practical concrete-block making - forgotten books
TRANSCRIPT
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PRACTICAL
CONCRETE - B L O CK
MAKINGA SIMPLE PRACT ICAL TREAT ISE FOR THE WORKMAN
E$ PLAINING THE SELECTION OF T HE
MATERIALS AND THE MAKING
OF SUBSTANTIAL CONCRETE BLOCKS
AND CEMENT BRICK
TOGET HER WIT H
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BE§T o
éRCHlTECTURAL EFFECT S
B Y
CH ARLES PALLISER
Aumhor of Modern Cem ent S idewalk Construction,
” UsefulDetails,”
“Am erican Architecture,
”etc. , etc.
F U L L Y IL L U S T R A T E D
NEW YORK
INDUSTRIAL PUBLICATION COMPANY
1908
‘
coNTENTs
PAGEINIT RODUCT ORY
CHJMENT AND CONCRETE
B IL OCKS , MOLDS , AND MACHINES
DHRECT IO NS FOR MANUFACTURING CONCRETE BLOCKS
GIENERAL H INTS AND SUGGESTIONS
P (ORTLAND CEMENT—SAND BRICK
WOODEN MOLDS
AIRE ARCHITECTS AND B U ILDERS AGAINST THE USE OF
THE COMMON CONCRETE BLOCK,AND WHY$
S’II‘ANDARD SPECIFICATIONS FOR BLOCKS
TIEST ING HOLLOW CONCRETE BLOCKS
IN DE$
3 0 8 1 22
PREFACE
building has tempted many t o go in the business
of manufacturing blocks for a living,and unfort u
nately many have entered the field who are ignorant of
hOW a block should be made , and in consequence they turn
out bad blocks which soon crumble .
If the blame for such poor work was put on the maker,who$ is at fault , we would have nothing t o say , but the ver
dict , is usually against concrete blocks,thus making them
unpropular.
Im this little book the writer has tried t o put in simple
lang uage directions for making blocks , based upon an
experience of thirty years in concrete work .
IE this book Wi l l be a guide t o the workman , enabling
him t o turn out a good , substantial , concrete block , it
will. fulfi l l the wish of
THE rapid advance in the use of concrete block s for
T HE AUTHOR .
EILB ERON , N. J October 1 , 1908 .
PRACT ICAL
CONCRETE=B LOCK
MAKlNG
pressed into the form of stone blocks for building
work of al l descriptions promises to make a new
style of architecture,and the success or failure of the same
Willldepend in large measure on what the architects accept
orrej ect in their drawings and specifications as the best form
of b lock,or the putting together of this material and the
app earance given t o its face finish . The architects’ designs
and detai ls must govern these matters , and they , and they
alome,must be the educators of the public in such matters
of t aste and art,and not the block- machine m en
,or the
manufacturer of stone,or the contractor$ but so far it
wou ld app ear that the architects have in many sections
been rather slow in coming forward and the other gentle
m en have gone way ahead in this al l- important matter.
It is high time that the architects and building superin
tendent s of the country were alive to the situation , and
Whlerever they have been so , they have on hand far more
woa'k than they can attend to .
THE fast extending employment of concrete com
8 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
Concrete and other fireproof- building materials
,when
not fashioned aright,produce too much monotony
,but
it is absolutely true that in the hands of those who are
practi cal and skilled in design and construction,these
materials can be made t o yield architectural effects of the
greatest variety and beauty,as they are susceptible of
being produced in any design of face,color
,mold
,or shape
,
and in durability are far better than any sandstone,lime
stone,Or low- grade marble.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE
ONCRETE is the name given to a compact mass
of broken stone,gravel
,Cinders
,shel ls
,or other
suitable material joined together with mortar
and al lowed to harden . To prevent air spaces forming,
the concrete is firmly squeezed or rammed down or“ tamped
,
”as it is called .
The mortar used is generally composed of cement and
sand mix ed with water.
CEMENT is a preparation of clay and limestone,or
their equivalents,which has been placed in an oven or
kiln and subjected to an intense heat,the clay and lime
stone thereby being reduced to a crumbling mass which
is ground in a.mill to make it a uniform powder, when it
is known as cement . It possesses the property of harden
ing into a solid mass when moistened . The solid mass
being composed of m any sm all crystals,hence it is Often
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 9
mentioned about cement crystallizing or set,as it is
Cal led .
When a definite quantity of concrete is madeat onemix ing
,it is called a batch .
When concrete is tamped or rammed,it tends t o close
the spaces between the stones or whatever else is used for
the “ aggregate,
”and this would bring the water to the
surface . When concrete is mixed with so little water that
very hard ramming is required to'
fiush the water to the
surface,it is called a dry m ix
,
”and likewise when enough
water i s used so that little or no ramming is needed t o have
it flooded,it is called a “ wet m ix .
”
B LOCKS , MOLDS , AND MACH INES
N making concrete blocks the mixture of concrete is
p laced in a mold,so as to give the concrete shape
and make it into a block .
The sim plest arrangement is to have a common box into
which the concrete is placed and tamped down ,so that
‘
therewi ll be no air holes , the concrete thus forming a thor
oughly solid block .
After the concrete has been in the box for a week or ten
days , it is removed from the box or mold,and the result
is a block of artificial stone or, as it is called , a“ concrete
b lock .
”
If it simply depended on making a number of plain con
crete blocks, the above method would be sufficient .
10 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
The item for m aking molds would amount to quite a
good deal,hence one mold must do service for making a
large number of blocks . The molds must be substantial
and easily taken apart without j arring the concrete block
(which would be likely to make it crack) , so that they can
be used again in a short time for the manufacture of the
next block .
Wooden molds are the simplest t o make and they are
always used when anything out of the ordinary is called
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 1 1
for. For common blocks,cast- iron molds are used, as .
they stand hard,continuous usage . These are made so
that the sides may be opened and the block easi ly removed .
There aremany different kinds of these iron molds in the
m arket,and they arek nown as “ concrete- block machines ,
”
some being arranged with devices to do the tamping by
FIG . 2
pressure and the sides opening so that the block may be
easily removed . Fig . 1 shows one of these machines,and
this shows the general princip le on which allof the machines
are constructed .
Concrete blo cks are usually made of large size,so that
thelabor of building with them is lessened when compared
12 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
with bri ck. The most popular machines have adopted
the standard length of 16 and 24 inches , a height‘
of 9
inches,and a thickness of 8
,10
,and 12 inches. Small
,
solid concrete blocks,the size of brick
,are also made
,these
being used the same as bri ck . A machine for making
cement brick,
”as they are called,is shown in Fig . 2 . This
m achine is also used for the making of sand- lime brick .
Full particulars - about the various machines can be had
from the manufacturers , whose advertisements wi llbe found
in the various bui lding and cement papers$ therefore
we wi l l not give descriptions of machines,but instead wi l l
‘give directions for making wooden molds, as Often special
designs are wanted,and the concrete- block manufacturer
should know how to make the molds,so that hecan turn
out something more than just a mere plain block which
hem akes on his “ machine.
It is a wel l—known fact that a dead air space is a poor
conductor of heat,and this fact has been taken advantage
of in the manufacture Of blocks by making them hollow,
as in that way they also use less material and , being lighter
in weight than a solid block , are more easily handled .
Various forms of hollow blocks are shown in Fig . 3 . Prac
tically every form is made by a certain machine,and each
manufacturer declares some special advantages over al l
others for his particular form of block . Any one reading
the remarks in this book wi l l have no trouble in selecting
a machine suitable for his own class of work . Select a
machine with a good reputation and you will be sure to get
onethat wil l give satisfaction .
14 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
D IRECTIONS FOR MANUFACTURINGv CONCRETE B LOCKS
HE following -
:
specifications for the manufacture
of concrete blocks have in general been accepted .
SAND — Such as wi l l pass a screen of i- inch
mesh and is retained by a screen of No . 40 m esh . This
applies to bank , river, or beach sand , and t o crusherdust .GRAVEL .
— Such as comes from abank , river, or beach ,of such size asisretained by a screen having i¥incli
j
mesfhi
CRUSHED STONE — Such stone as is retained by a
i— inch screen .
BANK GRAVEL .
-Such as is obtained from a ‘
pit , cel
lar,river
,or beach
,containing both sand and
AGGREGATE .
'
— Any material , as broken
or such fragments used with Portland cement and sand
mortar in making concrete for the purpose of reducing
the cost and adding to the density and strength.
VOIDS .
— Space existing betWeen t part icles of sand ,crushed stone,= —or~
‘
O ther materials ofWhich$ : an aggregateis composed .
W
CEMENT — Any Port land cement , Ameri can or foreign,
that wi ll pass the tests required by the American Society
for Testing Materials .
QUALITY. .OF. .SAND.
— Must not
described,and must contain no clay or other soluble m at
ter. Crushed stone or gravel to be free from dirt,loam
,
or other foreign substance or rotten stone.
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 15
AMOUNT OF CEMENT .
— A correct concrete should
consist of sand and gravel or crushed stone , or a combina
tion of same,with an amount of cement equal to the voids ,
or,in other words. the interstices to be fi l led with cement .
Some block s aremade only with sand and cement $ these ,properly Speak ing
,cannot be called concreteblocks
,as
they are“ sand- cement blocks .”
If the concrete is of sand and gravel,such portion of
cement shal l be used with the sand that is equal t o thevoids in the sand
,and Sneh quantity of this mortar mix
ture shall be used with the crushed stone or gravel as wil l
fi l l al l voids in the latter.
The cement is t o fi l l the voids in the sand,and the m or
tar resulting is t o fi l l the voids in the aggregate.
DETERMINATION OF VOIDS .
— TO determine the
voids in the sand,or the materi al used as an aggregate ,
the “ water test” is employed . The sand or gravel used
must be bone dry .
A receptacle holding a known amount,such as a gallon
jar, is filled with the materials t o be tested , and into thisvessel is poured as much water as the sand or ot her mate
ri al wil l absorb . Measure the water,and the amount of
water absorbed indicates the voids,and also indicates the
exact am ount of cement which it is necessary to use in
order t o produce a dense,solid stone .
In making hol low blocks,if no gravel or broken stone
is used,this test gives the proportions of sandand cement
t o be used . Average sand wil l absorb about of
water, indicating that amount ofvoids , also that a propor
16 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
tion of 1 part of cement t o from 3 to 5 parts sand are
required t o make a solid block .
The proper selection of sand and aggregate is impor
tant,and the particles should vary in size so as t o redirce
the voids t o the smallest amount possible . With care in
this selection,t he amount of cement needed t o produce
best results is greatly lessened,provided that in the defin
ing of the - proportion of cement is meant a given m easure
of cement as oneportion,and that multiple of
”
that meas
ure of aggregates as properly combined,under the water
test,shal l determine the proportion . If found under the
test that 5 part s crushed stone or gravel wi l l take 3 por
t ions of sand to fil l the voids without increasm g the bulk ,and that 1 portion of cement shall fil l the remaining voids ,this proportion shall be a 1 — 3 — 5 m ixture .
MI$ ING — Aft er selecting the materials,
m ix them
together dry ,unti l of a uniform color$ then apply water
and repeat the thorough mixing , the amount of water t o
be as great as possible .
More care of the face p lates of any machine wi l l enable
the worker to use a wetter concrete than is usual ly em
ployed . Only such size of batch shall be mix ed as can be
used up in 30minutes from the time the water is added .
MANUFACTURING — The concrete should be p laced
in small quant ities,and tamping begun immediately and
continued unti l the mold is full . A small - faced tamper should
be used,and short
,quick
,sharp blows should be struck .
If faced blocks are made,use 2 parts sand and 1 part
cement for facing . Tamp the concrete wel l into the
18 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
Through the kindness of the Miracle Pressed Stone
Company Minneapolis,Figs . 4
,5,6,and aregiven
FIG . 5
which Show the operations very clearly .
Concrete blocks aremost econorrncally made by em p loy
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 19
ing three men , one t o do the mixing and the other two’
to
attend to the making of the block . However,the process .
is simple enough,so that two or even one man can do
the job .
mixture into the m old shown
FIG . 6
4,and tamped as shown In Fig . 5 . As soon as the mold
is full,it is floated off
,that is
,all the surplus material is
pushed off as shown in Fig . 6 , so that the top'
is level .
After this Operation the block has set enough so as t o
keep its shape if it is not j arred $ hence it is carefully
20 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
removed from the mold . T o do this the cores and sides
are removed and the block allowed t o rest on the bottom .
FIG . 7
The - sides are then formed together again and placed on a
new bottom , and the process repeated for the next block .
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 2 1
In the pictures the Miracle mold is shown,and this has
an iron bottom,the blocks being turned upside down
while in the m old on a tray or pal let made of boards of
the proper width and with two cleats t o keep it in shape,
and which also allow sufficient room for the fingers,so
that when putting it down it need not drop the least bit .
This pal let can be used to level the mix ture in the mold ,as shown in Fig. 6 , and then held in position whi le the
mold is being turned until the block rests on the pallet,
and the mold removed,and the block can then be carried
away , as shown in Fig . 7
Should any crack or defect appear in moving the
green” (freshly made) stone, throw the material back
into the batch and m ix it over again .
CURING — Aft er the block is made as above described,
it is important that it be properly cured,that is
,dried .
This is a process that takes time , as the concrete takes
time t o get its full strength . The time needed is about
as follows50% of strength in 7days65% 30
,
95% 6 months100% 1 year
Blocks should be made under cover and kept under
cover for at least 10 days , and protected from the sun
and dry currents Of air, which would tend t o dry the out
side Of the block first,causing unequal drying
,whi ch wi l l
m ake . a block the inside of which wi l l be in a poor condi
tion. No m att er how good a block is made, if it is poorly
cured , it isworthless.
22 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
T O prevent this rapid drying of the outside of the block
(which prevents the proper crystallization of the cement) ,they should be kept moist by gentle sprink ling , which
should be commenced as soon as the blocks wi l l bear it
without falling apart $ that is , wait until the cement has set
enough,so that it wil l prevent washing .
On a warm,dry day , they need moisture sooner than
on a rainy day . T o know just exactly how long t o wait
wi ll be learned by experience with the first few ‘blocks .
They should be kept wet for about 10 days at least,as it
gives time for the proper cry stallization of the cement .
When cement drys t oo quickly,the crystals are in the
form of l itt le balls , and , for the most strength , they should
be of the needle form ,which process needs moisture and
slow drying .
B locks should not be used unless they are at least one
month Old,and where they are subj ected to any consider
able weight , it is best to have a block Six months Old .
This subj ect of curing is an important one , and if you
haven’t the cash or credit to keep a three months’ supply
,
you had best not start in thebusiness , for you can be cer
tain of onething,and that is
,if you don’t turn out a good
,
reliable block , you will go out of business after a short
time .
Proper storage room should be provided for the blocks,
so that they wi l l be protected from the sun and dry winds
for the first few weeks of curing . Blocks can be safely
removed from the pallets in about three or four days . It
is necessary t o haveagood supply of thepallets on hand .
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 23
PLACING — In placing cement stone in the wal l,a soft
m ortar composed of cement and medium- screened sand
should'
be used—
a mortar that wi l l work greasy under. the
trowel,spread evenly on the bed
,and butter the ends of
blocks,so as t o make a solid and ful l set in all j oints . These
stones must be evenly and solidly set all round,so as to
have close bearings and contact .
COLORING — In using coloring matter,the color should
alway s be mixed with the cement dry , before any sand or
water is added . This'
m ix m g must be thorough , and the
color uniform . After being m ix ed dry ,use in the same way
as clear cement .
QUANTITY OF COLORING MATTER PER SACK OF
100 POUNDS OF PORTLAND CEMENT
CO LOR . DRY MATERIAL USED . WEIGH T O F CO LO R:
B lue slate Ult ramarine blue 4 lbs .B lack S late Ex celsior carbon black 2
Lampblack . . lbBrown Roasted iron ox ide . 6 lbs .Red Raw iron oxide 6 to 10 lbs.Bright red . Pompeiian red. 6 lbs .Yel low orbuff Yellow ochre . 6 to 10 lbs.
BONDING .
-For bonding together the inner and outer
wal l of the hollow block,use a material that wil l in
nowise be a conductor of the moisture from theoutside to
the inside $ concrete will not do under any circumstances .
The only pract ical material is galvanized iron . Of course
if concreteis used for thetie , then no claims can be made
24 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
that the inner wall wil l be moisture- proof,and it must be
first studded off and then lathed before the plastering can
be done.
In cases where the moisture (caused by the rain beating
against the Sides of the house) cannot penetrate t o the
inner wall,the plastering can be done directly on the
blocks .
WATERPROOFING.
— T O prevent the moisture,the
faces Of the block and mortar are painted over with a
waterproofing solution . A good one,called the Sylvester
Process of,
Waterproofing,is as follows
Wash the surface with a solution of three- quarters of
a pound of castile soap to every gallon of water. Apply
the solution hot,with a flat brush
,to the wall
,which must
be clean and dry . Let this remain twenty- four hours and
apply a solution of a half-
pound of alum to four gallons
of water$ this wash must also be applied hot . If at the
end Of another twenty - four hours the wal l absorbs mois
ture,repeat the two coats as before. Care should be taken
not t o have the soap solution froth whi le applying .
The use of milk of hydrated lime has been advocated
for concrete facing and mix ing,and is said to materi ally
add t o the strength and waterproofing qualities . Quick
lime is also advocated . It must be thoroughly slaked with
water and remain in the water for a day or two,so that
all p articles wi ll dissolve . It is then called milk of lime
and,after being poured through a very fine screen
,can be
readily.
used in the place of clear wat er for mixing the
facing, and will m ake the color of the stone whiter and
26 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
and form a stiff,homogeneous mass $ the bringing of the
m ixture t o theproper consistency is of great import ance .
In all instances the ex act portions of cement,sand
,gravel
or stone,and water should be ascert ained and decided on
in advance,and the same quantities used in making each
and every batch for bricks or blocks$ otherwise there wi l l
be a vari ation in the color and durability of the walls constructed . These m ix es vary in formula from 1 to 4 to 1 to
5,but the greater the amount of Port land cem ent added
,
the stronger wi ll the bri cks or blocks prove when cured .
The mix ing and tam ping must be thorough, but a rake
is'
the best tool to use to get the'
color uniform,and this
work can best be done by ex perts . NO ex act rules can be
given which would help one to understand just when the
ingredients are sufficiently incorporated , one with, theother
,but the mixing should be done t o secure a perfect
uniformity of material , and water should be added until
the massis plastic enough to work without sticking or sag
ging when released and taken out of the mold or machine .
An enterprising manufacturer of stone machinery has
the following to say in his circular“ Concrete is not the coming age . IT IS HERE . Port
land cement has made such vast strides in the last few
years , and has been used in the work Of the greatest impor
tance so ex tensively and with such satisfaction , that it s
m any valuable qualities are now known to everybody .
We find it towering in the air,tunneling the earth , and ,
like G ibraltar, holding the sea at bay . And why not $
It is as readily molded as wax $ lim ited in form ,color
,and
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 27
design only by the imagination of the architect , and pos
sesses the endurance of the pyramids . For building pur
poses it is unsurpassed , unequaled .
”
Then he goes on t o tell ofhis machine,and it is certainly
the real thing and a corker,and every builder can afford
to own one,and he gives facts and figures that are cer
t ainly convincing .
He further says that it is impossible to anticipate all
the requirements Of the modern architect,but direct ions
are sent with each machine , so that any carpenter can
quickly improvise plates for special shapes or designs .
Among some of the advantages of hollow— concrete con
struction , he mentions the following
Artistic appearance .
Cheapness of construction .
Bui ldings warm in winter and cool in summer.
Dry , ventilated walls , fire and frost- proof .
Insurance is cheaper.
Requires no painting or repairs .
Blocks can be laid in thewall rapidly,and require
but litt le mortar.
Plastering may be done on the back of the stone,
saving lathing .
Free from rats,mice
,and verm in .
Perfectly sanitary . Resists rain and dries quickly,
while solid walls remain damp .
Can be molded into the most elaborate d esigns
conceived by the architect $ all that is required
is thecarpenter to carry it out .
28 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
The stone is thoroughly durable,becoming harder
with age .
He has the following to say about Port land cement
When Port land cement began t o be used so extensively
and by so many persons totally ignorant of its properties ,and working without direction
,there was much uncer
tainty as to its proper use,and particularly so
,as some
times good results were obtained with totally incorrect
methods of handling . This proved only that accidents
wi ll happen,
or possibly that cement is like a hen— when
it wants to set,it sets .
The question is not merely to get cement to set— it wil l
do that anyway if it gets into contact with dampness .
The question is one of economy and intelligence— to get
the best possible results with the least possible ex pense .
The foremost chemists and engineers of the world have
made thousands of tests with the m ost accurate inst ru
ments and careful handling,have compared notes and
verified results ti ll we now have certain well- recognized“ laws to guide us
,the most important of which are as
follows
1 . Port land cement should have only enough water
at first to start crystallization . Too much water“ drowns”cement .
2 . Water should be fed to the stone as cryst alliza
tion requires .
3 . Concrete continues to harden with increasing age,
and the slower the crystals form,the larger and
stronger they will be.
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 29
4. Concrete should be made compact , the grains of
sand being worked ti ll they thoroughly weld
themselves into each other and close all the pores .
5 . This is best accomplished by frequent but not
t oo hard tamping. Very hard tamping with a
small - faced tamp j ars and bounces the material
without packing it at all .
6 . Pressure wi ll not make a good stone, the reason
being that when pressure is applied , the concrete
is at once made compact at the top and bottom in
thin layers . These layers effectual ly form a seal
and prevent the air on the inside from escaping,
and the air is compressed as the pressure is applied.
As soon as the pressure is removed,the air expands
,
forces the grains of sand apart,and makes a stone
that is weak and porous,and therefore easily
subj ect t o disintegration . On the contrary,light
but frequent tamping works the air out and packs
the grains together.
7. Concrete when first made has no more strength
than so much damp sand . If a crack is started
while in this condition,it wil l not reunite
,but
forms a permanent element of weakness$ there
fore concrete should not be disturbed or j arred
after it has been molded or while it is setting . No
nails should be used in making forms .
He furt her says'
that his machine embraces all of these
fundamental principles , and is the only machine made with
which an observance of all of them is possible .
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
Then he gives the cost of making stone blocks as follows
The cost to make the blocks naturally varies in different
countries and in different parts of the same country . In
the northern part of the United States , the standard- size
blocks usually cost from 6 to 8 cents each .
We give below an itemized cost based on present pri ces
in our stone factory . These figures may be changed t o
meet local conditions.
14 yds . sand and gravel -at . 50 35
14 bbls . Portland cement
4 laborers (3 molders and 1 mix er) at . .
Al lowance for water and sundries
Dividing the total of by 600,which is the num
ber of blocks the above materials wi l l produce and the
four men make and take care of , gives the cost at 6 cents
per block . When the blocks are made in large enough
quant it ies to justify a concrete'
m ixer,this cost can be con
siderably reduced.
Delivery of the blocks usually costs about 1 cent per
block . Seventy of them can be hauled at a load$ The
usual selling price is from 16 to 20 cents,so that there is
a very handsome profit in their manufacture .
Frequently they aremade on the premises from the sand
taken from the cellar, and then used in the walls of the
building,thus saving hauling the sand away as well as
delivery of theblocks .He has the following to say about rock
'
facing and coloring
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- B LOCK MAKING 3 1
At a small additional expense the blocks may be molded
2 inches larger than they are to be in the finished wall .
After the stones have part iallv set , this ex tra 2 inches is
rocked Offwith a stone- cutter’s pitching tool , making every
block different$ and presenting an effect in the wall thatis strikingly artistic .
For churches,store front-s
,and handsom e residences,
there is nothing that wi ll equal it .
By using different - colored sands,crushed
,white lime
stone,crushed granite or quart z
,almost any natural stone
may be duplicated'
so as t o deceive even the experienced .
With the aid of different mineral colors,the stones may
be made of almost any color,either solid
,mottled
,or
stratified .
There is apparently no great necessity for a man who
builds j ust one house t o go and purchase a machine, as
his carpenter wi l l bui ld the molds and be the pattern
maker. The Al len G. Thurman house at Columbus,Ohio
,
a remarkably fine- appearing house to- day,constructed in
1885,shows that years ago some one had an idea of a
cut- stone”house without the cut stone,and it certainly
is a rational and perfect ex ample$ no freakish , stamped
sheet- metal face about it . The blocks were cast in a mold
and faced t o resemble stone work,plain
,pure
,and simple$
they are absolutely water- proof and perfect,though they
were not made on a machine . Another ex ample is located
at Port chester,N . Y .
,built many years before the above
,
only it is concrete throughout,even t o the stairs
, par
t it ions, et c . and also the Old houseon Staten Island,
3 2 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- B LOCK MAKING
also built of made stone . They all testify that the block
machine man is an innovation,but any one who goes into
the stone-making business needs just such a machine as
is described in this book,and it certainly appears to be
a money maker.
There is only onefeature about it that I do not approve
of , and that is , it makes a stone that is tied together with
the same material as that which it is made of,and cannot
,
therefore,possibly be damp - proof and fit t o plaster directly
on the back,because concrete or the mortar between made
stone,brick
,or stone work is unquestionably a water con
ductor.
Al l walls should be constructed so that they wil l have
a continuous air space between the inner and the outer
wall,and these are the only wal ls that wi l l give an even
temperature summ er and winter.
I see no reason why my esteemed friend,the manu
facturer of the ' block machine here referred t o,does not
so adjust his m achine t o this idea and tie the inner and
outer face Of the block together,on a different p lan
,and
with a material that will not make it a conductor of damp
ness$ then it would certain ly fi l l the bill completely . He
should do this at once, or else throw his machine in the
scrap heap,as it is simply a lie
,and he is claiming for it
what it is in no way entit led to in this respect .
Framed structures are doomed$ wood is too costly to
build with,and is a constant source of expense to main
tain .
Brick and natural- stone buildings wil l be erected for
34 PRACTICAL CONCRETE— BLOCK MAKING
aire,and the hard- burned bricks were spoiled
,crumbled
,
and disintegrated,and the Insurance Company had t o
make it good with new bri ck,and about new bri cks
had to be put in at considerable cost .
Bri ckwork done to—dav is not what it used to be 3 0 or
3 5 years ago , when I have had bri ck walls and partitions
built 60 feet high and 8 inches thick in the finest kind of
buildings , and thev arestanding as solid to—day .
Natural stone , much of whi ch , though apparently good
when quarried , has to be dressed or broken to shape by
stone masons at great expense , after it has been set for
the facing of walls , crumbles or is washed away by the
weather,while made stone , being easily molded t o any
desired form ,wil l prove to be a far more economical build
ing material than stone,and the most durable if properly
made .
Hollowwalls of molded stone give a dead air space,and
therefore tend to prevent sudden temperature changes
within a building , rendering it cool in summer and more
easily warmed in winter. The hollow spaces may also
be utilized for ventilation and other purposes .
STAIN — To make a ri ch red- brown color for brown
or red stone effect , or t o renovate old stonework or bri ck
work,t o fil l up cracks
,etc .
,use a thick wash made of the
following
4 ounces of white copperas cut in alcohol $
5 pounds of Prince’s metalli c dry $
3 gallons of sour lager beer$
2 good shovelfuls of Portland cement .
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 3 5
Let oneman keep stirring it continually , while another
man brushes it on. Soak the concrete or stone wall and
wash it thoroughly with water before applying the stain
Two coats are usually required on concrete , whi le one
is generally sufficient on old stone or brickwork . If anything more is necessary to bring out the color effect
,apply
over it an ordinary brush coat of linseed oil .
When dry you wi ll not be able to either scrape or cut
the color off without taking the wall with it,and it wi ll
wear,from my knowledge and experience with it
,25 years .
This stain is ex cellent for chimney tops,Old or new.
Before applying,the dirt should always be washed off
and joints pointed up with Port land - cement mortar 1 to
3,and colored . Add Venetian red if extra- ri ch brick- red
is wanted .
PORTLAND CEMENT - SAND B RICK
HE manufacture Of Portland cement - and - sand brick
is”
far different ‘ from that of clay. Very small
expense is required in curing the product . Upon
being made,they are allowed to remain on the pallets
overnight,and the next day they are pi led up ,
protected
from the rays of the sun and kept wet for 10 days, after
which they are soon readv for the market and the build
ing Operation.
Clay
'
and also sand- lime bri ck require a longer period of
time , and a lot of heat , labor , and expense before they are
3 6 PRACTICAL CONCRETE— B LOCK MAKING
fit t o be placed in the wall $ besides an enormous outlay of
money is required to equip such plants,while the ex pense
incurred in installing a cement- sand brick p lant , making
six t o ten bri cks at each operation,may be from
up,and a small one can be Operated in a cellar or basement ,
where I have known one t o be r un successful ly , making
700t o bric'
ks daily by hand .
There is a plant located in a city in northern New York ,where also a high- grade Portland cement is likewise manu
fact ured . One bri ck machine is in operat ion (there are
altogether about 25 similar plants in the United States
and Canada) , and I have gleaned the following particulars
as to what is being accomplished there : to
bri cks aremade daily,and the p lant cost the
pressure applied to each brick in the press is 180 tons , and
each thousand bri ck costs,to manufacture
,al l charges Of
every kind whatsoever included,as follows :
Portland cement,1%bbls .
Sand,It yards
Labor, power, rent
,and interest on cash
investment 90
Total cost per bri cks .
After ex pense of delivery , salesmen,and Office staff
,et c .
,
has been allowed for,this p lant earns a clear profit of
a day and sells all its product in'
the locality
where it is established .
One machine Operating down on the J ersey coast , where
the sand does not freeze and costs practical ly nothing , the
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 37
plant heated in winter and running 3 00days a year,making
bri cks dai ly , would turn out bri cks which,
if sold at the pri ce of common stock bri ck , would net
to per thousand , or to for the
year’
s work $ besides these bricks are classed with the
best- pressed bri ck and would sell at a much higher price
than the J ersey , red,half - baked
,common
,rotten bri ck
FIG . 8
that there is so much trouble with every winter in the walls
of a natural ly very damp sea- air atmosphere, and especiallywhen wal ls have been p lastered with cement stucco for
the outside . I have seen it time and ag ain,and the brick
were graded and sold for A No . 1 all hard- burned .
What does common hard- burned clay brick and what
does pressed bri ck cost you,and what does sand and
also Portland cem ent cost you per barrel (car lots) $
3 8 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
Molded and everv shape and style of bri ck can be made
for interior decorations,fireplaces
,t iles
,also for floors
,et c .
Colors can be used and they can also be made absolut ely
impervious to moisture by a litt le extra trouble in their
manufacture,besides for facing up a concrete building to
give a clear air space between them and the concrete wal l ,or for veneering a stud- frame concrete- filled structure
,or
otherwise,nothing can be better or more reasonable.
There are vast architectural possibilities in this mate
rial in combination with concrete construction of founda
tion,cellar walls
,underpinning
,watertable
,si l ls
,lintels
,
quoins,voussoirs
,door and window dressings
,belt courses
,
friezes,cornices
,columns
,rails
,steps
,etc . Fig . 8 shows
various forms of cement bri ck $ an examination of these wi l l
Show any one the possibilities Of effect ive combinations
that can be had.
WOODEN MOLDS
OODEN MOLDS that areto be used t o make a
number of blocks should be strongly made$they must be substantial enough t o resist the
pressure exerted by the t amping . The j oints should be so
arranged that the mix ture wil l not leak out .
Fig . 9 shows a view of a form of mold that wi l l answer
for nearly all purposes . It is c onstructed ofwood 2 inches
thi ck,and by removing the bolts, all the side pieces m ay
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 39
be removed . Fig . 10 shows how the side pieces are framed
and locked together by the bolt .
When a woodenmold is to be used a number of times,
it should be well painted,so as to prevent the moisture from
warping the wood . A good paint for this purpose is made
of gli-nseed oi l and 5 paraffin Oil. This not only preserves
the mold,but allows the
'
block t o leave the mold more
easily .
To save m aterial the blocks m ay be made hollow by
cores whi ch are also m ade'
of In using
FIG . 9
cores be careful t o always use rounded corners , as a crack
is more likely t o start from a square corner. The core
should be slightly tapered,so that it may be easi ly with
drawn .
SO much for the plain mold , which is but seldom used
for making common blocks . Now if it is desired to have
a molding like Fig . 1 1,this could be easily cast in a mold
In which p lain pieces of wood and molding (protected with
the paint already mentioned) are so arranged as to glve
40 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
the required shape . These pieces Of wood can be nailed
t o one side,So that it can be easily removed . An ex am i
nation of Fig . 12 wi ll show the idea .
In the case of lintels to place over window Openings,the molding is returned at each end t o the wall end . In
cases of this kind the mold is made of the required size
and the molding mitred,so as to make the proper form .
The block-maker should keep on hand different kinds
of moldings,so that he will be prepared to make up a
variety of designs,and if he wi l l turn out good
,honest
FIG . 10
work,and use a litt le ingenuity in preparing the molds , as
outlined above,he wi ll make a reputation for himself and
his products,and wi ll find himself recommended by archi
teets who want a good job done .
Artistic effects can be had by making the blocks with
p lain faces on which raised festoons or other designs appear.
Figs. 1 3,14
,and 15 wi l l Show a few ex amples of blocks
with such designs.
Ornam ental blocks of this sort can be very easily made
PRACTICAL CONCRETE—BLOCK MAKING 43
too deep in the plaster,it should be nailed to a piece of
board,as shown in Fig . 16 . The ornament should be
Oi led to prevent its sticking to the p laster. The plaster
should be allowed t o harden thoroughly before the con
crete is p laced in the mold . In practically every case
the plaster ~mold wi l l be found stuck to the cast,but this
can be very easily dampened and scraped away . Of course
with this m ethod it is necessary to make a new mold of
plaster for every block,as the plaster wi l l last for only
one casting . This,however
,is a simple matter
,as the
m olds areso easily made.
a = handle, b = board , c= ornam ent , d = plaster.
FIG . 16
Many friezes and moldings that aresuitable for concrete
aremade in stamped metal , and even if the block- maker
has only a few of these,heean make unlimited designs by
using them in different combinations .
Of course these sheet- metal designs wi l l not last like
the cast- iron molds which the block ~ m achine people fur
nish,but if they are backed up with a cem ent- and- sand
mix ture,so that they wil l not be crushed out Of shape
by the tamping , they wi ll last long enough to turn out a
num ber of creditable and original j obs .
46 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
This suggestion of using stamped metal for forms will
be a new oneto most block—makers,but it is one worthy
Of thought,as it wi l l enable one to create something dif
ferent . There has been too much sameness about con
crete blocks .'It wi ll be found that even if a small selection of the
stamped,iron ornaments and borders are kept on hand
,
FIG . 19
they will open a field to the ambitious block- maker to carry
out the original ideas of architects,which under ordinary
conditions would be impracti cable. Fig . .17gives designs Of
a few ornaments which can be had in stamped metal , and
Fig . 18 gives some suitable borders.
When large ornam ental pieces like Fig . 19 are cast,it
Is wel l to reinforce them . A simple and good way is to
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 47
usea m esh wire screen out to the shape of the casting and
wel l imbedded . A design simi lar to Fig . 19 (size about
can be had for a few dollars and can be cast
without much trouble in the manner j ust described . The
architectural value of such an ornament in a large unbroken
wal l of blocks needs no further mention,as it Speaks for
itself,turning a dull
,monotonous expanse of rectangular
block wall into a suitable background,
“and forming an
obj ect of beauty . A litt le ornament used with taste goes
a very long way .
ARE ARCH ITECTS AND B U ILDERS
AGAINST T HE USE OF T HE COMMON
CONCRETE B LOCK. AND WHY $
INCE the concrete block is more convenient,more
efficient,and cheaper than other building material
,
it would naturally follow that it should rapidly
jump into favor,taking the place of wood
,bri ck
,and
stone,and be generally adopted for all ordinary construc
tion: The growth of the block industry has indeed been
phenomenal,pushed mushroom- like by the machine manu
facturers, but it is not a healthy growth— t oo much S lash
ing and cutting— and even yet it plays but a small part
in“
f1ié b uilding operations of the country . It is quite
evident On al l sides that concrete blocks meet with opposi
tion and siispicion On the part of architects and bui lders,
48 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
and in consequence aremuch less generally adopted than
their merits would appear on the surface t o warrant . It
is neither j ust nor ex pedient to attribute this Opposition
to prejudice against a new material,as it is not a new
material , as I have already shown . The machine manu
facturers and the block- makers must get down t o busi
ness and remove the real grounds on which the Opposition
is based to the common- style concrete block as now pro
duced. Architects and engineers have no prejudice againstconcrete
,but
,on the contrary
,welcome it as a building
material by means of which they can Obtain results never
before within their reach . They are also keenly watching
the block industry,and are readv t o adopt block con
struction as soon as they can secure a product which meets
their Ideas as to utility and beauty .
Fortunately no material is so elasti c in its capabilities
as concrete, and
'
no other can with so little effort be
adapted to produce any effect desired . It is hardly
ex pected that the block of the present day wil l be the
block of the future $ the type which is most econom i cal ,practical
,and artistic wil l gradually come to the front
,
and that which is costly , clumsy , and ugly wi ll become
a thing Of the past . To make a success the m anufac
turer must study the wants of cultivated tast e also,and
must not hesitate to throw the old block machines into
the scrap heap , and get up to date , with the latest ideas ,
processes , and machinery . Of course this seems like throw
ing good money away , but the greater sales due to animproved block will make it a paying proposition
50 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
It would be very nice for the block- maker if he could
confine himself to a size\
and let customers “ take it or
l eave it .” But such an attitude bars the way to any wide
use of blocks in varied and attractive bui ldings,and can
not long be maintained without loss of trade.
Architects also want courses of greater or less height
than the 9— inch standard,and all manner of copings
,water
tables,si l ls
,belts
,cornices
,columns
,balustrades
,and capi
tals . A l l this may frighten the timid and conservative
block- maker,but it is in that direction that success lies
,
and the production of these special shapes and sizes requires
only ingenuity,courage
,and mechanical skill . Until the
architect can design whatever he desires to,knowing it
wi l l be produced,he wi l l be shy Of the block-maker and
his product . He wil l, of course , readi ly appreciate that
special shapes cost more than standard , and if he knows
he can get j ust what he wants , he wil l be more likely t o
accept,as far as possible , what can be conveniently and
Cheap ly furnished.
Preference should be given , therefore , by the block
maker,to the machinery or app liances which wi l l permit
of the greatest variety of manufacture$ and the greatest
business success is most likely to come to him who shows
the l east inclination to get into a rut,and is most ready
t o -adapt his product to the wants of his patrons .
The obj ection to the weight of one-
piece block comes
chiefly from masons and contractors . Hoisting
blocks weighing 180 lbs . to the upper stories Of a bui lding ,and placing them in the wall , is a considerable task , and it
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- B LOCK MAKING 51
is largely on this account that the half - block of the two
piece system,24 inches long
,weighing only 64 lbs . , is
received with so much favor. It must be remembered ,
however,that the two- piece blocks make a wall with over
50% Opening , and a One- piece block of the same thi ckness
of surfaces— 2Ainches— would also be light to handle, and
doubtless very popular. The one- piece block of the future
should be 24 inches long,with a thickness of surfaces of
not over 3 5 inches . Such a block,
'
12 inches wide and
9 inches high, wi l l weigh about 100 lbs . , and if wel l and
strongly tied with light material and honestly made , wi ll
bear required handling and stress .
But it is to the appearance of concrete blocks,as regu
larly made and used,that architects and others of taste
and sound judgment in such matters make the greatest
Obj ection . Anything that savors of im itation,that pre
tends t o be what it is not,will always be condemned by
those who know the difference between the good and the
bad in architecture . The common concrete block is an
attempt at imitation of rock- faced quarry stone$ no two
natural stones wi l l break alike on the face,so the block
machine furnishes a few different rock- faced plates of the
same Si ze of block,while the great beauty of a rock- faced
stone ashlar is the irregularity in the sizes, etc . , of the
whole,with the exception of level beds and plumb - cut
j oints . And the block- mak er strives as best he can to
shuffle up his product from his different face p l ates , but
his labor and shuffling are in vain . It is surprising how
unerringly the eye wil l pick out the spots where two Of a
52 PRACTICAL CON CRETE- BLOCK MAKING
kind wil l have flocked together in the wall,and not as the
Dutchman had it —“ Birds of a feather go oneby himself .”
Something wrong is quickly detected . It is an eyesore,
and very obj ectionable bad art .
The “rock- faced galvanized iron” of our vil lage and
town store fronts is a no more glaring fraud . The imita
tion rock—faced block has been weighed in the balance
and has been found t o be sadly wanting,and the verdict
is , It must go $”
The fine- bri ck manufacturers make rock- faced bri ck in
a rational way that have not the above objections . Whydid the concrete- block man not follow in his steps if
he was called on to produce such material by the archi
tectural fraternity,which I very much doubt $ No
,it is
the machine m an and those who have no taste in matters
of art who areresponsible for this monstrosity .
Now let us inquire what is imitation,and how concrete
may be made to stand on its merits and look like what it
really is —
a cast, artificial stone , which cannot help look
ing like natural sandstone or limestone made up of the
same materials,bound together by carbonate of lime or
soluble silicates slowly deposited in its pores . We need
never be afraid that concrete wi l l be condemned for its
stony look,Since that is its nature . Al l one need avoid
IS gIVIng the work an appearance which is unnatural , such
as the rock- face . Smooth,
rough,ribbed
, and paneled
surfaces are also good ornamental patterns for friezes or
belt courses,and are entirely legitimate and equally char
acterist ic of terra cotta or concrete . Follow terra cotta and
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 53
you wil l be right,but keep shy of galvanized iron and the
metal designs and tin etc . The thing t o be
avoided is pretense— the attempt t o deceive the Observer
into the belief that the material he sees is something dif
ferent from what it really is. “ All things are not what
they seem .
”
The surface that best satisfies the eye of the architect
and criti c is a rough and varied one,rather than the verv
smooth,glassy
,and dead look which rich cement mix tures
have . The fi lm of cement which coats the face of the
work is certainly monotonous and unattractive $ besides
it is very liable t o hair crack . This film can readily be
removed,and very beaut iful effects are thus Obtained
,
especially when crushed stone or beach gravels containing
pebbles of various colors have been used .
S TANDARD SPECIFICATIONS FOR
B LOCKS
ANY failures of buildings of concrete blocks have
occurred,due to the ignorance of the
.makers ,and the fault is blamed on concrete rather than
on the makers,who are at fault .
The National Association of Cement Users,realiz ing the
above facts,appointed a comm ittee to invest igate the
industry,and t o make ex periments and investigations .
The results of their ex perience were embodied in a stand
ard form of specifications . These specifications are prao
54 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
tically the same as the directions previously given,but it
will be of interest to have them for reference in this
book . The specifications are as follows
Concrete hollow blocks made in accordance with the
following specifications, and meeting the requirementsthereof , may be used in building construction
,subject
to the usual form of approval required of other materials
of construction by the Bureau of Bui lding Inspect ion .
1 . CEMENT — The cement used in making sand blocks
shall be Port land cem ent , capable of passing the require
ment s as set forth in the Standard Specificat ions for
Cement”by the Ameri can Society for Testing Materials .
2 . SAND — The sand used shall be suitable siliceous
material,passing the one— fourth- inch—mesh sieve
,clean
,
gritty,and free from impurities .
3 . STONE OR COARSE AGGREGATE — This material
Shall be clean , broken stone , free from dust , or clean,
screened gravel passing the three- quarter— inch and refused
by the one- quarter- inch-mesh sieve .
4. UNIT OF MEASUREMENT — The barrel of Port
land cement Shall weigh 3 80 pounds net , either in barrels
or subdivisions thereof , made up of cloth or paper bags,
and a cubic foot of cement shal l be called not t o ex ceed
100 pounds or the equivalent of cubic feet per barrel .
Cement shall be gauged or measured either in the original
package as received from the manufacturer,or may be
weighed and so proportioned $ but under no circum
stances shall it be measured loose in bulk .
5 . PROPORTIONS .
— For exposed exterior or bear
PRACTICAL CONCRETE—BLOCK MAKING 55
ing walls : (a) Concrete hollow blocks,machine made
,
using sem i-wet concrete or mortar,shal l contain one (1 )
part cement,not t o exceed three (3 ) parts sand , and not
t o exceed four (4) parts stone , of the character and size
before stipulated . When the stone shall be omitted,the
proportions of sand shall not be increased,unless it can
be demonstrated that the percentage of voids and tests
Of absorption and strength allow in each case of greater
proportions,with equally good results . (b) When said
blocks aremade of slush concrete in individual molds and
al lowed t o harden undisturbed in same before removal,
theproportions m ay be one (1 ) part cement to not to ex ceed
three (3 ) parts sand and five (5 ) parts stone , but in this
case also,if the stone be omitted the proportion of sand
shal l not be increased .
6 . MI$ ING — Thorough and Vigorous mixing is of the
utmost importance .
(a) HAND MI$ ING .
— The cement and sand in correct
proportions shall first be perfect ly mix ed dry$ the water
shal l then be added carefully and slowly in proper propor
tions,and thoroughly worked into and throughout the
resultant mortar$ the moistened gravel or broken stone
shall then be added , either by spreading same uniformly
over the mortar,or by spreading the mortar uniformly over
thestones , and then the whole mass shall be vigorouslym ixed t ogether unti l the coarse aggregate is thoroughly
incorporated with and distributed throughout the mortar.
(b) MECHAN ICAL MI$ ING .
—Preference shall be given to
m echanical m ixers of suitable design, and. adapted to the.
56 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
particu larwork required of them $ the sand and cement , or
sand and cement and moistened stone shall,however
,be first
thoroughly mix ed before the addit ion of water,and then
continued until the water is uniformly distributed or incor
porated with the mortar or concrete,provided
,however
,
that when making slush orwet concrete (such as will quake
or flow) , this procedure may be varied with the consent
of the Bureau ofBuilding Inspection,architect or engineer
in charge .
7. MOLDING — Due care shall be used to secure density
and uniformity in the blocks by tamping or other suitable
means of compression . Tamped blocks shal l not be finished
by simply striking off with a straight- edge,but
,after strik
ing off the top surfaces , shall be troweled or otherwise
finished t o secure density and a sharp and true arris .
8 . CURING — Every precaution shal l be taken to pre
vent the drying out of the block s during their initial set
and first hardening . A sufficiency of water shall first be
used in the mix ing to perfect the crystallization of the
cement,and
,after molding
,the blocks shall be carefully
protected from wind currents,sunlight
,dry heat , or freez
ing , for at least five (5) days , during which time additional
moisture shall be supplied by approved methods, and
occasionally thereafter until ready for use .
9. AGING — Concrete hollow blocks in which the ratio
of cement to sand be one- third (fi) (1 part cement to 3
parts sand) shal l not be used in the construction of any
building in the (City) of until they
have attained the age of not less than three (3 ) weeks .
58 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
the bri ckwork , every fourth course being a heading course ,or with approved ties $ no brick backing to be less than
eight (8) inches . Where the wal ls are made entirely of
concrete blocks,but where said blocks have not the same
width as the wall,every fifth course shall ex tend through
the wall,forming a secure bond
,when not otherwise suf~
ficiently bonded. Al l walls,where blocks are used
,shall
be laid up with Portland - cement mortar.
14. GIRDERS OR J CISTS .
— Wherever girders or j oists
rest upon walls so that there is a concentrated load on the
block of over two (2 ) tons , the blocks supporting the girder
or j oists must be made solid‘
for at least eight (8) inches
from the inside face . Where such concentrated load shall
ex ceed five (5 ) tons , the blocks for at least three courses
below,and for a distance ex tending at least eighteen (18)
inches each side of said girder,shall be made solid for at
least eight (8) inches from the inside face . Wherever
walls are decreased in thickness , the t op course of the
thicker wall shal l afford a full , solid bearing for the webs
or walls of the courses of blocks above .
15 . LIMIT OF LOADING .
— No wall,nor any part
thereof,composed of concrete hol low blocks , shal l be loaded
to an excess of eight (8) tons per superficial foot of‘
the
area of such blocks , including the weight of the wall , and
no blocks shall be used in bearing wal ls that have an aver
age crushing strength ofless than pounds perSquare inch
of area,at the age of twenty—eight (28) days$ no deduction
to be made in figuring the area for the hollow Spaces .
16. SILLS AND LINTELS .
— Concrete Si l ls and lintels
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING 59
Shall be reinforced by iron or steel rods in a manner satis
factory to the Bureau of Bui lding Inspection and the archi
tect or engineer in charge , . and any lintels spanning over
4 feet, 6 inches Shall rest on block solid for at least 8 inches
from the face next to the opening and for at least three
courses below the bottom of the lintel .
17. HOLLOW SPACE - The hollow space in building
blocks used in bearing walls shall not ex ceed the percentage
given in the fol lowing table for different —height walls,and
in no case Shall the walls or webs of the block be less in
thickness than one— fourt h their height . The figures given
in the table represent the percentage of such hollow space
for different - height walls .
Stories. lst . 2d . 3 d . 4th. 5th. 6th.
1 and 2 . 3 3 3 3
3 and 4. 25 3 3 3 3 3 3
5 and 6 . 20 25 25 3 3 3 3 3 3
18 . APPLICATION FOR USE - Before any such mate
rial be used in buildings,an app lication for its use and for
a test Of the same must be fi led with the Bureau of Build
ing Inspection . In the absence of such a Bureau,the
application shal l be fi led with the chief of any department
having such matters in charge . A description of the mate
rial and a brief out line of its manufacture and proportions
used must beembod ied in the application . The name of
the firm or corporation , and the responsible officers thereof,shal l also be given
,and changes in same thereafter promptly
reported.
60 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
19. PRELIMINARY TEST — No hollow concrete blocks
shal l be used in the construction of any building unless the
maker of said blocks has submitted his product t o the
full tests required herein,and placed on file with the Eu
reau of Bui lding Inspection , orother duly authorized official ,a certificate from a reliable testing laboratory
,showing
that representative samp les have been tested and success
fully passed all requirements hereof , and giving in detail
the results of the tests made .
No concrete blocks shall be used in the construction of
any building unti l thev have been inspected and approved ,or
,if required , unti l representative samp les be tested and
found satisfactory . The results of all tests made,whether
satisfactory or not,shal l be placed on file in the Bureau
of Building Inspection . These records shal l be open t o
inspect ion upon application,but need not necessari ly be
published .
20. ADDITIONAL TESTS — The manufacturer and user
of such hollow concrete blocks , or either of them ,shall at
any and all times have made such tests of the cements
used in making such blocks, or such further tests of the
comp leted blocks , or of each of these at their own ex pense ,and under the supervision of the Bureau of Building Inspec
tion,as the chief of
‘
said Bureau shall require .
In case the result of tests made under this condition
should show that the standard of these regulat ions is not
maintained,the certificate of approval , issued to the manu
facturer of said blocks , wi ll at once be suspended or revoked .
2 1 . CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL — Fo l lowing the
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- B LOCK MAKING 61
app licat ion called for in clause No . 18,and upon the satis
fac tory conclusron of the tests called for, a certificate of
approval shal l be issued to the maker of the blocks by the
Bureau of Building Inspection . This certificate of approval
wi l l not remain in force for more than four months,unless
there be filed with the Bureau of Building Inspection,at
least once every four months following,a certificate from
some reliable physical testing laboratory,showing that
the average of at least three (3 ) specimens tested for com
pression ,and at least three (3 ) specimens tested for trans
verse strength , comp ly with the requirement s herein set
forth . The said samples to be selected by a building Inspec
t or, or by the laboratory , from blocks actually going into
construction work .
22 . TEST REQUIREMENTS — Concrete hollow blocks
must be subjected to the following tests— transverse,com
pression,and absorption— and m ay be subjected t o the
freezing and fire tests,but the ex pense of conducting the
freezing and fire tests wil l not be imposed upon the manu
facturer of said blocks .
The test samples must represent the ordinary commercial
product of the regular size and shape used in construction .
The samples may be tested as soon as desired by the appli
cant,but in no case later than six ty days after m anufac
ture .
TRANSVERSE TEST — The modulus of rupture for concrete
blocks at 28 days must average one hundred and fifty,
and must not fall below one hundred in any case .
COMPRESSION TEST — The ultimate compressive strength
62 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
at 28 days must average one thousand pounds
per square inch , and must not fall below seven hundred
in any case .
ABSORPTION TEST — The percentage of absorption (being
the weight of water absorbed , divided by the weight of the
dry sample) must not average higher than and must
not exceed 22% in any case .
2 3 .CONDEMNED BLOCK .
— Any and al l blocks , sam
p les of which , on being tested under the direction of the
Bureau of Building Inspection , fail to stand at twenty
eight (28) days the tests required by this regulation , shall
be marked condemned by the manufacturer or user,and
shal l be destroyed .
24. CEMENT BRICK — Cement bri ck may be used as
a substitute for clay brick . They shal l be made of 1 part
cement to not ex ceeding 4 parts clean,sharp sand
,or 1
part cement to not exceeding 3 parts clean,sharp sand
and 3 part s broken stone or gravel passing the one- half
inch and refused by the one- quarter— inch-mesh sieve . In
all other respects cement bri ck must conform t o the require
ments of the foregoing specifications .
The foregoing specifications , together with previous direc
tions,cover practical ly the whole subject of the making of
concrete blocks . To be successful in this line of m anufac
turing , you must produce a first- class blo ck
,and this can be
done by strict ly following these rules and directions . Show
that you have faith in blocks by building your office with
them . Be enthusiastic and you will succeed .
PRACTICAL CONCRETE- B LOCK MAKING 63
TESTING HOLLOW CONCRETE B LOCKS
N important work , espeCiallv for factories and
warehouses which are to carry heavy loads on
the floors,it is a good plan to test the blocks .
The rules adopted by the National Association of Cement
Users are good ones to fol low$ they are as follows
1 . Al l tests required for approval shall be made in some
laboratory of recognized standing,under the supervision
of the engineer of the Bureau of Bui lding Inspection , or
the archite ct or engineer in charge , or all of these . The
manufacturer may be present or represented,during said
tests,if he so desires . Approval tests are made at the
expense of the appli cant .
2 . For the purposes of the tests,at least twelve (12)
samples or test pieces must be provided . Such samples
must represent the ordinary commercial product and may
be selected from stock by the Bureau of Bui lding Inspec
tion,or in the absence of such a Bureau
,by the architect
or engineer in charge .
In cases where the material i s made and used in special
shapes or forms t oo large for testing in the ordinary
machines,smal ler- si zed Specimens shal l be used , as m ay be
directed .
3 . In addition t o the tests required for approval,the
weight per cubic foot of the material must also be obtained
and recorded .
64 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- B LOcK MAKING
4. Tests shall be made in series of at least three
ex cept that in the fire tests a series of two (four samples)are sufficient .
Transverse tests shal l be made on full- sized samples .
Half samples may be used for the crushing,freezing
,and
fire tests . The remaining samples are kept in reserve in
case dupli cate or confirmatory tests be required . Al l sam
ples must be marked for ident ification and compari son .
5 . The transverse test shall be made as folloWs : Thesamples shall be placed flatwise on two rounded knife
edge bearings set parallel 7 inches apart . A load is then
app li ed on top , midway between the supports , and trans
m it ted through a similar rounded knife edge,unt i l the
samp le is ruptured . The modulus of rupture shall then
be determined by multiplying the total breaking load in
pounds by twenty- one (three times the distance between
supports in inches) , and then dividing the result thus
obtained by twice the product of the Width in inches bythe square of the depth in inches :
3WL2bd2
No allowance should be made in figuring the modulus of
rupture for the hollow spaces .
6 . The compression test shall be made as follows : Sam
ples must be cut from blocks so as to contain a full web
section . The samp le must be carefully measured , then
bedded flatwise in plaster of Paris,to secure a uniform
bearing in the testing machine,and crushed . The total
66 PRACTICAL CONCRETE- BLOCK MAKING
jected t o this temperature for at least 30 minutes . One
of the samples is then plunged in cold water (about 50°
t o 60° F . ) and the results noted . The second sample is
perm itted t o cool gradually in air,and the results noted .
10. The following requirements must be met t o secure
an acceptance of the materials : The modulus of rupture
for concrete blocks at 28 days old must average one hun
dred and fifty and must not fall below one hundred in any
case . The ultimate compressive strength at 28 days must
average one thousand pounds per square inch and must
not fall below seven hundred in any case . The percentage
of absorption (being the weight of water absorbed divided
by the weight of the dry sample) must not average higher
than 15% and must not exceed 22% in any case . The
reduction of compressive strength must not be more than“
ex cept that when the lower figure is sti l l above
one thousand pounds per square inch, the loss In strength
may be neglected . The freezing and thawing process must
not cause a loss in weight greater than nor a loss in
strength of more than ex cept that when the lower
figure is sti l l above one thousand pounds per square inch,
t he loss in strength may be neglected . The fire test must
not cause the material t o disintegrate.
INDE$
PAGEAbsorption test 6 1 , 65
Advantages of concrete
Advantages of concrete construct ion .
Aging
Air space .
Appearance of blocks
Architect s attitude t owards blocks .
Art ificial stone .
Bank gravel .
Batch
B locks,different forms of
Blocks,dire ctions for m anufacturing
Blocks,facing .
Blocks,ornamental .
Blo'
cks,sand- cement
68 INDE$
PAGEBlocks
,t o make economical ly
Blocks,where they should be made .
Bonding
Borders .
Bri ck,art in cement
Bri ck,cement - sand .
Bri ck,fal ling apart
Bri ck,forms of cement .
B ri ck,sand- lime
Bri ckwork
Bui lders’ attitude towards blocks .
Bui lding with blocks .
Capabilit ies of concrete .
Cast stone .
Cement .
Cement,amount of .
Cement bri ck
Cement bri cks,cost of
Cement bri cks,forms of .
Cement,crystallization of.
Cement,weight of a barre l of
Coloring .
Compression test
Concrete .
Concrete- block machines
Concrete blocks .
INDE$
PAGEConcrete
,strength of fresh
Condemned block
Cores .
Cost of making blocks .
COst of making bri ck .
Crushed stone
Crystal li z ation of cement,proper time for
Crystalli z ing of cement
Curing .
Damp - proof blocks .
Dimensions of blocks .
Disintegration
Disintegration of bri cks .
Drying,t o prevent rapid .
Dry mix .
Economy in making b locks .
Faced blocks
Festoons
Filling molds
Fire test
Freezing test .
INDE$
PAGEGalvani zed- Iron effects .
Galvani zed- iron ornament s .
Girders
Good blocks
Grave l .
Green stone .
Hand mixing .
Hardening .
Hardening of blocks
Hint s .
Hollow blocks .
Hollow spaces .
Hollow wal ls .
Ignorance in using concrete
Imitations
.TOiSt S C O O O Q O O o o o o o o o o o o o e o o o o o
Laying ofwalls .
Linte ls .O O O C O C O
t We a . l a . O
c.
‘u a s a c : o o 0 o
0' :O ri 9 Q t
‘c c
'v‘o 0
.
0
.
lif o - 0 3 1 0.
C 0 0 . w eC.‘ Q C . \ 0 a $ l c 0
0
,
0 0 b s o 0 0 0 . s o Q O Q s
“
6 6 . q o .’ 0 O . O
9 6 - 0 of : 7 1 0 4 $I o a 0 0 0 9 .0 0 0 0 o o o 0 ‘ p o s t $ 0 0 0 0
o t o . 0: 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
INDE$ 71
Machine,se lecting a.
Manufacturing .
Marking blocks .
Mechanical mixing .
Mix,dry .
Mix,wet
Mixes
Mix ing .
Moistening .
Molding .
Molds
Molds,fi l ling .
Molds,oi ling .
Molds,plaster.
Molds,wooden .
Monotonous appearance .
Moulding,making up original
Mouldings
Mouldings,m olds for.
Objections t o blocks
Ornamental blocks .
Ornaments .
Ornaments, reinforced.
72 INDE$
Pal let
Party wal ls
P lacing .
P laster molds
Poor work
Pressure .
Profit s in blocks .
Proportions of aggregate .
Renovating old walls .
Requirements of blocks .
Rock facing
Sand . .
Sand,cement blocks .
Sand,quality of
Sand,screening .
Selecting a machine .
Set .
Set,proper time t o
Shoddy work .
Sil ls .
Sound of blocks
74 INDE$
0
PAGEVoids .
Voids,determination of
Wal ls,hol low.
Walls,laying of .
Wal l s,load on .
Walls,party .
Walls,thi ckness of .
Water absorbed by sand .
Water,t oo much .
Water used for mix ing .
Waterproof b lock
Waterproofing .
Weight of blocks .
Wet mix
Wet process .
Wetting
Wooden molds
Wooden molds,painting
ModernCem ent Sidewalk Construction
A P RAC T ICAL T REAT IS E
FO R T H E WO RKMANB
C h a rles Peelliser
64 Pages (5 x 7 Inches )
Fu lly Illu s t ra ted
H and s o m ely b ound In c lo th
PRICE, 50 CENTS
Sent post -paid onreceipt ofpriceYourm oney back Ifyouarenot pleased
H E construc tion of cem ent sidewalks , curbs and guttersis thoroug h ly ex plained in th is book , ful l d irec tionsbeing g iven regard ing t he selection and testing of t he
cem ent , sand , stone, g ravel , et c . $ t he spec ia l tools used $ t he
lay ing , finish ing , seasoning , co loring , et c . $ together wi th adviceon deal ing Wi t h custom ers , and data regard ing t he actualcost of severaljobs. w ith t hecom plete spec ifications ofeach .
T hem ethods ofwork have been tried over and over againby t heauthor in his m any years ofex perienceand always withsuccess and anyone fo l lowing thesed irections wi l l be able t olay a cem ent s idewalk that wi l l last for yearswithout rearing up ,
c racking or crum bl ing .
T hes im p lest lang uage has been used throughout t he book ,alltechn ical term s , et c . , being fu l ly ex plained . Contains m anyvaluablepo inters for t heex perienced cem ent- m ason as wel l ast hebeg inner.
INDUSTRIAL PUB LICATION C0.
| 6 Thom as St reet New York
67m S T EEL SQUARE‘
AS A
C a lc ula t in g Mac h ine
B Y A L B E R T F A IR
8 1 P a ges : Illu s t ra ted : H an d s o m ely B ou nd in C lo th
PR IC E 5 0 C ENT S , P O S T P A ID
H E ord inary steel square is generally looked upon as a too l peculiart o thek it of t hecarpenter, and used solely for lay ing out work
,m ark
ing off cuts and ang les and “squaring up . B y m ost other trades it is
used chiefly for testing t he squareness of their work . It has been found,
however, that a wel l - m adesquare, with t he edges accurately graduated or
divided into inches or parts ofan inch , m ay beused for m aking calculationswhich , if perform ed by fi gures on paper by m eans of a pencil , would takehours , whereas by t heSteel Square they m ay be so lved in m inutes withou tany calculation whatever, And it is a wel l - known fact that very few m echanics areablet o m ake com plicated calculations invo lving questions of squareand cube roots, values, et c . B ut by m eans of theSteel Squareand a sim p leIndex -
guidewhich is c learly described in this book , and which any m echaniccan m akefor him self in a few m inutes , m any of them ost im portant problem s
m ay besolved instantly and accurately ,whilet hem ethods by which thework
is doneareso sim pleand so easily learned that as soon as t heuseof t heg rad
usted squarefor this purposebecom es known, no m achinist, plum ber, elec trician , steam - user or other practitioner of any of thehigher m echanical tradeswil l feel that hecan afford t o bewithout one, for it is safe t o say that any ih
telligen t m echanic who owns a good squareand this book wil l find that on twoor three ord inary jobs they wil l saveh im , in tim eand worry , m orethan tentim es their c ost.Whilethis has been known for a long tim e, yet thus far and up t o thepub
licat ion of thepresent volum etherehas been no tex t- book in which theprinc iples accord ing t o which these calculations m ight bem adewereex p lained .
In this volum e, however, t heauthor g ives not only c lear and accurateex planat ions oftheseprinciples , bu t sim pleand easily fol lowed directions for puttingthem in practice. The book is writ ten in the very sim p lest language$ nox y z form ulae, and no such ex pressions as cos diedral m iter == rise cos
half- corner ang le0 t o confusetheworkm an.
Indu s tria l P u blic a t ion C o .
1 6 T h om as S t reet New York
A NEW B OOK ON THE SQUARE
TheSteelSquarePocket BookA P ra c t ic a l a n d H and y T rea t ise G iv ing the
B es t Meth od s o f U s ing t he C arpenter’
s
S teel S qu are
B Y D . L . S T O D D A R D
IOQ P a ges : 1 12 Illu s t ra t io n s : C lo th B o u nd
P ric e 5 0 c en t s . p o s t p a id
T hesizeof th is book enables i t t o be carried in t he pocket ,hence t he carpenter can always refer t o i t for t he m ethod of
find ing t he d ifferent cuts used in roo f fram ing , stair work ,hoppers , towers and b icyc le tracks $ also d irections for describ ing hex agons, octag ons and o ther po lygons, c irc les , ovals ,ell ipses , brace m easurem ent , d ivid ing a cone, fac ia and friezecuts, besides d irections in c lear language for so lv ing otherknotty problem s by t heuseof t hesquare.
T h is book is thorough ly orig inal $ every cut is new and
spec ial ly m ade for i t . O ne new feature wh ich wi l l com m end
itsel f t o m echanics is t he absence of reference letters on t he
i l lustrations , therefore t hereader wil l have no troubleln look‘ing for t he various A , B , C
’
s, et c , wh ich are som et im es con
fusing t o beg inners. Instead of having t o hunt for letters , t hereader wi l l find an ex ac t eng raving o f t he square i tself laid on
t hework so as t o g ive t hepoints , leng ths and quanti ties sought.T h is is a bo i led- down com pend ium of inform at ion abou t t he
square wh ich can be referred t o quickly , having a thoroughindex .
Indu s t ria lP ublic a t ion C o.
16 T h om a s S treet . New York
S h o rt C u t s
Sent post -paid on receipt ofpriceYour m oney back ifyou arenot pleased
qu ickly is an accom p l ishm ent des ired by all prog ressivecarpenters. In th is book , no t on ly t he sim ple rules for
t heshort cut areg iven , but also t he reason why ,
”so that t he
carpenter can apply his knowledge t o m any problem s besidesthose g iven in th is book .
T he book contains rem arks abou t t he carpenter and hiswork , a large fo ld ing plateshowing t he interior of a housewi theach part nam ed , t heuse of geom etry , m it reing , m
i tre box es ,m itres fo rcurved m o ld ing s , various kinds of m o ld ing ,
bend ingm olding s around c irc les , rake m o ld ing s , kerfing ,
brackets forcoves , use o f t he steel square, useof 2 - foot rule, use of g lue,Work ing hardwood , blind nai l ing , setting door jam bs , hang ingdoors , fi . t ing doors and windows , fram ing , s id ing , sh ing l ing ,
fram ing a fioor wi th short tim bers , bu i ld ing up a beam,lay ingfloors , wood carpet , d ished floors , veneering ,
in lay ing , rooffram ing s im ply ex plained , braces , hoppers , wheat b ins ,
fenceposts , shaping aflag pole, bevel of tank staves , wel l curbs , et c .,et c .
60 LAY O U T and erect carpenters
’
work accurately and
INDUSTRIAL PUBLICATION CO.
l6 Thom as St reet New York
in C arpen t ryA COLLECT ION OF NEW AND
IMPROVED METHODS OF_
LAYINO
OUT AND ERECT ING CARPEN
T ERS’ AND J OINERS ’ WORK
B y
A L B E R T FA IR80 PAGES (5 x 7 Inc hes )
75 ILLUSTRATIONSHan ds om ely bound in Clo t h
PRICE, 50 CENTS
DO N’
T CUT AND T RY 3 3
B u t L ay O u t You r Work A c c u rately
b y U p - to y Da teMethods 3 3 3 3
OOFFRAMlNfi MADEEASYA Prac t icaland Easily-Underst ood System of Laying Out and
Fram ing Roofs Adapt ed t o Modern B uilding Const ruc t ion.
TheMethods areMadeClear by Nearly 100 Large Clear Engravinge
B y OWEN B . MAGINNIS . A rch itec t
In S p ec t or of B u ild in g s of the C ity of New York
Au thor of“ H ow to Fram e a H ouse,
” How to Measure Up Woodworkfor B uild ings,
$ “B ricklaying ,
”etc. , etc.
S ec o n d Ed it ion . Rev ised and Greatly Enlarged . Now Read y
3 3'
O ver 1 60 O c tave P ages . H and so m ely B o und in C lo t h 3 3
P R IC E PREPAID
H E carpenter or builder who wil l study the m ethods described in this book wi ll real ize t he construct ive va lueof
every“
p ieceof tim ber wh ich enters into a fram ed roo f and willunderstand how t o lay out every piece of tim ber used withoutwasting valuable tim eand m aterial cutting and trying .
T he languageused is that of t he practical workm an- scieno
t ific phrases and confusing term s have been avoided where
possible— and everything has been m ade so plain that any one
who wi l l faith ful ly study the book wil l understand it from be
g inning t o end . In fac t , every problem in thebook was tried”
on a boy who had had no ex perience in bui ld ing work , and heunderstood every problem with a l ittle study . T h is wil l showthat t he book is valuable t o t he beg inner as wel l as t he ad
vanced workm an .
Any intel l igent m echanic wil l be able t o save at least ten
t im es t hecost of this book in tim eand m aterial during t hefirstfew weeks that hehas i t in use.
INDUS T RIAL P UB LICAT IO N C0 .
P . 0 . B o x 18 5 2 16 T hom as S treet . N. Y.
HOWT O READ P LANSA V A L U A B LE NEW B O O K
B y C h a rles G . P eker
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ANY bu i ld ing m echanic s arehand icapped fro m gettingm orepay because they are unable t o read plans andwork from a drawing .
O fc ourse t hebest way is t o learn how t o d raw $but m any m echan ics c anno t afford t he t im e for t he necessary
practise. I t is for these m en that th is book was prepared , as
t heauthor sim p ly ex p la ins t he m eaning of t he various l ines ,
p lans , views ,eleva tions , sec tions , scales , blue prints , dev ices ,
sym bols . et c . , t o be found on a set of plans .
Each subjec t is taken up and ex plained and i l lustratedseparately ,
and then a fu l l com pleteset ofarch itect’
s p lans for afram e house is taken up and ex plained so that t hereader wi l lbesure t o understand how t o read p lans.
T hebook is finely i l lustrated by 43 i llustrations in t he tex t,
and 8 largefold ing p lates g i v ing t he fu l l p lan ofa 6 room fram ehouse. T h is set of plans aloneis worth m any t im es t hecost o ft hebook $ an arch i tect wou ld chargeat least $25 for theirequa l .
T heusefu l sug gest ions , h ints , et c .,in th is book wi l l m ake
i t of valuet o even thosewho understand how t o d raw as wel las thosewho d o not .
I t is oneo f t hem ost valuablebooks ever g o t ou t for bu i lding m echan ic s , as it s inform ation m eans increasing a m an
’
s
salary . I t is pretty safe t o say that t o t hem an who canno t reada drawing now th is book wi l l m ean at least $50m orepay duringt hefi rst year hehas i t .
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