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Marking semi-permanent control points on masonry
Posted by fobos8 on January 28, 2022 at 8:22 amHi guys
I’ve been doing a lot of building surveys recently and it would be really helpful to mark points on external windows cills/sills. I’d then like to set a ground tripod like the one below over the point and measure it with a robot.
Where I live lots of the cill are either concrete or granite and unfortunately are often wet! I’m struggling to think of a way to mark a point like an “x” or an “o” on the cill. Anyone got an idea? I don’t know of a pen that works in damp.
Cheers, Andrew
chris-bouffard replied 2 years, 2 months ago 15 Members · 20 Replies- 20 Replies
Thanks party chief
The Milwaukee Inkzall marker is one of the best I’ve used. Works pretty well on damp surfaces and the tip is very tough.
Great ideas above. Beats my idea by a factor of 100. I was going to suggest a center punch and an 8-lb (3.64-kg) sledge hammer, ???? ???? ????
Probably not a good idea.
@jim-frame what is it? If it is pencil how it will write in wet surfaces?
Rechargeable electric hammer drill with 1/4 and 5/8 inch diameter drill bits so you can set a MAG nail
I couldn’t tell you how many hundreds of X’s I’ve Scribed into concrete in my construction days. Almost every day. All it took was a plumb bob tip and the straight side of a hub… As apposed to the curved side???????? a couple distance calls in the field book to things around it and it’s permanent.
thanks again guys for the answers.
I normally have sds drill bits with me on site to help me encourage survey nails into concrete. I found that the tungsten tip of the sds bit is really great at scribing into concrete.
- Posted by: @jed
I couldn’t tell you how many hundreds of X’s I’ve Scribed into concrete in my construction days. All it took was a plumb bob tip . . .
Me too. Also used my bob to dig in hardpan and gravelly clay. But doing so wears down the bob tip so it needs regular replacement. Oh, also forgot playing “quickdraw” where you whip out yer bob from its holster by the string yoyo style at a target on a tree.
I’d be wary of scribing crosses on window sills, could be liable for damages by an irate tenant. If necessary I’d scribe it subtly and rub the ejecta into the grooves so only a surveyor could recover it and a quick whisk would reveal the cross. Clearly the tungsten pen is the right tool for the job. They’re handy for shooting beer cans in one gulp too ????.
- Posted by: @robertusa
Rechargeable electric hammer drill with 1/4 and 5/8 inch diameter drill bits so you can set a MAG nail
For setting a “monument” anybody still drill a small hole in concrete (usually sidewalk or curb), then pack sponge lead into the hole with a hammer and tack a brass tag into it? There’s enough slop in the lead hole you can mark the gnat’s ass spot with a bob or optical plummet to drive the tack. Quite common around here (in the past?) and noted as “Set L&T w/Tag # LS12345” on maps.
In NZ lead plugs were standard practice until expansion nails and battery drills with hammer action came in, much better holding and easier to install.
If you want to levels leave the dome proud but for longevity I drill the hole and then run the drill bit around the top of the hole at 45?ø so that the dome gets hammered flush with concrete.
I have used a small piece of soapstone to make a temporary mark, I doesn’t last really long but I do like the white color. It can be shaped easily to make a different thickness of lines. I have also worked it into old rusty control if I am having any issues seeing the marks through the plummet.
This is what we have been using for years on curbs. Extruded curbs have too much aggerate to chisel so we started using a grinder. Makes a clean X that on most any material.
@johnymal I was going to suggest the same tool, it’s not a pen, it’s a scribe that you can use to etch your mark in the sill. I wouldn’t use any type of marker that will draw attention to your point, people get uptight about that kind of stuff. An etching will hold up over time but other ink type markings will fade.
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