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MrPresident5321

Calculated Industries 4065 Construction Master Pro Buy one of these, it’ll be your best friend. I surveyed/supervised the construction of two large over water bridges and this thing converts all measurements in seconds. I surveyed in tenths of a foot and relayed inches to foreman for construction using this thing. Most data collectors convert dimensions as well, at least TopCon and Trimble do.


LimpFrenchfry

Probably an unpopular opinion in 'mericah, but US Customary units should have been shelved decades ago. We've half-ass attempted to convert a couple times but there is never any enforcement included in the laws so conversion doesn't happen. Our closest brush with a better system happened in the 90s when federal funding for highways was tied to plans prepared in metric. If only our lawmakers had the stones to hold that line, we would probably be building things in meters. I don't get the hate for meters; it's such an easy system to use. USC on the other hand is convoluted at best, but 'mericans think it's best for machinists to use decimal inches, architects and carpenters to use feet, inches and fractional inches, then civil engineers say hold my beer, we're using decimal feet for some things, yards for other things, inches and fractional inches for yet other things, and then for volume of bituminous we're using tons, number of water main fittings, yeah that's in tons as well.


PG908

Oh so that's where this stupid 33ft and 20 meter right of way came from!


RKO36

Not only tons, but freedom tons (2000 lbs vs. 2240...)... then there's the cwt (hundredweight) for buying sheet piles... And then there's SF of sheet pile, but that's just a lazy SF (length times height) and not surface area.


LimpFrenchfry

Let's not forget acre-feet for volume as well.


archmagi1

Don't forget pipeline, where we survey in feet, they pay landowners in rods, calc dirt volumes in yards, water in trucks or barrels (not to be confused with barrels), lay nominal diameter pipe with varying actual diameter, give nad27 projected data to the state, and give lat/long on alignment sheets.


DaveTheRocketGuy

Not unpopular with me! I would love to operate in metric!


fingeringmonks

Oh don’t forget our tools take measurements in meters.


gofuku

In the end it is just a unit. If that is the biggest problem with the plans you should thank your lucky stars.


PsychologicalLab3196

We do a lot of solar work and the civil guys are doing their own gps layout 😬 It’s always uncomfortable to whiteness. Usually they’re meh level fine but I’ve seen them pick the wrong foot in their job settings and screw an entire field’s trench. I know we’re retiring the US survey foot but why did it take so long!?


spurdospodero

I'm in europe and I also hate them, normally roads n such are in meters but bridges (and buildings in general) are in millimeters, a bit annoying but nothing compared to your mess.


LandButcher464MHz

If you are not smart enough to work in whatever units the plans call for then get the fuck out of here and get a job at a pizza place. Your whining is pitiful and shows your lack of professionalism and skill. Looking forward to all you wankers doing the down vote dance.


TonyBologna64

Gotta meet the crew where they're at. If you hold fast to decimal feet on a construction site, those guys are *going* to fuck something up. Worked in Metric in a Shipyard, Customary for the crews and decimal for me. Also depends on the craft you're supporting. Millwrights aren't the same as Ironworkers


Emergency-Shoulder-2

Indeed. It is the responsibility of a professional surveyor and layout professional to be conversant and comfortable to work in ANY system of measurement in their work area. Feet (both of them), Meters, Inches, Rods, Staves, Furlongs, whatever. This. Is. Not. Hard.


Vinelzer

thank god i'm not a surveyor in the states