dig, and just to dig and plant a tree, will also save you money. Let him just do his job of digging.
By the way how deep do these holes need to be?
Agree that flagging the locations ahead of time will help let the operator focus on digging which will save cost.
The depth would be 8 to 12". Idea is to scrap the sod/duff layer off the top, go about 8" in the mineral dirt, drop the duff/sod in the hole, and then drop the mineral dirt on top of the sod/duff in the hole. Should form a small mount on top (which will settle to a large degree).
Later tree planter comes along and plants tree along with seedling survival gear (browse protection, woven weed fabric, sun shade, etc).
8 to 12" you may be able to get a local Boy Scout troop to help you out.
Cheapest way would be to higher a contractor with machine guidance already on his excavator. Send him your coordinates in SPC, and away he goes......
A job made for machine control.?ÿ But if your machine operator was set up to do that you would not be asking this question.?ÿ
I've done a bit of forestry work.
For an experienced planter 500 pine bare-rooted seedlings is about a day's work, or perhaps two.
Why do you need the excavator?
?ÿ
What is the required accuracy? This maybe done with a consumer grade GPS if only need 30ft accuracy.
I've done a bit of forestry work.
For an experienced planter 500 pine bare-rooted seedlings is about a day's work, or perhaps two.
Why do you need the excavator?
?ÿ
Soil compaction.
?ÿ
Hire a surveyor. At some point in the future, location will matter for 500 trees.
I.e. Say 200 of the seedlings die before maturity, were they all from the same vendor?
5 trees, what the heck.
500, yes, hire a professional to tie points to property line or to some reliable and established base.
The cheapest way, well, it depends. How big is this tree planting area? How far apart are the trees meant to be?
How close to "target" location do they need to be?
I'm thinking maybe a 100' rag tape. And a compass. Or, pacing?
Get your wife to hold tape... 🙂
?ÿ
Locations are random, huh? So buy this and 500 tennis balls. Pick a spot or several spots and launch them 4 at a time. Dig where there's a tennis ball.
https://www.amazon.com/Mile-Cannon-Tennis-Ball/dp/B00VOB8FSI
?ÿ
Buy a few cans of spray paint and walk around for 3 hours putting a dot on the ground.?ÿ Doesn't get much easier than this.
Get rid of that random, your excavator will have to think to much at be??ng random enough.
give him a grid of 20x25 and mark only (half) the perimeter (25 +20 markers), he can line up between the stakes and the pits he already made, that should be random enough.
Christof.
Leave it to a bunch of surveyors to overthink this... 😉
?ÿ
Leave it to a bunch of surveyors to overthink this... 😉
?ÿ
Leave it to a bunch of surveyors to overthink this... 😉
?ÿ