Re: New D&S Sandhouse

Hey Eric!
You ever get the privalage to operate that relic? In the late seventies the method was this....
1. Dump load of sand with loader thru the window on to the floor.
2. If the weather was warm, you spread it out and let it dry there. If it was rainy and cold...it had to be shoveled into the dryer built around the stove. And the stove lit to dry it. As it dried...the idea was that it fell thru the screen onto the floor. Didn't work very well...took alot of prodding to get it thru the screen.
3. From the floor...it was shoveled up onto the sloping screen 3 times...each time catching the cascading rocks in the shovel. After 3 chances...any rocks that didn't fall thru the screen went back out the window.
4. Close all the air valves...and blow it up. Best not forget the top valve...as it would all blow back in your face and fill your coveralls with nice, fine, screened sand!
5. After you got it all up...it worked fairly well...unless it had rained recently (when you need the most sand of course!) Then the valve plugged up and you ended up bucketing it up anyway. It is AMAZING how much sand those domes hold when you are hauling it all up by yourself in 5 gallon buckets!
Incidently, this was most often the 2nd shift watchman's job. I WON'T miss it! LOL
Hopefully the new one will work better.
I was wondering tho...are they going still let the family of skunks live there?
Nice to hear from you...
Doug