Working Saturday.
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Other Topics
Forum Name: Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks
Forum Description: anything you want to talk about except politics
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=204344
Printed Date: 23 Aug 2025 at 2:43am
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Topic: Working Saturday.
Posted By: DMiller
Subject: Working Saturday.
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2024 at 4:23pm
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Been busting at it trying to perform what I was hired "Part Time" for last March, Boss been working to get me lined up at every availed moment to haul clay so can fill barges at the Hermann Sand Plant Yard. Been all manner of blockages, Low Rivers, Rains that did not aid the rivers but muddied the clay piles, extra work for other clients that seemed to not ever ease off. And Now, we worked like mad men to get clay down for the last three barges, 16-1800 tons EACH, have enough on the platform for at minimum one more yet are three more arrived or arriving in next hours. So the boss asked for volunteers from the Full Timers, managed six for tomorrow, only four for Saturday, I stepped up as the Fifth even seeing snow in forecast. Looked at River Forecast, by 12/5 will be headed for Mud, below navigable by then and likely to remain there until March AGAIN. Need to aid as best I can for now. Needless to say with this load out, should we manage to, My part Time gig purpose will be complete. Not certain if will be asked to remain to continue as a Aid or will be thanked and released, should know some point next week. Do know if I am released, at my approach to 70 I will not likely ever volunteer a return. |
Replies:
Posted By: Hubert (Ga)engine7
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2024 at 4:42pm
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You have done your part and more. Take some time for yourself and enjoy it while you are still able. ------------- Just an old country boy saved by the grace of God. |
Posted By: desertjoe
Date Posted: 29 Nov 2024 at 4:10am
Great words of Wisdom, Hubert,,
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Hubert (Ga)engine7 wrote:Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 29 Nov 2024 at 5:02am
| Read the responses as readied to go in both Fr and Sat. Likely my Last Hurrah so why not. |
Posted By: DougG
Date Posted: 29 Nov 2024 at 6:20am
| Is that company with any unions? |
Posted By: JoeM(GA)
Date Posted: 29 Nov 2024 at 6:51am
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Dave, sadly an employer will kill you if you let them, something has gotten lost in the part time theory with companies. ------------- Allis Express North Georgia 41 WC,48 UC Cane,7-G's, Ford 345C TLB |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 29 Nov 2024 at 5:57pm
| All Non Union Doug. Worked today, boss was in office as we all returned as got to Dark time, he was ecstatic we got so much moved today, also said if snow is on in morning give it a rest, No Need for Accidents as the Barge Crews should have more than enough now. |
Posted By: ac hunter
Date Posted: 29 Nov 2024 at 6:53pm
| Hey DMiller, Sounds like you have been keeping more than busy but would you explain what the clay is used for and where it goes. 1800 tons sounds like a lot of clay. Thanks. |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2024 at 3:49am
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Are several grades of Mineral Clays. Numbers 1&2 are high enough mined purity to be Kiln dried and sold as Medical or Personal Use products base materials. Many typical compressed OTC meds and a few prescription med pills have these type clay as the “Inert” carrier material. It passes thru the digestive system as is not absorbable. Personal products as Women’s (or men’s) make up has clay base carrier they add dyes and other materials to, cake makeup is primarily Number Two Clay. Then is filtration media for removing acids from other fluids, the refined Clay is called Diamataceous Earth, spelling may be off. Are cement use clays again Kiln Separated and powdered, used for the plasticity value in cement mixes. Supposed to be some fifty to sixty different uses of Mineral Clay including Pottery or Tile or such as the ceramic applied materials for sinks and bath tubs. Millions of Tons of MO clays are shipped nationally and world wide as to their quality levels. Clay soil is essentially organic dirt with these mineral clays in it. The clay been hauling is “White” or basic rock form clay that can be from stark white to blue or yellowish, the other is “Red Shale Clay” which can be from really Red to Brownish sticky as play doh where contains a alkaline value that when ran thru the kilns cleans residues on the inside of the kilns and the clay base in it is then reclaimed. A remnant in the kilning is calcite, used in brick making. The Kilns are from two to three feet in diameter to the cement kilns where they add base clay as at Continental Cement is almost 10’ in diameter internally. The use of High BTU Coal is being attacked by the EPA as emits SO2 or sulphur dioxide, problem is the BTU value cannot be attained from any other fuel. The larger cement kilns also are ‘digesters’ of hazmat liquid chemicals that have no residual value so are burned in the cement making process. The clays we are barge loading are Cement Grade low value yet have enough value a Tile Company is buying the material in mass loads of close to twenty barges a year for their production of flooring products. Shipped from here on MO River to MS River to the Arkansas River and across into OK. Cheaper than Rail or Truck and more efficient than either. |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2024 at 11:33am
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Did not last long with Snow today, slimed the Clay Platforms at Pickup and Delivery sites. More snow slated for afternoon so are shut down. Barge Filling Crew still at it, going to attempt to fill one of last two and stop there, will be headed Down River late tomorrow Night or Early Monday as river is going to drop nearly 6 feet and be Un-navigable, likely until March.
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Posted By: ac hunter
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2024 at 7:47am
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Well DMiller, Thank you for that explaination of clay. I never would have thought there were so many uses for it nor did I ever know that Missouri was a major producer. Very interesting info. Your mentioning of kilns reminds me of pictures I have seen of large ones built by Allis Chalmers. Wondefr if any are still in use.
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Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2024 at 2:55pm
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Missouri has been a Major Producer/user for over a century, St Louis had massive brickyards down in the city, made from clay located in the Indian Mounds, Brick Refractories line many of the old Highways from Fulton up thru Hannibal, the ones at Fulton Mexico Wellsville Vandalia are still intact at times still working. Clay Pits abound all around us.
https://dnr.mo.gov/document-search/clay-shale-pub2905/pub2905" rel="nofollow - Clay and Shale - PUB2905 | Missouri Department of Natural Resources
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Posted By: ac hunter
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2024 at 12:10pm
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Hey DMiller, That link gives quite an education about clay and its uses. More than I can absorb but interesting. Guess I will look at clay differently now. Before I mostly thought of clay as a spot in a field where there was no topsoil. You said that Indian mounds were used as sources for clay in the past. There must be some really large mounds out there. |
Posted By: SyncPil
Date Posted: 04 Dec 2024 at 6:23am
| Sounds like you've been giving it your all and then some! Regardless of what happens, you've clearly gone above and beyond to get the job done. Wishing you the best, whether it’s continuing or finally getting some well-earned rest! |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 04 Dec 2024 at 5:07pm
Look up Cahokia Mounds, are about all that are left. https://www.google.com/search?q=cahokia+mounds&sca_esv=9766d7d73f8895cf&sxsrf=ADLYWIIVHTYe-NCOJ7qlITSX4ykaGa7ksQ%3A1733353612561&source=hp&ei=jOBQZ_CoH7TH0PEPk-WBkAU&iflsig=AL9hbdgAAAAAZ1DunCBkIuVYDmYbQNi1Glfs_H-mcClM&gs_ssp=eJzj4tLP1TcwizcoMawyYLRSNaiwME-xSEwyNUoxtzS1NE1MszKoMDYwM7c0tDRMTDQ1TE5MM_PiS07MyM_OTFTIzS_NSykGAGlGE4s&oq=Cah&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IgNDYWgqAggAMgsQLhiABBjHARivATILEC4YgAQYxwEYrwEyBRAAGIAEMgUQLhiABDIKEAAYgAQYQxiKBTILEC4YgAQYxwEYrwEyBRAuGIAEMgUQABiABDIKEAAYgAQYsQMYCjILEC4YgAQYxwEYrwFIwCFQ7QJYkgtwAXgAkAEAmAHEAqABsQaqAQUyLTIuMbgBAcgBAPgBAZgCBKAC0gaoAgrCAgcQIxgnGOoCwgIQEC4YxwEYJxjqAhiOBRivAcICDRAuGNEDGMcBGCcY6gLCAgoQIxiABBgnGIoFwgIEECMYJ8ICERAuGIAEGJECGNEDGMcBGIoFwgIREC4YgAQYkQIYxwEYigUYrwHCAgsQABiABBixAxiDAcICCBAAGIAEGLEDwgIREC4YgAQYsQMY0QMYgwEYxwHCAggQLhiABBjUApgDEZIHBzEuMC4yLjGgB4ct&sclient=gws-wiz" rel="nofollow - cahokia mounds - Google Search
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Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 04 Dec 2024 at 5:10pm
| Monday, still too cold to Clean out the residue in the trailer so ended up Off for that day and Doc/Dentist Visits Tuesday but back in today. Got trailer cleared out, hauled sand to Concrete yard, 100t+ and was ALL gone end of day. Tomorrow to be Bitter cold, Boss has nothing listed for any of us Dump truck/End dump drivers that generally do not haul to Cement Makers. |
Posted By: ac hunter
Date Posted: 05 Dec 2024 at 8:39am
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DMiller, Now those are some mounds. The metric equilivents shown in the article convert to about 100 ft. high and covering 15 acres for the largest one. Can you imagine hauling that much material by hand to make a pile like that. Would be a considerable project for dump trucks and earth movers. We have some mounds around here but more like 25-30 ft. high and some are in the form of animals but only a few feet high. Thanks for the information.
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Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 07 Dec 2024 at 3:46pm
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More fun Thursday Afternoon. Fought with Frozen to bed walls sand until Noonish, after that seemed to come pretty free easier. As ended day the old Ford laid down 1/2 mile from office, directly across from the Body Shop I bought my materials from, Died but would crank. Are also the Tow Company in town, brought it home. Fuse blown for Fuel Filter housing Immersion Heater, ALSO Feeds engine PCM, what a BAD design. Disconnected heater, short went away and replaced fuse, starts/runs. Ordered a New Design heater and a few odds and ends for next week. Friday was a repeat of Thursday as to Frozen materials. 58F here currently with Wet Snow on tap for tomorrow turning to rain.
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Posted By: Ed (Ont)
Date Posted: 07 Dec 2024 at 4:42pm
If you are ever up here in the north country check out any gravel truck. We heat our boxes with exhaust. Little square box put on by the box installer. Usually 5" in and out with a flip flop flap in the middle. Can have heat go thru the box or straight out exhaust. Goes thru the box channels and out the back. Usually 2 holes at back bottom of box. Works well!!! 40 years ago we went inside box and sprayed calcium all over . That was a pita. I will try to get some pics and post them for you.  P.S. I can hardly believe it is that cold down there. LOL. Up here we are well used to that stuff.
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Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2024 at 12:10pm
| End Dump Trailer I pull is rather too far away for doing that!! |
Posted By: Ed (Ont)
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2024 at 3:50pm
| Some guys up here years ago ran stainless flex back to the trailer. But sure looked goofy. Now I think they all line the trailer with plastic. |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2024 at 3:45am
| Trailer I use has a Liner, yet only covers floor and around 10" up sides, Nose is a butt fit and end gate is plain. Anywhere bare aluminum and sand stuck Tight so square shovel and shave, or stiff bristle broom and scrub. |