I'm a newbie to pouring larger quantities of concrete/mortar/cement. I have
a batch I'll need to mix of 3 100 lb bags white portland cement and 5 100 lb
bags of tiny pebbles. What is the smallest size mixer I can rent that will
do this batch all at once? The local rental has 6 cu ft and 9 cu ft
tow-behind mixers. How much water should I add initially? I am afraid of
accidentally adding too much water or if I'm too cautious and add it too
slowly maybe it would take away a bit from my troweling working time. How
long to leave it spinning round the mixer?

"scorpionleather" wrote in message
...
I'm a newbie to pouring larger quantities of concrete/mortar/cement. I
have a batch I'll need to mix of 3 100 lb bags white portland cement and 5
100 lb bags of tiny pebbles. What is the smallest size mixer I can rent
that will do this batch all at once? The local rental has 6 cu ft and 9
cu ft tow-behind mixers. How much water should I add initially? I am
afraid of accidentally adding too much water or if I'm too cautious and
add it too slowly maybe it would take away a bit from my troweling working
time. How long to leave it spinning round the mixer?

Considering you need sand also I doubt you will get it in one mix.

Without looking it I can't recall the recipe but something like 400-600
pounds of sand (or more) is needed for that much Portland.

BTW Portland is 94 lb bags.

Got up and got the book off the shelf.

A 5 cubic foot batch is:
105 pounds of cement
51 pounds of water
231 pounds of damp sand
315 pounds of stone

Water weights about 8 pounds per gallon. Start with less and temper it with
more if you need to.

So as you can see, you may want to revise your recipe a little.


--
Colbyt
Please come visit www.househomerepair.com

On Jul 7, 4:37*pm, "scorpionleather" wrote:
I'm a newbie to pouring larger quantities of concrete/mortar/cement. *I have
a batch I'll need to mix of 3 100 lb bags white portland cement and 5 100 lb
bags of tiny pebbles. *What is the smallest size mixer I can rent that will
do this batch all at once? *The local rental has 6 cu ft and 9 cu ft
tow-behind mixers. *How much water should I add initially? *I am afraid of
accidentally adding too much water or if I'm too cautious and add it too
slowly maybe it would take away a bit from my troweling working time. *How
long to leave it spinning round the mixer?

No sand?, save money and have it delivered mixed.

scorpionleather wrote:
I'm a newbie to pouring larger quantities of concrete/mortar/cement. I
have a batch I'll need to mix of 3 100 lb bags white portland
cement and 5 100 lb bags of tiny pebbles. What is the smallest size
mixer I can rent that will do this batch all at once? The local
rental has 6 cu ft and 9 cu ft tow-behind mixers. How much water
should I add initially? I am afraid of accidentally adding too much
water or if I'm too cautious and add it too slowly maybe it would
take away a bit from my troweling working time. How long to leave it
spinning round the mixer?

I have no idea how long your mixture will take to cure, but it's sure gonna
solidify long before you can trowel a 900+ pounds of cement.

"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...
I have no idea how long your mixture will take to cure, but it's sure
gonna solidify long before you can trowel a 900+ pounds of cement.

If I can figure out how many cubic feet these materials will produce, maybe
I can mix only half of it or less and end up with extra bags. They wanted
to sell me more than enough for the project in their "1 batch" quantity
("you'll end up with extra") but didn't tell me how much extra. So if there
is some way I can convert these bags of cement + sand pebble + water to
cubic feet any tips on this calculation would be much appreciated.

"ransley" wrote in message
...
On Jul 7, 4:37 pm, "scorpionleather" wrote:
I'm a newbie to pouring larger quantities of concrete/mortar/cement. I
have
a batch I'll need to mix of 3 100 lb bags white portland cement and 5 100
lb
bags of tiny pebbles. What is the smallest size mixer I can rent that will
do this batch all at once? The local rental has 6 cu ft and 9 cu ft
tow-behind mixers. How much water should I add initially? I am afraid of
accidentally adding too much water or if I'm too cautious and add it too
slowly maybe it would take away a bit from my troweling working time. How
long to leave it spinning round the mixer?

No sand?, save money and have it delivered mixed.

That is way less than one yard of concrete. Unless you know someone that
will bring out some leftover mix, you will pay for several yards to get any
ammount delivered. I think around here it used to be a charge of around 3
to 4 yards or they added around the cost of an extra yard for delivery of a
small load.

"Ralph Mowery" wrote:


"ransley" wrote in message
...
On Jul 7, 4:37 pm, "scorpionleather" wrote:
I'm a newbie to pouring larger quantities of concrete/mortar/cement. I
have
a batch I'll need to mix of 3 100 lb bags white portland cement and 5 100
lb
bags of tiny pebbles. What is the smallest size mixer I can rent that will
do this batch all at once? The local rental has 6 cu ft and 9 cu ft
tow-behind mixers. How much water should I add initially? I am afraid of
accidentally adding too much water or if I'm too cautious and add it too
slowly maybe it would take away a bit from my troweling working time. How
long to leave it spinning round the mixer?

No sand?, save money and have it delivered mixed.

That is way less than one yard of concrete. Unless you know someone that
will bring out some leftover mix, you will pay for several yards to get any
ammount delivered. I think around here it used to be a charge of around 3
to 4 yards or they added around the cost of an extra yard for delivery of a
small load.


Probably too late for the OP- but there are lots of places who
specialize in short loads these days. Less than a yard will cost
about what 2-3yards ought to cost--- but may still be less than
portland/aggregate/sand and renting a humongous mixer.

And it is infinitely easier and more reliable. Once it is poured,
all you need to do is take care of the mix- not clean up the rental
equipment and return it.

Jim

scorpionleather wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...
I have no idea how long your mixture will take to cure, but it's sure
gonna solidify long before you can trowel a 900+ pounds of cement.

If I can figure out how many cubic feet these materials will produce,
maybe I can mix only half of it or less and end up with extra bags. They
wanted to sell me more than enough for the project in their "1
batch" quantity ("you'll end up with extra") but didn't tell me how
much extra. So if there is some way I can convert these bags of
cement + sand pebble + water to cubic feet any tips on this
calculation would be much appreciated.

We can do some back-of-the-envelope calculations. Cement (according to
Google references) is about 5,300 lbs/cu yd, or 200 lbs/cu ft. You've got
900 pounds of stuff, plus water, call it 1000 pounds.

That's five cubic feet of cement.

Still, I'd check the set-up time for the concoction (maybe it's on the bag).
I don't think I could slather five cubic feet of cement before it became
unworkable.

Maybe you could start with a small batch and see how it goes?

"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...

We can do some back-of-the-envelope calculations. Cement (according to
Google references) is about 5,300 lbs/cu yd, or 200 lbs/cu ft. You've got
900 pounds of stuff, plus water, call it 1000 pounds.

That's five cubic feet of cement.

Still, I'd check the set-up time for the concoction (maybe it's on the
bag). I don't think I could slather five cubic feet of cement before it
became unworkable.

Maybe you could start with a small batch and see how it goes?

Thanks Bub, I did a different calculation and it matches your results at 5
cubic feet.

The company that made up the formula told me it would take 1.5 to 2 hours
before it hardens and gets unworkable with the trowel. Does that sound
about right for white portland cement plus coarse sand?

scorpionleather wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...

We can do some back-of-the-envelope calculations. Cement (according
to Google references) is about 5,300 lbs/cu yd, or 200 lbs/cu ft.
You've got 900 pounds of stuff, plus water, call it 1000 pounds.

That's five cubic feet of cement.

Still, I'd check the set-up time for the concoction (maybe it's on
the bag). I don't think I could slather five cubic feet of cement
before it became unworkable.

Maybe you could start with a small batch and see how it goes?

Thanks Bub, I did a different calculation and it matches your results
at 5 cubic feet.

The company that made up the formula told me it would take 1.5 to 2
hours before it hardens and gets unworkable with the trowel. Does
that sound about right for white portland cement plus coarse sand?

Dunno. I'm barely an apprentice amateur mason trainee. You could simulate
your proposed activity thusly:

Kitten in the left hand, skinning knife in the right... No wait...

A. Start stop watch.
B. Pick up invisible brick with left hand, get load of invisible cement on
trowel in right hand.
C. Butter invisible brick, place invisible brick in poisition, fiddle with
it
D. Admire work, polish results
E. Repeat steps B - D ten times.
F. Stop stopwatch.
G. Divide results by ten. This is time to lay one brick.

Figure out how many bricks are required and multiply by time for one brick.
Add some amount, say 20%, for overhead (getting more bricks, having beer,
etc.).

Is the result less than 1.5 hours?

That's five cubic feet of cement.

Thats just ONE wheelbarrow of concrete..somehow, I dont think your weight
calcs are right.

I've hauled delivered concrete in my large 6CF contractors wheelbarrow
from the curb to the front of the house/driveway (didnt want the LARGE
concrete truck driving on my driveway) and dumped into prepared forms..not
full but probably near 5CF per load...at least 4..
Must have made 12 runs..over 2 yards. Not an impossible task