Prism Pole Recommendation

I've been using a Seco carbon-fiber twist-lock pole for the last 6 years. I reinforced the portion where the DC clamp attaches by sliding a short length of aluminum tubing -- slit lengthwise -- into place, and that seems to have prevented the cracking problem others have mentioned. I also replaced the stock 40-minute bubble with a 10-minute vial. The pole is light, the height adjustment is easy to use and reliable, and I've been very happy with it.

Leica poles are a once in a life time purchase with moderate care, mine is now 22 years old. The place I worked from 90-95 had several that were where many years old and severely abused that were still working good, of course if you need something other than a Leica style mount, that may not be a good choice. Not sure if they offer in a version with 5/8" x 11 or not?

SHG

A plumb one 😉

I'll second the Seco carbon fiber pole... with the protective sleeve. I used thin walled PVC for the sleeve.

I have a carbon fiber rod with holes in the upper section for a pin to keep it from slipping down. The holes weaken the top section so that when I slipped and fell with the rod in hand the top section was bent, not a lot but enough. I bought a new top section ($75) and bent that one within the week. So that rod stays in the office now.

I'm using a Topcon PS which uses the RC-5 deal on top of the 360?øprism. That is some extra weight on top of the rod along with the TSC3 data collector and I have had some problems with the setup toppling over while bipod-ed. I keep the bipod on the rod almost all of the time. To combat the toppling I've zip tied iron rods to the bottoms of the bipod legs to lower the center of gravity. That completely overcomes the light weight advantage of a carbon fiber rod.

The carbon fiber rod is still 'da bomb for a long day of topo data collection. But for the type of work I've been doing lately (some boundary, a lot of construction staking) the standard metal candy cane SECO rod is the way to go for the durability.

If you're using Leica gear I would use A Leica GLS12 2m locking pole. It's a lightweight and efficient option, no screwing and inserting pins, just click it into place and off you go. You will need to purchase extensions though if you need it to go higher, probably their only disadvantage.

You can use the GLS13 for other brands prisms, but you will need to source an appropriate spacer to maintain the correct height. Like Shelby stated previously, all Leica poles I've come across prove to be a one off purchase.

zammo, post: 436008, member: 9087 wrote: just click it into place and off you go

At what intervals does it lock? A lot of my work requires the ability to set the height within a very narrow range (usually a couple of tenths, but sometimes within a couple of hundredths) in order to get through a narrow hole in the foliage.

Jim Frame, post: 436013, member: 10 wrote: At what intervals does it lock? A lot of my work requires the ability to set the height within a very narrow range (usually a couple of tenths, but sometimes with a couple of hundredths) in order to get through a narrow hole in the foliage.

I don't know my Leica pole model number but I have made the 4.5' to 6.5' range work for me.

But I do miss the early nineties' Geodimeter pole setups where you could run the glass almost anywhere down low (in the 0.5' to 4.0' ish range).

Jim Frame, post: 436013, member: 10 wrote: At what intervals does it lock? A lot of my work requires the ability to set the height within a very narrow range (usually a couple of tenths, but sometimes within a couple of hundredths) in order to get through a narrow hole in the foliage.

I've used one, Jim, and they are nice construction and lightweight. I am trying to picture it as I type, iirc it locks out at every decimeter/2 interval.

As a Leica user, I only use Leica and Seco poles. Both work great in terms of accuracy and durability. Seco poles are cheaper.

Jim Frame, post: 435749, member: 10 wrote: I reinforced the portion where the DC clamp attaches by sliding a short length of aluminum tubing -- slit lengthwise -- into place, and that seems to have prevented the cracking problem others have mentioned.

Jim,

Any chance you could post a picture of your aluminum reinforcement solution? I've been considering a solution like that, but to date have not done it. I think it would help.

Al

Shelby H. Griggs PLS, post: 435764, member: 335 wrote: Leica poles are a once in a life time purchase with moderate care, mine is now 22 years old. The place I worked from 90-95 had several that were where many years old and severely abused that were still working good, of course if you need something other than a Leica style mount, that may not be a good choice. Not sure if they offer in a version with 5/8" x 11 or not?

SHG

I've read somewhere that Leica makes the prism pole tips out of titanium...it'll last forever

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lsitnj, post: 436072, member: 7876 wrote: I've read somewhere that Leica makes the prism pole tips out of titanium...it'll last forever

Titanium, while light and strong, isn't particularly hard. Tungsten carbide would be a better choice for wear resistance.

Big Al, post: 436039, member: 837 wrote: Any chance you could post a picture of your aluminum reinforcement solution?

Here you go:

lsitnj, post: 436072, member: 7876 wrote: I've read somewhere that Leica makes the prism pole tips out of titanium...it'll last forever

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My vintage 1998 Leica tip has worn down a couple hundredths.

Jim Frame, post: 436076, member: 10 wrote: Here you go:

Jim, thank you!

Jim Frame, post: 436074, member: 10 wrote: Titanium, while light and strong, isn't particularly hard. Tungsten carbide would be a better choice for wear resistance.

The newer Leica pole tips (I mean sometime in last 20 years) do have a carbide point, virtually no wear.

SHG

I have a several of the Leica GLS12 poles. While most have a carbide tip, I have at least two which for some reason do not. Those have worn significantly, approximately 6mm. Not sure what was up with these two but I sure wish I could swap the tips out. I have several bent or otherwise broken poles that I could salvage from.

Jim Frame, post: 436076, member: 10 wrote: Here you go:

Very interesting, Jim. Thank you for sharing.