# You know you are mason when...



## TheItalian204 (Jun 1, 2011)

I figured we needed one of those ...


so *You know you are mason/bricklayer when...*

Every stucco,brick and stone house you drive by gets at least a glance before you drive off.

You wake up in the morning with numb hand and go to sleep with sore knees.

You never diminish other trades but deep inside you know they got it easy.

Most likely will scrap almost every piece of wood you have to cut.

You complain about prices on portland for two and half hours,and they should never get you started on prices on brick

Your foreman used to say: My daughter can do more than you did (and you think that must be one hell of a mutant daughter)

standing on 35 feet scaffolding in the dark while your help is holding the spotlight so you can finish the wall,thinking that they dont teach that in the apprenticeship program

You shiver in disgust when someone inquires about cultured stone but shiver of pleasure when you are paid big bucks for it.

You can eyeball the slope without whipping out the level or string line.

You might have heard this when you were just starting: "When I wasa like you,I can putta 1500 bricks aday."

In the end you still enjoy that you are probably only trade HO does not have DIY seminars about.


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## lukachuki (Feb 11, 2005)

You know your an old school mason when you don't even own a computer and thus can't read this thread.


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## lukachuki (Feb 11, 2005)

You know your a mason when falling 2 inches makes you pee your pants.


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

lukachuki said:


> You know your a mason when falling 1.5 inches makes you pee your pants.


This is truth.

Also, you dont own gloves, or a coat, dress shoes, non work pants. 

You have a "dress" hooded Carhartt sweatshirt and a "work" carhartt sweatshirt :whistling


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## NYCB (Sep 20, 2010)

When you leave at 6am in the winter for a pour, and you don't get home until 6am the next day.


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

sitdwnandhngon said:


> When you leave at 6am in the winter for a pour, and you don't get home until 6am the next day.


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## INTRA (Nov 27, 2008)

When you have rebar holding up your plants in the garden. 
All the old school Italian mason have them. Too funny!!!


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## 6stringmason (May 20, 2005)

You know youre a mason:

When your work truck has an inch of dust on the dash because you gave up trying to keep up with armor all'ing it.

When its winter time and your outside in a tshirt because you can go back into the tent in a couple minutes where its 75 degrees. 

When its winter and you have deep cuts from dry skin on 2nd knuckle of your trowel hand, but you figure spring is right around the corner and you'll get some moisture back into your hands then.


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## CJKarl (Nov 21, 2006)

I can agree with all of those, very good. And yes, 6X6 wire makes the best tomato cages EVER!
And my planks are a full 2". We call it "2 inches to nowhere"


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## 6stringmason (May 20, 2005)

JBM said:


> This is truth.
> 
> Also, you dont own gloves, or a coat, dress shoes, non work pants.
> 
> You have a "dress" hooded Carhartt sweatshirt and a "work" carhartt sweatshirt :whistling


HA! Thats funny because I never wear a coat in the winter when I go outside when Im not at work. Just a flannel or a sweatshirt, and my wife always yells at me.


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## CJKarl (Nov 21, 2006)

How about "you know your a mason when you use masking tape and bag balm to tape the splits in your fingers back together every night during the winter."


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## CJKarl (Nov 21, 2006)

You know your a mason when you can spot a fellow mason a mile away by the crooked way he walks. :blink:


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## mastermason13 (Oct 29, 2011)

CJKarl said:


> You know your a mason when you can spot a fellow mason a mile away by the crooked way he walks. :blink:


Or his jacka** smile and two head joints on his boots


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

I got literally yelled at by a Home Depot manager because I was climbing up the shelving to get something down about 10 or so years ago. Not sure what punch line that would be but...


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

I always thought we should have a bumper sticker that says " I break for buckets"

I always jam on the breaks and yell to my wife , BUCKETS! when I see a loose one


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## lukachuki (Feb 11, 2005)

JBM said:


>


Ahh that kind of pour! I get it.


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

JBM said:


> I always thought we should have a bumper sticker that says " I break for buckets"
> 
> I always jam on the breaks and yell to my wife , BUCKETS! when I see a loose one


Hahahaha, I do that constantly. 

And I've known it has the 2" heart attack


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

When you start a new thread because everyone else has a you know you are a thread.


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## 6stringmason (May 20, 2005)

ohiohomedoctor said:


> When you start a new thread because everyone else has a you know you are a thread.


This isnt the 'you know youre a remodeler whos angry because he couldnt hack it as a mason when' thread.:thumbup:


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

A Masons tears will cure cancer, but Masons don't ever cry!


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

You know your a mason when...

1. you spell it correctly

2. you got sand in your wallet

3. your hands look like concrete Charlie

4. you use your patent scaffold for windows jobs :laughing:


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

6stringmason said:


> This isnt the 'you know youre a remodeler whos angry because he couldnt hack it as a mason when' thread.:thumbup:


:laughing:


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## RiverCityMason (Jun 17, 2010)

Who else out there likes to give laborers a hard time hahaha. I mean in good fun though. I constantly mess with my guys, it helps boost the moral a bit lol. 

You know your a mason when you order a 15 & 5/8 cut while laying block and your labe comes back wanting to throw a block at you. 

Cut to short? Labe go get me the brick stretcher and hurry up already lol. 

You know your a mason when you tell the labe you need an 8" double burnished single bullnose double score horse collar notched for bond beam on top left with electrical box bottom right and he gets so confused his eyes roll back in his head and a spring pops out hahaha.:laughing: 

Yes it is counter productive but its my crew and moral is important me. This really only works on the rookie labes unless you get a real dumbass haha. 

Safety First but have some fun with it.:clap:


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## RiverCityMason (Jun 17, 2010)

You know your a mason when your hair has the consistancy of steel wool.

You know your a mason when the teany tiniest hole in your finger is in AGONIZING PAIN and everybody thinks youre a pussy hahaha.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

RiverCityMason said:


> You know your a mason when your hair has the consistancy of steel wool.
> 
> *You know your a mason when the teany tiniest hole in your finger is in AGONIZING PAIN and everybody thinks youre a pussy hahaha.*


:laughing::laughing::laughing: That is so true...and you can't even see them suckers :thumbup:


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## CJKarl (Nov 21, 2006)

JBM said:


> I always thought we should have a bumper sticker that says " I break for buckets"
> 
> I always jam on the breaks and yell to my wife , BUCKETS! when I see a loose one


Yup, but I have a pretty sweet deal with a guy that owns a small deli. I get all his 5 gal pickle buckets. They're rinsed, but they still smell of pickles for about a week. :laughing:


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## stonecutter (May 13, 2010)

CJKarl said:


> Yup, but I have a pretty sweet deal with a guy that owns a small deli. I get all his 5 gal pickle buckets. They're rinsed, but they still smell of pickles for about a week. :laughing:


It's better than getting them from a sheet rocker.


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## NYCB (Sep 20, 2010)

When your $40 framing hammer has the claws worn down 2" and the carpenters just shake their heads.


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## artisanstone (Nov 27, 2007)

When you have to send the guys to hunt for the "claw hammer" 'cause you need to pull a nail.


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

Lol, speaking of hammers, cutting strapping with a brick hammer anyone?


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## NJ Brickie (Jan 31, 2009)

If your clothes washing machine lasts 5 yrs and you think it lasted along time.


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## RiverCityMason (Jun 17, 2010)

You know your a mason when you have more line pins twigs and pencils on your night stand than in your toolbox  or that may just be me haha.


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## raskolnikov (Mar 10, 2008)

When your wife asks if you need your Carhart coveralls cleaned for Sunday!

D.


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## JD3lta (Nov 22, 2009)

.When you bang out a wheelbarrow first thing in the morning and bang on your spade shovels with a hammer
.When you have caked windows on your levels
.When you have confidence that you can put holes in any pair of gloves
.When you make anchors out of 5 gallon buckets
.When you get cement on the paint of your truck


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## Diamond D. (Nov 12, 2009)

JD3lta said:


> .When you get cement on the paint of your truck


...When cement *is* the paint on your truck. :laughing:


D.


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## CJKarl (Nov 21, 2006)

raskolnikov said:


> When your wife asks if you need your Carhart coveralls cleaned for Sunday!
> 
> D.



You clean yours??? :laughing:


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## stonecutter (May 13, 2010)

You think two buckets and a plank make great staging.(wink,wink superseal!:laughing

You laugh at guys that think a 20 oz hammer is heavy.


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## donerightwyo (Oct 10, 2011)

You leave early to make up for showing up late. Maybe that's just the one's I know.


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

*masons*

When you remember paying 58$ per M for brick delivered in a dump truck. Then some one invented a BOOM TRK and banding and you thought the 72$ per M price was highway robbery. When the only way to cut a hole in a flue tile was to pack it tight with sand and chip away with a brick hamer. (you made sure to always keep it sharp)


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## stonecutter (May 13, 2010)

you think electrical tape is good for cuts


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## RiverCityMason (Jun 17, 2010)

You know your a mason when the sky looks like rain but it dont, and the only way to make it rain is to mix a batch of mud. Yep then you know your a mason  

You know your a mason when winter hits and your going stir crazy with all the downtime grrrr. 

You know your a good mason when you build a lead that you cant even slide a sheet of paper between your plumb level and your wall. 

You know your a mason when siding makes you wanna snap hahaha. peace out.


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

fjn said:


> STONECUTTER That is one of the prevalent theories. Another theory proclaims they were built by inspired,willing artisans. I have to ask the question. Would a artist produce their most beautiful masterpiece with a revolver pointed to their head,or when given free rein and of their own volition? In my travels to ancient Egypt,they are presenting the concept that even the pyramids being built with slave labor is a myth. This idea does not come from the government but from Egyptologists from the Orental institute which is part of the university of Chicago. They have had a full time staff present in Egypt for sneaking up now to close to 100 yrs. uninterrupted.


I was watching ancient engineering yesterday. It was about Hagia Sphia in Istanbul/Constantinople. 5000 labourers under 50 masters and 2 architects. Were the 5000 labourers slaves, no but next to it. Justinian had no time, no money and wanted the best of the best. Try to tell him (or anyone directly responsible to him) no or your tired or you need a day off cause your kid has the flu and it wouldn't matter if they had a title to your name.

I live in E. ontario, near the Rideau Canal which was built just after the war of 1812, fairly recent comparitively. 1000's of Irish labourers died of malaria. When one died another came over to take his place. Again not "slave " labour but not modern labour practises. You can do a lot when labour (and life) is cheap.

PS nothing wrong with stick framing, i'd much rather pull out a sawzall than a quickcut if I wanted to enlarge or ad a window, and Europe built with wood for centuries and many post and beam structures are still around centuries later. As stated before, if they had the wood I'm sure they;d use it. Same with Lebabnon


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## 6stringmason (May 20, 2005)

You know youre a mason when.....


You use a mudstand as a grill. (Yes, another food reference) It was windy so we put the plywood barrier up to keep the hog torch from blowing out, and to help cook faster.


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## stonecutter (May 13, 2010)

Thats a good way to get the most out of your stand!! I have warmed up food on the manifold of an excavator and skidsteer.


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## 6stringmason (May 20, 2005)

stonecutter said:


> Thats a good way to get the most out of your stand!! I have warmed up food on the manifold of an excavator and skidsteer.


I havent done that yet, but that brings me to another question. Do other trades drop their food on the dirt/floor, pick it up likes its no big deal, give it a quick brush, and eat it? Or mostly just masons?


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## stonecutter (May 13, 2010)

6stringmason said:


> I havent done that yet, but that brings me to another question. Do other trades drop their food on the dirt/floor, pick it up likes its no big deal, give it a quick brush, and eat it? Or mostly just masons?


I think the 5 second rule applys to all the trades...


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## TheItalian204 (Jun 1, 2011)

6stringmason said:


> I havent done that yet, but that brings me to another question. Do other trades drop their food on the dirt/floor, pick it up likes its no big deal, give it a quick brush, and eat it? Or mostly just masons?


Think I never left a piece of food behind :laughing:


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

RiverCityMason said:


> You know your a good mason when you build a lead that you cant even slide a sheet of paper between your plumb level and your wall.



If you can do this you're not only a mason, you're amazin'


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## wood_rots (Dec 6, 2011)

*You know you are a Mason when......*

.....you know speed leads are meant for pole dancers.


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## wood_rots (Dec 6, 2011)

*You know when you are a Mason when.....*

....a six pack is a sedative not chick magnet.


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

*posterity*

When it comes to the discussion regarding posterity,durability,etc. if one is interested, the essay i quoted from can be read in entirety. OF TIME AND ARCHITECTURE by MILTON WILFRED GRENFELL. It goes without saying one can concur,or not. It can be pulled up,just type in title & his name.


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## JHC (Jun 4, 2010)

lukachuki said:


> You know your a mason when falling 2 inches makes you pee your pants.


I had to quote this because when you get old enough, I am sure you could insert trade and it be true. :laughing:


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## wood_rots (Dec 6, 2011)

fjn said:


> When it comes to the discussion regarding posterity,durability,etc. if one is interested, the essay i quoted from can be read in entirety. OF TIME AND ARCHITECTURE by MILTON WILFRED GRENFELL. It goes without saying one can concur,or not. It can be pulled up,just type in title & his name.


I have an e-book recording of Thomas Payne, 'Common Sense'.
Run it once a week on the house speakers when mom, and daughter are home. ( and can't escape )
I am such an ass......hahaha


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## wood_rots (Dec 6, 2011)

*You know you are a Mason when......*

.....the happiest ***** in your life is a Jack Russel.


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## lukachuki (Feb 11, 2005)

JHC said:


> I had to quote this because when you get old enough, I am sure you could insert trade and it be true. :laughing:


I'm not sure you understand what I was referring to, but then again your not a mason so I won't hold it against you. :no:


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## RiverCityMason (Jun 17, 2010)

You know your a mason when you could sand down the paint job on a car with your bare hands


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

You know your a mason when you know the mud is too stiff from the sound of the mixer, you can tell when the 11th row of bricks land on the ground without looking, you know where the laborer is from the sound he makes or doesnt, you know when the tarp droops on the back end of the salamander heater, you know when the mixer is about out of gas, you can hear the laborer frame the hearth wrong-dont ask how, you just know, you even know when the framer misses his nail on the trim.

When you stand more or less still all day looking at a brick its amazing how much you know whats going on around you.


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## stonecutter (May 13, 2010)

..your level has busted windows so you can see the bubble tube.


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

JBM;1354173
When you stand more or less still all day looking at a brick its amazing how much you know whats going on around you.[/QUOTE said:


> one brick? That must be one fascinating or incredibly aggravating brick


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## 6stringmason (May 20, 2005)

stonecutter said:


> ..your level has busted windows so you can see the bubble tube.


HA! I've done that numerous times... I just gave up trying to keep the lenses clean.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

anybody mention...

wiping out a perfectly good $150 pair of Wolverine pigskins in 90 days.

Hate when that happens 

Day 1...lets see what they look like after 90 :laughing:


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## stonecutter (May 13, 2010)

superseal said:


> anybody mention...
> 
> wiping out a perfectly good $150 pair of Wolverine pigskins in 90 days.
> 
> ...


My record is 8 working days. They were Timberlands and I never bought another pair. Total failure...seams blown out, toe destroyed, sole coming off...all thanks to a bluestone patio and stone wall. I tried to win some in that contest but thats the only way I'd ever wear that brand again.


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## hairballxavier (Dec 13, 2011)

Your girlfriend has to beat your jeans on the sidewalk as a pre-wash before she puts them in the washing machine.


Or if you don't have a significant other to do your laundry, you pre-wash your jeans with a hammer.


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## stonecutter (May 13, 2010)

..you wear new pencils down to a nub in a couple hrs.


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## barry1219 (Oct 8, 2011)

I was a laborer for most of my teen years with a mason that lived in my neighborhood..
I want to thank that old Italian man Gino Farone for teaching me to stay in school and go to college.
I realized that he always needed Preparation H on the truck, Gout medicine and aspirin to function.
One winter after I graduated high school of working with him convinced me to enroll in January of the following year.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

stonecutter said:


> My record is 8 working days. They were Timberlands and I never bought another pair. Total failure...seams blown out, toe destroyed, sole coming off...all thanks to a bluestone patio and stone wall. *I tried to win some in that contest *but thats the only way I'd ever wear that brand again.


Me too, but I couldn't hold out any longer, my feet were getting wet and when the temps drop...well, ya know :whistling


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## lukachuki (Feb 11, 2005)

hairballxavier said:


> Your girlfriend has to beat your jeans on the sidewalk as a pre-wash before she puts them in the washing machine.
> 
> 
> Or if you don't have a significant other to do your laundry, you pre-wash your jeans with a hammer.


Sounds like an apprentice to me. A good mason can rewear the same work slacks for 3 days straight in cool weather with no hammer needed.


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## hairballxavier (Dec 13, 2011)

R&R doesn't mean rest and relaxation....

it means rip out and replace.


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## TheItalian204 (Jun 1, 2011)

barry1219 said:


> I was a laborer for most of my teen years with a mason that lived in my neighborhood..
> I want to thank that old Italian man Gino Farone for teaching me to stay in school and go to college.
> I realized that he always needed Preparation H on the truck, Gout medicine and aspirin to function.
> One winter after I graduated high school of working with him convinced me to enroll in January of the following year.


Some of ones down here,dont function without wine either


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

*good masons*

You can always tell where the good masons worked and were the BOOTS worked after the crew left for the day without even looking at the wall.Just look on the ground at the base of the wall. A boot will have a wheelbarrow of mortar at base,the real mechanic will have a coffee can half full were he worked. Talk about restless nights,my old friend Taylor would have one if he was ever to get mortar on his boot tops. I have known top notch bricklayers wear the same coveralls for 5 days in row and they were cleaner then the boots' were the first day at noon.


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

Lol, you know your a neat freak when you kneel on your brush so your knee doesnt get dusty.


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

fjn said:


> You can always tell where the good masons worked and were the BOOTS worked after the crew left for the day without even looking at the wall.Just look on the ground at the base of the wall. A boot will have a wheelbarrow of mortar at base,the real mechanic will have a coffee can half full were he worked. Talk about restless nights,my old friend Taylor would have one if he was ever to get mortar on his boot tops. I have known top notch bricklayers wear the same coveralls for 5 days in row and they were cleaner then the boots' were the first day at noon.



Yeah one guy I knew could go to church after being at work. He could also hold an 8" block at chest level while demonstrating something to a new guy for as long as he wanted. And this was in his mid 60's


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

barry1219 said:


> I was a laborer for most of my teen years with a mason that lived in my neighborhood..
> I want to thank that old Italian man Gino Farone for teaching me to stay in school and go to college.
> I realized that he always needed Preparation H on the truck, Gout medicine and aspirin to function.
> One winter after I graduated high school of working with him convinced me to enroll in January of the following year.



The prep H and gout medicine may be from the vino and the salami that's been sitting in the truck for the last couple months


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## stonecutter (May 13, 2010)

So you are saying wine and salami give you hemorroids?


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

No, the salami that's been hamging around in the truck for a few months rather than the fridge.


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## TheItalian204 (Jun 1, 2011)

dom-mas said:


> No, the salami that's been hamging around in the truck for a few months rather than the fridge.


I am trying to understand where you going with this.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

Stone - ya mention chocking the truck tires with ep henrys


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## JD3lta (Nov 22, 2009)

Those are Brick? Boston pumps out S&H - they pave streets. My second home other than NH which is still NE is really down in PA. In between Chester and Philly 'round Valley Forge area KOP, is that your area Superseal?.. Off topic just wondering cause I am familiar with the town down there in that area aspect.


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## JD3lta (Nov 22, 2009)

BTW I was born in Worcester for the Mass. users on this forum and there's a few, just to deflect the cast out and that's funny MA and NH you'd have to live here.


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## stonecutter (May 13, 2010)

superseal said:


> Stone - ya mention chocking the truck tires with ep henrys


Over my head..what's an ep henry?


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

JD3lta said:


> Those are Brick? Boston pumps out S&H - they pave streets. My second home other than NH which is still NE is really down in PA. In between Chester and Philly 'round Valley Forge area KOP, is that your area Superseal?.. Off topic just wondering cause I am familiar with the town down there in that area aspect.


Yep, Ridley Park area. Work a lot on the mainline. It's our local beverly hills as I'm sure your aware.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

JD3lta said:


> BTW I was born in *Worcester* for the Mass. users on this forum and there's a few, just to deflect the cast out and that's funny MA and NH you'd have to live here.


I like that place for at least one reason...


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

stonecutter said:


> Over my head..what's an ep henry?


Sorry, I thought you knew...

http://www.ephenry.com/

chocking the back tire with one from the local landscape :whistling


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## wood_rots (Dec 6, 2011)

6stringmason said:


> You know youre a mason:
> 
> When your work truck has an inch of dust on the dash because you gave up trying to keep up with armor all'ing it.
> 
> ...


And you know better because you know your banker don't give a damn.


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

TheItalian204 said:


> I am trying to understand where you going with this.


Some of the older italians and portugese and E. europeans that I've known keep cured meat just lying around not refrigerated. Mix that with a litre of wine at lunch time and you get some bad gout and i would imagine some long sessions in the white room.


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## stonecutter (May 13, 2010)

...when your coworkers drink wine and eat cured meat for lunch.


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## TheItalian204 (Jun 1, 2011)

dom-mas said:


> Some of the older italians and portugese and E. europeans that I've known keep cured meat just lying around not refrigerated. Mix that with a litre of wine at lunch time and you get some bad gout and i would imagine some long sessions in the white room.


Meh if you keep wine in shadow its all g...as far as cured meats...well prosciutto doesnt really go bad...


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