Finally time to pull the trigger . . . starting on the New (much anticipated) SHOP - Build

[barbee6043]

You are an animal!!!!!! thats 42 bags of the 80 pounders!?

 

[joe smith]

I have been doing a concrete base for my carport and 18 bags of 60 pd about kicked my rear.. I am 66 and getting old sucks...
I saw a video where you set the bag over a piece of rebar ( in the middle) cut the bag in half, then lift up on the rebar and finish cutting the bag in half.. You have two halves that are much easier to pour into your mixer or wheelbarrow and move around.. Worked great for me....

 

[joe smith]

I get to choose between Menards and Lowe's, Menards treated me like a 3rd world civilian for the last year or so..

Get used to it as we become the minority.....

 

[747mopar]

You are an animal!!!!!! thats 42 bags of the 80 pounders!?

Yes, I've had the privilege of working with Larry... He's an animal!!

 

[747mopar]

It's 11:30 . . . and the next round of 21 bags is done . . .

Had a little Heart Stopping moment this morning when the Wheel Barrow and Hoe would not work . . . I mean, I plugged in the electric cement mixer and . . . Nothing . . . so I'm thinking . . . "Great - Now What ?" But it turned out that the wall outlet in this shop had a plug-in type and it was not making good contact (funny that it worked fine for 2 hours last night), so I pulled it out, re-seated the outlet in the wall strip, and everything is back up and running . . .

So, 21 more bags are done, that's one full yard of concrete . . . I'm starting a collection . . .

View attachment 1143019

This 13' end - which 9is the deepest area of pour - is fully completed now . . .

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AND I'm starting my way down one of the 50' stretches . . .

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Going to take a little breather . . . get some lunch, and some more energy . . . and buy 42 more bags . . . and do (2) more 21 bag marathons . . .

Keep posted for more updates later today . . . ( I hope )

I feel for you


Sucky thing about concrete is once you start you can't quit until it's done, at least not for long.

 

[conv67bdere]

It's 5:30 . . . finished a while ago but had to sit down and rest for a bit . . . another 21 bags completed . . .

That's 63 bags, and I've got to pick up the remaining 21 from the pallet that was bought this morning . . . pictures later . . .

I have been doing a concrete base for my carport and 18 bags of 60 pd about kicked my rear.. I am 66 and getting old sucks...
I saw a video where you set the bag over a piece of rebar ( in the middle) cut the bag in half, then lift up on the rebar and finish cutting the bag in half.. You have two halves that are much easier to pour into your mixer or wheelbarrow and move around.. Worked great for me....

Yeah . . . my mixer can handle (2) 80 pound bags at a time, so that's what I'm doing, and I've got it set up so that it can be dumped right into the trough where it needs to go . . . just need to move it around a bit as needed . . .

You are an animal!!!!!! thats 42 bags of the 80 pounders!?

Uh, make that 63, and going to pick up 21 more . . . to make 84 bags

Yes, I've had the privilege of working with Larry... He's an animal!!

Technically . . . that's true, I "am" an animal . . .

But to tell you the truth, right now, I'm feeling more like animal droppings . . . Uhhhhhgggggg . . .

 

[conv67bdere]

Finally made it back out there to get the pictures . . . think I found my limit . . .

But making great progress . . . and a growing pile of empty bags . . .

Made some distance, but this area is still kinda deep . . . so it takes a bit of concrete to fill it . . .

Might be wore out when I finally make it to the shallow areas - where the progress will go much faster . . . UGH !

 

[Nxcoupe]

Isn't the concrete drying before you get it all poured? That'll crack very easily I would think?

 

[conv67bdere]

It's 11:30 and I'm done with 21 more bags . . .

This round of 21 bags was a bit "motivational" . . . if you can believe that . . .
The reason: is that I moved to an area that is only 12" wide, still deep, but it's going uphill so it's getting shallower as I move along . . . in the past "sessions", I was able to get 3-5' because of the width and depth that needed to get filled . . . this "session" got me 12' . . . Made My Day !

As I move further down this side, it shallows out to only 12" deep . . . the ratchet strap is holding my forms to the line that I've got drawn between the two ends to make sure that this edge will be true when it's cured . . .

And here you have it (not as awe inspiring as the other stacks) but the full set of 84 bags of cement . . .

Now to figure out what I want to do next . . .

Other people pay money to go to the gym and get a workout, I'm working out 2 hours, mixing 21 bags and proceeding on making my shop - kinda looks like a win/win for me in my book ( and yes, I'm feeling it - just call it "comfortably numb" )

That's it for this weekend - got to get the lawn cut, get lunch, help my daughter pic up some furniture . . . things to do . . .

Until next time . . .

Isn't the concrete drying before you get it all poured? That'll crack very easily I would think?

No, not at all . . . in the 2 hours (max) it takes me to get the 21 bags done, the first set of bags is still soft and has not quite started it's chemical reaction . . . and that chemical reaction continues for years . . . also remember that I've got rebar in the footers that's adding strength and tying all of them together . . .

 

[eldubb440]

Other people pay money to go to the gym and get a workout,

the millennial crowd in their apartment riding a Pelaton....... they make me sick

 

[moparsaver]

riding a Pelaton.....

Sometimes I wish I were a Pelaton…

 

[eldubb440]

Sometimes I wish I were a Pelaton…
View attachment 1143685

you know what I mean

 

[moparedtn]

My buddy (the construction company owner) and I did the perimeter footer under the house using all bags.
That was my last time for such nonsense, even with the spiffy mixer...
You find out in a hurry just how little each bag actually gets you, which makes you appreciate the truck full
of 10 yards or whatever in lieu of them.
Garage, carport, everything else out here was done out of a truck; I did all the labor from there, but the
pouring came constantly and out the chute, not outta my back.

 

[eldubb440]

You find out in a hurry just how little each bag actually gets you,

it's a little discouraging when you realize the concrete does not expand when you add water

 

[conv67bdere]

it's a little discouraging when you realize the concrete does not expand when you add water

Gawd, I'm thinking it actually shrinks . . .

 

[eldubb440]

Gawd, I'm thinking it actually shrinks . . .

I was thinkin that..... you're probably right

 

[conv67bdere]

I was thinkin that..... you're probably right

And. .

It gets heavier too

 

[moparedtn]

Gawd, I'm thinking it actually shrinks . . .

If it doesn't actually, it sure does a fine imitation of it.

 

[conv67bdere]

Thought I'd give it a try in the middle of the week . . . what ELSE have I got to do . . .

21 more bags done . . . that puts me at 105 bags . . . that's the 1/2-way point ( I think ) . . .

 

[ct71rr]

Holy crap! You are a machine, nice work!