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Calipers vs D-tape

Started by wmrussel, July 03, 2013, 06:26:23 PM

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wmrussel

I'm interested to see if there is a region of the nation which prefers one to the other.
My name is William, but people call me Pete.  Long story......

Ron Wenrich

D tape.  Fits in a pocket or pouch, and I feel its a more accurate measurement.  You can throw a bias by using a biltmore stick or a caliper. 
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chevytaHOE5674

Ditto to what Ron said. Calipers get big and awkward to carry around all day, especially a pair that can measure large trees.

celliott

I prefer a D tape myself, the self retracting ones with the nail are real handy on big trees.
With that being said, the summer cruising job I'm going to be starting, the company specifies we use calipers.
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ashes

D-tape

I would be in bad shape if I had to carry calipers big enough to measure some of the trees around here. In the 14-16 year old stands we have had to cruise though the calipers could be handy.

Ron brings up a good point about the bias. I hadn't thought about that but trees aren't that round a lot of the time. In fact I wonder sometimes about the limiting distance tables. Say I determine a tree out from a prism or relascope, but its dbh is large enough given the limiting distance. Cases like that are almost always within the allowable tolerance, but I wonder what the appropriate call would be. Strict limiting distance or how the plot is viewed from plot center. I guess I should ask :D

beenthere

Quote from: celliott on July 03, 2013, 10:47:36 PM
I prefer a D tape myself, the self retracting ones with the nail are real handy on big trees.
With that being said, the summer cruising job I'm going to be starting, the company specifies we use calipers.

The digital calipers furnished ??   ;D
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WDH

D-tape.  My favorite set-up is a 75' loggers tape where one side is in tenths of feet and the other side of the tape is a diameter tape.  Like Celliott said, the retracting feature is nice.
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Ron Scott

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enigmaT120

Quote from: WDH on July 04, 2013, 07:26:16 AM
D-tape.  My favorite set-up is a 75' loggers tape where one side is in tenths of feet and the other side of the tape is a diameter tape.  Like Celliott said, the retracting feature is nice.

I need to get one of those, like a Spenser.  Right now I use a Biltmore stick, but I'm not a pro cruiser so I'm just measuring my own trees.

Ed Miller
Falls City, Or

pappy19

I voted D-Tape but.... if the majority of the timber is 16" or less, calipers or a stick will do fine. Larger timber is much more prone to be off with calipers. Equally important is height measurements, so what is everyone using now?  Seems to me one could use a good range finder for distance and be alot more accurate on tree heights. Thoughts?
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petefrom bearswamp

Trees that aren't perfectly round in MHO aren't an issue unless we are doing very accurate scientific measurements.
My timber cruising and timber marking days have been over for quite a while now, but any volumes that i offered for sale on competitive bid were estimates only.
The differences?  IMO again were in height estimates as I measured dbh on the thick and thin sides  for diameter...
As my old boss at the NYS dec many years ago said.
It doesn't matter whether you are over or under in volume estimate as long as you are consistent.
I used a cruising stick and occasionally a d tape sticking a few trees for height (log length) in the AM and then estimating thereafter.
Did however use a set of calipers in 1962- 63 measuring NS in plantations.
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wmrussel

My work is checked, so a d-tape is a must for consistency between check cruisers and cruisers.  For height measurements, I use a laser hypsometer.  Up until 2011 I used a clinometer (electronic or regular) and loggers tape to pull the distance.  I generally shoot a height on every plot.  Some exceptions apply, of course.
My name is William, but people call me Pete.  Long story......

enigmaT120

I tried to use a clinometer for tree height, but my eyes don't both focus on the same object.  It's like lazy eye or something.  Maybe if I played with one long enough I could use it, for example if I tried moving my head a little so my right eye could look through the clinometer, then over to see the tree top. 
Ed Miller
Falls City, Or

wmrussel

Quote from: enigmaT120 on July 09, 2013, 12:34:12 PM
I tried to use a clinometer for tree height, but my eyes don't both focus on the same object.  It's like lazy eye or something.  Maybe if I played with one long enough I could use it, for example if I tried moving my head a little so my right eye could look through the clinometer, then over to see the tree top. 

I'd say a digital clinometer might solve that problem.  I think they're about $200 now.  They've gotten fancy. 
My name is William, but people call me Pete.  Long story......

enigmaT120

I actually found an ap for my Android tablet that measures the angle the tablet is tilted at...  but I haven't played with it to actually measure tree height.  I still need to measure the distance to the tree and set that up.  The ap does the trig.

Ed Miller
Falls City, Or

pappy19

Quote from: enigmaT120 on July 11, 2013, 01:34:53 PM
I actually found an ap for my Android tablet that measures the angle the tablet is tilted at...  but I haven't played with it to actually measure tree height.  I still need to measure the distance to the tree and set that up.  The ap does the trig.

What is the name of that app?
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clearcut

There are a number of clinometer and height measurement app on the Google Play store. Search for "clinometer" or "measure height". Both are names of apps and included in descriptions of other apps. Some display the angle of the device only. Others use the phone's camera to sight the top, sight the bottom, and calculate the angle.

I had good luck with an Android app named GeoCam (Free and Pro versions available).  I have also used Theodolite (free and paid versions available) on iOS. Both have a bit of a learning curve.

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enigmaT120

It says "Baumhoehenmesser."  It looks like it's in German.  That could be a problem for me.  What the heck is Winkel?  Ah, angle.  It has English instructions.
Ed Miller
Falls City, Or

hackberry jake

Quote from: enigmaT120 on July 12, 2013, 12:25:16 PM
It says "Baumhoehenmesser."  It looks like it's in German.  That could be a problem for me.  What the heck is Winkel?  Ah, angle.  It has English instructions.
Now you know how the rest of us feel when you use words like "clinometer".
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enigmaT120

That was good.  But wmrussel used the word before me.

Ed Miller
Falls City, Or

WDH

At least he did not mention a Haga Altimeter  :-\. 
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hackberry jake

someone did mention a "laser hypsometer". I remember seeing one of those in star wars. I try to use my flux capasitor for diameter and my warp drive for tree height. just don't throw the diameteric densinominomator in the box with the algebraic nucloid and you'll be alright
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EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

WDH

The only hypsometer that I used had a ball of string in it, not a laser.  But then again, I am in the South and not as advanced as the Northern Types on here  :).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

hackberry jake

Not as advanced? I imagin meeting you and you saying "could you please oblige my will and transfer to my filanges one hexagonal torque multiplying device of the denominational value 5,625 ten thousands of one imperial unit" instead of saying "hey, toss me the 9/16". And probably in a british accent as well. Dont know why  ;D
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

giant splinter

I prefer the D-tape, the 75 foot case with the 66 foot refill is a nice combo and it rolls up fast
roll with it

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