Masonry Magazine April 1975 Page. 25
St. Paul Ice Palace Returns
After an absence of 28 years, the famous Ice Palace has returned to the St. Paul Winter Carnival. With temperatures constantly below the freezing mark, men of Bricklayers' Local #1 from Shechy Construction Co. put their skills to good use in erecting this 40-foot-high structure made entirely of ice.
Ice blocks, each 12" x 24" x 66" and weighing 400 pounds, were shaped by blowtorches, mortared with a "mud" of snow and water, and hoisted into place by forklift and crane. The around-the-clock operation employed as many as 20 bricklayers and tenders at a time. More than 1,600 blocks were used.
New Building System Utilized
Using the Fiberglas BlocBond system of wall construction can be an asset to a builder. An example is the Fox Run Shopping Center in Glastonbury, Conn.
BlocBond mix is a material developed by Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp. that eliminates the need for mortar above the first course of concrete block walls. Instead of applying mortar between each joint, concrete block are laid dry to the desired height, length and configuration. Then a 3½" coat of BlocBond mix is trowelled on interior and exterior wall surfaces. The result is walls built faster and stronger than conventionally mortared walls plus built-in water resistance and greater finishing flexibility, according to Owens-Corning.
Fox Run Shopping Center covers more than 90,000 square feet. Allen DePersia of DePersia Mason Contracting Co. (MCAA), whose firm was assigned to the masonry work, made the decision to use the BlocBond system. "The system costs less," DePersia said. "The wall goes up faster. I can get twice as much block production per man. As a result of the time savings factor, there is a 10 to 20 percent savings in the total cost of the wall."
DePersia added that he was able to convince the builder to change plans for one section of the building which originally called for wood construction by pointing out that masonry construction would lower the fire insurance premium.
Levi LeBlanc, masonry foreman, said he liked working with BlocBond because it was fast and easy. "You don't have to lay down your tools each time you set a block-just keep stacking the blocks."
BlocBond mix is a special portland cement-based formula combined with half-inch long, alkali-resistant glass fibers and a water resistant agent. The material is designed to surface-bond concrete masonry block to form above-grade and below-grade walls, loadbearing and non-loadbearing.
According to tests conducted by the National Concrete Masonry Association, the BlocBond system provides greater flexural strength than conventionally built mortared walls. This building being constructed with Fiberglas BlocBond will be part of the Fox Run Shopping Center in Glastonbury, Conn. The Fiberglas BlocBond system of wall construction was used in building this structure, one of several in the Fox Run Shopping Center. The system eliminates the need for mortar above the first course of concrete block walls.
THE GOOD OLD DAYS?
Pictured here is the first production model of the Holt track-type tractor built in 1906 and sold to Golden Meadows Development Corp. of Louisiana in 1907 where it worked for many years. There was a substantial difference between this and previous Holt models -the firebox was moved to the front and the power mechanism to the rear of the machine. The power train was connected through a series of flywheels, clutches, sleeve-mounted pinions, jackshaft gears, jackshaft, axle and driving sprockets, and tracks. And they were all made of wood, with steel grouser plates on their surface.
Any premiums you pay for business insurance under the MCAA Workmen's Compensation and General Insurance Plan-except Umbrella Excess coverage are eligible for dividends. Contact Walter Derk c/o MCAA for more information.