How'd it go today?

[lxskllr]

Got a call first thing this morning that they were having some problems with dimensions I gave them on a small bridge, and they're pouring concrete at 11am. I'm thinking "Shit! What did I fuckup on this one?!". These small county jobs are deceptive. There isn't much to them, and they look like they should be easy. Problem is the plans are almost always garbage, and you're half making it up as you go. There wasn't enough information on the structures to check in my comps, so you just do what you can, try to be careful, and hope for the best.

I get in the office, and start going over my comps, and... everything looks ok? We go out to the job on the other side of the county so I can talk to them in person, and see directly what the problem is. Turns out they thought the beamseat offsets were aligned with the bridge skew, but I laid them out 90° to the abutments. That's the way I always do it, but in this case, it's only a 20' span, and they pulled strings to setup the seats, which won't work. On big bridges, you can't pull strings, so it's obvious that the offsets are 90° to the structure. This could've been done either way, and I guess I should've specified exactly what I gave them, but I've been doing it the same way for the same people for over 30 years, so I didn't give it any thought. Oh well. I like problems that I didn't cause, and don't take a gun to fix.

Next job we went to, I saved the day. Boss pulls out the metal detector to find some property corners, and the batteries are dead. We had a good idea about where they were, but didn't know where the pins were. I pulled out my phone, used it as a metal detector, and found the 2 pins so we could get started on the job. I was little surprised myself that it worked so well. Like a higher tech version of the old dip needles that were in use slightly before my time. I've played with those in the truck(almost 40 years ago), but never used one to find a property corner.

 

[cory]

Good post! Um btw, how does one use a phone as a metal detector

 

[lxskllr]

The magnetometer inside is affected by ferrous metal. I use this program, which I've mentioned here before due to the clinometer, which could be useful getting tree heights for falling...

Trail Sense | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository

Use your phone's sensors to assist with wilderness treks

f-droid.org

This makes it easier cause you can set the phone to vibrate when you hit metal. Otherwise, there's other programs that show when the waveform gets disrupted, or you could just use the compass, and see when the needle does something weird. That's what the old dip needles were. It was a compass in a box, and it used a prism to flip the image 90° and you view it from the top. You move the box back and forth north/south, and when the needle spins(it appears to dip when viewed on top through the prism), you're over ferrous metal.

edit:
Looks like I may be mistaken about the prism flipping the image on a dip needle. I just looked it and found this article...

68.09 -- Dip needle

It looks like they're used vertically. In my defense, I was going on a very old memory, and it was never a tool I used. I can't find a good picture of what the box looked like.

 

[davidwyby]

@lxskllr Awesome! How well would it work for nails in wood?!

Today I went to make a work order for a shaft we've made before. I had two drawings by two machinists. They didn't agree on all the dims. Geeeehhhh....

 

[stikine]

The magnetometer inside is affected by ferrous metal. I use this program, which I've mentioned here before due to the clinometer, which could be useful getting tree heights for falling...

Trail Sense | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository

Use your phone's sensors to assist with wilderness treks

f-droid.org

This makes it easier cause you can set the phone to vibrate when you hit metal. Otherwise, there's other programs that show when the waveform gets disrupted, or you could just use the compass, and see when the needle does something weird. That's what the old dip needles were. It was a compass in a box, and it used a prism to flip the image 90° and you view it from the top. You move the box back and forth north/south, and when the needle spins(it appears to dip when viewed on top through the prism), you're over ferrous metal.

edit:
Looks like I may be mistaken about the prism flipping the image on a dip needle. I just looked it and found this article...

68.09 -- Dip needle

It looks like they're used vertically. In my defense, I was going on a very old memory, and it was never a tool I used. I can't find a good picture of what the box looked like.

Thanks for posting that John. It looks like it will come in handy for me to locate a water shutoff valve stem that my neighbor buried.

 

[lxskllr]

@lxskllr Awesome! How well would it work for nails in wood?!

Not that well I don't think. I don't think a compass is sensitive enough to detect a nail at any useful depth. You'd have an easier time visually IDing a nail intrusion. I was looking for rebar a few inches underground.

 

[stikine]

FWIW, it registered a brass padlock on the floor about a foot away.

 

[Dave Shepard]

Hornet problem:

No more hornet problem:

 

[Tree09]

Thanks for posting that John. It looks like it will come in handy for me to locate a water shutoff valve stem that my neighbor buried.

When you think you found it try the pressure washer and shop vac, easiest way to daylight it. You can make small diameter deep holes so it doesn't take a lot to dig, and you do a very narrow trench. But then again after admiring all of your pictures of equipment you probably got a guy with a vac truck! Seriously tho it works very well, the higher psi the better but even a small electric one works. Dig perpendicular to the pipe and you'll find it, and then can dig it easier with a machine because then you know where it's safe to dig. Once you find it toss something in the hole to mark it, once you start with a hoe it'll likely cave in your spot hole.

 

[stikine]

When you think you found it try the pressure washer and shop vac, easiest way to daylight it. You can make small diameter deep holes so it doesn't take a lot to dig, and you do a very narrow trench. But then again after admiring all of your pictures of equipment you probably got a guy with a vac truck! Seriously tho it works very well, the higher psi the better but even a small electric one works. Dig perpendicular to the pipe and you'll find it, and then can dig it easier with a machine because then you know where it's safe to dig. Once you find it toss something in the hole to mark it, once you start with a hoe it'll likely cave in your spot hole.

It got buried when my neighbor had a contractor add some shot rock for a pad to park his boat trailer...good grief. It's in a ROW for the access to my back lot. Fortunately, I don't think it's too deep and I know the general area to look. Just need to do it.

 

[Maximalist]

Today my daughter and I took a boat trip around St. Petersburg -

Now I have a new fridge magnet

 

[Maximalist]

Seven years ago, an ancient lithograph was discovered in which this tree has a square shape. I have already cut it seven times, but it stubbornly does not want to become square. I think in 10 years I will achieve what I want.

 

[Kaveman]

New boots!





A third of the cost of a pair of White's, or JKs. We'll see how long they last. A bit shorter than I'd like, but I'm a fan of stripper boots.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Last ya long enough to make enough to get more if needed

 

[Kaveman]

Last ya long enough to make enough to get more if needed

That one sir, that one.

 

[davidwyby]

I just got some Carolina’s

Has some of their engineer boots that lasted well years ago

We’ll see

 

[davidwyby]

Did you find your stuff? Fix ujoint?

 

[lxskllr]

Why do logging boots have such high heels? I find them very uncomfortable, and unstable on surfaces I have to balance on. My feet were also installed wrong, and I tend to break down the heel counters on the insides, so my weight's going off the edge of the heel. That's a big reason I like combat boots. Low heel. I also like the cheap price I get them for, but I'd pay full price for a pair before I bought logging boots(again).

 

[davidwyby]

So you can dig them in on side hills

Only thing they’re good for 😆

I usually wear civvy boots that are basically like combat boots. 6” with a 3/4”? Heel

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Gaffs hold better with the deeper inset. Vibram soles work great for tree work. The deeper inset also works better on SRT foot loops and ankle straps.

 

[lxskllr]

Dunno. My preferred spur boots have a ¾" heel(just measured them). My preferred rope boots barely have a heel at all. It's about ½", but it's a gradual slope. It's almost a sneaker type sole. Vibrams for sure give good traction, but a heel isn't required for them.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Just like one saddle preferred over another by diffy climbers. Boots are a personal preference as well. Of course, body type, climbing style, (all being personal traits) etc, play into that preference.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Example. I am more flat footed.
A deeper inset from a taller heel and steel shank tall vibram sole boots work better for me especially in gaffs.

 

[lxskllr]

Last time I was with Mike we were talking about spurs, and he was surprised I've never had an uncomfortable arch. That part of the spur has always been great for me. Well, aside from the time I didn't mention where I used ultra light, and micro thin soled boots. Those hurt quick, but don't count cause they weren't for climbing. That was a one-off when I had something to do at work, and they were the only boots available. I knew they were gonna hurt. They made great rope boots though. The rubber was soft, and really grabbed onto branches. They wore out fast, but I wouldn't mind getting another pair for ropework.

 

[Kaveman]

OK. Here's Kaveman's take on it...

I can climb in spurs in tennis shoes, but that's because I've spent years playing around on ladders painting houses. Same arch pressure. I don't stomp my gaffs in often, because I don't like the pulling on my knee when it's time to extract. My doc Martin's have absolutely no shank, and a 3/8in heel.

Not all Vibram is created equally. My docs have Vibram soles, with no grip on ANYTHING. I can't stop a shopping cart in Walmart without sliding in the stupid things.

Whites have nice shanks, sturdy construction, and good grip. I also like a boot that goes up my calf aways, and lends at least the idea of support.

Heel height hasn't ever bothered me much, but I've spent a lot of time in shit-kickers and believe it or not, lots of old school bikers liked a good heel on their boots to keep them on the pegs.

Maybe my opinion on footwear is biased, but I like leather, in black, and tough. That's about my whole criteria.