zoothorn

Got my frame whittled in place, but problem I have is it doesn't sit on the concrete cill. Frame pretty much sits bang over the cavity. So do I need to form a new cill? It can't be more than 15mm H absolute max though whatever it is. Thanks, zh

Hi J, thanks so much for this useful sketch.. a while ago! Finally onto the job, got 3 dry days. I just hacked away my old frame ok. At long last have new upvc frame. So all systems go. Only 3 pages so far (gone over replies before I started). Ok I've got this pickle confronting me.. a bit daunting. I wonder if you could shed a few thoughts what to do 1st? Thanks, zh

Im not fixing these yet -- Could anyone help on effectively 'what screws' I need to fix timber to timber? I've only ever used goldscrews ( seem inadequate & notice they rust) or turbo screws ( seem too unsightly, as seen/ these very visible/ don't seem the right choice). Thanks, Zoot

Not too shabby tho so far? Front beam/ to frame & pillars, & nogs not fixed in yet. Pleased with my notches.. circ saw defo the right tool to use. Thanks, zh

IE, this look for the front (with rod end) would be too 'agricultural' surely? Coach bolts I can't think how could be used as would spin/ head can't lock into anything in the timber, but a better front look.

And my side outer frame; I'm presuming using goldscrews here wouldn't be your choice: but being visible here ( front drive, head height) I'm not sure turbo screws is the right choice, their silver heads protruding etc. Turbos fine for my cabin base as all are not really seen underneath/ under-side etc, but not sure the correct choice here.

Here's the notch, with the frame temporarily fixed into pillar behind. I now need to better fix these together, I presume-? The beam in foreground goes horizontally onto the notch too.

Chaps, I've mostly got my frame & pillars done. Ive used goldscrews, & all seems firm, but perhaps not sufficient in the longrun-? So I need advice on what fixings to use for: fixing the doubled-up outer 6x2 frame together/ to each other. And for the doubled-up frame, to the notched two pillars; I have threaded bar that can be used, would be very strong etc, but not a great look? Two rod ends/ nuts on show at front etc. The 'mericun video chap just fires through (120mm?) torq looking serious screws, right thru both doubled frame 6x2's > into the pillar notch. I'm not sure I have enough torque in my driver, or drill bit long enough to help with a pilot hole to do this. I wonder in I could fix one of the two 6x2's to the pillar notch ( the frame front 6x2), using rod. Then flatbit a hole in the second 6x2 ( this doubles up the frame for strength, & sits on the notch too: is the outer/ front beam as it were).. & sit my threaded rod end/ nut into the flatbit hole to hide it. Then it's what to fix the front 6x2, to the second one behind ( & if I need to go onward into the pillar?) Thanks, zoot

Hi TT. Thanks that's helpful.. Huge load of info for a newbie though. Ok what I've done is shroud base of post with a dust sheet, sun on it otherwise. So I'll just leave like so, 4+ days. Someone say if I'm meant to do summat else to aid curing-? Otherwise I'll assume it's ok as is. Thanks, zoot

ProDave, can I ask you: how long before this properly cured? Used general purpose Hanson concrete 20kg bags, 30 mins work time. My 2 buckets filled, with my spikes set 6" down into the concrete/ job done today. 4 days or so-? Thanks, zoot.

Believe me TT, I listened. On what anyway? I made a thread on ballast -volume- 3 years ago; I had the recipe (4:1.. in huge 1 ton bags). That thread was on -volume-/ ammount. It had therefore, no bearing per se on ingredients, which was my questioning on here. Don't jump to conclusions, to suit an agenda. Thank you, zoot.

Hi GW, thanks.. mine also says use 30 mins after water.. now I read the small print/ thanks (Hanson again/ so 2 Hanson Brothers per bucket). A Puck Rock interlude, before the excitement continues. Thanks, Zoot

Thx, reminded me I need to dive back in re.this saga.. still not resolved/ but headway made. Need last bit of help help (I shouldn't think you'd offer any help tho TT, just the usual remarks aimed at me). --- Changed my postcrete for concrete ready mix. But still 2 flaming litres of water.. argh! got 4 bags then. 30 mins this.. gives me hope I can just do this. zh

Ideal! Thanks, I'm off searching for this then. Thanks GW

Aha ok thanks. Concrete mix = ballast, fine that clears things up. I'll see what they have, but 3 bags of ballast seems enough in volume. 1 hour work time- a relief too. It's just a job I have to do once, & get not 2nd chance, hence needing clarity to prep. The water disappearing before shot my confidence in potcrete tbh. A thick slop will mean this less likely.. is my take on it. And thicker the better. Thanks, zoot

Hi ProDave. But this is what the youtube clip chap had. Cement bags. And ballast bags. Water. Nothing else. So there is now a difference, from your post here, between ballast... & concrete mix in a bag? Unless you meant " just add water".. not " just add cement & water"-? Why is this nearly impossible for me to understand!?

Yes but I cant remember I even asked this thread Q before, far more sensible after this postcrete cockup to just ask again. Proadave & roundtuit kindly replying asap proves this is perfectly acceptable. It's only you getting the hump. Yes it takes me 20x the time it takes you, I've explained this many times ( plus my memory is next to none)... please, have more patience.

Hi Roundtuit, I'm getting mixed up with ballast, sand, aggregate, hardcore. Urgh. I asked for sharp sand too, & just got reply "we have builders sand". Wtf that means. So, is ballast then a mixture of sand, & the aggregate needed? If so, then I don't need the sand? Is this the same as what you say? I've never seen 20mm gravel sold on bags you see, & "sharp" sand is elusive here; Ive tried, but some 'sheds' didn't even know what it was. So, if I could get a bag containing th3 sand plus the gravel... this... is what I must get. 5:1, simple as? This you see, is what one youtube 'mix concrete in a barrow' says. Ballast & cement. Nothing else. Apart from water. Thanks, zoot

Hi ProDave, you've relieved my insanity-hour. Good. Im done with these postcrete damn bags. They cause me stress. And the fast set thing drives a newbie mad: we need TIME. Ok aggregate, so a youtube clip tells me, includes sand. Is this not so? I made concrete in a mixer before, following my pro chap who left me his mixer, & I had the job he was doing to copy onward on my own.. but whether I/ we used sand too.. I can't recall. I have cement, 1/3rd bag of some sort of 'building type' sand. Do I just need say 4 (25kg) bags of aggregate then? Thanks, zoot

If I pour 2 litres water in here, with my hardcore 1" bed, & bigger stones making up 1/3of volume of bucket... it will not even be seen among the stones. Then, I'm supposed to pour in this dry bag ontop. This just makes no sense to me. Bunging in most of a bucket of water, into a hole with a post in, then bunging in powder taking me nearly to top, is what I did before & made some sense ( once I mixed it up). This though.. is very very far from that. I can't see how I can fill these two buckets confidently, unless I mix up/ create concrete myself, that doesn't set in 3 minutes. If I'm not mistaken, I can do this in a barrow, with cement ( I have) & aggregate. 5:1 according to a youtube video. Am I insane choosing this option? I'm very confused that's for sure. Thanks, zoot

Hi GW. It doesn't tell me - the ammount- it makes though. This is crucial, for me, make or break this whole job. I need to get whatever concrete/ whatever on earth this comes as, to get to my rim of my bucket. Not 1 inch lower. Thst's no small ammount, but it's not a massive ammount. Itis though, because a post isn't taking up half the volume, probably more than a typical postcrete "job". If I do not know how much a bag makes (& one bag sets in a ridiculous 3 minutes) I cannot prepare for the job. And, it seems wrong therefore, for the job if no postcrete bag tells me how much it makes.. & my 1st need, is to make a certain absolute ammount.

Thanks markc. Understood. Ok but it's this 3m set time, & mainly it's this 2 litres water thing.. it's stumped me totally. Before, using whatever "postcrete" bag it was, I bunged in at least half a bucket water, then the powder. After a panic/ stress, it seemed to work. This... doesn't feel like powder, it feels like wet maleable pea-sized aggregate something or other. It just doesn't seem the same. If I put in 2 litres water, then this bag, Im 3/4 way up my bucket. Then I have to put in 2 more lites, & open next bag, by which time the first lot has set. So I've bodged up my job... afaict.

Not much difference to whacking down the clay base, to adding a bit of hardcore (to raise my bucket up) & whacking this into the clay.. is there? I've used postcrete, & it was a disaster, not easy.. & besides is this stuff actually postcrete? ( pic added) 2 litres of water seems bizarre: maybe therefore its wet, not powder (feels like wet gravel) & makes only 1/4 ammount of mixture. If so it's wrong for my job surely. My mistake. Or jewson's who told me it's postcrete.

Hi markc, apologies for the newbie questions. This stuff is though perhaps different to postcrete (IE is it different msybe to the standard usual powder stuff, I used once before, but panicked as the water I put in dissapeared, & I did not find easy to know what to do). Is this stuff maybe already wetted I wonder/ hence the tiny ( weird) ammount of water it says to put in, 2 litres? If so, maybe its meant as a pre-postcrete mixture, & a bag will maybe create -I guess- 1/3rd the volume of mixture, as a normal postcrete bag might? The 3m setting thing scares me, as how can I know if Ive got enough stuff.. to get to my bucket rim. I don't. (Who on earth needs 3m setting time?!) --- Another idea. I have 2/3rds bucket of hardcore, cement. If I could -make- concrete, I could be done with these damn bags. Is this feasable? Am I thinking right? Can concrete be hand mixed/ made on a board, with a shovel etc? If so, I need sand I believe. Is this type needed called " builders sand"? Or "sharp sand"? Or some other type to ask for? Sorry, few q's. And I've asked before but cannot recall where or what answers given. I think maybe it was " use postcrete". Zoot

Chaps, is this correct for my job? I've been told now there are 3 different types of this stuff. I'm out of my depth here. Thing is, " fill a bucket with concrete" will be easy for you chaps. You have a mixer, or, you know what consistency & materials you need, to create a concrete mixture, for a particular job. I don't have these things. So, I can only use a ready-made bag of "concrete". This limits me (afaict) to one product. Postcrete. I ask for it, & loaded into my car is this stuff. Told it's the same. But it's not called postcrete, & when I look it up there are 3 types. Urgh. It says on it in bold "aggregate mix, for innitial post set". Is this what I'm doing-? Is this stuff totally wrong? I have no idea. Thanks, zoot