Category: promotional items

The Irony of Pipe Tally Books

Those in the oil well drilling business use tally books continually every day. They

Oilfield Tally Books 3400CR4
Oilfield Tally Books 3400CR4

keep a close record of when they attach a new section of pipe, and how long it is, and what time it is. The books are just the right size to fit into a pocket, so the books are kept right where they are needed. So tally books are a necessity in the oil drilling business.

To protect the book from weather and abrasion, the cover is made of vinyl. That’s where the irony hits. Vinyl is a man-made fabric made from OIL!

How do they make vinyl?

It was developed only in 1920 as an inexpensive durable fabric that is easy to make. It is made out of oil and salt, and its real name in poly vinyl chloride.

Here are the details for you scientists:

They break down petroleum using high pressure and temperature. This is called cracking. The results are ethylene, butadiene, propylene, and a few other things. They combine salt (a source of chlorine) with the ethylene using “electrolytic disassociation”. They add a few other compounds and end up with poly vinyl chloride (vinyl).

As you know, vinyl is ubiquitous, and very inexpensive. However, it looks expensive, similar to leather.

How To Read Blueprints With an Architect Scale Ruler

How To Read Blueprints With an Architect Scale Ruler
How To Read Blueprints With an Architect Scale Ruler

This week (the 3rd week of September) is National Construction Appreciation Week. Construction covers a wide array of activities. Building bridges, razing barns, pouring concrete, painting buildings, covering roofs, making highways, installing drywall, and pounding nails, are all part of the picture of building our environment.

An important tool that is common to all these activities is the architect scale ruler. It is used by

  • architects
  • builders
  • estimators
  • designers
  • contractors

It helps to measure the size of things on a blueprint. The 2 common configurations are 1/4″ and 1/8″. On the 1/4″ scale, each mark is 1/4″ apart, and numbered from zero, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. If the blueprint is drawn to that scale, then the “5” mark on the scale means 5 feet, or 5 miles, or whatever the blueprint says.

How to Use Your Tally Books on National Beach Day

A good way to keep records while you are outside is using tally books. They are

Tally book Uses
Tally book Uses

weatherproof, water resistant, and inconspicuous. Here are some tips on using your tally book on National Beach Day at your favorite beach.

  • Make your grocery list during this relaxing time. Since you are sitting in the hot sun, you will probably write a lot of salty, crunchy foods on your list.
  • Keep track of what kind of bathing suit you want to buy for yourself. You should have enough ideas walk by.
  • Write a poem
  • Start a short story about some aspect of your life.
  • Write the lyrics to a song, if you are a musician.

See, tally books have many uses other than keeping track of pipes in an oilfield.

Tally Books Aren’t Just For Oilfields Anymore

Tally Book Junior Steno Style
Tally Book Junior Steno Style

Tally Books got their origin as compact, water resistant, pocket sized notebooks that oilfield workers use. They keep constant records of when they add a section of pipe when drilling a well. They also need to record the size of the pipe and other parameters associated with the event.

The water resistant feature, and the compact size, have made tally books great for everyone else that works outdoors, and needs to keep frequent records. Who needs tally books? Here are some ideas, and some of them might be a little far fetched. A little humor never hurts. LOL

  • Arborists
  • Bricklayers
  • Concrete estimators and finishers
  • Driveway contractors
  • Elevator repairmen
  • Fence installers
  • Garage builders
  • Home improvement contractors
  • Insulation installers
  • Janitors
  • Landscapers
  • Mountain climbers
  • New car salesmen
  • Obstetricians
  • Policemen
  • Railway engineers
  • Street maintenance people
  • Tree removal people
  • Underground cable installers
  • Vehicle inspection people
  • Window washers
  • Youth ministers
  • Zombie fighters

How to Use Tally Books During National Running Day

A Runner in a 5k Race, for a Tally Book
A Runner in a 5k Race

The first Wednesday in June is National Running Day in the U.S. Running, jogging, and walking have become very popular in the last 20 years. People are more health conscious, and realize that these sports are good for your heart and general health. Almost anyone can do them. Every weekend in the summer has a race somewhere close by. The prizes you get for finishing are usually a shirt, jacket, tote bag, or a medal. Runners would rather run in a group than by themselves, and don’t mind paying $25 to $50 to run in a group and get some swag each time. You don’t have to be in the top 3 to get a trophy and cash. You just have to be in the top 3 in your age bracket and sex bracket. With each age bracket consisting of 5 to 10 years, there are many winners.

How can you celebrate this day?

  1. Sign up for a race.

    Tally Book Junior Steno Style for Runners
    Tally Book Junior Steno Style for Runners
  2. Sponsor someone to race, if that is an option.
  3. Support a racer.
  4. Take a “finishing” picture of your favorite runner and post it on social media for them. Send it to their friends and relatives.
  5. Hand out tally books with your company logo to all the runners. They can use it to keep track of all their races, their speed, length, and awards.

 

 

Observe National Skilled Trades Day with Architect Scale Rulers

Tomorrow, the first Wednesday in May, is National Skilled Trades Day in the US. This is the day we set aside to recognize the importance of those who:

  • Build your homes.
  • Fix the furnace and air conditioning in your office and homes.

    Architect Scale Rulers were used to get this skilled tradesman to this point.
    A Skilled Tradesman Taking Notes in the Field
  • Paint ceilings, walls, bridges, and machinery.
  • Wire your house and the businesses.
  • Fix your cars.
  • Create your hairdo.
  • Build the roads.
  • Repair aircraft.

A college education isn’t necessary for any of these jobs, so these careers have generally been hard to fill with qualified people. Tomorrow, you can recognize these important contributors to society by:

  1. Thanking them.
  2. Calling them for assistance instead of doing it yourself.
  3. Give them a gift, like this useful architect scale ruler. It is a vital tool for reading blueprints of road construction and building construction and remodeling.
Architect Scale Ruler for Reading Blueprints
Architect Scale Ruler for Reading Blueprints

 

The Biggest Problems with Tally Books, and Solutions

Tally Book Problems (and solutions)
Tally Book Problems (and Solutions)

Tally Books are a necessity for field workers who need to make frequent notes. Usually these books are well suited for the job, but here are some problems that can occur, with solutions.

  1. The book is too big, or too small. They come in 2 sizes. 8 5/16″ x 3 3/8″ closed, and 6″ x 3 3/8″ closed. Those 2 sizes should accommodate everyone’s needs.
  2. The book doesn’t lay flat. It wants to close when I am writing in it. Try the spiral

    3273.jpg Wire-o Tally Book 3273

    bound version. This one will lay flat when open.

  3. I can’t always find my pen. You can order your books with a pen loop, so your pen is always handy.
  4. My book gets water-logged when it rains. The vinyl cover prevents most of that. You might try keeping it in a zip lock freezer bag. Or try the new “stone pad”, which is water resistant.
  5. I lost my tally book. Sorry, we can’t help on that problem. Your data is irreplaceable, so we feel bad for your loss.
  6. I don’t like the color of the vinyl cover. The vinyl comes in many colors. Next time, you can order a different color.

How to Choose the Best Tally Books for Your Business

You might need Tally Books for your workers in these businesses:

How to Build a Better Pipe Tally Book
How to Build a Better Pipe Tally Book

  • Oil well drilling
  • Inspection
  • Construction
  • Electricians
  • Builders
  • HVAC business

When you order those books, they are custom made for you. So, there are a lot of options available. This can be a little overwhelming, so here is a list of those options. Hopefully, this will bring your ordering job down to size.

  • Size of the book
  • Type of binding (stitched or spiral bound)
  • Color of the vinyl cover
  • Color of the imprint
  • Amount of imprinting..Front cover, back cover, inside the covers
  • Optional Pen loop
  • Optional insert with 3 clear pockets
  • Type of paper (real paper or stone paper, which is waterproof)

There. Those are all the decisions you need to make when you order your tally books. A good online tally book company will be able to assist you on the phone. You should always get an email proof before your order goes into production.

Did the Egyptians Use an Architect Scale Ruler to Build the Great Pyramid?

The Great Pyramid and Sphinx
The Great Pyramid and Sphinx

Some perplexing questions about pyramids:

  1. Did the Egyptians build pyramids?
  2. If so, why did the Egyptians build pyramids?
  3. Why did they stop building pyramids?
  4. How did they build them?
  5. Did they use an architect scale ruler to read their blueprints?

    Architect Scale Ruler
    Architect Scale Ruler

We consider the architect scale ruler to be a modern tool for engineers and planners. But since the Egyptians were so far advanced, why not assume that they used this modern tool, also?

 

Give Tally Books on”National Day of Giving”

Give Tally Books on"National Day of Giving"
Give Tally Books on”National Day of Giving”

Why give Tally Books? They were developed for oil rig workers to keep track of what time they added another pipe to the drilling rig. They were designed for rough outdoor environments. Their rugged vinyl cover protects the 200 inside pages, which are lined in columns for convenience. Some of the newer ones don’t have paper sheets. They have “stone sheets” which look like paper, but they are waterproof and un-tearable. Some have a vinyl loop to accommodate a pen or pencil. Some have clear vinyl pockets to keep tables and important information at your fingertips.

If it sounds like you could use a book like this, you’re right. These pocket-sized books can always be at your fingertips.

Today, November 30, is “National Day of Giving”. Why not give a useful product to your friends?

 

3308.jpg Flexible Tally Book Wire-Bound 3308