The Yale expositor., 1912-08-15
The Cost of Making Cement
Drain Tile
BY Fl. II. Musselnan

In the following figures which are
furnished for estimating the cost Of
making cement tile 1t must be kept in
mind that they will be affected by To-
cal conditions in almost every case.
The cost OF labor, sand and gravel.
kind OF machine used, convenience
OF arrangement for manufacturing,
and number to be made, will all affect
this item. The factors which will af-
feet the cost to the greatest degree
are labor, and the cost Of sand laid
down at the place of manufacture
The element Of labor required Is
often neglected in making estimations
Of this kind, since it is assumed that
at certain seasons Of the year 1t can
not be used for other purposes. This
should not be neglected because the
successful farmer endeavors to use
his time in such a way as to give it
the highest worth. This will only
be possible when it is considered and
its real value becomes known.
In places where sand is difficult to
obtain or where clay tile Is extensive
| ly manufactured, the making Of CO.
ment tile on the farm may not be ad-
visable, but In sections where clay
tile are not easily obtained and where
sand is convenient. their cost will
usually be found less than for the
clay product.
The following figures are based on
some rather short tests made by the
farm mechanics department of tho
Michigan agricultural college. These
tile were made on a machine adapt
able to both hand and power operat
ing, the mixing being done by hand.
Two men were required to operate
the machine to the best advantage.
On this machine from 40 OTTO 500 tito
could be made per day of ten hours
by hand power, and from 500 to 750
per day, using small gasoline engine
for power. Not more than one-half
to one horse power was required K.
run the machine. In any case it wolfe
be OF decided advantage to use rover,
and If large number are to be made
mixer could be devised which could
be operated by power, and thereby
materially reduce the work connected
with their manufacture. Making at
the rate given above the cement and
sand has to be mixed In comparative
ly small patches, since no more
should be mixed than can be used in
half hour.
All the figures given are for four
inch tile having nne-sixteenth-inch |
wall. No data was obtained on other |
sizes The cost of the size given |
should give fair notion of the cost |
of the other common sizes and fur
nish a basis OF comparison with 9TH
er kinds of tile The proportions used |
were one to four of cement and sand,
screened through three-eighths |
inch screen.
Cost of material and labor per thou
sand by hand power:
400 bbl cement a. $l.5O.................s645 |
2.43 yds. sand a $1.25.,..................3 .Oi |
"A days labor a $1.50................... 6.G0 |
Total ........"................. $500 |
Cost of material and labor per thou
sand by engine power:
40 Dbl. cement q sl5O. $3.50
23i yds. sand q sl25.................... 2.93
1913 days labor a $l.50................. soc
1 gal gasoline "a 15c..................... Is
Total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. SLABS
The rate OF making in the above
figures Is computed at 450 per day by
hand power and at 900 per day using
an engine for power. 1t will be seen
that the cost of making by engine
power will run from one dollar and
half to two dollars les ger thousand
than by hand. 1t will also be noted
that the items of cement and sand
might each be lower in some local..
ties. In figures given by Hanson in
Cement and Tile" the cost of four
inch proportional one to four Is es-
timated at from $12 to SIS per thou.
sand. In most cases, however, ma
chimes having a much larger capacity
than the one for which figures are
given above. were used.