Office of Steam Logo_1

Author Topic: Collections I didn't even know I had ... Pt. 2  (Read 398 times)

  • Global Moderator
  • Engineer
  • *****
  • Posts: 5159
  • Wherever you go ......... there you are!
  • Location: Eastern Sierra
Collections I didn't even know I had ... Pt. 2
« on: July 09, 2019, 12:55:26 pm »
Once again inspired, or at least reminded, by one of Lenn's (Pitchy) posts, I realized that I had quite an assortment of "leveling devices" to which I'd never previously assigned the moniker of "collection", as I'd always consider them to be associated parts of other collections that I have intentionally made, but thanks to Lenn, I may now appreciate them as collections in their own right if I so choose!

As a minor fractional part of what I formerly only considered to be my Surveying collection, I'll offer up this assortment of Plumb Bobs, which likely only constitutes a fraction of the total I possess, with well over a dozen more in assorted instrument cases and field kits strewn throughout my various storage scenarios.

Other than the first one which is just a well used and abused Bob, of only moderate age, those on the left are likely quite old, while those on the right are probably only half a century or so, up to relatively modern.

Here then are Plumb Bobs:





"Information is not knowledge, Knowledge is not wisdom, Wisdom is not truth, Truth is not beauty, Beauty is not love, Love is not music: Music is THE BEST...   
Wisdom is the domain of the Wis (which is extinct). Beauty is a French phonetic corruption of a short cloth neck ornament currently in resurgence..."
F. Zappa ... by way of Mary, the girl from the bus.

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 652
  • Location: Minnesota
Re: Collections I didn't even know I had ... Pt. 2
« Reply #1 on: July 09, 2019, 01:01:19 pm »
Very nice plumb bobs, indeed.  8)

  • Global Moderator
  • Engineer
  • *****
  • Posts: 5159
  • Wherever you go ......... there you are!
  • Location: Eastern Sierra
Re: Collections I didn't even know I had ... Pt. 2
« Reply #2 on: July 09, 2019, 02:19:03 pm »
I will say that the little silver plumb bob in the center is out of a K&E convertible "Y" level from 1926, while the three to the left of it are likely quite a bit older. The small one second from left with the ogival, rather than straight, taper may well be from way back when.
"Information is not knowledge, Knowledge is not wisdom, Wisdom is not truth, Truth is not beauty, Beauty is not love, Love is not music: Music is THE BEST...   
Wisdom is the domain of the Wis (which is extinct). Beauty is a French phonetic corruption of a short cloth neck ornament currently in resurgence..."
F. Zappa ... by way of Mary, the girl from the bus.

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1077
  • Location: Gahanna, Ohio
Re: Collections I didn't even know I had ... Pt. 2
« Reply #3 on: July 09, 2019, 02:51:58 pm »
A very nice collection of plumb bobs for sure - I still have the two I used on a surveying crew fifty-five or so years ago which look a lot like the one on the right.
Regards,
Larry

  • Global Moderator
  • Engineer
  • *****
  • Posts: 5159
  • Wherever you go ......... there you are!
  • Location: Eastern Sierra
Re: Collections I didn't even know I had ... Pt. 2
« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2019, 02:45:08 pm »
Cool Larry, did you have any enjoyable or interesting experiences while afield? Surveying can be very interesting, even exciting, which is perhaps why they call it a "Survey Party?" (NOT), or it can be deadly dull. Hope you at least got to see some nice country!
"Information is not knowledge, Knowledge is not wisdom, Wisdom is not truth, Truth is not beauty, Beauty is not love, Love is not music: Music is THE BEST...   
Wisdom is the domain of the Wis (which is extinct). Beauty is a French phonetic corruption of a short cloth neck ornament currently in resurgence..."
F. Zappa ... by way of Mary, the girl from the bus.

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1077
  • Location: Gahanna, Ohio
Re: Collections I didn't even know I had ... Pt. 2
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2019, 03:30:55 pm »
I spent three summers during college working for a civil engineering outfit that was heavy into designing the end of the interstate highway era, making changes and bringing up to date older plans on projects that were left to the end here in Ohio. Later in life did some short term work (three or four months) at Ashland Pipeline (actually Ohio River Pipeline to be precise) laying out a route for a new 8" pipeline through southern Ohio with the district superintendent and a couple of engineers - very interesting at times but we had a good time in general. Civil engineering was my chosen field but never rose any higher than doing an engineering assistant's work as everything was pretty well done design wise and work was hard to come by in the early 70's around here. Oh, and my least favorite experience was standing behind the instrument man in the middle of the northbound lanes of I-71facing traffic with only a survey crew working sign to slow drivers down which they didn't - it was more than a little nerve wracking.
Regards,
Larry

  • Global Moderator
  • Engineer
  • *****
  • Posts: 5159
  • Wherever you go ......... there you are!
  • Location: Eastern Sierra
Re: Collections I didn't even know I had ... Pt. 2
« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2019, 04:42:12 pm »
Sound familiar in many ways, but at least you survived it, and have some stories to tell as well !

Please feel free to share any stories from the Survey Parties that you attended?!?!   ;c)
"Information is not knowledge, Knowledge is not wisdom, Wisdom is not truth, Truth is not beauty, Beauty is not love, Love is not music: Music is THE BEST...   
Wisdom is the domain of the Wis (which is extinct). Beauty is a French phonetic corruption of a short cloth neck ornament currently in resurgence..."
F. Zappa ... by way of Mary, the girl from the bus.

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4122
  • Location: Plano, Texas
Re: Collections I didn't even know I had ... Pt. 2
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2019, 07:15:31 am »
Another great collection!

Thanks for another excellent thread.

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2529
  • Location: Jutland
    • www.SteamUp.dk
Re: Collections I didn't even know I had ... Pt. 2
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2019, 03:42:01 pm »
They´re so cool...

Thanks Daniel, didn´t even know i needed a vintage Plumb Bob collection, i do now  8)
Cheers
Jan
WEBSITE: SteamUp YOUTUBE: SteamUp

  • Global Moderator
  • Engineer
  • *****
  • Posts: 5159
  • Wherever you go ......... there you are!
  • Location: Eastern Sierra
Re: Collections I didn't even know I had ... Pt. 2
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2019, 03:45:31 pm »
They´re so cool...

Thanks Daniel, didn´t even know i needed a vintage Plumb Bob collection, i do now  8)

I didn't know I wanted a plumb bob collection either Jan ... in fact I didn't really want or intend to have one, they just sort of snuck in while I was collecting other things!
"Information is not knowledge, Knowledge is not wisdom, Wisdom is not truth, Truth is not beauty, Beauty is not love, Love is not music: Music is THE BEST...   
Wisdom is the domain of the Wis (which is extinct). Beauty is a French phonetic corruption of a short cloth neck ornament currently in resurgence..."
F. Zappa ... by way of Mary, the girl from the bus.