Masonry Magazine February 1972 Page. 12
Masonry blocks are then placed on the precise ribbons of mortar. There is no wasted mortar, no skips or misses.
Automatic Mortar Spreader
(Continued from page 11)
Automatic Mortar Spreader. A rugged, well-constructed machine, it is ideal for use at construction sites. Its advantages were plainly visible as Vetovitz's "Masonry Systems" people demonstrated the unit at the MCAA Educational Trade Show.
Many of the problems presently encountered by mason contractors can be eliminated with the Mortar Spreader. A mason can lay more masonry units per hour because mortar can be spread far faster and with less fatigue than with conventional methods.
The twin mortar gates are adjustable to deposit just the right amount of mortar needed for the job. Gates also are available to spread a full bed joint for laying brick. The clean-out holes normally required in a wall to be grouted can also be eliminated as the wall is clean both on the face and in the cores.
"Contractors using the Spreader have found substantial savings in the amount of mortar used per day," Vetovitz says. "This cuts down mixer time as well as labor and clean-up."
Vetovitz has had 100 of these machines operating in Cleveland and Detroit and says they are working effectively. "The older masons,"
Smooth, even ribbons of mortar are deposited as the mason rolls the spreader along the course.
Vetovitz says, "were skeptical at first, and it took the open-minded young apprentices to lead the way in the use of the Spreader. Progress can be detrimental in the eyes of some, and some union people at first felt this would cause a reduction in workers on the job. However, the Mortar Spreader system has conversely put the contractors in a more competitive position allowing them to compete more favorably with other types of construction."
Vetovitz also announced that he would have an on-job-site prefabrication "factory" on the market sometime this year. This will consist of a unit portable enough to roll back and forth on the job as the prefab products are produced.
Vetovitz's advice to mason contractors is: "Sell masonry, watch costs, and be innovative in your thinking."
No cleanout holes are necessary for walls to be grouted. The spreader can be used with most popular sizes and types of masonry units and will spread up to 30 feet of mortar without filling.
masonry
February, 1972