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paul wrote:

I am trying to mix the right quantities of sand, cement and lime to
produce
a 5:1:1 mix. I have 25kg bags of cement and lime. The lime (hydrated)
bags
are slightly bigger than the cement bags and I am having difficulties
getting the right quantities to mix.
Using a half bag of cement is approx 3-4 shovel loads and using a half
bag
of lime I get approx 4-5 shovels but I expect will be lighter than the
cement since it is denser.
Ideally I would like to do this by the half bag to make the mix accurate.
How many shovels of the sand should I be using? Someone recommended 10
shovels to 1/2 bag of cement & 1/2 bag of lime but in volume (i.e. not
weight) this doesn't seem right to get a 5:1:1 mix.
Incidently I'm using a 100ltr electric mixer to mix it all up.
Thanks
Paul

1:1:6 by volume is the standard mix. The other well known non-equal
lime:cement mixes fail prematurely. To convert to weight ratios I guess
you'd just need to measure the densities and work it out.

I'm wondering what youre using 1:1:5 for though, its not a mix I know
of any application for.

The mix I'm using is for a Bulwell stone wall which is also a retaining
wall, i.e has earth behind it all the way to the top of the wall which is
approx 2.5m high. It was recommended by a builder I had round, having said
that the next guy I had round recommended a lime:sharp sand mix without
cement.
Paul