Learning About Benchmarking

[+Stonedust]

I've been out four times now, finding benchmarks, learning a bit each time, and enjoy it in combination with geocaching. I've learned about bringing Brillo pads, Brasso, emery paper, and sulfuric acid to clean all those little brass discs! I did notice that hitting the brass, and pounding them back into the rock laves some fair dents. Wonder how others do it?

 

Now that I've got people's attention, and knowing there are people out there who would love benchmarking, how about beginning a beginners thread on here, maybe go through some of the learning points?

 

Like geocaching, benchmarking seems to be able to develop into a lifetime event. No matter where you travel, they are hidden somewhere around you. They aren't easy, for the most part to find, are usually in interesting, scenic, or challenging terrain, and the list is endless. There is no rush to finish them, but are sorta like eating potato chips. It's hard to stop!

 

Now I've been lucky. For three of my jouneys the company of John Snyder, aka Spoo, and he's been an interesting hiking companion. I've learned a lot, know I've got a lot to learn, and enjoyed the conversation. He covered all the fine points of the first paragraph! But, I could have just as easily gone out on my own, and not understood what is good and bad.

[Bill93]

I hope the intended humor in your first paragraph is obvious to all newcomers and they take it as a list of things to not do.

 

Welcome to the hobby. I'm itching to get back out and do some serious hunting, but life seems to get in the way lately. I logged a few "me too" stations on my recent business trip, but haven't done any serious work in much too long.

[evenfall]

I've been out four times now, finding benchmarks, learning a bit each time, and enjoy it in combination with geocaching. I've learned about bringing Brillo pads, Brasso, emery paper, and sulfuric acid to clean all those little brass discs! I did notice that hitting the brass, and pounding them back into the rock laves some fair dents. Wonder how others do it?

 

Stonedust,

 

Well, I can say that everyone has to start somewhere. There are 3 pinned topics at the top of this forum, and I would suggest reading all three to learn about this. In addition, we have already written volumes about everything in this forum, so if you are a hardy reader, all of the Forum Content is archived so feel free to look back through it. Each members posts can be looked up as well if you find a particular writer or 10 here who you feel you can learn a lot from.

 

You may find that after touching base with a lot of that, the Battery Acid and Brasso are likely not things you really need. Hunting these things is a lot more about Brains than brawn. If you can come up with the riddle of why some here use Cornstarch for hunting benchmarks, you will have probably combed through a lot of other useful knowledge.

 

I can tell you this much, around here, we learn something new every day. That is how a lot of others do it and a long journey begins with the first step.

 

Good Luck,

 

Rob

[+Black Dog Trackers]

Stonedust -

 

What you ask is what this is for.

 

There is also this pinned topic to provide more such information.