International Masonry Institute

[kurt]

I spent a truly informative day @ Union Local 52 on Masonry Restoration. It was put on by the IMI / International Masonry Institute. Unlike the BIA or MIA, the IMI is focused around the trade & craftworkers, i.e., the folks that do the work.

We spent 2 hours in class and 4 hours hands on in the lab replacing lintels, practicing tuckpointing, learning about terra cotta restoration w/a range of new products from Edison Coatings, practicing our hand @ caulking w/industrial caulking equipment, and a fantastic slide presentation about Natural Cement, which to my embarassment, I'd never even heard of before.

They've got a very nice bunch of masonry details, downloadable in .pdf format for anyone that's interested. The details can also be "played" in Media Player; very nice.

http://www.imiweb.org

Check out the moron getting schooled in lintel replacement.....

Download Attachment: lintel replacement.JPG

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[chicago]

Wish I knew.

Was there a fee for participation?

Also noticed it said limited to 40 architects.

[Bob White]

Whats a union?

[Chris Bernhardt]

Come on Bob you know what a union is! Its your wife demanding more money and more time from you. Well maybe not the time part. Just give her the money so she'll stop complaining about how much time you spend working in this biz.

Chris, Oregon

[kurt]

Originally posted by chicago

Wish I knew.

Was there a fee for participation?

Also noticed it said limited to 40 architects.

Yeah. I wangled my way in; Bill Mayer is the business mgr. for the Local, and he's a windsurfing bud.

Next time I come up w/something good like this, I'll let you know.

[chicago]

Thanks if you do I will send you a picture of my original model windsurfer 1967 that has a wooden mast peg to go with it's wooden boom.

Used to love jumping in on the south end rocks at montrose.

I was always to crazy to where a life jacket till.......another story.

[Jim Katen]

Check out the moron getting schooled in lintel replacement.....

Where's the flashing?

-Jim Katen, Oregon

[randynavarro]

Now that is the kind of continuing education I would covet!!

[kurt]

Where's the flashing?

-Jim Katen, Oregon

There' a tiny little line of green WRGrace showing along the front edge, and the wall connection is that shiny aluminum termination bar above the brick course I just set.

We used the real stuff, peel & stick WR Grace, complete w/end dams, wicks, stainless drip shelf, etc.

The jobs I see actually happen used "garbage bags", no drip shelf, no term bar, no end dams, no nothing.

[ozofprev]

Can't see that name (WR Grace) without thinking of the book, A Civil Action.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by kurt

There' a tiny little line of green WRGrace showing along the front edge, and the wall connection is that shiny aluminum termination bar above the brick course I just set.

Yes, I see it. Is that also what the green color is under your wrist?

We used the real stuff, peel & stick WR Grace, complete w/end dams, wicks, stainless drip shelf, etc.

The jobs I see actually happen used "garbage bags", no drip shelf, no term bar, no end dams, no nothing.

What is a "drip shelf"?

Also, I'm interested in the opinion that these guys have about using flashing under the rowlock course beneath window openings. Around here, even masons who'll put flashing everywhere else won't do it there because the bricks loosen & fall off.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[kurt]

Yes, I see it. Is that also what the green color is under your wrist?

Part of the that is the yellow string line; I think it's partly string, part flashing behind my wrist, part optical illusion.

What is a "drip shelf"?

It's a steel drip angle, set under the brick, on top of the flashing, to deflect water away from the wall. On large high rise construction, there is so much water sheeting down the wall there needs to be a break to kick it out away from the building as the volume of water can erode the mortar joints, just like a river carving the Grand Canyon.

Also, I'm interested in the opinion these guys have about using flashing under the rowlock course beneath window openings. Around here, even masons who'll put flashing everywhere else won't do it there because the bricks loosen & fall off.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

There was a discussion about that, most of it tending toward "geez guys, try to use solid sills pitched to drain because brick sills always fall apart". I'm not sure if flashing under the rowlock course makes a big difference; they tend to fall apart regardless in my experience.

[ozofprev]

Perhaps a dumb question, but why didn't they throw some mud atop the leftmost brick on the lintel before they set it?