Found these, looking for something else. Does anyone under 40 know what they are?
Ben Franklin has been looking for that lost pair of bifocals.
Probably not!
I have several 'pairs' in my truck though.
Loyal
Survey tape clamp. (4 years till 40 so I barely count.) I only used one in school.
chaining clamps .... I remember well as a chainman using these to layout a parabola shaped wall church building in the 1970's ...don't forget the chaining scales,
the party chief weighed 240 lbs + thank god that was a memorable day
Trick question.
EVERYONE knows what it is.
I use mine a lot.
Can't pull 20# on a SuperHiway without 'em.
Larry Scott, post: 419022, member: 8766 wrote: Trick question.
EVERYONE knows what it is.
I use mine a lot.
Can't pull 20# on a SuperHiway without 'em.
Sure you can!
Loop the tape around your arm between the elbow and shoulder, bring it forward and pinch it with the part of the tape you are using.
We used them. Sometimes we even used them as they were designed.
Instead we would usually put our fingers through them backwards (clamp in palm) and use them for "chrome knuckles" during Friday the night pool tourney at the "Shanty" beer joint.
aka sissy scissors...
We pulled 30# on a normal 200 ft. tape, more on a "Babbitt" tape (although I don't think it was really 'babbitt' metal, more like a solder).
Loyal
Paul Landau, post: 419005, member: 2526 wrote:
From late about 1990 through 2012 I taught about 70 students a year how to use tape grips and tension handles. Other instructors taught about 45 per year during the same period. There are many survey technicians and construction layout crews in central Ohio that would know exactly what that tool is. The school had a standardized Invar tape and each class set a temporary indoor baseline with it. Temperature was measured at both ends of line during the three Invar measurements to set line. Then all the working tapes (6 individually numbered) were checked against the line and temperature was also recorded. All students recorded the tape numbers and lengths as well as the standardized temperature in their personal field book.
Later in the course the students staked a triangle 150 +/- feet on a side using pacing. One side was taped using grips and tension handles with temperature and pull recorded. Then all interior angles were measured (using 5 second total station) and all sides measured with EDM. Students were required to compute corrections to length of taped side. Then balance the angles and use law of sines to compute the lengths of the other two sides. The resulting computed sides were then compared with the EDM measurements and a discussion of the procedures and accuracy of old surveys and deeds followed.
Many of these students had prior construction staking experience. Those students were shocked at the difference in taping procedures and the resulting accuracy when compared with EDM mesurements.
Dallas Morlan, post: 419029, member: 6020 wrote: From late about 1990 through 2012 I taught about 70 students a year how to use tape grips and tension handles. Other instructors taught about 45 per year during the same period. There are many survey technicians and construction layout crews in central Ohio that would know exactly what that tool is. The school had a standardized Invar tape and each class set a temporary indoor baseline with it. Temperature was measured at both ends of line during the three Invar measurements to set line. Then all the working tapes (6 individually numbered) were checked against the line and temperature was also recorded. All students recorded the tape numbers and lengths as well as the standardized temperature in their personal field book.
Later in the course the students staked a triangle 150 +/- feet on a side using pacing. One side was taped using grips and tension handles with temperature and pull recorded. Then all interior angles were measured (using 5 second total station) and all sides measured with EDM. Students were required to compute corrections to length of taped side. Then balance the angles and use law of sines to compute the lengths of the other two sides. The resulting computed sides were then compared with the EDM measurements and a discussion of the procedures and accuracy of old surveys and deeds followed.
Many of these students had prior construction staking experience. Those students were shocked at the difference in taping procedures and the resulting accuracy when compared with EDM mesurements.
I'm glad someone brought that up to today's students. I can't speak for others, but we always knew our chained distances were subject to differences with the previous surveyor. That is why consistency was the goal. Not that we were ever exact (we weren't), but that in a situation where our distances had to be adjusted or utilized in computations we had confidence of consistency. Arguments stemming from electronic measurements differing a few hundredths or so are definitely a "modern" invention.
paden cash, post: 419026, member: 20 wrote: Instead we would usually put our fingers through them backwards (clamp in palm) and use them for "chrome knuckles" during Friday the night pool tourney at the "Shanty" beer joint.
16oz of brass with a hardened steel point...slid out of the sheath...tight in the fist...the 'veyor boys owned that bar...
DDSM
Chinese thumb cuffs
My experience started during the dawn of total stations. My memories of chains are of trying to hold the zero end of the chain with a leather strap at a mark on the side of the instrument while the chief who had a good 100lbs on me pulled as hard as he could. To radially stake a house.
Ron Lang, post: 419038, member: 6445 wrote: My experience started during the dawn of total stations. My memories of chains are of trying to hold the zero end of the chain with a leather strap at a mark on the side of the instrument while the chief who had a good 100lbs on me pulled as hard as he could. To radially stake a house.
And then pull around it and check diagonals.
We never used the finger holes, just wrapped our hand around the whole thing. That was actually kind of uncomfortable, so I eventually made a custom clamp that fit my hand better.
Dan B. Robison, post: 419036, member: 34 wrote: 16oz of brass with a hardened steel point...slid out of the sheath...tight in the fist...the 'veyor boys owned that bar...
DDSM
No need for tools. We just used our hands and boots. Never, I repeat never get in a fight with a guy wearing Vibram soled boots. The leave a hell of a mark.
Early on I pulled chain with my death-pinch finger grab, I soon found out: when it slips, that ain't gonna be paper cut. The lufkin chrome clad is like a band saw blade repurposed.
Jim Frame, post: 419040, member: 10 wrote: We never used the finger holes, just wrapped our hand around the whole thing. That was actually kind of uncomfortable, so I eventually made a custom clamp that fit my hand better.
Exactly what I taught the students. Fingers in the rings can get broken if someone trips over the tape. The rings are only to open the clamps.
They also work real well to adapt to a fish scale. 
