Basic cement/ ballast Q

[Onoff]

9 minutes ago, zoothorn said:

Can I swivel the mixer round on its base, once mixed? I mean my idea was load it then move it round 40* to tip into barrow.. to make loading it more convenient > swivel > tip/ empty barrow > & swivel back 40* to load again.

 

Yes you can. Turn it off though and make sure you don't tug the mains cable or squash it when you raise/lower the drum when you pour.

[zoothorn]

27 minutes ago, Onoff said:

Lots of good info here:

 

https://tarmac-bluecircle.co.uk/project/mixing-concrete-and-mortar/

 

 

Saved that link- very useful. Ok so for a load say on the bit-smaller than usual (to make it easier to pour for me alone) how many of those full Onoff-black-buckets of ballast would you say? then I can work out the 4:1:0.5 ratio, water as 0.5.

[Onoff]

Assume you're using Everbuild 202 Integral Waterproofer. 

 

You add that 1 part to 20 - 40 parts water according to the instructions.

 

I must admit I usually just fling a litre of 202 in the 15L bucket and top it up with water to the very top. So I just use that until it's gone then do another bucket full. A bit strong but all my concrete is fine to date.

 

If you've only a couple of litres of the stuff left then 0.5L of 202 in a 15 litre bucket would be 1:30. 

 

365ml in a 15L bucket would be 1:40.

 

700ml in a 15L bucket would be 1:20.

 

[Onoff]

17 minutes ago, zoothorn said:

 

 

Saved that link- very useful. Ok so for a load say on the bit-smaller than usual (to make it easier to pour for me alone) how many of those full Onoff-black-buckets of ballast would you say? then I can work out the 4:1:0.5 ratio, water as 0.5.

 

- 1 black bucket of cement

- 4 black buckets of ballast 

- 7.5l of your water / weatherproofer mix. BUT don't use all at once and be prepared to add more if required.

 

IF you accidentally make a too sloppy mix in the drum then add 1 shovel (or suitable container) cement and 4 shovels of ballast all dry, to soak up the excess water in the mix.

[zoothorn]

4 minutes ago, Onoff said:

 

- 1 black bucket of cement

- 4 black buckets of ballast 

- 7.5l of your water / weatherproofer mix. BUT don't use all at once and be prepared to add more if required.

 

IF you accidentally make a too sloppy mix in the drum then add 1 shovel (or suitable container) cement and 4 shovels of ballast all dry, to soak up the excess water in the mix.

 

 

Ok going with that (it'll have to be 1:40 waterproofer.. I think that's approx what chap used for the big berthas).

 

Is 1/2 a bag of cement, approx 1 bucket?

[Onoff]

15 minutes ago, zoothorn said:

 

 

Ok going with that (it'll have to be 1:40 waterproofer.. I think that's approx what chap used for the big berthas).

 

Is 1/2 a bag of cement, approx 1 bucket?

 

1kg of cement is nom 0.66L in volume

 

1L of cement volume nom 1.51kg of mass

 

So half a 15L bucket = 7.5L.

 

7.5 x1.51 = 11.3kg of cement. So half a bucket of cement is a bit more than 1/2 a 20kg bag.

 

To exactly gauge half a bucket volume then just fill with 7.5L of water and then cut a bit of wood you can hook over the bucket edge to the level. Just fill up with cement to the bottom of the stick. (Empty the water first ? ).

 

[zoothorn]

Crikey I don't know how you understand this maths stuff- its alien to me (7.5 x 1.51.. I just have no idea how you'd consider multiplying these).. but appreciated!

 

Anyway understand "half a bucket of cement is a bit more than 1/2 a 20kg bag". But isn't cement normally in 25kg bags tho?

 

It makes my chap's method look hilarious- he just winged in ammounts & looked alot.. until mixed! he was so fast (each bertha took us only 1.5 hrs) I didn't have time to look/ see what was going in you see. He poured straight from the concrete bag ~1/3rd at a time afaict.

[Onoff]

28 minutes ago, zoothorn said:

Crikey I don't know how you understand this maths stuff- its alien to me (7.5 x 1.51.. I just have no idea how you'd consider multiplying these).. but appreciated!

 

Anyway understand "half a bucket of cement is a bit more than 1/2 a 20kg bag". But isn't cement normally in 25kg bags tho?

 

It makes my chap's method look hilarious- he just winged in ammounts & looked alot.. until mixed! he was so fast (each bertha took us only 1.5 hrs) I didn't have time to look/ see what was going in you see. He poured straight from the concrete bag ~1/3rd at a time afaict.

 

You like complicating things so I felt I had to oblige. 

 

Tbh if you're happier then just shovel 4 of ballast for every 1 shovel of cement into the mixer and wet it to the right consistency. It'll be good enough.

[Onoff]

32 minutes ago, zoothorn said:

7.5 x 1.51.. I just have no idea how you'd consider multiplying these

 

Its 7.5 litres of volume x 1.51kg on the basis 1 litre by volume of cement weighs 1.51kg. 

 

If half a bucket is 7.5 litres then you've 7.5 lots of 1.51kg which equals 11.3kg

 

Simples.

[PeterW]

@zoothorn you’re building a pier for a shed, not the M4 flyover so the mix isn’t critical ..!!

 

4 buckets all in ballast

1 bucket cement

enough water to make it wet

 

no additives,  no scales to weigh it or complex measurement sticks needed. 

 

Just use the same size bucket for everything and the mix will be fine. Into the machine and let it run. 

 

You don't need A Level maths to make concrete as 50,000 labourers will prove ..!!

[Onoff]

Add the waterproofer I would. It's dirt cheap and dearates the mix aside from the waterproofing. 

 

 

[zoothorn]

35 minutes ago, PeterW said:

@zoothorn you’re building a pier for a shed, not the M4 flyover so the mix isn’t critical ..!!

 

4 buckets all in ballast

1 bucket cement

enough water to make it wet

 

no additives,  no scales to weigh it or complex measurement sticks needed. 

 

Just use the same size bucket for everything and the mix will be fine. Into the machine and let it run. 

 

You don't need A Level maths to make concrete as 50,000 labourers will prove ..!!

 

Honestly when Onoff does his maths stuff I feel more stupider than most labourers.. I'm right back in maths class panic rising cos I cant understand wtf is going on. I shall take your laymans approach & Onoff's maths & go s'where between the two.

 

Terrific help as always chaps.

[Onoff]

10 minutes ago, zoothorn said:

 

Honestly when Onoff does his maths stuff I feel more stupider than most labourers.. I'm right back in maths class panic rising cos I cant understand wtf is going on. I shall take your laymans approach & Onoff's maths & go s'where between the two.

 

Terrific help as always chaps.

 

I did say you can ditch the maths and go 4:1 with any container of your choosing. 

[zoothorn]

8 hours ago, Onoff said:

 

I did say you can ditch the maths and go 4:1 with any container of your choosing. 

 

Yes indeed- I was wondering tho if easier to put 1/2 bag of cement in maybe.. then 2 buckets+ worth of ballast. Maybe I'm thinking wrong.

[Onoff]

20 minutes ago, zoothorn said:

 

Yes indeed- I was wondering tho if easier to put 1/2 bag of cement in maybe.. then 2 buckets+ worth of ballast. Maybe I'm thinking wrong.

 

Do that. 

[zoothorn]

Dug me holes,  & set tubes in: will be 85 cm above lower two.. quite a height, but didnt want to risk adjacent steep bank instability, by digging them too far down. A bore of a job lots of clay oomshka/ raining etc.. urgh.

 

So I'm ready to lose my mixer virginity tmrw. If only swayze would swoop down hold my handle & relieve me.. I can only dream.

[ToughButterCup]

17 minutes ago, zoothorn said:

[...]  If only swayze would swoop down hold my handle & relieve me..

 

Easy there Tiger. You'll have to hold your own for now.

[zoothorn]

14 hours ago, AnonymousBosch said:

 

Easy there Tiger. You'll have to hold your own for now.

 

At the moment I cannot proceed bc of thre damn barrow tyre/ trying desperately to fix it. stupid damn design should be a solid tyre without exception for a barrow prone to getting punctures in a gdn- som far its impossible to fix it.

[Onoff]

Go buy a puncture proof wheel / tyre. 

 

What size tyre is it, it'll say on the side?

[zoothorn]

Yes but £30 I just can't do tbh. Ive put 5x patches on all round the valve.. finally got it to stop bubbles, but yet to put wretched thing back in tyre/ on rim etc. I could buy a new inner but 20m away £15 + an hour I could do without.

 

Mud's my other big prob today/ clay & just clogs your boots making any job almost unbearable. I have to do this today, or tmrw then mixer is away.

[Onoff]

3 minutes ago, zoothorn said:

Yes but £30 I just can't do tbh. Ive put 5x patches on all round the valve.. finally got it to stop bubbles, but yet to put wretched thing back in tyre/ on rim etc. I could buy a new inner but 20m away £15 + an hour I could do without.

 

Mud's my other big prob today/ clay & just clogs your boots making any job almost unbearable. I have to do this today, or tmrw then mixer is away.

 

What size tyre, look on the side wall, cheaper than £30 if we shop around.

 

And overall dia of wheel if you can.

Edited September 4, 2019 by Onoff

[zoothorn]

Its a 3.5- 8. Inners are £2 on ebay.. but I can't afford the wait to post/ mixer goes back to chap end of week. Thanks Onoff.

[Onoff]

You WILL want one in the future. Something like this?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/14-BLACK-PU-WHEELBARROW-WHEEL-PUNCTURE-PROOF-SOLID-3-50-3-00-8-1-bore-UK/323891938308?

[zoothorn]

39 minutes ago, Onoff said:

You WILL want one in the future. Something like this?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/14-BLACK-PU-WHEELBARROW-WHEEL-PUNCTURE-PROOF-SOLID-3-50-3-00-8-1-bore-UK/323891938308?

 

Yes will note thanks. But its the inner tube thats perished/ Ive spent hours trying to fix finally got it on.. then blown again. total fkn n'mare. so I gotta travel 30m to get another inner.. or if they have these ^ then I'll get instead. whole morning on this damn thing.

[Mr Punter]

40 minutes ago, Onoff said:

You WILL want one in the future. Something like this?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/14-BLACK-PU-WHEELBARROW-WHEEL-PUNCTURE-PROOF-SOLID-3-50-3-00-8-1-bore-UK/323891938308?

 

Those solid barrow tyres are useless unless you are on smooth paved ground.  Anything else they just bury themselves and unset the barrow if you go over uneven stuff.