Too often I see the phrase "two bit rebar" alongside a photo of a standard size. Apparantly the use of the term "two bits" is to trivialize the rebar found, howver "two bits" has a more specific meaning.
Bits comes from the early American use of the Spanish Gold Dollar which was cut in 8 pie shaped pieces for smaller currency. Each 1/8 piece was a "bit", a whole dollar comprised all 8 pieces and hence was a "piece of eight". "Two bits" passed on to the American quarter dollar coin and the half dollar was "4 bits". However the Ameican silver dollar was not referred to as a piece of eight, but rather a "cartwheel" since it was much larger in size than a gold dollar. Now back to survey use.
A "two bit rebar" has a nominal diameter of 1/4" and is quite insubstantial when it comes to surveying monuments, even I would hold such with much disregard when found. More often I have seen their use for traverse pins.
A "three bit rebar" has a nominal 3/8" diameter, I have seen a few set for corners and for a few years I worked for a firm that set them for traverse.
A "four bit rebar" has a nominal diameter of 1/2" and is considered by most surveyors as the minimum acceptable monument. I have set them and have caps for same but my preference is the 3/4" pipes that those caps also fit.
A "five bit rebar" has a nominal diameter of 5/8" and around here has about equal use with the "four bit rebar". I have set them with caps when working for others.
A "six bit rebar" with 3/4" nominal diameter is substantial. I've set very few but have found more.
I have found "eight bit rebar" at 1" but never set one.
The last rebar I am familiar with is a "ten bit". I set a 30" length of 1 1/4" rebar as a traverse point on a NJIT student survey project under the direction of Thomas McGrath. Two weeks later the students returned and claimed they could not find it.
OK, Survey Poll Here:
IS A TO BIT REBAR A REFERENCE TO SIZE OR SIMPLY A DEROGATORY REMARK ?
Paul in PA
I think it means insubstantial and alludes to a small value, as in two bits/ quarter dollar/ 25 cents.
For how it's been applied in this forum (and the other one) I would say derogatory.
Adjective
two-bit
1. (US, informal) costing 25 cents
2. (US, idiomatic, slang) insignificant or worthless
The most ironic thing about this whole scenario is that a “two bit” rebar has been hit by inflationary market pressure due to the price of scrap metal.
My recent purchase of 24” long 5/8” rebar cost me $1.25 each!
Then add the cost of your favorite type of cap and the cost per point can easily double!
Your post is the first time I've ever heard "bit" used that way. For example, around here, we would say "No. 5 Rebar"... I've never heard the term "five-bit rebar".
Our junior high cheerleaders and other local schools had a cheer that went:
2 bits, 4 bits, 6 bits, a dollar
all for "__________", stand up and holler
That was my introduction to the term "bits".
On this and similar forums the term "two-bit" refers to cheap and shoddy.
> The most ironic thing about this whole scenario is that a “two bit” rebar has been hit by inflationary market pressure due to the price of scrap metal.
> My recent purchase of 24” long 5/8” rebar cost me $1.25 each!
> Then add the cost of your favorite type of cap and the cost per point can easily double!
Mike,
#4 x 24" rebar here is about that same cost here. We don't have many suppliers.
I think that it is easy to roll off the phrase "two-bit rebar" for anything that is not considered "up to standard"... what ever that standard might be. I don't think that the term "bit" got traded for the "eighth's" that you are proposing happened. I guess would use the term in a mostly derogatory manner, typically meaning substandard to regs or local norms.
I remember some old kid's tune where we said "shave and a haircut... 2 bits". I also remember for years wondering how much a bit was.
Paul
I've never seen a "1/4 inch" rebar. The smallest made (I believe) is the #3 bar (nominal 3/8 inch). I have seen 1/4 inch smooth bars, but they were not used for reinforcing bars in concrete because they have no deformations for mechanical bonding. Unfortunately, I have seen 1/4 inch bars used as "monuments". There was a firm in the Metro Atlanta area that used 1/4 inch bars about a foot long, for lot corners. I've "kicked up" more then one while kicking leaves out of the way looking for corners.
Andy
I always thought the term "two-bit rebar" used in this forum referred to a cheap small bar.
I understand the term No. 4 rebar, or the numbers referring to the diameter in eighths of an inch. I don't refer to found monuments by the rebar number, however unless I see a number on the bar. I prefer to refer to the monument as what I see. That is to say, if I find a rebar and measure across the top of it as being 1/2" I would refer to my measurement. Guessing or determining the rebar number may be wrong. Did you dig down? can you get an accurate measurement by eyeballing across the side of it? Is the top smashed? I know I am going off on a tangent, but those are just some thoughts on what you should report what you find on your plats. (also, if I uncover a cap, and can tell it is attached to something but can't positively identify what it is attached to, I will simply describe the cap size and markings.)
