Ply-Tie Holder qnd Plywood Teom Up for Profits

One-Piece Fostening Device For Concrete Forming Provides Significonf lobor Sovings

After years of development, a Seattle firm called Trueforms, fnc., has marketed an unusual fastening device for plywood concrete forms which holds both'the f"orm tie and rvaler _in pl-ace. Contractors using the new system report it makes forming 20 to 4O/o Taster than -conventi6nal systems.

_ The fas-tening device is a bracket called a Ply-Tie holder, design-ed for use with conventional fir plywood panels. One arm of the bracket has a tear-drop slot which fits over the head of a special form tie. The other arm of the bracket holds the waler.

With the Trueform system, the tie holes are pre-drilled in the plywood, using a standardized pattern. -Then the contractor tacks 2x4 studs to the plywood with one of the coNctetE

Contractor Charles Dahlgren of the Dahlgren Construction Co. in Seattle, who recently used the Trueform system with success in construction of the Roxburv Sch6ol in Seattle, says that with the Trueform system, his men were able to erect forms for the school walls at least 2O/o faster than the conventional or prefab forms they have used in the past. He adds that the finished wall had an excellent architectural concrete finish and the alignment was "straight as a die." Besides the labor savings possible with the Trueform system, Dahlgren points'out that fewer walers and studs are required, and studs need only to be tacked into place.

FIIED \A$EN"LYU'OOD SgET studs backing the joint. The Ply-Tie holder secures the form tie and-holds ihe u'aler in place.

Since the waler dr-ops into a procession of holders along the entire lengt! of the wall, a minimum of nailing G nec€ssary. The form work can be quickly stripped by sqringing the walers loose and releaiing tne tie- holder with the tap of a hammer.

The same holder can be used for light, medium or heavy construction by varying the spacing ana thlckness of studs and walers. Since stan<iard panels of fir plywood are used, there is no problem of hauling prefabricited forms to the job site.

Build{!lika tp.cdy forn crclion poriibla *ith Trucform syrlam; ttondord ponclr of f,r plywood qr. urod ond finirhcd woll hos pcrfecl qlignnont, .oy tha controclort who utcd lhir ryrlcn. Photo rhowr ar*lion ot fornr fq ncw Army Rcravc Troining Ccnlc ot F6l tqwtd in S.ottb

Walls for a new Army Reserve Training Center at Fort Lawton in Seattle were formed 20% fastlr by using the Trueform system, according to the Kuney-Johnson Construction Co. of Seattle. Bud Collins, project engineer, added that the forms went up "very fast" and were easy to strip.

Over 40,000 square feet of plywood was used on the Fort Lawton job for walls 14 to 16 feet high. "As for alignment," said Collins, "Trueform forms are as accurate as anything I've ever seen."

Kuney-Johnson is also using the new method for construction of a library in Olympia, Washington.

Mullen Construction Co. of Seattle urJd the Trueform method for heavy footings and battered piers on eight p_rjmar_y highway bridges near Lewiston, Idaho. Hairy Klaterboss, job superintendent, said that the use of th'e Trueform method resulted in a time saving of about 40/o.

He noted that one man could easily lift the panels and stripping was easier since there were fewer nails to pull.

Klaterboss also said the forms "line up quickly and don't bulge. We get an excellent concrete surface."

Years of Development

The Trueform concept was developed by Homer Allen, president of the firm. Allen has been in the prefabricated form business for several years. He has consulted with dozens of engineers, and contractors to develop a system which would achieve an architectural concrete hnish-at an economical cost.

According to Allen, the Trueform system capitalizes on the relatively high cost of prefabricated forms. With Trueform, contractors can use standard size fir plywood panels which are widely available.

The contractor can also select his own stud spacing according to the nature of the job.

Low-Cost System

There is no high initial cost for the forming, since the raw materials consist of conventional panels of hr plywood, a minimum number of studs and walers, plus the irolders and ties. List pric-e for thePly-Tie holders is approximately 80c each, f.o.b. factory. Trueform ties are the same ai on Page 75)

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