#avoid dowel errors

[srjsteel]

Common Mistakes in Bar Dowel Placement and How to Avoid Them

Bar dowel placement stays one of the most critical but often mishandled aspects of structural concrete paintings. These vital additives transfer load between adjoining concrete sections, ensuring structural integrity throughout construction joints. When improperly hooked up, even the best fine dowel bars can fail to perform their supposed feature, leading to untimely structural problems that compromise protection and sturdiness.

Understanding the Fundamentals

Proper alignment of dowel bars creates an easy load switch mechanism that allows for managed motion while maintaining structural continuity. This apparently simple idea will become complicated during real-world international implementation, wherein space constraints, speeding contractors, and inadequate supervision lead to expensive mistakes.

The steady fastening of these elements often relies upon excellent binding wire, which holds reinforcement in position throughout concrete pouring. Unfortunately, many contractors underestimate the importance of this modest thing, leading to transferring dowel bars at some point of concrete placement.

Most Common Placement Errors

Improper Spacing and Alignment

Dowel bars have to be located parallel to the direction of site visitors or predicted motion. A deviation of even a few ranges can dramatically reduce load transfer performance and create pressure concentration factors. Proper spacing ensures load distribution throughout a couple of dowel bars rather than overloading character factors.

When binding cord is badly secured or of insufficient high quality, dowel bars can shift at some point of concrete placement. This motion compromises the meant load transfer capability and creates vulnerable points within the structure.

Incorrect Embedment Depth

Embedding dowel bars too deeply or too shallowly substantially affects their overall performance. The perfect placement allows half the bar length to increase into each concrete segment, developing a balanced load switch. When employees rush or measurements are imprecise, flawed embedment occurs regardless of having first-rate substances accessible.

Binding cord ought to stabilize dowel bars at measured intervals without allowing vertical or horizontal motion. Loose binding cord installation results in misalignment all through the pouring technique, while wet concrete exerts enormous force on the reinforcement meeting.

Inadequate Corrosion Protection

Many contractors fail to well coat or protect dowel bars in competitive environments. Corrosion-resistant coatings or stainless steel alternatives exist, especially for harsh situations, yet general dowel bars are regularly incorrectly designated, leading to untimely deterioration.

Prevention Strategies

Template Usage

Specialized dowel bar templates make certain particular spacing and alignment during setup. These jigs maintain multiple dowel bars in function while workers stabilize them with binding wire, preventing the commonplace "eyeball estimation" that results in misalignment.

Quality Materials Selection

High-strength binding cord resists corrosion and continues tension all through the concrete curing process. Substandard binding cord may additionally appear to hold dowel bars to begin with but can loosen during vibration and placement, allowing critical movement.

Similarly, certain dowel bars must match project necessities for diameter, duration, and coating based totally on anticipated masses and environmental situations. Using undersized dowel bars to lessen costs inevitably results in joint failure and steeply priced upkeep.

Inspection Protocols

Implementing thorough inspection before concrete placement verifies proper dowel bar positioning. This fine manipulation step catches errors at the same time as corrections stay simple and less expensive. Inspectors should test alignment, spacing, embedment depth, and binding cord protection at each joint.

Conclusion

Avoiding those common mistakes in bar dowel placement requires attention to detail and the right education. When contractors recognize the important correlation between binding twine security and dowel bar overall performance, they make higher installation selections. Proper placement of quality dowel bars secured with appropriate binding wire creates durable concrete systems that carry out as designed for his or her supposed lifespan. This interest in reputedly minor info in the long run determines whether a concrete shape will provide a long time of reliable carrier or require premature, high-priced upkeep.

[kapilasteel]

Mistakes to Avoid While Installing Bar Dowels in TMT Steel

Bar dowel installation in TMT saria bar and TMT steel components requires precision and expertise. When creation initiatives fail in advance, mistaken dowel placement regularly emerges as a high offender. These seemingly small metal connectors play an extensive role in structural integrity, but their set up often suffers from preventable errors that compromise complete building systems.

Proper bar dowel placement creates essential load transfer points between concrete sections. When installed correctly in high-quality TMT steel, these connections allow for controlled movement while maintaining structural continuity. However, even experienced contractors make critical errors that undermine this fundamental construction element.

Common Installation Mistakes That Compromise Structural Integrity

Misalignment stands as perhaps the most frequent error during bar dowel installation. When dowels aren't perfectly parallel to the intended direction of movement, they create binding forces that prevent proper expansion and contraction. This misalignment strains the surrounding TMT saria bar framework and eventually leads to cracking as the structure attempts to move naturally.

Incorrect embedment depth presents another serious issue. Bar dowels must penetrate sufficiently into both connected elements to transfer loads effectively. Shallow placement in TMT steel connections fails to engage enough material for proper force distribution, while excessive penetration can restrict necessary movement and create stress concentration points.

Inadequate sleeve installation frequently undermines dowel performance. These sleeves allow one end of the bar dowel to move freely while the other remains fixed. When contractors install damaged sleeves or improperly seal them against concrete intrusion, the system loses its movement capability. Quality TMT saria bar connections demand meticulous sleeve preparation to ensure long-term performance.

Improper spacing between bar dowels creates uneven load distribution across joints. When dowels bunch too closely together, stress concentrates in small areas of the TMT steel framework rather than distributing evenly. Conversely, excessive spacing leaves sections unsupported, forcing individual dowels to carry more load than designed.

Material Selection and Preparation Issues

Using incompatible materials represents a surprisingly common mistake. Bar dowels must match the surrounding TMT steel in terms of strength and corrosion resistance. Mixing standard steel dowels with premium TMT saria bar can create galvanic reactions that accelerate corrosion and premature failure.

Inadequate corrosion protection frequently dooms installations before they even begin service. Bar dowels often bridge between interior and exterior environments with dramatically different exposure conditions. Without proper coating or material selection, these components can deteriorate rapidly, especially when used with high-quality TMT steel that would otherwise outlast standard components.

Failing to prepare bar ends properly introduces another vulnerability. Rough-cut or damaged ends create stress concentration points that can initiate cracks in surrounding concrete. Each bar dowel requires smooth, burr-free ends to perform as designed within TMT saria bar frameworks.

Installation Process Refinements

Rushing installation timing leads to numerous problems. Bar dowels placed too early may shift during subsequent construction activities, while installation too late often forces compromises in placement accuracy. The optimal installation window depends on specific project sequencing and TMT steel component assembly.

Neglecting proper vibration during concrete placement leaves voids around bar dowels. These empty spaces prevent full load transfer and expose dowels to moisture infiltration. Thorough vibration ensures complete encasement of dowels within the concrete matrix surrounding TMT saria bar elements.

Using improper tools during installation often results in damaged sleeves, misaligned dowels, or incorrect spacing. Purpose-designed installation templates and guides ensure accurate placement within TMT steel frameworks and maintain critical tolerances.

Bar dowel installation may seem straightforward, but attention to these details determines whether a structure will maintain integrity for decades or require premature repair. By avoiding these common mistakes, construction teams can ensure their TMT steel and TMT saria bar connections perform exactly as designed, delivering the durability and performance that modern construction demands.

[amaryllisblackthorn]

to make up for the looong time its been taking me to get done with my curse au fic i’m uploading snippets  of an unfinished abandoned fic in the same verse. it’s not canon, so i guess its like an au of an au heh. it’s the same universe as the body remembers what the memory forgot, but like i said, it’s not canon so the second installment will completely disregard these parts.

Moonlight shone dimly through veils of dust that covered the faces of virgin windows. The once paragonal coat of youth chipped away from the abrasive wear of time. The emptiness was suffocating if one did not tread carefully, and the silence would have been deafening if not for the rhythm of footsteps accompanying a duo. 

“Christ -- Georgie!” Duncan said as soon as he realized the identity of one of the girl’s facing him. He darted from his place on the stairs leaving the woman, Jolie, where she stood unmoving.

           “Yes, it’s nice to see you too, Duncan,” Sara said, using sarcasm to aid in her recovery of the alarming incident. Her hand was holding Georgie’s, but whether it was for her comfort or her own was hard to tell. Maybe it was both. “Your concern is touching.”

           In the midst of his anger and worry, the boy found the time to flash her a grin. “Always a pleasure, Sara.” His appearance quickly turned serious again as he looked to Georgie and then turned to face Jolie, his brows furrowing. “Can you explain exactly what you were doing here?”

           His voice had a terribly controlled sound to it, a dangerous calm. It was the kind of tone that brought kings to their knees and made the bones in Georgie’s body shake. Somehow, however, it didn’t seem to have much of an effect on Jolie. She stood, stoic. “They’re intruders.”

           “Well, this was fun,” Georgie started to say, already taking some steps back. Her hands opened and unopened several times. Everything seemed so fake for some reason, so unreal. “But I think I’m going to go.”

           “No -- wait!” Duncan said, extending his hand as though to stop her. He had moved slightly closer to her in an attempt to gain her attention. His green eyes implored with hers, looked at her with a sense of understanding and empathy. It was to ensure the advantage that he remained eye level with her, saying, “Stay. Just for a bit -- if you’re still uncomfortable then you can go. Just -- don’t go. Not yet.”

           There was still nothing in Georgie that wanted her to stay. Warnings of go, go! still beat in her heart, her thumb rubbing the hem of her skirt again and again. Even though the danger had passed, her body didn’t seem to be aware. It was a sensation that was too familiar, and she didn’t like it. “I -- I don’t know, Duncan. I don’t really like to keep company with people who try to kill me.”

The hesitance did not completely depart from Georgie, but his words did have an effect on her. It calmed the rattling of her bones, even if just a little bit. He was also so insistent, wanting terribly for her to stay. She decided she could give him a few minutes of her time without it hurting anyone. “Okay,” she breathed, and then, a bit clearer, “Okay, fine. I’ll stay for a bit. As long as there are no more attempts on my life.”

           A smile appeared on the boy’s face, breaking through his attempt to suppress it. “There won’t be. I promise.”

Jolie had a scowl ingrained on her face, and although it may have always been at that intensity, Georgie couldn’t help but feel it was directed at them (her specifically). The again, maybe Georgie was just worrying too much, thinking too much of herself. Nevertheless, it was a less than welcoming expression, and it made the hairs on Georgie’s skin stand up just a little. It’s not that Georgie genuinely believed that the older woman would actually hurt her, but she had a suspicion that’s exactly what she wanted to do.

           “Hey,” a voice said, breaking through her thoughts. Duncan had approached her, having left Jolie’s side. His lips formed a half smile, and she had to admit he looked kind of cute when his smile wasn’t a smirk. Objectively speaking. “Everything okay? You look kind of disquieted.”

           Her lips tightened as she gave him a close smile. “No, yeah, I’m fine,” Georgie said, putting a loose strand of hair behind her ear. For someone who regularly wore ponytails, she would have thought she’d be able to do them better. In fact, she wasn’t even sure if she really liked ponytail. They made her feel kind of … mature? Not that that was a problem, exactly, but when was the last time she wore her hair down, besides from sleeping and showering? Strange were the things she’d been beginning to notice after years of them never crossing her mind. That was life, she guessed.

           “See -- there!” Duncan said, once again interrupting her musings. There was something almost playful about his features as he gained her attention again. “You did it again. You sure everything’s okay?”

           “Positive,” Georgie assured him, then added, “but, I mean, I guess this just isn’t my cup of tea? It’s nothing personal, it’s just I was kind of expecting to, you know, explore an abandoned building or something. I didn’t expect like a haunted house kind of a deal or like Paris catacombs under the building or anything, but I guess I was looking forward to the thrill of walking through an isolated building? It’s silly, I know. It’s just that this is kind of … boring.”

           She didn’t want to be too blunt and end up offending him, but he seemed to take it very well. His lips spread wider, and he seemed somewhat amused. “You haven’t even been here for ten minutes,” Duncan said (he wasn’t exactly sure of how much time had actually passed but it certainly seemed like not much), “and you’ve already decided that you know everything there is to know about this building! I’ll let you know, bird, there’s a lot to still explore in this old building.”

           Georgie scrunched her nose and exaggerated an angry pout at the use of that nickname. It was a stupid one (unlike Georgie which was a pleasant sounding derivative of Georgia, her name), but she didn’t really have that much of an objection to it. It was just really fun when she pretended that she did. In fact, she kind of liked that he did it, because in an odd way it made her feel better about that whole kidnapped-by-a-sicko incident. Like it had less power over her because they were able to refer to it without avoidance or caution. She didn’t know how to explain it, but it was kind of nice.

          The eyes of the boy in front of her were no longer on her but gazed somewhere past her. “I don’t know, she seems to be all right,” he said, casually.

          Georgie spun her head around to see what he was talking about. Sara was talking to three boys who had names that evaded Georgie but whom seemed to be engaged in the conversation. Her friend’s hands moved animatedly as she spoke, her eyes housing a spark as she did so.

          “After a lot of trial and error, experience, and extensive research,” she was saying, “I’ve found out that the best materials are balsa wood, thick clear pine, steel wool, unbleached muslin, dowels, carpet thread, and sheet brass. I’ve heard some things about trunk fiber, and honestly I’m dying to use it.”

          “What is she talking about?” Georgie said half-absently to herself, staring at Sara in bewilderment. Man, did her friend have some peculiar hobbies.

            “So?” Duncan asked, his voice full of anticipation. He tried to suppress it, but it was there. In an odd way, he resembled a puppy, with a tilted head and wide expecting eyes. She wouldn’t be surprised if his ears had perked up. It was actually a pretty amusing imagery.

           “I -- I don’t know, Duncan,” Georgie told him, putting her hands together, restless. “I just don’t … feel comfortable, you know? I should probably just -- ”

           “ -- go home?” Duncan finished for her, his eyebrow raised. His features had become harsher, judgmental even. Maybe even hurt.

           “Duncan -- ”

           “And what waits for you there, Georgie, hm? A practical life of routine and predictability, where you grow up silently without any protest? You would rather go back fading into the abyss? You would rather stay where you know is safe and protected, not just from dangers and threats but from living and excitement? Are you really that afraid of the dark that you would rather keep your window shut than go out and venture through and discover what lies there? So afraid that you’d rather close your eyes and miss all of the marvels and wonders that pass you by, that you’d see if you only looked? Is that really what you want to go back to, Georgie? Is it?”

           “How dare you,” said Georgie, clenching her fists. Her brow was furrowed as her cheeks raised. She tried to keep her voice from raising while still expressing all of the fury that she felt. “How dare you. How dare you criticize me for wanting safety -- after everything that I’ve been through? Where do you get off judging me for being afraid after I’ve been abducted by some murderous psycho who had a room covered in the blood of his victims? I’ve earned the right to be afraid, and you can go screw yourself for saying otherwise.”

           “Why can’t you just believe that I won’t let anyone hurt you?” he asked furiously, as though he was the one being wronged.

           “Because I can’t trust you not to do it yourself!” she retorted right back, refusing to shrink down. “I can’t trust you, not when you may have burned down a house and killed someone! I thought I could have ignored it, I thought that I could be okay with it, but I realize now that I’m not. I’m not, because if you could have done that, then who knows what else you could be capable of? I can’t trust you to be able to control yourself, and that’s terrifying. The boys never do anything to upset you, but is that out of loyalty or fear? At the end of the day, Duncan Faber, I still don’t know you. I can say what instruments you play and what language you take, but I can’t say that I trust you, because I can’t. Not really.”

           His glare was thrown like daggers, but Georgie stood unfazed, her nerves impenetrable armor. Heat seemed to be seething from him, his breaths rough and ragged. Oh, if looks could kill. Well, he wasn’t the only one who knew how to throw daggers. She had an advantage over him, too; he constantly overestimated himself and underestimated others. Georgia McCarthy was not one to be underestimated lightly.

           Before he was able to find his voice, to form words out of his turbulent emotion, Georgie spun around and started to make her way across the corridor. “Don’t follow me,” she warned, not even looking back. She wasn’t going to stay in the company of someone who didn’t respect her, who invalidated how she felt. No, Georgie held too much self-respect for herself, too much dignity. There was no way she was going to let a smug pompous jerk spit all over here as she just took it. No, sir. Not Georgie.

There was something nagging in the back of her mind — like, Yeah, good luck with this one. Did you honestly think you would be able to find something like this? How much longer are you going to keep romanticizing things that aren’t meant to be romanticized?  Don’t you remember how things worked out last time?

(For a moment, a quick fleeting moment, she scratched sentience and was so very close to the cracks of remembrance.)

The tracks guiding the train of thought disassembled as quickly as they were put down, and Georgie occupied herself with this latest development. She honestly didn’t expect for it to work, especially not this soon. One of the negatives of making it up as she went was not knowing what to do next; how was she supposed to enter?

A once passive nature had transformed into a creation much different, much more comfortable. Stubbornness was an old jacket she found without trying that had been custom made for her. It suited her perfectly, and she accepted it so intrinsically that it was hard to remember that she hadn’t always worn it. The knitted brow, the intense frown, the stonewall resolve — they all appeared bringing with them a sense of reversion.

[adtomall1998]

A mechanical rebar splice is a joint or a coupler used to splice two rebars. The mechanical rebar splicing is a new type of splicing in the world construction industry. The mechanical rebar splice has many advantages compared to the conventional method of overlapping. A longer reinforcement bar is obtained through this rebar coupler splicing. The errors due to wrong lap length as in the conventional method are avoided. The wastage of steel is reduced. The use of a mechanical rebar joint helps to avoid lap length. This will save the appreciable amount of steel. We can use couplers as dowel bars. This will save the formwork material.

[msvirginia21-blog]

Spanking basics

Spanking Basics

This is intended to be a quick overview of the basics of spanking to provide an introduction for people who are new to spanking.

First, let me say that there is no one “Right” way to spank. People are very different in their motivations and pain tolerance, so what works perfectly for one person might be completely wrong for another. That said, I will try to lay out the basics and suggest good starting places and methods.

Let’s start with implements. The hand spanking is what most people start with and it is also favored by a lot of bottoms (spankees) who like the personal contact of feeling the spankers hand on their body. As you progress to longer spankings the spanker’s hand can get quite sore. This is the point where most people start considering various implements.

While most people don’t think of it as an implement, a tight fitting leather glove such as a driving, bicycling or handball glove is the simplest of implements, providing some protection for the spankers hand while still allowing for the feel of a hand spanking.

From there you have a number of options that you can move to. Leather belts and straps are a good starting place because their flexibility decreases the chance of causing an injury while the spanker is first learning. With straps and belts, the thicker the leather, the more painful it will be because of the extra weight. Belt width can be anywhere from 1 to 2 inches, with 1¼” and 1½” being the best place to start.

There are basically 2 ways to hold the belt. You can hold both ends in your hand and strike with the doubled center of the belt, or you can fold or wrap the buckle end around your hand leaving a single thickness strap extending to strike with. Also, just in case it isn’t obvious, never strike with the buckle on a belt, only the leather part.

Straps are just strips of leather, often with some sort of built-up handle to make them easier to hold. They include Barber’s Straps among other possibilities. Straps range from about 15” to 24” in length and 1” to 2½” in width. A strap much longer than 24” (total length including handle) gets too floppy to control with precision. For a longer, more severe strap, you want to incorporate a long wooden handle. Wooden handles can go up to about 18” in length, with an 18” to 20” strap extending from the handle. When made with heavy 12 oz. leather, these are extremely severe and are not for use by beginners.

Leather thickness can range from 8 oz. to 13 oz., with the thicker, heavier leather obviously being the more severe in use. It is generally good to have several straps ranging from a short 15” by 1” or 1¼” strap made from 8 oz. leather, up to a 24” by 1½” to 2” strap made from 12 oz. leather. That will give you a range of severity levels to cover every situation.

Because of their flexibility belts and straps can very easily “Wrap” and cause a lot of damage on the outside of the far buttock. The answer to this is to make sure that the end does not extend too far past the far butt cheek when in use.

Paddles of various sorts include hair brushes and their more severe cousins bath brushes. Brushes are a good place to start because they are generally smaller and lighter than most paddles and allow more room for error while learning. It should be noted that paddles are among the more painful implements and tend to cause the most bruising. For more on this, read my piece: “The Mechanics of Bruising” in my Writings.

Paddles should never be used on any area where there are bones near the surface. They are best on thick muscles like the buttocks that serve to protect the underlying bones with a good bit of padding. Large, heavy paddles like Frat paddles should only be used by experienced spankers as there are some serious injury risks with them if improperly used. This will be discussed in more detail in the Safety section later on.

Because paddles don’t flex, it can be difficult to hit both butt cheeks evenly when using a large paddle. You need to really focus on having the paddle strike squarely on both butt cheeks. It is often easier for a new spanker to strike one side and then the other. This is where something like a bath brush comes into its own, it is perfectly sized to strike a single cheek and is a good place for a new spanker to start when first using paddles.

Canes would be the next implement to consider. Natural canes range from light Rattan to thick, heavy Rattan and Whangee at the more severe end of the range. Stay away from bamboo as it can split and break causing injury from the sharp ends when this happens. With bamboo the only exception is Whangee which is part of the root section and does not suffer from same problems as bamboo canes.

Rattan comes in both peeled and unpeeled forms. Peeled rattan has no visible nodes and is off-white in color. It is not as strong or as durable as unpeeled rattan, but it is somewhat gentler and less marking because it doesn’t have the raised nodes. Unpeeled rattan is more yellow in color in addition to having visible raised nodes.

You will also find hardwood canes which are somewhat heavier than rattan and therefore more severe. It is best not to use commercial dowel rods, as the grain frequently does not run straight down the length of the dowel, which will cause them to break if swung hard. Historically, the most commonly used woods for canes (or switches as the hardwood ones were frequently called) were: Willow, Hazel, Birch and Hickory. All cut as green shoots directly from a tree and not as sawn dowels.

Natural canes can range from 1/4” to 1/2” diameter, and up to 36” long. The basic rule with canes is: The thicker the cane, the more painful it is because of the extra weight.

There are also synthetic canes which can be made from Polycarbonate (Lexan), Acetal (Delrin), Nylon 6/6 and Fiberglass. These are significantly heavier and therefore more severe than natural canes of the same diameter. They can be purchased as simple rods from Amazon and the ends rounded with a file. Avoid Acrylic canes as these can break without warning and the broken ends are very sharp.

The best sizes for Polycarbonate, Acetal and Nylon canes are 5/16” and 3/8” diameter, and up to 36” long. Because Fiberglass is much stiffer, you can use 3/16” and 1/4” diameter in the same length without it getting too whippy to control.

There is also the issue that natural canes can’t take too much of a bend without significantly shortening their life. With a natural cane, especially peeled rattan, you want a stroke with minimal follow through. Avoid a lot of wrist action after the cane has hit its target. A lot of wrist movement after impact will cause a severe bend in the cane just above your hand. This will result in frequent cane breakage with peeled rattan canes. Less so with unpeeled rattan which is considerably more durable.

Raw, unfinished rattan canes should also be soaked in water every so often to keep the moisture content up. Dry canes are more susceptible to breakage. Rattan canes can also be varnished, which eliminates the need to soak them as the varnish seals them preventing moisture from escaping.

Learning to use a cane is best done on a pillow with a mark or pattern. Pick a spot on the pillow and practice until you can hit within 1 inch of the spot every time. When you can do that, you are ready to try it on a person.

Canes require special care in their use. Because of their flexibility they can “Wrap” and cause a lot of damage on the outside of the far buttock. This is controlled by making sure that the end of the cane does not extend too far past the far butt cheek. If the punishment is being distributed unevenly with the far cheek getting most of the action, the spanker should take a small step toward the spankee’s head so that the cane strikes the near buttock first and then bends slightly to hit the far buttock.

Floggers are something I personally don’t use much. That is strictly a personal preference as many people like them quite a bit. They come in a huge variety of types and weights from light horsehair to very heavy leather and intensities from very mild to quite painful. I will leave it to people more experienced than I am to describe their use. Flogger users sometimes get to a level that is focused more on Preforming Art than punishment. Serious users will master complex striking patterns using two floggers at the same time. It is impressive to watch, but as I said, it gets more into the realm of a performance than a method of spanking.

There are also many other less well-known implements: Short Flat Tailed whips (such as the Dragon Tail), Quirts, Riding Crops, Dressage Whips, Singletail Whips, Cats, etc.

There are also implements which have normal household or personal uses and are called “Pervertables”. In addition to Belts, Hairbrushes and Bath Brushes, these include things like large wooden spoons, spatulas and other kitchen utensils. A simple hand towel either dry or wet (Much more painful) also works well, especially if you need something in a hurry or don’t want to be carrying anything that might be identifiable if you are traveling or visiting.

Last are the “Nontraditional” implements. This would include things like rubber jump ropes, which leave marks like a cane but are less likely to break the skin and cause bleeding. These are used folded over so that the spanker has either one or two loops of rope extending 12 to 24 inches from his hand. The Valeo Speed Jump Rope is an excellent and inexpensive place to start for these. The handles can be cut off and it can be cut to the preferred length to make it less clumsy to use if you wish.

There are many places to buy implements. I will give a short list of companies that I have used personally and have been happy with. If a company is not on this list, it does not in any way mean that there is a problem with them, just that I don’t have personal experience with them.

First is Amazon, which is a source for leather straps, Polycarbonate, Acetal, Nylon and Fiberglass Rods which can be made into canes by rounding their ends with a file, Bath Brushes, Hairbrushes, Rubber Jump Ropes, etc.

The others would be: Adam & Gillian’s, Woodrage, Spanking Paddles by Walt, Bullhide Belts, Canes4Pain, CANE-IAC, Snakewhip (Victor Tella), EF Whips, Ouch.uk.com, Springfield Leather Company, The Original Horse Tack Co., Frank’s Cane & Rush Supply, and Knot & Rope Supply. The London Tanners was out of business for a while but is now selling again under new ownership. I have not purchased from the new owner, but I have many of their items from the first owner and they are all of excellent quality. Based on that, I would suggest checking them out in the hope that the new owner is still making similar quality implements. All of these companies can be found on the web and have very informative websites that will give you a lot of ideas.

Before we go further, let’s cover some safety basics. There are several places you can do serious damage during a spanking. These are the Kidneys (Small of the back on both sides just above the hip bones), the Spine and the Tailbone. Never strike the lower back in the area around the kidneys with anything heavy. Heavy strikes to the kidneys can cause internal bleeding that will show up as blood in the urine. This is not to be taken lightly as there can be very serious complications.

The tailbone is primarily an issue with paddles or other hard and heavy implements. Hitting the tailbone with something hard and/or heavy can break it, requiring a trip to the hospital and surgery. This is the main thing to watch for when using paddles, be careful to position the spankee so that a missed swing can’t hit the tailbone. This is more of an issue on women with small or flat butts as there isn’t as much padding to keep the paddle at a safe distance from the tailbone. As a side note, don't ever think: "I am a good spanker, so I will never miss my target." People have a bad habit of moving suddenly and unexpectedly when they know a heavy paddle or something similar is on its' way to their butt!

Now let’s move on to spanking areas (Targets). The center of the butt just above the thighs is called the "Sweet Spot", if the spankee is bent over this would be the area right around the pussy. The nerves in that part of the butt are connected to the same nerve ganglion as the genitals. That's why some women orgasm or become very aroused from being spanked. There is crosstalk between the nerves that stimulates the genitals. That is the best area for the spanker to give the majority of his attention to when first starting out with spanking and any time the spanking is intended to have erotic overtones. The upper part of the butt and the outsides of the butt are much harder for the recipient to eroticize because there is no crosstalk with the genitals from those areas. These areas would be appropriate to spend more time on for a punishment spanking.

Other good spanking areas, besides the butt, include the backs of the upper thighs. Be aware that the thighs are more sensitive and spanking them is considerably more painful than the butt. Generally speaking, it is never a good idea to strike below the middle of the thighs. The point where the tendons in the backs of the legs start is the limit. Light things like a whip wouldn't be a problem here, but heavier implements could damage the tendons since they are right at the surface and not protected by any padding.

The insides of the thighs are a very sensitive area that can also have an erotic connection, but because of the extreme sensitivity, this area is best left for after you are more experienced with spanking in general.

Before we start with the actual spanking, we need to discuss communication issues. These are important at all times, but especially so with people who are new to spanking. It is essential that the spanker have a good idea of how the spankee is experiencing the spanking. This can vary tremendously from one person to another. Some women would be screaming in pain from a spanking that other women would consider quite mild. Never assume anything with a new partner or when you are starting out, always communicate clearly!

A very good procedure that I like to use is to ask the spankee to "Give Me a Number". The way this works is the spankee rates the severity of the spanking at that moment by giving the spanker a number between 1 and 5. 1 meaning "Stop Tickling Me", and 5 meaning "I Absolutely Can’t Take It Any Harder". That way the spanker can calibrate his intensity to how the spankee is experiencing it. This greatly speeds up learning with a new partner. When first learning, the spankee should also be encouraged to volunteer a number unasked if they feel they need to.

This brings us to the subject of Safewords. Special safewords are only needed if the spankee wants to be able to Role Play and pretend that they are being forced or victimized, by saying things like: “Stop”, “Don’t”, etc. without the spanker listening or actually stopping. If you don’t feel a need to role play, then direct communication like saying: Stop! Is all that’s needed.

If you do want separate safe words, you should have at least 2. The main safeword causes everything to stop completely and instantly. If you use it, the session is OVER! The most commonly used word is “RED”, although I also like "Safeword". You would never have any other reason to say "Safeword", so there couldn't be any chance of a misunderstanding.

Next you need a soft safeword. "Yellow" is good for this. Saying "Yellow" means that the spankee doesn’t want to end the session, but something needs to be addressed. They have a limb falling asleep, cramping or something else that needs to be dealt with. Yellow means the spanker stops temporarily and checks in with the spankee to see what the problem is.

"5" can also be used as a soft safeword. It is another way for the spankee to let the spanker know they are very close to their limit and that the spanker needs to back off slightly and give them time to catch up.

If you anticipate being involved with other spanking partners in future, it is probably best to learn to use RED and YELLOW, since they have become the accepted norm in the spanking / BDSM community.

Warmups are a very important part of any spanking (Other than a pure discipline spanking). When you are ready to start, make sure the spanker warms the spankee up for at least 5 minutes with a hand spanking, starting lightly and increasing in intensity before moving on to more severe implements. This will get the blood flow established in the area and allow the spankee time to adjust to the new sensations.

Even with experienced players, a warmup is standard since it allows the spankee to take a considerably harder or longer spanking than would be possible without a warm up. This is why it is sometime omitted in a discipline spanking, because skipping it makes the spanking a good bit more painful. A warmup can also reduce the severity of bruising, although the extent to which this works varies a lot from one person to another.

Now, for the spankee, breathing is an important subject. While you are being spanked, focus on your breath. Take long deep breaths; don't let your breathing get short and shallow. You will be surprised by the difference in how you experience the spanking between those two types of breathing.

Something else I should mention. The more the spankee is bent over, the more the muscles are stretched, which makes the spanking more painful and somewhat increases the severity of bruising. (See my writing on “The Mechanics of Bruising” for more on this.)

There is also the fact that most women can take a lot more pain and enjoy it more if they are sexually aroused. The spanker can get the spankee wet before he starts spanking severely, and can take short time outs during the spanking to rub the spankee’s ass, slip his fingers into her cunt, and play with her clit. This will have to be experimented with as there are large variations in types of spankings and the reactions of different women. For instance, something like this would obviously not be appropriate for a straight punishment type spanking or something along those lines. You will also find that certain women want to focus on the spanking with no distractions. (For more on this, see my writing “The Reasons People Seek or Accept Pain”.)

One additional thing to be aware of is where a woman is in her menstrual cycle. Most women have significantly reduced pain tolerance starting shortly before their period begins and lasting until it is over. If you are spanking a woman during her period, expect her to be able to take noticeably less pain than at other times. Most women also have tender breasts during this time, so slapping or spanking the breasts is generally more painful and perceived by them as less sexually stimulating than at other times.

Positions for spanking start with the basic across the knees while sitting in a chair position. This is good for shorter spankings but longer spankings become uncomfortable for the spankee because they have to support their upper body weight with their arms. For longer hand spankings, lying across the spanker’s lap on a bed is better because it provides better support. These positions are also good for hairbrushes and other short implements like wooden spoons, short straps/belts, etc.

Next we go to things like lying face down on a bed either with or without a pillow or something similar under the lower belly and hips to raise the spankee’s ass. Assuming a narrow bed, this position also allows the spanker to alternate spanking from both sides for more even coverage. Because of the reach involved, this works best with longer implements: Belts, Straps, Jump Ropes, Quirts and Canes all come into their own here.

After that comes bent over. The possibilities for this are almost endless, the most obvious being bent over a table (Padding under the hips is good here or the sharp edge will be a distraction for the spankee). Bent over the end of a bed, the arm of a couch or large chair. Kneeling with hands and knees on a large padded foot stool or ottoman, etc. A little imagination will find lots of possibilities.

I am not personally a big fan of unsupported, bent over spankings. While you will see a lot of pictures of women holding their ankles and such while being spanked, I have found that if they are being spanked hard balance becomes a problem. It is quite possible to tip someone over, and having to worry about their balance is a significant distraction for many spankees.

Last among the basics is “Diaper Position” with the spankee on their back on a bed or similar surface and the spanker lifting their legs straight up to allow access to the butt for the spanking.

As for the spanking itself, once you are through the warmup, the possibilities are almost endless. I could write 10 long articles on different scenarios and still not cover everything. There are erotic spankings that are basically foreplay for (frequently rough) sex. There are discipline spankings, frequently in a Domestic Discipline type setting. There are fantasy/role play spankings that can encompass almost anything from school spankings on up.

The best I can give you here is to encourage you to use your imagination and be willing to talk openly with your partner about any fantasies the two of you have around the subject of spanking. Discussion is very important for new partners. What one person has in mind when they think spanking can be vastly different from what another person is envisioning. Take nothing for granted in the beginning. Have each person describe in detail what they have in mind, then discuss it to find a scenario that will work for both people.

There are also many books of varying quality on how to spank. A quick check of Amazon’s website will reveal a good assortment. I am hesitant to make a general recommendation of any because they all tend to have a specific area that they focus on, and if that doesn’t happen to be your area, even the best book will be of little interest to you.

The last thing I want to mention is Aftercare. I can’t go into all the details of aftercare here as that would be quite a long article all by itself. I just want to make you aware that it is important and urge you to read up on it. Aftercare is not usually as much of an issue for short simple beginner type spankings, but as you progress to longer and more serious sessions it becomes vital that the spanker understand aftercare and also be familiar with Subdrop, how to minimize its chances of happening and how to deal with it if it does happen.

As you become more advanced, you may also want to become familiar with Subspace, how it’s caused and how to proceed when it is encountered.

This has by necessity, been a rather short and simple introduction to a very involved subject, but I think it will serve to help get you started in the right direction and at least make you aware of what things you need to think about and address when approaching the subject of spanking for the first time.

If, after reading this, you have specific questions on spanking matters that I haven’t covered here, you can message me with your questions and I will answer them where possible.

Copied from Chieftain50

[adto-office-booth]

A mechanical rebar splice is a joint or a coupler used to splice two rebars. The mechanical rebar splicing is a new type of splicing in the world construction industry. The mechanical rebar splice has many advantages compared to the conventional method of overlapping. A longer reinforcement bar is obtained through this rebar coupler splicing. The errors due to wrong lap length as in the conventional method are avoided. The wastage of steel is reduced. The use of a mechanical rebar joint helps to avoid lap length. This will save the appreciable amount of steel. We can use couplers as dowel bars. This will save the formwork material.

[omgsamchap]

Worlds 2017 - WAG

The injuries were a really unfortunate part of worlds but I don’t have anything to say that hasn’t already been said, so I’m just going to leave it at that.

Individual skills you should see:

Desiree Carofiglio’s front double pike (Dowell) on FX (x)

Morgan Hurd’s full-in BB dismount

Anastasia Ilyankova’s Shang

Elena Eremina’s Nabieva

Aiko Sugihara’s double Y turn on BB

Brooklyn Moors’ Podkopayeva

Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos’ Galante (x)

Jade Carey’s double-twisting Tsuk (Zamolodchikova) 

Mai Murakami’s double double+stag jump from the AA final

Tisha Volleman’s whip+full-in (landed in PT but not in quals) (x)

Diana Varinska’s Kononenko+Jeager on UB

Fan Yilin’s Healy+Ling+Fan dismount

Thais Fidelis’ whip+triple twist

Random thoughts:

-I LOVE Ilaria Kaeslin’s music. I don’t necessarily love the routine, but I like the music haha

I rarely even watch interviews (not even of my favorite gymnasts) but Eremina and Morgan Hurd were are both so sweet and their enthusiasm is contagious.

Eremina was a pleasant surprise for me. I knew she was going to challenge for the UB title, but I underestimated her as an all-arounder. She won bronze with a relatively weak vault and little things to fix on all of her events, so I think she has a lot of room to grow. I love that she goes for big skills and combinations and consistently hits them.

Brooklyn Moors also exceeded my expectations. Her floor is awesome.

Japanese WAG looks great. Two of their gymnasts placed in the top 8 in the AA final (Mai and Aiko), two qualified to beam finals (Mai and Asuka), Mai won floor finals (and Aiko was the second reserve), and Sae qualified to vault finals. Bars was the only final with no Japanese women. I’m excited to see what they can do this quad with their veterans and promising juniors like Hatakeda Chiaki. 

I’m happy for Ellie Black. I’ll never like her style, but she’s done well cleaning up her routines (and adjusting her skill selection to avoid costly errors). For someone who used to be so weak on bars, she’s really come a long way in terms of the difficulty she performs. Obviously her bar work isn’t what I’d call beautiful, but F releases and combinations with E releases are nothing to scoff at.

The same sort of goes for Fragapane. I find her floor performance a bit....weird...but she does put effort into expressing herself via music and choreography and she has cleaned up her tumbling a bit. I think Thais Fidelis (who I LOVE) was a bit underscored in FX EF but not so much so that she was robbed of bronze. If Thais can just upgrade some of her super easy dance skills, she’ll really be a strong contender on floor - her tumbling is difficult and sooo clean in the air.

I’m thrilled for Jade Carey and I think what she’s managed to accomplish at worlds is incredible. To go from level 10 to 2-time silver world medalist in a year is amazing.

[akarrkkevahawley]

When You Need Ideas About Woodworking Fast, Read This

When You Need Ideas About Woodworking Fast, Read This

Woodworking is an amazing way to better your hand-eye coordination while building useful life skills. From learning to measure to understanding how tools operate, this pastime truly betters you as a person. To learn more about how to make woodworking even more enjoyable, continue reading this article and the tips therein.

Try creating your own reusable sanding blocks. Create six blocks of the same size from some plywood. Your blocks should be 2.5 x 4.75. Use spray adhesive on both the cork tile square and your blocks. Stick one block to your cork and be sure to cut your cork flush using a utility knife. Spray adhesive on the back of your sandpaper sheets and attach to the cork blocks. Use a utility knife to trim the sandpaper around the edge of the block. Label each block.

Before using any new tool, do your research on it in full. New tools can mean serious injuries for those that use them incorrectly. Even if you're pretty sure of how to use it, don't risk it. Study up via the web and books related to the tool in question.

Keep the floors safe in your woodworking shop. Dust builds up on the floor, making it dangerous for walking. Coat the slippery areas of your shop with a mixture of crushed walnut shells and paint. The walnut shells are just the right consistency to keep the floor rough enough for walking, even when sawdust builds up.

Before you start any woodworking project, get all of the tools you will need for the project ready. Always remember to bring a calculator and tape measure with you when you go to purchase your wood. Make sure you have any specialty tools you will need for your project available as well.

If you enjoy doing woodworking as a hobby, try to use all the materials that you buy and throw away as little as possible. Scrap pieces of plywood or hard wood can be used as sanding blocks for future projects. You can also use scrap wood for wooden dowels in furniture making.

Remember the quote, "Measure twice, cut once." When it comes to cutting wood, you always want to ensure you have the right measurements before you begin cutting. Otherwise, you will have to buy more wood, which will cost you a lot of money. You can avoid this dilemma by ensuring proper measurements.

When staining woods, always test in a hard to see area before moving forward. In fact, if you've got a piece of scrap wood, that's even better. You never know how a type of wood will take to stain, so it's best to find out in a place that won't be an issue later on.

If you are cutting, sanding, or finishing something small, get out your hot glue gun. Affix the item you are working on to the end of a pedestal stick. Hot glue holds better than a clamp, and small objects are impossible to clamp anyway. Just be careful when pulling the piece off to avoid tearing the back side of the wood.

Sometimes a little bit of glue is better than a clamp. Every woodworking shop should have a hot glue gun. Hot glue will hold small pieces better than any clamp ever could, if you could even maneuver one in place. When you are done, just gently pry loose with a putty knife.

Wear gloves when you are doing your woodworking projects. A natural part of woodworking is the risk of getting splinters and other injuries from the wood. If you find it difficult to work well with the gloves you should shop for a pair that does not hinder your performance so that you can be safe.

When buying wood for your woodworking project, always buy long and not to the exact measurements. Some stores will sell you wood that is cut to length. Always measure long and trim down to the exact size you need in your shop. This way if you made a minor error in measurement, you will have a little bit of extra wood to cut off or utilize to make up for the difference.

Never cut any pieces of wood without checking for nails, screws and other metal. While donning a pair of goggles keeps your eyes protected, you are still at risk for other injuries. Inspect every piece of wood whether you are re-purposing it or using new lumber. You are better safe than sorry with this safety tip, and checking the boards only takes a few minutes of your time.

All great masters of their trade take the time to educate themselves on as much as possible in regards to their skills and techniques. You will be a better woodworker now that you have taken the time to learn from this article. Continue your reading so that you can produce amazing results.

[giantsfootball0]

4 things to watch: Bears-Steelers

Seeking their first win of the season, the Bears return home to host the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday at Soldier Field. Here are four storylines to watch in the game:

(1) Will the running game be more productive than it was last weekend?

To upset a Super Bowl contender like the Steelers, the Bears are going to have to generate more rushing yards than the 20 they mustered on 16 carries in last Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers. It was their lowest output on the ground in 34 games under coach John Fox, whose vision of the Bears offense is as a run-oriented attack.

“It was one guy on each play,” offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said of the struggles in Tampa. “It wasn’t one guy playing poor. We’re going to face overpopulated boxes, we know that. There’s going to be seven, eight guys in the box every time and we have to execute better and it comes down to that.”

After rushing for a Bears rookie-record 1,313 yards last season, Jordan Howard has been limited to 59 yards on 22 carries in two games this season. More troubling is that his yards-per-carry average is down from 5.2 last year to 2.7 so far this season. Despite the slow start, Loggains sees the same player, saying: “He’s running hard. We’ve got to do a better job up front and help him. When you get him to the second level, he’s a good back. He’s going to break tackles. It’s tough for people to tackle him for four quarters.”

(2) Will quarterback Mike Glennon rebound from last week’s outing? 

Glennon threw for 301 yards with one touchdown and a 76.2 passer rating against the Buccaneers. But he committed turnovers on each of the Bears’ first three possessions with two interceptions—one of which was returned for a touchdown—and a fumble that enabled Tampa Bay to race to a commanding 26-0 halftime lead. 

Loggains was pleased with how Glennon performed on third down but acknowledged that the three turnovers put the Bears in a deep hole. “In this league you can’t beat yourself,” Loggains said, “and to win games you have to find a way not to lose them first, so we’re going to keep emphasizing taking care of the football and playing smart.” 

Glennon opened last Sunday’s game by completing his first six passes for 54 yards, leading the Bears to the Tampa Bay 22. But his seventh throw was intercepted, ending a promising drive. It was the type of mistake the quarterback must learn to eliminate.

“Ultimately you’re always looking for ways to improve and when things don’t go well then you’re ultimately going to look in the mirror and figure out what I can do better,” Glennon said. “There are definitely things I can do better from that game, but there are also things I did well that I’ll continue to build on.”

(3) How well will the Bears be able to contain the Steelers’ balanced offense? 

Future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger leads a Pittsburgh offense that can attack through the air with receivers Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant as well as on the ground with running back Le’Veon Bell. It all starts with Roethlisberger, however. 

“Even though his size doesn’t give you the impression that he’s mobile, he’s definitely mobile and likes to extend plays like that guy down there in Green Bay,” said cornerback Prince Amukamara. “We just have to plaster and just be ready and get our conditioning up because those receivers can run and we know Ben is going to be able to extend the play.”

In his 13th season with the Steelers, Roethlisberger boasts a ton of experience. He has won two Super Bowls, been voted to five Pro Bowls and boasts a career passer rating of 94.1.

“He’s played at a high level for a long time,” Fox said. “He can make all the throws. He’s not exactly a scat back type of guy in the pocket. But he does have good pocket awareness and he can slide up and he’s big and strong enough that he’s a hard get-down on the sack. His pocket awareness is unique in that he’s not overtly mobile that way, but he does avoid pressure and he extends plays.”

(4) Will the Bears stop shooting themselves in the foot? 

From turnovers to penalties, the Bears have hurt themselves with a lot of self-inflicted mistakes in their first two games. Their four turnovers against the Buccaneers last Sunday enabled the Buccaneers to turn the contest into a rout before halftime. “It never helps when you give them short fields four times in the first half,” Fox said. “Let’s make that clear. That’s not a formula for success for anybody. So that’s something we have to fix. We can’t be flopping it on the ground that many times in 60 minutes, let alone 30.”

The defense also made costly mistakes, committing three holding penalties on failed third-down plays that resulted in automatic first downs instead of punts. “I think the common theme that’s been going on in our season as a secondary or just as a defense is that we keep beating ourselves,” Amukamara said. “We’re just trying to clean stuff up this week and just go out and try to play flawless.”

Another critical miscue last Sunday came when rookie Tarik Cohen unwisely tried to field a bouncing punt while surrounded by two Buccaneers players. He lost control of the ball and Tampa Bay recovered the loose ball at the Bears’ 13-yard line. Cohen and the rest of his teammates know that they must play smarter football, especially when they seemingly have a small margin of error against elite opponents like the Steelers.

The post 4 things to watch: Bears-Steelers appeared first on Daily Star Sports.

from https://dailystarsports.com/2017/09/23/4-things-to-watch-bears-steelers/ from https://dailystarsports.tumblr.com/post/165652664091

[loudlydecadentkryptonite-blog]

A Contemporary Unexpected Liberal Tale

Mirriam decided to meet her girlfriend at the Leadenhall Market for lunch accompanied by her thirteen year old daughter Melissa and her American friend Jemma. They had taken a Route 43 double-decker bus traveling on London Bridge across the Thames picking it up by the old George Inn. They could have taken the ‘tubes‘ but her daughter insisted upon ‘going tourist‘ for the sake of her new companion. The two chattered away as Mirriam fixed her thoughts on the possibility of joining the Momentum Party to support ‘back bencher‘, Jeremy Corbyn. The Brexit affair had led to many angst based discussions and her heart of hearts that told her Labor party’s efforts to ease the tensions caused by recent terrorist events was necessary to safeguard her daughter’s future through conciliation. The growing Islamic community in Sutton had recently become the focus of repeated hate based graffiti attacks and as a Liberal minded modern career woman she felt it her duty to help push back against the increasingly violent right wing conservative sentiments of the ‘block-headed‘ right wing UKIP movement. Though Dulwich Village was more than a stones throw away it was evident that her neighbors were being affected this ongoing turmoil as well.

This morning seemed unusually sunny and bright for her two companions to babble about the surrounding wonders of the surrounding embankment. The upper seats were mostly empty save for some noisy tourists busily pointing back and forth and just beyond their midst a very mild looking bearded ethnic young man wearing a buttoned up raincoat. The end of Spring had brought several days of moderate weather and it seemed curious that the young man would be bundled so. The spate of changeable weather of the last several years that to her mind had supported the unpopular notion to more conservative tastes of the coming dangers of Global warming had affected everyone’s decisions as to outerwear of course. But she couldn’t help staring at the young man’s face as he seemed to be chanting something to himself in between his own furtive look scanning the scenery about him looking repeatedly towards the reflected sun from the gleaming glass of the towering white ‘Walkie Talkie’ building over the river. An unsettling feeling hit Mirriam in the pit of her stomach that something was gravely amiss. Feeling somewhat ashamed she stopped herself. It seemed that the recent mass hysteria of the recent attack in Westminster was still fresh in everyone’s mind. The easiest thing to do would be to single out anyone with swarthy ethnic features as possible culprits. It rankled her that she was falling prey to the same prejudice that she was trying to avoid infecting her daughter. She herself was not particularly drawn to the new groups of immigrants, especially the African ones. They had been showing up unexpectedly on street corners, with nothing to do idling on their government stipends. Some of them menacingly so! But like all human beings they were deserved of respect and not be singled out for the fact of their backgrounds however humble or challenging that might be. Mirriam turned back to watch her two wards for the morning as Melissa seemed rapt in pointing out Millbank further up the Thames not he other side of the bridge. The sharp flash of a detonation’s instant barely caught her attention.

Mirriam seemed suddenly distracted. Her mind out of place? As if having somehow lost her place along the way in following the tight narrative of a novel. Try as she might, she could not recover the expected view of embankment architecture that had just before filled the landscape across the bridge from of the window of the bus. Her eyes could only focus on a distant somewhat obscured horizon just before the break of dawn. She knew that she was standing upon hot sand but could feel a cool morning breeze rising up around her almost as if she was completely unclothed. She tilted her head down suddenly but this motion was interrupted by what appeared to be a roughly hewn wooden yoke. One that extend from where it encroached around her neck extending many centimeters forward to the back of another woman’s head. To Miriam’s shock the other woman was standing still  and completely nude with slender wrists chains firmly attached behind her! Mirriam tried to cry out but now found that a wooden dowel had also been equally mysteriously tightly fastened between her teeth precluding any ability at intelligible speech. She made a quick attempt to bring her hands up to dislodge it in order to freely speak. But her arms were also tightly ensconced within the unbreakable grip of iron wristlets. A heavy iron chain attached to the other unfortunate’s wrists just before her led backwards swinging low between her own knees and back up the small of her back attached to her own manacles. A white flash blanketed her mind as she sought to expel her present impressions in order reconcile the disparity of what had just an instant before been a bus ride through central London. And how it would have been possible to end up so vulnerable in this totally unexpected situation of appalling physical slavery? Had an accident occurred? Was this some sort of heavily narcotic induced dream or a coma? She raised her chin up against the tight fit of her end of the yoke and scanned the view ahead once again as best she could. Taking in the horror and amazement of scores of women standing equally despicable circumstances, haltered like farm animals held motionless within their respective fetters silhouetted against the waxing dusk of an ever brightening desert sun. Her thoughts immediately raced back to her two children. Where were they? The uncompromising yoke tightly locking her neck to the preferred forward position scratching painfully into tender flesh as she turned to and fro attempting to find if her daughter and her companion might be somewhere close in sight. Twisting to the left and then the right with tears welling in her eyes as she found her daughter’s own slender now frame fully exposed. Naked and fully expose before the equally tightly harnessed form of her American friend. Both shivering in terror within the cold wind. Unable to move, shifting their weight to try to move beyond the boundaries that their heavy bonds allowed. Mirriam began a long low helpless animal moan. But was cut short by the sharp stinging pain of hard leather crop biting acoiss her fully exposed buttocks!

“Kunn kafir radian!“, a male voice roughly spat out. The smart of the pain was followed instantly by a heavily bearded face. Though Mirriam’s conscious mind had suffered mightily within the last few moments from each lurid horrible discovery her eyes opened incredulously wide at the sight of the person standing before her. It was the young Middle Eastern man that she had been looking at on the bus before all this had happened. She tried to drone out some words as concisely as possible given that her mouth was restrained by the chunk of wood. The same young man was now dressed in intricately appointed Arabian silk robes. A cloth of gold turban of a sheik absurdly topping his head above a beard that had equally fanatically grown in length and bushiness. “Be still abayd khadae!“, he spat as his whip came down hard once again upon her. His narrowed eyes seemed to seethe with a boundless arrogant pride. He passed by her walking up and down the line of the many scores of women who squirmed slightly as he passed. It struck Mirriam that his expression was reminicent of the owner of a herd of sheep or cattle. She looked over at her daughter again who now was stared back in a terrible heartbreaking expression that seemed equally choked by fear and the pain of physical distress. The little Sultan came by her and seeing her looking off away from him ruthlessly swung his whip hard against the adolescent’s naked white back leaving the spread of a widening welt. Mirriam exploded into a loud physically suppressed shriek of rage. Hot blooded tears flooding across her eye singing them as the chains restraining her body clinked away merrily in mockery of her total impotence. “Leave my daughter alone!”, her mind screamed with such force that it seemed to blast out through her eye sockets! The little potentate turned back towards Mirriam with a malevolent looking toothsome grin. “Do not worry khinzir mother!” “I have eternity to convert your daughter and her seventy-one other companions into the most blessed ways of Allah in pleasing me in every way.” “They are my reward for sacrificing myself to kill off you infidels in our glorious jihad, Allah be praised!” The full horror of the moment struck Mirriam. Though she had herself never been religious enough in life to accept a belief in God or an afterlife she was now shocked to find that she had been in error to not seriously entertain it. Worse yet! it seemed to be a heaven that fully favored the Muslims! It seemed apparent that this cruel upstart of a young man had been a suicide bomber. And that his final mortal act had been rewarded with the gift of the body and souls of his victims. She seemed to recall something about virgins in heaven? But as she pondered the fact that she herself was definitely no longer a virgin though of course her poor thirteen year old daughter and her companion were, the evil little prince seemed to pick up on the thought. “Worry not infidel eahira!” “You are soon to taste your just reward for denying Allah in the eternal flames of burning Hell that will roast your flesh and boil your belly forever!” As if by some unseen cue or anonymously issued command Mirriam felt herself pulled roughly forward by the line of struggling women before her. The sands beneath the burning the soles of her bare feet growing ever hotter as she and the others were marched off into the desert. The little man’s final, “Allu al Akhbar”, being the last human words that she would ever eternally know.

[srjsteel]

Mistakes to Avoid When Installing Dowel Bars in Roads

Installing dowel bars in rigid pavement isn't only a technical necessity—it's an essential structural decision. When performed properly, it guarantees that load is transferred smoothly across slabs, stopping cracks, settlement, and long-term degradation. But too frequently, avoidable mistakes compromise the whole pavement. These errors aren’t just about bad work; they regularly stem from underestimating the function of alignment systems like construction rings and Super Rings, which might be essential for correct, long-lasting dowel placement.

1. Incorrect Alignment Compromises Structural Integrity

One of the first and most costly mistakes is incorrect alignment. Dowel bars must sit parallel to both the traffic flow and pavement surface. Any tilt, even slight, can lock the slab’s movement, causing cracking under stress. This issue is worsened when installers skip using construction rings or choose inferior alignment systems. Quality rings help keep dowel bars steady and aligned, especially under the vibration of concrete pouring.

2. Inconsistent Spacing Leads to Early Joint Failure

Closely related is the error of inconsistent spacing. Misplaced bars lead to uneven load distribution, which accelerates wear and tear at joints. This is where Super Rings prove vital. These specially designed holders ensure uniform spacing across the joint and maintain bar position even in high-speed construction settings. Without them, installers often rely on visual estimations, which almost always lead to performance failures.

3. Lack of Support During Concrete Pouring

Another frequent problem is insufficient support during concrete pouring. Dowel bars shift easily without firm anchoring, especially when heavy machinery moves across the pour zone. Without Super Rings, bars may sink or tilt, leading to long-term structural issues. Strong anchorage systems like construction rings provide the stability needed to prevent vertical movement and displacement.

4. Skipping Sleeves or Bond-Breakers Locks the Joints

Failing to use proper sleeves or bond-breakers on dowel bars is also a critical error. These allow the bar to move slightly within the concrete, accommodating natural slab expansion and contraction. Without this, joints lock, and cracks form rapidly. While dowel sleeves play their role, construction rings further ensure that bars don’t twist or bind within the joint, offering a secondary safeguard against restraint.

Using Super Rings with built-in protection features significantly reduces this risk. Combined with anti-corrosive construction rings, they extend the lifespan of both the dowel and the pavement structure itself.

5. Ignoring Cleanliness of the Joint Area

Debris and dust in the joint area are often overlooked but highly detrimental. A dirty joint prevents proper bonding and can cause the dowel bar to be misaligned or ineffective. Proper installation includes cleaning the joint and using Super Rings that resist moisture and prevent slippage. This attention to detail makes the difference between a five-year road and a twenty-year one.

6. Rushing the Curing Process Creates Irreversible Errors

Rushing the curing process is another common mistake. If concrete sets before final dowel bar checks, there’s no turning back. Using clearly marked construction rings allows for rapid visual confirmation of alignment and spacing before the pour hardens, preventing irreversible errors.

7. Compromising on Quality Costs More in the Long Run

Finally, cutting costs on materials leads to a chain reaction of problems. Choosing low-grade bars or cheap accessories might seem economical, but the long-term costs in maintenance and failures quickly add up. High-quality Super Rings and construction rings are not optional accessories—they are precision tools that ensure engineering integrity and project success.

Final Thoughts: Precision is Non-Negotiable in Rigid Pavement Installation

For engineers, contractors, and decision-makers, the takeaway is clear: installing dowel bars in rigid pavement requires more than bars and concrete. It demands precision, expertise, and the right supporting products. Every poorly aligned bar, every missing ring, adds risk. Investing in tested, durable solutions like construction rings and Super Rings doesn’t just prevent mistakes — it ensures a road performs the way it was designed to.

[srjsteel]

Smart Structures Start with Super Rings: Engineering Precision by SRJ Steel

The strength of a structure begins at its very foundation — and Super Rings are increasingly proving themselves as indispensable components in high-performance construction.

These seemingly simple circular reinforcements offer far more than just support; they engineer precision into every build, especially when paired with essential materials like binding wires and dowel bars in rigid pavement.

Why Structural Precision Matters

In heavy-obligation construction and infrastructure, precision isn't non-compulsory — it's fundamental. Any variance in alignment or structural bonding can bring about long-term weaknesses. This is where Super Rings play a crucial role. Their design ensures uniform spacing and circular reinforcement, allowing concrete structures to maintain form and function under various stress conditions.

What Are Super Rings?

Super Rings are specialized circular ties used to reinforce concrete columns and piers. Unlike conventional rings, they’re manufactured with higher dimensional accuracy and consistent strength. This translates to:

Enhanced load distribution

Reduced risk of deformation

Improved seismic resistance

Their integration with binding wires creates a tightly wound reinforcement cage that can handle dynamic loads without displacement.

Binding Wires: The Silent Strength

Often underestimated, binding wires are the unsung heroes of steel reinforcement. These wires tie the rebars, Super Rings, and other steel components securely in place before concrete pouring. They:

Prevent movement during concrete setting

Maintain geometric alignment

Distribute internal stress evenly

In practice, binding wires work synergistically with Super Rings to ensure stability. Without proper tying, even the most advanced Super Rings can’t fulfill their potential.

Dowel Bars in Rigid Pavement: Supporting the Horizontal Load

Horizontal alignment in pavements demands a different kind of reinforcement — dowel bars in rigid pavement. These cylindrical bars are embedded at slab joints to:

Transfer load between concrete panels

Prevent differential settlement

Enhance longevity of roads and airport runways

In infrastructure projects involving both vertical and horizontal elements, dowel bars and Super Rings complement each other. While dowel bars handle the shear force and slab movement, Super Rings ensure columnar integrity, especially at intersections.

How Super Rings Enhance Performance

Super Rings are engineered for precision, which offers several tangible benefits:

Consistent Spacing: Ensures even stress distribution across the rebar cage.

Improved Safety Margins: Reduces failure risks in earthquake-prone zones.

Faster Installation: Minimizes alignment errors, saving time on-site.

These benefits become especially valuable in projects where binding wires and dowel bars in rigid pavement are already being used, creating a cohesive and durable system.

Material Compatibility and Engineering Efficiency

Super Rings, binding wires, and dowel bars in rigid pavement are not standalone solutions. Their efficiency comes from how well they integrate:

Binding wires secure Super Rings and longitudinal bars, reinforcing vertical integrity.

Dowel bars maintain horizontal integrity across pavement slabs.

Super Rings ensure concrete holds shape and structural load across the column height.

Using materials from a single, quality-controlled source like SRJ Steel ensures uniformity, avoiding mismatches in tensile strength or diameter that could compromise performance.

Smart Structures Demand Smart Components

As infrastructure moves towards smarter, more sustainable practices, engineering elements like Super Rings aren’t just add-ons — they’re integral. Today’s flyovers, metro stations, and industrial buildings demand a level of mechanical discipline that only precision-engineered components can deliver. Super Rings provide the stability and alignment that traditional rings often fail to achieve, especially under long-term stress.

Conclusion: Built to Last with Engineering Foresight

Structures of the future are not only taller and stronger — they’re also smarter. Behind the scenes, precision components like Super Rings are making that possible. Alongside binding wires and dowel bars in rigid pavement, these elements ensure every beam, column, and slab is reinforced with integrity. SRJ Steel’s commitment to manufacturing excellence stands as a testament to what's achievable when engineering precision becomes non-negotiable.

[kapilasteel]

How a Reliable TMT Saria Manufacturer Contributes to Stronger Concrete Structures

Every remarkable structure begins with exceptional materials. The strength and longevity of concrete construction greatly depend on the quality of its reinforcement parts—particularly TMT Saria, binding wires, and dowel bars. When these essentials align under flawless manufacturing standards, they form the core of robust infrastructure.

Understanding TMT Saria: The Foundation of Structural Integrity

TMT Saria is more than just steel reinforcement; it is the structural strength that ensures a building stands tall against decades of stress and environmental challenges. A good TMT Saria manufacturer utilizes advanced metallurgical processes to ensure that each bar is consistent in its tensile strength, ductility, and durability.

The manufacturing process requires precise temperature control and quenching techniques that create a tough outer layer while maintaining a ductile core. This dual-nature characteristic proves crucial when structures face seismic activities or unexpected loads, allowing the reinforcement to flex without failing.

The Synergy of Components

While TMT Saria forms the major reinforcement, equally important binding wires hold reinforcement grids in place. Quality binding wires ensure proper positioning of steel during concrete pouring, avoiding displacement that could compromise structural integrity.

Dowel bars are another vital component, transferring loads efficiently across concrete joints. When procured from reputable manufacturers, dowel bars work in perfect harmony with TMT Saria to form a cohesive structural system. The accuracy in the production of these parts directly impacts their load-carrying capacity and durability.

Manufacturing Excellence: More Than Just Standard Requirements

The best TMT Saria manufacturers go beyond industry-standard requirements through rigorous quality control processes, reflected in several ways:

1. Metallurgical Precision

Advanced testing facilities ensure consistent chemical composition across batches, guaranteeing uniform strength properties throughout the reinforcement network.

2. Surface Engineering

Unique ribbing patterns enhance the bond between concrete and rebar. Precise dimensional control optimizes interaction with binding wires and dowel bars, ensuring a robust mechanical interlock.

3. Quality Assurance Systems

Comprehensive testing protocols verify crucial mechanical properties like yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and elongation. These characteristics are essential for structures to withstand static and dynamic loads.

Impact on Construction Quality

The choice of a TMT Saria manufacturer significantly affects construction outcomes. High-quality reinforcement makes installation easier and reduces the chances of errors in binding wires. Coupled with properly manufactured dowel bars, these components create strong structural systems capable of enduring intense environmental stresses.

Superior TMT Saria also minimizes material wastage during construction. With tight manufacturing tolerances, fewer pieces are rejected, ensuring a smoother construction process and greater efficiency.

Economic Effects of Quality Production

Although premium TMT Saria may come at a higher cost, its long-term benefits outweigh the initial investment. Structures built with high-quality reinforcement require less maintenance and offer excellent resistance to deterioration, saving significant costs over their lifespan.

Reliable binding wires and dowel bars from established manufacturers also accelerate construction timelines. Their consistency reduces rework requirements, helping projects stay on schedule and within budget.

Future-Proofing Construction Projects

As construction technologies evolve, leading TMT Saria manufacturers continue to innovate. Their research and development efforts focus on addressing emerging challenges in construction, including environmental concerns and enhanced seismic resistance.

This forward-thinking approach ensures that TMT Saria, along with complementary materials like binding wires and dowel bars, meets the rigorous demands of modern construction projects. By investing in innovation, manufacturers enable the creation of durable and safe structures.

Conclusion

For construction professionals aiming for excellence, partnering with a reliable TMT Saria manufacturer is a crucial decision. The quality of reinforcement materials directly impacts structural integrity, construction efficiency, and long-term success.

By choosing manufacturers committed to quality and innovation, builders invest in the future of construction itself, ensuring safety, durability, and economic efficiency for generations to come.

[srjsteel]

Common Mistakes to Avoid During Dowel Bar Installation: A Comprehensive Guide

Perfect concrete pavement performance relies heavily on proper dowel bar installation. These seemingly simple steel bars play a crucial role in load transfer and joint movement, making their correct installation paramount for long-lasting infrastructure.

Critical Role of Dowel Bars in Construction

Dowel bars serve as essential components in concrete construction, facilitating proper load transfer between adjacent concrete slabs while allowing necessary horizontal movement. When installed correctly, they significantly extend pavement life and reduce maintenance costs. However, even minor installation errors can lead to substantial structural issues down the line.

Common Installation Mistakes and Their Consequences

Incorrect Alignment

Perhaps the most devastating mistake occurs during dowel bar alignment. When these bars deviate from their intended horizontal or vertical position, they can:

Restrict joint movement

Create stress concentrations

Lead to premature cracking

Cause joint lock-up

Proper alignment ensures smooth load transfer while allowing natural thermal expansion and contraction of concrete slabs.

Improper Spacing and Positioning

Another frequent error involves incorrect spacing between dowel bars. Optimal spacing depends on:

Slab thickness

Expected traffic loads

Environmental conditions

Design specifications

Installing dowel bars too far apart or too close together compromises load distribution and can result in uneven stress patterns across the pavement.

Inadequate Coverage

Insufficient concrete coverage around dowel bars creates vulnerability points in the structure. Problems arising from poor coverage include:

Corrosion susceptibility

Reduced load-bearing capacity

Compromised joint performance

Accelerated deterioration

Coating and Lubrication Issues

The effectiveness of dowel bars relies heavily on proper coating and lubrication. Common mistakes include:

Using damaged or improperly coated bars

Failing to apply release agents correctly

Neglecting to protect coatings during installation

Using incompatible coating materials

Basket Assembly Problems

Dowel basket assemblies require careful handling and installation. Frequent errors include:

Insufficient securing of baskets

Improper elevation setting

Damaged or bent wire supports

Inadequate stabilization during concrete placement

Prevention Strategies and Best Practices

Quality Material Selection

Selecting high-quality dowel bars and associated materials forms the foundation of successful installation. Key considerations include:

Material grade and specifications

Coating type and quality

Basket assembly durability

Compatibility with project requirements

Installation Precision

Achieving installation precision requires:

Using proper alignment tools

Implementing accurate spacing measures

Following manufacturer guidelines

Regular quality control checks

Environmental Considerations

Environmental factors significantly impact installation success:

Temperature effects on expansion joints

Moisture conditions during installation

Seasonal variations in concrete behavior

Site-specific challenges

Quality Control Measures

Implementing robust quality control procedures helps prevent installation errors:

Regular alignment checks

Spacing verification

Coverage inspection

Coating integrity assessment

Long-term Performance Impact

Understanding how installation mistakes affect long-term performance helps emphasize the importance of proper techniques:

Reduced pavement lifespan

Higher maintenance costs

Increased repair frequency

Compromised ride quality

Moving Forward with Confidence

Successful dowel bar installation requires attention to detail, proper training, and quality materials. By avoiding these common mistakes and following established best practices, construction teams can ensure optimal pavement performance and longevity.

Professional Guidance and Support

For complex installations or challenging projects, consulting with experienced professionals and reliable suppliers can make the difference between success and failure. Their expertise helps navigate potential pitfalls and ensures proper installation techniques.

Remember, investing time and resources in proper dowel bar installation pays dividends through reduced maintenance costs and extended pavement life. By understanding and avoiding these common mistakes, construction teams can deliver superior results that stand the test of time.

For optimal results, always consult project specifications, follow manufacturer guidelines, and maintain strict quality control throughout the installation process. The small details matter significantly in achieving long-lasting, high-performance concrete pavements.

[adtomall1998]

Mechanical rebar splicing is a new type of splicing in the world construction industry.

A mechanical rebar splice is a joint or a coupler used to splice two rebars. Mechanical rebar splicing is a new type of splicing in the world construction industry.

The mechanical rebar splice has many advantages compared to the conventional method of overlapping. A longer reinforcement bar is obtained through this rebar coupler splicing. The errors due to wrong lap length as in the conventional method are avoided.

The wastage of steel is reduced. The use of a mechanical rebar joint helps to avoid lap length. This will save an appreciable amount of steel. We can use couplers as dowel bars. This will save the formwork material.

The mechanical joints will not create any steel congestion as the lapping of bars is eliminated.

Couplers provide greater flexibility for the designers.

The strength at the joint is easily analyzed in the case of mechanical rebar splice compared to the conventional lap joint. Mechanical rebar couplers are the most commonly used mechanical rebar splice or joint for reinforcement.

The mechanical rebar couplers can be of two types:

#1 Threaded Couplers

#2 Non-threaded couplers

The threaded couplers are classified into two types:

1) Tapered Threaded Couplers:

This type of tapered couplers is fitted to one end of the threaded rebar and the adjoining rebar is connected and tightened by means of a calibrated torque wrench. The procedure is performed at the site.

2) Roll Threaded Couplers:

In this type, the bars that are to be connected are pressed by a set of rollers. These pressed ends are connected by couplers with matching and parallel threads.

The Non-threaded Couplers have a variety of types that are used in areas where the threaded couplers cannot be employed. The different types are:

1) Bolted Couplers

2) Friction weld couplers

3) Welded Couplers

4) Swage Couplers

The main application of non-threaded couplers is in repair works than new construction works. These are higher in cost compared to threaded couplers and hence are not extensively employed. The couplers used for this process are bulky and the installation process is slow.

[adto-office-booth]

Do You Know What is Mechanical Rebar Splice?

A mechanical rebar splice is a joint or a coupler used to splice two rebars. The mechanical rebar splicing is a new type of splicing in the world construction industry.

The mechanical rebar splice has many advantages compared to the conventional method of overlapping. A longer reinforcement bar is obtained through this rebar coupler splicing. The errors due to wrong lap length as in the conventional method are avoided.

The wastage of steel is reduced. The use of a mechanical rebar joint helps to avoid lap length. This will save the appreciable amount of steel. We can use couplers as dowel bars. This will save the formwork material.

The mechanical joints will not create any steel congestion as the lapping of bars is eliminated.

Couplers provide greater flexibility for the designers.

The strength at the joint is easily analyzed in the case of mechanical rebar splice compared to the conventional lap joint. Mechanical rebar couplers are the most commonly used mechanical rebar splice or joint for reinforcement.

The mechanical rebar couplers can be of two types:

#1 Threaded Couplers

#2 Non-threaded couplers

The threaded couplers are classified into two types:

1) Tapered Threaded Couplers:

This type of tapered couplers are fitted to one end of the threaded rebar and the adjoining rebar is connected and tightened by means of a calibrated torque wrench. The procedure is performed at the site.

2) Roll Threaded Couplers:

In this type, the bars that are to be connected are pressed by a set of rollers. These pressed ends are connected by couplers with matching and parallel threads.

The Non-threaded Couplers have a variety of types that are used in areas where the threaded couplers cannot be employed. The different types are:

1) Bolted Couplers

2) Friction weld couplers

3) Welded Couplers

4) Swage Couplers

The main application of non-threaded couplers is in repair works than new construction works. These are higher in cost compared to threaded couplers and hence are not extensively employed. The couplers used for this process are bulky and the installation process is slow.