Curious for a list of tools those with an urban setting and/or construction background would recommend. A majority of my field time has been spent in a more rural setting to date where control was set using nails or rebar and benchmarks were spikes in poles.
Currently I use a little hand rotary tool to cut into concrete for benchmarks but am interested if there are a couple tools ya'll have found helpful in the field.
Regards,
-D
I carry an open top tool bag with numerous essentials. Leatherman, metal mirror, chaining pins, chisel, wire brush, plastic brush, large sponge, rags, paint, flagging, small hammer, 12"saw, pocket rod, mag nails and a whole bunch more stuff.
Would you post a link to the rotary cutter?
I can show you a trick...
Use a plumb bob and hatchet.
Stick the bob tip on the concrete. Then slide-slam the hatchet, to cut the pavement.
Nate The Surveyor, post: 412474, member: 291 wrote: Would you post a link to the rotary cutter?
I can show you a trick...
Use a plumb bob and hatchet.
Stick the bob tip on the concrete. Then slide-slam the hatchet, to cut the pavement.
https://www.dremel.com/en_US/products/-/show-product/tools/8220-12vmax-high-performance-cordless
Works pretty well for small cuts in concrete.
Texian, post: 412472, member: 10243 wrote: Curious for a list of tools those with an urban setting .... would recommend....
- A cordless hammer drill for setting nails/etc. in concrete.
- A pair of hand clippers for very selectively trimming foliage. Also a folding hand saw and loppers for same.
- cones/signs for traffic control.
All the usual stuff, from a big carwash sponge to dry out water filled monument cases and holes to a carbide punch for dimpling steel. One thing that's always ridden in my truck but doesn't get used every day, but occasionally comes in real handy is a +/- 2' section of 1" steel pipe I use to straighten out rebar or gain some leverage on a tool. Can also be used in a pinch to calm irate confrontational folks and over zealous attack dogs, but so far haven't had to use it for that purpose.
Texian, post: 412472, member: 10243 wrote: Curious for a list of tools those with an urban setting and/or construction background would recommend. A majority of my field time has been spent in a more rural setting to date where control was set using nails or rebar and benchmarks were spikes in poles.
Currently I use a little hand rotary tool to cut into concrete for benchmarks but am interested if there are a couple tools ya'll have found helpful in the field.
I think that one of the most important parts of surveying in an urban setting is being able to leave permanently identifiable control points. I try to set as many of mine as I can in concrete surfaces such as tops of curbs and sidewalks. The marker I use that has performed very well is a 6 in. x 3/8 in. steel spike with a stamped 2 in. aluminum washer. When driven into a 3/8 in. hole drilled in concrete and kinked slightly midway through driving, the result is very well anchored. A punchmark on the head of the spike makes a reference point that is typically as permanent as the spike itself.
The advice that Norman Oregon (posting under the obvious pseudonym of "Mark Mayer") gave about cutting tools is excellent and very practical.
If you don't have a tile probe that is a good tool to use when searching for buried concrete monuments or stone that may not have any ferrous metal in them.
Tire flat iron. And a big hammer.
It's great for digging out stuff.
I like a to use a hammer drill start a very shallow 3/8" hole then drill a 5/32" through it and set a tapcon screw for a nice countersunk control point
Cordless angle grinder, cordless hammer drill, good masonry bit (more important than the drill), scribe, disto, plastic brush (for brushing away dirt)
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I have this angle grinder.
https://m.lowes.com/pd/PORTER-CABLE-4-5-in-20-Volt-Cordless-Angle-Grinder/50074199
And a drill to match and share batteries
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I like the Milwaukee m18 line I can run a angle grinder, drill, and sds plus hammer drill off the same battery. The up side is the sds plus can put a 3/4" hole for lathe in millings and frozen ground and can pre drill a 3/8" hole to install landscape spikes in very tight base course. I a think the brushed 5/8" sds plus drill goes for about $180 without batteries. The thing I think a lot of companies don't see about power tools is the time savings you might outlay $500 for a tool set that may save the crew 1 hour a week or 52 hours a year.
something that you can safely and neatly take fence panels etc off and replace so they look same as before.
One of the most vexing things in urban areas are 6' fences. I have 1 metre extension poles that work well in a tribrach but often they are not an option.
Rural areas same, but different fences.
Dog deflector - whatever they are. Haven't solved that problem, but my offsider is good around dogs but he often says "watch that ......".
I never doubt his judgement.
One thing I often reckon would be good is a PR bloke to talk to the enquirers and let you continue to work.
Nothing to spend an hour or more in one day from well wishers that are known to you and are a bit awkward to divert from.
Richard, post: 412513, member: 833 wrote: One thing I often reckon would be good is a PR bloke to talk to the enquirers and let you continue to work.
Better yet, some person along for the fresh air and exercise who can
(a) trade stories with bystanders about that summer job he also had back about sixty years ago "holding the rod" on a survey job with the US Soil Conservation Service,
(b) appear to be tremendously interested in all the valuable information that some piece of paper such as a xerox copy of a piece of a tax map presents which some landowner produces with a flourish as evidence of his or her title, or
(c) engage in an extended discussion as to why boundary lines do not extend to the back of the curb or beyond.
Pair of manhole hooks
20ft (or longer) Rod to measure Rim to Invert
Folding rule to measure down between grate openings in drop inlets so you don't have to remove them
Patience- corners are often located adjacent to metal sign posts, electric boxes, and other metal that renders your locator useless.
Also, urban canyons can render GPS/GNSS useless. Always have a total station on the job. That's a given for me. But I am not so sure that's the case for everyone on this forum.
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Hacksaw, and fresh blades. They are good for cutting up deer. If one becomes available. And, if you have driven a monument hard, and mushroomed the top, so that it can't be capped.
Or, if you get locked in, by somebody, who did not know you were inside their locked area.
Or, to cut a cross in a RR spike.
Good set of radios
A lopper or sandvik bow saw to trim branches
A length of polypropylene cord or rope to temporary tie back branches, bushes etc that shouldn't be cut to complete work.
A good set of manners.
Robert, I was with you, till you said that last line..... 🙂
You should also arm yourself with knowledge. It's one of our more important tools.
In Idaho entering a lot within a subdivision in an incorporated city is trespass if you open a gate or intend to dig. It's also a very good way to get shot and dog bit, not necessarily in that order...
Kent McMillan, post: 412515, member: 3 wrote: Better yet, some person along for the fresh air and exercise who can
(a) trade stories with bystanders about that summer job he also had back about sixty years ago "holding the rod" on a survey job with the US Soil Conservation Service,
(b) appear to be tremendously interested in all the valuable information that some piece of paper such as a xerox copy of a piece of a tax map presents which some landowner produces with a flourish as evidence of his or her title, or
(c) engage in an extended discussion as to why boundary lines do not extend to the back of the curb or beyond.
Yep, as an engineer who does surveying, that's good reason to tip your hat to surveyors - after battling everything (equipment, weather, ... etc), you then have to deal with Joe and Joan Public. Example, 6pm urban road survey using robotic total station, 30 degrees C, jogger in his late fifties runs past and stops (in the line of sight):
Jogger: "Is that a GPS?".
Me: "No it's the prism for a total station survey, the instrument is over there, under the big orange umbrella".
Jogger: "What are you surveying?"
Me: "Existing kerb lines for the road upgrade from 2 to 4 lanes".
Jogger: "So the instrument is counting traffic?"
Me: crickets.
