Replies

1. 
   jimblodgett | Jul 21, 2006 07:21pm | #1

   Those are batterboards made and sold by Rousseau, Sphere.  The same company that makes mitersaw stands and such.  They sent me a set to review when someone told them I was writing an article about batterboards, but they arrived several months too late.

   After a couple years, I still haven't tried them, but here're my thoughts - like a lot of tools, they'd be great if you spent a lot of time setting up or moving batterboards - for examp;e, many years ago I was 1/3 of the "layout crew" for a large shopping mall, and there were MANY days two of us spent shooting in lines for footings, piers, pilings...on and on.  Over the course of 6 months I easilly installed hundreds of batterboards.

   But for the occasional batterboard to pour house or addition footings?  A few stakes (steel or wood depending on terrain) and a couple 2x4s will do just fine.  And for a larger project, a whole house say, you'd need quite a few sets. 

   These manufactured batterboatds still fasten to the ground with stakes, so how are they gonna be any "better" than the same stakes supporting wood in a case like yours?

   Anyways, just my opinion.

   Tipi, Tipi, Tipi!

   http://www.asmallwoodworkingcompany.com

   
   

   ---

   Edited 7/21/2006 12:26 pm ET by jimblodgett

1. 
   Sphere | Jul 21, 2006 07:30pm | #2

   Well, I just thought from the pic in mag. that they were something that attached to rebar or holypins driven in the ground.

   Getting wood stakes in here will be a headache and being as I am slow, they might have to stay set for quite awhile, with the strings retied as needed.

   I guess it was more out of curiosty than need.

   I can picture a sub article, with a listing of "stuff used'' in some of the subjects of HFBs articles, such as Batter Board doo-dads, by xyz co. com 2 for 20$ . Or some such info.  I guess that would border on too much ad space not paid for tho.

   Thanks, Jim.

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   " I am not an Activist, I am, a Catalyst. I lay around and do nothing, until another ingredient is added"

1. 
   timkline | Jul 21, 2006 08:12pm | #3

   http://www.mikestools.com/4004-Rousseau-Batter-Board-System-4-Pak.aspx

   $16 each

    carpenter in transition

1. 
   Sphere | Jul 21, 2006 08:23pm | #6

   I see they attach to wood, so that is out. Thanks.

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   " I am not an Activist, I am, a Catalyst. I lay around and do nothing, until another ingredient is added"

2. 
   MikeSmith | Jul 21, 2006 08:16pm | #4

   duane... if i  had to set batters on rock.... i'd drill in some  ( three ) rebar pegs

   stand up some  ( three )  2x4 legs and clinch them to the rebar stubs...

    

    throw in two diagonal braces,   nail on my batter boards,  and i'd be doneMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

1. 
   Sphere | Jul 21, 2006 08:21pm | #5

   That was my plan to begin with. I've done it many times in the past in solid red shale in Pa. here it is solid limestone..about the same level of difficulty.

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   " I am not an Activist, I am, a Catalyst. I lay around and do nothing, until another ingredient is added"

2. 
   BossHog | Jul 21, 2006 08:29pm | #7

   I once used somethign like that. They were made out of aluminum, and had a hole on each end for a metal stake. There was also a scale on them, marked out in inches - Great for moving a line over 1/4" or whatever.

   Unfortunately, they didn't belong to me and I don't know what brand they were. But they sure were slick.

   This week Democrats raised $26 million in soft money. They raised this money to try and stop this kind of thing. [Jay Leno]
1. 
   Sphere | Jul 21, 2006 08:32pm | #8

   Well, "I have a welder, and I ain't afraid to use it" LOL

   Might just get inspired now to use up some scrap steel and pipe parts outta the shed.

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   " I am not an Activist, I am, a Catalyst. I lay around and do nothing, until another ingredient is added"

1. 
   SamT | Jul 21, 2006 09:50pm | #9

   Nail blocks to the limestone. Attach legs and braces to blocks.

   "How do I nail to stone?" you may ask.

   Good question, Duane. (|:>)

   Hold block in place with foot, drill thru block into stone with 1/4" masonry bit, drive 2 16d commons into hole in wood/stone.

   You may curse when removing nails. You will curse then if you don't wear jacket and safety glasses. Use good 4' crowbar, cheap ones will break.SamT

1. 
   Sphere | Jul 21, 2006 10:14pm | #10

   Good thinking. I can even nail to the tree roots on the other end.

   You gotta remember how BIG that tree is out front. Just imagine the roots.

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   " I am not an Activist, I am, a Catalyst. I lay around and do nothing, until another ingredient is added"

1. 
   jimblodgett | Jul 21, 2006 11:07pm | #11

   Or drill that same 1/4" hole, insert a 16d sinker all the way and drive another right beside it in the same hole - it will only go about 1/2 way before bending over.  Bend it over completely. 

   Those two nails will hold until you use a cat's paw to semi straighten the bent over nail, then pull it with a wrecking bar, which will leave that first sinker alone in a 1/4" hole and easy as pie to lift out when you pick the board up off the ground.

   Alternative method is with one 16d sinker and one 8d duplex nail, but it depends on hor hard the stone (or concrete) you're fastening to is.

    Tipi, Tipi, Tipi!

   http://www.asmallwoodworkingcompany.com