On Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:27:25 -0400, wrote:

:On Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:01:45 -0700, Dan Musicant )
:wrote:
:
:On Wed, 1 Oct 2008 14:30:23 -0500, "HeyBub"
:wrote:
:
:an Musicant wrote:
:: This is my first crack at concrete. Small job and I figure I'll need a
:: bit over 1.5 cubic feet, and I'm planning to do the work this
:: afternoon. I've almost finished my forms and am reading the
:: instructions in my Reader's Digest Complete DIY book.
::
:: I read the instructions on the bag of Quickcrete (60 lb.) I bought,
:: and it says to use 4 quarts of water with it, maximum 5 quarts.
:: There's no mention of how many cubic feet (or inches, I figure a
:: cubic foot is 1725 cubic inches) I can expect to get out of a 60 lb.
:: bag. I don't want to mix much more than I'll need, and figure a sure
:: don't want to mix less. How do I determine how much to mix?
::
:: To extend the mix, I figure to put in some crushed concrete or rocks I
:: have. I have tons of that stuff around (maybe literally!), and figure
:: I'll crush some with a sledge hammer. Not much, just some near the
:: bottom of the pour.
::
::
::Get another bag. Mix up one bag. If it's not enough, mix up the second.
::
::Unmixed concrete doesn't keep very long. It sucks the moisture out of the
::air.
::
::Hint 1: A wheelbarrow makes an excellent mixing venue.
::Hint 2. Start mixing with much less water than you think you'll need. Add a
::little bit at a time. It is VERY easy to use too much water.
::
:OK, thanks. I'll go buy another bag. Even so, I figure I'll have to add
:rock, I probably have a couple of tons in the yard! I have to break up
:some, though. Did some already.l
:
:I wish I was doing something as easy as a post, It's actually a tricky
:little border. The one that's there for some reason they didn't complete
:it and the rest was done with unmortared bricks, just stacked there.
:Tired of realigning the bricks I decided to complete the raised concrete
:border, which requires forms and some care so the whole thing matches.
:
:I have a wheelbarrow I can use. I saw a crew do some concrete work in my
:yard around a year ago and have an idea how to go about it. They did a
:trenchless sewer replacement. I enjoyed watching them do the concrete.
:
:Dan
:
:Concrete is cheap. If this is something more than fence posts, don't
:try to save 4 bucks using rocks. If I was figuring 1.5 cu/ft I would
:get 4 60s and have one left over if I was right but you don't want to
:be 1.45 yards in and run out. (or just put in too much water and need
:some more concrete mix to get it right). Kept in a drywall bucket with
:a good top it lasts quite a while if you don't mix it up..

Yes, it was pretty cheap. I got two 60 lb. bags of Quikcrete concrete
mix for under $5. I decided I didn't really need 1.5 cu. ft., more like
..75. I did put some rocks in there, but it turned out I really didn't
need those because I had a fair amount left over (mixed).

Dan