Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

[Brickster]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

New guy here...just finished reading through this thread. I have no new information to add, but for past projects I have had a truck brought in for large amounts (concrete pad off of garage), or hand mixed (black plastic pan bought at HD many years ago) for small bases. A friend has offered to loan me his power mixer, so when I'm ready to go, I guess I'll go that way. The sand + gravel + bagged cement sounds like a winner as well. The little roll-around container looks good, and the idea of rolling it down the hill is brilliant! Just too much concrete needed for this sort of project, I believe.

[DAG]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

I invested in a small concrete mixer a while back. This weekend I poured the foundation for my oven! I will be building a high dome pompei. I'm also considering putting an ash dump in the back of the oven.

Take into consderation that I live in a rural area. The local concrete company has a 3 yd minimum for ready mix and their ready mix is way overpriced because they are the only game in town. They also have a monopoly on the gravel in my community.

I used 4 bags of portland at $8 a bag, as much "pre-mix" gravel as I could carry in my half ton pickup for $20 (from the concrete place).

I calculated that my foundation was 2/3 of a yd. My wife helped me pour. She brought me the gravel in 5 gallon buckets. I put these in the mixer with the prescribed amount of portland. While it mixed and I place the concrete, (pouring, raking, compacting scrreding) she would go get two more buckets. It took about an hour and a half of really intense work. After it was all in place we screeded it and took a break. As it cured I floated it, troweled it and of course, put the kid's footprints in it!

I'll post some pictures as I take them.

[DAG]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

I bought a low profile one. I really like it. It is really easy to manuever.

[Neil2]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

"I'm also considering putting an ash dump in the back of the oven."

Put the ash dump in the front, outside the door.

[Double Ds]

Re: Armstrong concrete mixer

I am just about ready to start with the hearth but I am confused about the mix. Can you tell me abou the insulation layer and the hearth layer. I want to buy the correct products and mix them to correct proportions. I bought the bread builders book but it is very vague. thank you in advance

[merrilljima]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

I bought a harbor freight 3.5 cf for under 200.00 have put 230 -- 60 lb bags thru it and going strong
took me 3 hrs to pour 30 bag slab last weekend
weekend

see facebook - pompeii oven saga details

[Mongo]

I call this "the back-saver". Slice the bag open, push the whole thing into the barrel, then pull the bag out.

[Gulf]

I like your "back saver" idea. I do sometning similar but, using 80lb bags, cut the bags in half.

[libertyhillmichael]

[Gulf]

Yep! I've done that too lol