Masonry Magazine August 1965 Page. 21
OB QUALITY CONTROL
wowing is a speech presented by Herman L. May, Member, Houston, Texas, before the Annual Convention of Clay Products Association of the South. Mr. May, President of the Herman L. May Co., Pasadena, Texas, is currently Chairman of the MCAA National Handling Committee. His firm has completed 600 commercial and industrial masonry buildings in mid-South states.
We are meeting here today to discuss load bearing buildings. My subject is "Building Bearing Walls". The type of structure we are discussing, the masonry work together with the slabs to form the structure. Weight is transmitted by the walls to the foundation. This is perhaps one of the oldest types of structures however, the type of structure we are considering today is new in concept. In the past, before the advent of the structural frame, load bearing wall structures were massive. The masonry started out at the base 6-8 or even 10 ft. thick. We are talking today of 12 to 18 story buildings with 8 to 12 inch walls.
What we are really talking about is a system of walls and slabs forming a structural frame. This entails precise engineering in design which, in turn, calls for a measure of quality control, not previously required in most masonry or in curtain wall masonry. This is the main point that I want to make in my talk: "Quality Control".
I am a masonry contractor myself, and representing the Masonry Contractors Association at this meeting. I want to stress the importance to the architects to insist on a responsible masonry contractor when you design a bearing wall building.
I do not think that the architect will be able to sleep very well at night, if he is wondering if the bricklayers filled the head joints, or the mortar men put enough cement in the mortar on the job that day.
First, I would like to define a masonry contractor and in using the term masonry contractor, I include some general contractors who are in reality, masonry contractors, also since they maintain a crew of bricklayers and a permanent masonry superintendent.
A masonry contractor is one who by doing masonry work all the time is able to develop and keep in constant employment, a better class of bricklayers than one who does masonry work intermittently.
Another thing, and this is important, a masonry contractor furnishes and pays for the materials that go in the job.
A labor contractor is not a masonry contractor and has no control over the quality of the job if he does not furnish the materials.
A responsible masonry contractor is part of the community. He makes his living in the community and is not here today and gone tomorrow. His staying in business depends entirely on his ability to do quality masonry work at a fair price.
I believe that this is the type of contractor that the architect would want to place his confidence in to build his load bearing buildings.
I might add that the masonry contractor is vitally in- (continued on page 24)
ANCHOR "HY-DUMP"
Patent No. 3100064
MODEL 10HT 10 Cu. Ft. Mixer with 14 H.P. Gasoline or 3 H.P. Electric Motor
Write today for FREE catalog
36" discharging height
3 ft. charge and 3 ft. discharge height designed to dump into wheelbarrow, concrete buggy, mortar buggy or plaster pump with no blocking or raising of the mixer.
For additional information, or to place an order, call Anchor "collect".
PHONE CHICAGO Area Code 312 7-2530
Special models available for terrazzo and allied work
DIRECT-FROM-FACTORY and SAVE
ANCHOR MFG. CO. WEST 26TH STREET CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60623
By Herman L. May Houston, Texas
NRY August, 1965 6502 Author 21