Just a Blast from the Past Words: Steve FechinoThis weekend I had to go through and clean out a cabinet that I used to keep some of the old masonry information that I like to look at from time to time. I had the very first issue of Masonry Construction that was published in 1988. I know, forever ago. Well, it has been a long road; many of the folks in the magazine were the pioneers of where we are today. The technology that has changed this industry has also changed what was once a common thing into “Oh, remember that?”In 1988, I was working in Virginia Beach for Davis Masonry. Scott Davis was my mentor, a great guy at that. We had a project where we had to install some concrete block walls in the basement of a hospital near a mechanical room that had air-handling equipment. Well, the conditions of the hospital, elderly folks’ respiratory concerns, access, and a place to mobilize were all factors that led to one of the coolest products I had ever seen.Scott had decided to use ready-mix mortar; it was really perfect for the project. Ready-mix mortar is exactly what you would think: mortar delivered to the job site in a transit truck. It was cool. We would line up these big ol' tubs, put a plastic bag in them, and the driver would fill up the tubs. We would wrap the plastic over the top of the tub, and the mortar would be good for a few days. It was supposed to be good for 72 hours; we usually got about two days out of the tubs because it was really hot that summer. The mortar smelled really good to boot.Here is a bit of technical information regarding the product. Originally, it was used outside of the United States for over 10 years, being introduced into our masonry market in the early 1980s. The product had many things going for it. It was always batched with less than a 3% tolerance of individual ingredient requirements, which is a bit more accurate than the shovel-and-sand-pile mix. The accuracy provided consistent strength, proportions, and workability from tub to tub. Color was also a bit more repeatable, and as an overall product, it was consistent from delivery to delivery.Ready-mix mortar was offered in several formats. I will write this based on what I worked with: product delivered out of a transit truck. It was also available in other parts of the country in plastic bags (70 pounds each), and 42 bags would be placed in a bulk bag and delivered to the site.The reason ready-mix mortar worked was that it was able to use air admixtures that worked as an air-entraining agent and set retarder, reducing overall water and retaining the water that was present. It provided the mason with a specific product that could be documented and reproduced.There were other good features of ready-mix mortar. It eliminated the need for a mixer, mortar man, lay area, empty mortar bags, and a bunch of mixing dust. Now, it makes you wonder why it is not around any longer.Well, a conversation with my buddy Stan Harwell has shed some light on this. Stan sold ready-mix mortar in the late 1980s, and he shared a few problems that were encountered. It was not the product that was bad; it was more of the associated processes.For example, the tubs used by the ready-mix company were expensive. They had two types: one with a metal band and fork loops on top of the tub, and the other with feet to put the forks under the tubs. Masonry contractors in the Virginia Beach market would fill the tubs that were emptied with job site debris. When dumping them into the dumpster, they would damage or crack the tubs. This made the delivered product a real problem because the damage only showed up when the driver was on site, ready to discharge the product.Another issue was that ready-mix companies could make more money delivering ready-mix concrete at 8 yards at a time versus the smaller amounts of ready-mix mortar that were usually ordered. Another hidden cost was that the ready-mix company would have to pick up and deliver the tubs in a separate truck, which added to the overall cost. This worked well if a contractor already paid to get the tubs; he might be more likely to reuse them by continuing to order material from the supplier.All this was going on at about the same time another company was growing rapidly. You may have heard of them; I think they call themselves SPEC MIX. Some ideas just grow and grow, and they sure did!Changing subjects, it is time to drain the water separators from your diesel engines before it gets cold and can freeze your fuel filters. Put the winter fuel conditioner in with your fuel fill-ups to prevent fuel gelling. I had this problem last winter and had to fix it in 10-degree weather, which is not an exciting way to spend an afternoon. If you do it soon, you will be ahead of the cold weather.Fall will be here before we know it; enjoy the cool nights.One over two, be safe.About: Fechino Files
