I needed a transit to do some construction lines and elevations and ended up buying a used Topcon GTS-1 “guppy” (maybe overkill, but it cost less than a new transit). Came out of a college surplus so I know it’s not stolen.
As long as I have the thing, I’d like to futz around on some of my land with triangulation (as much a hobby as anything). Can anyone recommend a good and not too expensive book that could get me started?
Also, anyone have any documentation for the guppy? I’d be happy to reimburse reasonable expenses for copying and postage.
Thanks in advance.
“Let’s get crack-a-lackin” — Adam Carolla
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If you ever want to learn engineering. find a used book store and get you some of those leather books from the early 20's and 30's before calculators. they are written in a ten grade level and easy to follow. I got whole bookcase full and didnt pay over $5 a book
Thanks Brownbagg. That's a good idea. Ten grade level sounds about right. ;-)
You gave me another idea too. I might have to dig out my old library card and see if I can get enough dust off it to make it work. ;-)
Thanks again.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
RE the owner's manual, you might want to contact Topcon. Seems like a very reptuable company and I can't hardly imagine they wouldn't help you:
http://www.topconpositioning.com/
Thanks Matt. I think I will write Topcon. I think they're an HK company so I figured it would just take forever, but they have to have local sales offices.
Thanks again.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
I buy alot of out dated textbooks at Half.com $100 books has cheap as $5
Is it a model that would take a data recorder (DR) and electronic distance measurement (EDM)? I've used several Topcon recorders, but not their theos. A DR allows you to download info directly to your computer and manipulate and print what you need.
You may want to check the gun and see if it's calibrated. Engineering rental stores usually will refurb a gun to specs for a reasonable price. Be careful trying that on your own. You can FU and not even know it untill a bad lay-out happens.
As far as books, Brown is usually the best. Can't remember the titles. Get in touch with a local surveyor or your Community College. They usually have a course in surveying and can reccomend books. Your state has a certification course and test for surveyors that usually has a study list.
It's not rocket surgery. Just basic geometery. If you learn to use coordinates (X,Y) you could lay out every corner of a slab from one set-up. Get a good calc too.
Never can tell. You might wanna change careers and become a "scur-veyor." ;-)
Thanks for the info Tom. It's Topcon's first total station so it does have EDM but not really integrated into the theodolite like with a modern total station; just kinda there. No data recorder (other than my pencil). I anticipate programming a laptop to make it a fingers-on-the-keyboard calc. and data transfer total station. ;-) (as a quick and dirty option, another thought was to load turbocad on a laptop and "noodle" the triangles by drawing the vectors and letting turbocad do the calc. as part of the "drawing" process)
I may get it calibrated locally if I find it's worth it. Don't plan on doing any "real" surveying (just kinda checking things and futzing around for now) and for layout, far as I can tell it's accurate enough to beat a transit and at least match my autolevel. I'll definitely take your advice and not try to adjust the thing myself. ;-)
The study list is a good idea. I'll look into that. I'm good with basic trig., very rusty on law of sines/cosines and clueless as far as strategy of picking control points and being efficient. Putting your suggestion together with Brownbagg's, I might be able to put together a decent reference shelf from used books without breaking the bank. ;-)
I actually did toy with the idea of maybe getting into surveying -- seems pretty interesting and I'd think it would have a good mix of field/office. But from what I can tell, doesn't pay more than a carp's pay and there's a lot of expensive schooling needed to get the license. Maybe if I enjoy futzing with the guppy enough, I'll reconsider. ;-)
Thanks again.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
Check with your local surveyors and see what your requirements are for a RPLS (registered professional land surveyor). Some states require a certain amount of college credits, others just that you pass the test, and have had "responsible control of a crew."
With GPS and new EDM technology, one man may do the work of an old timey four man crew. It could be a good fall back item if building slows down, as surveys are needed for all types of construction, and even law enforcement. With your construction experience, you could lay out slabs quicker than a form crew, complete with BM's and offsets. I've done it all, so I can speak from experience.
Keep us posted on how it turns out.
Elementary Surveying by Russel Brinker and Paul Wolf
>>"Elementary Surveying by Russel Brinker and Paul Wolf
Holy cow you guys are good.
I just bought a copy on half.com for 84 cents plus $3 something shipping. 1989 edition (new enough for me). Less than 5 bucks total.
Thanks to all.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
I have that book, seventh edition 1984 but if you want a good book. Surveying, Breed and Hosmer 1908
>>"Surveying, Breed and Hosmer 1908
I found a copy on ebay (not the 1908 edition, but I'll take what they have). I put a bid in.
The half.com you recommended is fantastic. Textbooks for pennies on the dollar.
Thanks again.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
after I posted the half.com to you last night, I bought three more books and a Ana popovic CD.
Edited 5/31/2006 6:37 pm by brownbagg
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That Mechanical Engineers Handbook is priceless. Still got mine on a shelf somewhere...your pic brought back memories of starting out in drafting and mechanical a whooooole bunch of years ago.
-Norm
Couldn't think of'em but both are exellent, but not current.
Two good ones that I still have are:
Seven Place Natural Tables-Ives, 7th printing 1966
Rail Road Curves & Earthwork-Allen, 1931. Used by the fledgling USGS to lay out all of the horizontal and vertical control for the USA.
Look for "Mathmetics of Land Surveying." Can't remember the writer.
>>"Surveying, Breed and Hosmer
Won the auction on ebay. $1.99 + shipping. Great stuff.
Funny story you and Tom would likely get a chuckle from. Started rechecking accuracy by plunging the thing back and forth several times at a distant target (church steeple about a mile away). Horizontal is dead on better than my eye can see, vertical seemed off by about 1'30".
So after plunging it a few more times and not really getting too far trying to calculate a columnation offset, I decided to tweak the tribrach to see if I could figure better how much offset was needed; angle didn't change -- the stupid thing is compensated. ;-) (at least it is very consistent). For turning angles, it's easy to dial in the offset. For elevation angles, I might get the thing calibrated. Too much arithmetic otherwise. ;-)
PS: quite a library you got going there. All you need is the young blond librarian. ;-)
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
Edited 6/2/2006 7:04 pm ET by philarenewal