6o 



For laborers, assign each one a shovel or other tool, 

 and hold him responsible. For smaller tools such as a 

 claw hammer, used in cleaning centering, and wire 

 pliers in lacing steel, which are usually furnished la- 

 borers bj r the contractor, it is usually necessary to 

 charge these to the laborers, and hold them financially 

 responsible. < 



Branding Tools. It is economy to spend time in 

 branding tools as they come onto the work. This an- 

 ticipates all future disputes over ownership, and is also 

 good work for the stead men on rainy days. 



Cleaning Concrete from Brick Walls. A black- 

 smith can make scrapers from J4~ m - x i/'z-in. strap 

 steel, sharpened and tempered. These 'will do very 

 well for this work. 



Whenever using acid, always soak the wall thor- 

 oughly with water. This not only lessens the quantity 

 of acid required, but prevents the acid from soaking 

 into mortar joints, and reappearing as a white salt. 



Cleaning Mixer. Throw a pail of water in the 

 mixer at noon to clean out loose concrete. Clean out 

 thoroughly at night. You can save time by starting in 

 the mixer crew 5 minutes ahead of the rest of the 

 men, and have a batch ready in the hopper when the 

 other men start work. 



Concrete Blocks for Spacers. Concrete blocks 

 should be used whenever possible in place of wood or 

 metal as spacers, such as between wall forms, below 

 and between the tiers of girder and beam reinforcing 

 rods, to keep slab rods off the centering, and to keep 

 the bottom board away from the I-beam in fireproof 

 steel construction. Wooden blocks should not be used 

 unless absolutely necessary, for the reason that, re- 

 maining in the concrete, as they are liable to do, a weak 

 spot is developed. Steel should not be used to come to 

 the surface of the concrete. This may develop a rust 

 spot, and act also to convey heat to the reinforcing 

 steel, causing unequal expansion. 



