I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning. They will sit
directly on caliche, hence no digging of footer holes to insert said
Sonotubes into, just cut to length, and fill and use the weight of it to
hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts. Said awning about 15' square, and
located in an alcove surrounded by three sides so no chance of wind
endangerment.

I just bought an old cement mixer. This thing is mondo. Heavy cast iron
gears, etc. I don't know the actual volume of the drum, but I have seen
ones like it on block wall jobs. It's big and heavy.

I want to buy bags of Portland, and buy some sand and aggregate, and try to
get a production line of cement going that will produce a stream steady
enough to fill these Sonotubes. Sonotobes will be about 24" diameter, and
18" high, maybe a little more so they can be used as places for pots, or to
sit on. I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref, and just do it by
counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just look at it for the
right consistency.

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic pour before
setting time comes? I'd say three to four mixers full per pier.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

On Jun 23, 2:03*am, "Steve B" wrote:
I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning. *They will sit
directly on caliche, hence no digging of footer holes to insert said
Sonotubes into, just cut to length, and fill and use the weight of it to
hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts. *Said awning about 15' square, and
located in an alcove surrounded by three sides so no chance of wind
endangerment.

I just bought an old cement mixer. *This thing is mondo. *Heavy cast iron
gears, etc. *I don't know the actual volume of the drum, but I have seen
ones like it on block wall jobs. *It's big and heavy.

I want to buy bags of Portland, and buy some sand and aggregate, and try to
get a production line of cement going that will produce a stream steady
enough to fill these Sonotubes. *Sonotobes will be about 24" diameter, and
18" high, maybe a little more so they can be used as places for pots, or to
sit on. *I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref, and just do it by
counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just look at it for the
right consistency.

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic pour before
setting time comes? *I'd say three to four mixers full per pier.

Steve

visit my blog athttp://cabgbypasssurgery.comwatch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult..

Sounds to me ike you have massively over engineered your solution.
You really think you need 24" for an awning? I'm thinking 10" or 12"
is plenty. I don't do anything nearly that elaborate for deck posts.
Just mix up a few 80lb bags of ready mix and put it in the hole.

On Jun 23, 8:05*am, jamesgangnc wrote:
On Jun 23, 2:03*am, "Steve B" wrote:





I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning. *They will sit
directly on caliche, hence no digging of footer holes to insert said
Sonotubes into, just cut to length, and fill and use the weight of it to
hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts. *Said awning about 15' square, and
located in an alcove surrounded by three sides so no chance of wind
endangerment.

I just bought an old cement mixer. *This thing is mondo. *Heavy cast iron
gears, etc. *I don't know the actual volume of the drum, but I have seen
ones like it on block wall jobs. *It's big and heavy.

I want to buy bags of Portland, and buy some sand and aggregate, and try to
get a production line of cement going that will produce a stream steady
enough to fill these Sonotubes. *Sonotobes will be about 24" diameter, and
18" high, maybe a little more so they can be used as places for pots, or to
sit on. *I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref, and just do it by
counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just look at it for the
right consistency.

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic pour before
setting time comes? *I'd say three to four mixers full per pier.

Steve

visit my blog athttp://cabgbypasssurgery.comwatchfor the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

Sounds to me ike you have massively over engineered your solution.
You really think you need 24" for an awning? *I'm thinking 10" or 12"
is plenty. I don't do anything nearly that elaborate for deck posts.
Just mix up a few 80lb bags of ready mix and put it in the hole.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I think his problem is that he doesn't have a hole to work with which
makes it a lot different. He has to rely on the mass of the
concrete. I'm having a hard time understanding why it would take 3
or 4 cement mixers worth of concrete for each 24" X 18" tube. In any
case, the concrete hardening before you can mix more of it and
complete the job, I don't see as an issue at all.

On Jun 23, 8:45*am, wrote:
On Jun 23, 8:05*am, jamesgangnc wrote:





On Jun 23, 2:03*am, "Steve B" wrote:

I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning. *They will sit
directly on caliche, hence no digging of footer holes to insert said
Sonotubes into, just cut to length, and fill and use the weight of it to
hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts. *Said awning about 15' square, and
located in an alcove surrounded by three sides so no chance of wind
endangerment.

I just bought an old cement mixer. *This thing is mondo. *Heavy cast iron
gears, etc. *I don't know the actual volume of the drum, but I have seen
ones like it on block wall jobs. *It's big and heavy.

I want to buy bags of Portland, and buy some sand and aggregate, and try to
get a production line of cement going that will produce a stream steady
enough to fill these Sonotubes. *Sonotobes will be about 24" diameter, and
18" high, maybe a little more so they can be used as places for pots, or to
sit on. *I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref, and just do it by
counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just look at it for the
right consistency.

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic pour before
setting time comes? *I'd say three to four mixers full per pier.

Steve

visit my blog athttp://cabgbypasssurgery.comwatchforthe book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

Sounds to me ike you have massively over engineered your solution.
You really think you need 24" for an awning? *I'm thinking 10" or 12"
is plenty. I don't do anything nearly that elaborate for deck posts.
Just mix up a few 80lb bags of ready mix and put it in the hole.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I think his problem is that he doesn't have a hole to work with which
makes it a lot different. *He has to rely on the mass of the
concrete. * I'm having a hard time understanding why it would take 3
or 4 cement mixers worth of concrete for each 24" X 18" tube. * In any
case, the concrete hardening before you can mix more of it and
complete the job, I don't see as an issue at all.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Above or below ground I'm thinking the 24" s overkill. 12" x 18"
would be fine. That's several hundred lbs of concrete per. It's just
an awning and he already said he doesn't expect much wind load..

Steve B wrote:

I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning and use the
weight of it to hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts.

You mean the posts are 10-feet long, right?

You can get 3"x3" posts that are 10-feet long?

Sonotobes will be about 24" diameter, and 18" high, maybe a little
more so they can be used as places for pots, or to sit on.
I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref, and just do it by
counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just look at
it for the right consistency.

I don't know if sonotubes are made larger than 12" diameter. If they
are, I've never seen them at home depot.

If your tube is going to be sitting directly on flat ground, what are
you going to do for the bottom of the pier? How are you going to insure
that your concrete won't leak out the bottom or that the tube won't rise
up, leaving you with a big concrete pancake?

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic
pour before setting time comes? I'd say three to four mixers
full per pier.

Each pier would have a volume of 4.7 cubic feet assuming 18" high and
would weigh 680 lbs.

This is exactly the mixer I have:

http://www.hometips.com/articleimage...r_electric.gif

I can mix about 175 lbs worth of concrete (about 1.2 cubic feet) per
batch. So with a mixer like that, it would take you 4 batches to fill
one of your piers.

I've been using my mixer to make a concrete sound wall that has sections
3.5 inches wide, 4 feet tall and 10 feet wide. It takes about 9.5
batches to make each section. It takes me about 15 to 18 minutes to mix
and place each batch, or about 3 hours in total. I use a vibrator after
batch 4, 8, 9 and 10, and I can tell that the first batch is setting
when I vibrate after batch 8.

So basically I can mix and place about 10 cubic feet with a relatively
small mixer in about 3 hours and maintain the concrete as a single
monolithic slab. You should be able to easily do the same with only 4
batches - or less if your mixer is larger than mine.

I probably wouldn't set the posts in concrete for the awning. I would
connect the posts across the top with 2x4's, maybe put some diagonals in
as well. The weight of all that wood plus the awning would be enough to
keep it down. Maybe drive a rod or long bolt into the ground at each
post to use as a tie-down. For more stability and weight, I'd probably
use 4" posts, maybe even 6" (which is actually 5.5").

"Steve B" wrote:

I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning. They will sit
directly on caliche, hence no digging of footer holes to insert said
Sonotubes into, just cut to length, and fill and use the weight of it to
hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts.

1/8" high-- you might want to go with taller sonotubes.g

-snip-

I just bought an old cement mixer. This thing is mondo. Heavy cast iron
gears, etc. I don't know the actual volume of the drum, but I have seen
ones like it on block wall jobs. It's big and heavy.

I've go tone of those. $50, 25 years ago from a retired mason. Strong,
simple 7 not likely to blow away if the wind picks up. [downside is
that I need to take it apart to get it up and down the basement stairs
which I do every couple of years.

Mine mixes a batch of 2gal cement, 4 sand & 6 #2crushed stone with
ease. [more than that & I have trouble dumping it.]


I want to buy bags of Portland, and buy some sand and aggregate, and try to
get a production line of cement going that will produce a stream steady
enough to fill these Sonotubes. Sonotobes will be about 24" diameter, and
18" high, maybe a little more so they can be used as places for pots, or to
sit on. I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref, and just do it by
counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just look at it for the
right consistency.

I'd measure the cement and aggregate with a bit more precision-- and
leave the water to guesswork after the first load. [if you need to
order the sand & gravel for just this job- you might want to check the
price of premixed bags.] Someone mentioned their technique in the
thread on weighing ingredients. I do the same.

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic pour before
setting time comes? I'd say three to four mixers full per pier.

Shouldn't be a problem. I'll tell you, the best $90 I ever spent at
HarborFreight was for their Donkey dick. Aside from getting to say
'Donkey dick' & making loads of jokes about giant vibrators-- it cuts
the grunt work to a minimum and does a much better job than I was ever
able to do various mixing methods.
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-qua...tor-34923.html

With your sonotubes- after the second pour, just dip that puppy in
there for about 3 seconds in 3-4 spots & you'll blend the works
together.

Jim
[oh- yeah. The morning after this job when you look down at your
fore-arms & they are all black& blue. . . It is where you were resting
the bucket before you dumped it in the mixer. coumadin will do that
to you.g]

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
...
On Jun 23, 2:03 am, "Steve B" wrote:
I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning. They will sit
directly on caliche, hence no digging of footer holes to insert said
Sonotubes into, just cut to length, and fill and use the weight of it to
hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts. Said awning about 15' square, and
located in an alcove surrounded by three sides so no chance of wind
endangerment.

I just bought an old cement mixer. This thing is mondo. Heavy cast iron
gears, etc. I don't know the actual volume of the drum, but I have seen
ones like it on block wall jobs. It's big and heavy.

I want to buy bags of Portland, and buy some sand and aggregate, and try
to
get a production line of cement going that will produce a stream steady
enough to fill these Sonotubes. Sonotobes will be about 24" diameter, and
18" high, maybe a little more so they can be used as places for pots, or
to
sit on. I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref, and just do it by
counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just look at it for the
right consistency.

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic pour before
setting time comes? I'd say three to four mixers full per pier.

Steve

visit my blog athttp://cabgbypasssurgery.comwatch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

Sounds to me ike you have massively over engineered your solution.
You really think you need 24" for an awning? I'm thinking 10" or 12"
is plenty. I don't do anything nearly that elaborate for deck posts.
Just mix up a few 80lb bags of ready mix and put it in the hole.

Reply: We get up to 80 mph winds here, 55 being common. The last one was
engineered for 104 mph winds, but is in a more exposed location. I know I
can do this with ready mix, but thought that I'd get a better mix with hand
proportioning it. What I was curious about is if I could mix if fast enough
so that the batches wouldn't have a line between each.

"Some Guy" wrote in message ...
Steve B wrote:

I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning and use the
weight of it to hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts.

You mean the posts are 10-feet long, right?

You can get 3"x3" posts that are 10-feet long?

Sonotobes will be about 24" diameter, and 18" high, maybe a little
more so they can be used as places for pots, or to sit on.
I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref, and just do it by
counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just look at
it for the right consistency.

I don't know if sonotubes are made larger than 12" diameter. If they
are, I've never seen them at home depot.

If your tube is going to be sitting directly on flat ground, what are
you going to do for the bottom of the pier? How are you going to insure
that your concrete won't leak out the bottom or that the tube won't rise
up, leaving you with a big concrete pancake?

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic
pour before setting time comes? I'd say three to four mixers
full per pier.

Each pier would have a volume of 4.7 cubic feet assuming 18" high and
would weigh 680 lbs.

This is exactly the mixer I have:

http://www.hometips.com/articleimage...r_electric.gif

I can mix about 175 lbs worth of concrete (about 1.2 cubic feet) per
batch. So with a mixer like that, it would take you 4 batches to fill
one of your piers.

I've been using my mixer to make a concrete sound wall that has sections
3.5 inches wide, 4 feet tall and 10 feet wide. It takes about 9.5
batches to make each section. It takes me about 15 to 18 minutes to mix
and place each batch, or about 3 hours in total. I use a vibrator after
batch 4, 8, 9 and 10, and I can tell that the first batch is setting
when I vibrate after batch 8.

So basically I can mix and place about 10 cubic feet with a relatively
small mixer in about 3 hours and maintain the concrete as a single
monolithic slab. You should be able to easily do the same with only 4
batches - or less if your mixer is larger than mine.

I probably wouldn't set the posts in concrete for the awning. I would
connect the posts across the top with 2x4's, maybe put some diagonals in
as well. The weight of all that wood plus the awning would be enough to
keep it down. Maybe drive a rod or long bolt into the ground at each
post to use as a tie-down. For more stability and weight, I'd probably
use 4" posts, maybe even 6" (which is actually 5.5").

The posts come 20' long each, and I can cut to length. I live in a very dry
climate. Exposed structures made of wood don't do as well as metal because
of the freeze/thaw cycles. Wood dries out and cracks here really bad. We
have very low humidity, and temperature extremes. I did the last Sonotube
bases out of 30" tubes. The overall awning was 32' x 14'. I anchored three
legs to an existing patio, and made the three outside ones with tubes, as I
could not dig through the caliche. I used a total of 2 cubic yards for the
three bases, and I rented one of those portable trailer mixers. It went
smoothly, but in this location, I cannot get the portable trailer mixer in
there. I dig down the 6" or so to reach the caliche, then mound dirt around
the bottom of the Sonotube to keep the mud from flowing out any spaces.
Your mixer looks approximately the same size as mine, but mine has a
stubbier tub. 3-4 batches was what I was thinking for each pier. I was
just concerned about the setting time.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

"Jim Elbrecht" wrote in message
...
"Steve B" wrote:

I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning. They will sit
directly on caliche, hence no digging of footer holes to insert said
Sonotubes into, just cut to length, and fill and use the weight of it to
hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts.

1/8" high-- you might want to go with taller sonotubes.g

-snip-

I just bought an old cement mixer. This thing is mondo. Heavy cast iron
gears, etc. I don't know the actual volume of the drum, but I have seen
ones like it on block wall jobs. It's big and heavy.

I've go tone of those. $50, 25 years ago from a retired mason. Strong,
simple 7 not likely to blow away if the wind picks up. [downside is
that I need to take it apart to get it up and down the basement stairs
which I do every couple of years.

Mine mixes a batch of 2gal cement, 4 sand & 6 #2crushed stone with
ease. [more than that & I have trouble dumping it.]


I want to buy bags of Portland, and buy some sand and aggregate, and try
to
get a production line of cement going that will produce a stream steady
enough to fill these Sonotubes. Sonotobes will be about 24" diameter, and
18" high, maybe a little more so they can be used as places for pots, or
to
sit on. I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref, and just do it by
counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just look at it for the
right consistency.

I'd measure the cement and aggregate with a bit more precision-- and
leave the water to guesswork after the first load. [if you need to
order the sand & gravel for just this job- you might want to check the
price of premixed bags.] Someone mentioned their technique in the
thread on weighing ingredients. I do the same.

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic pour before
setting time comes? I'd say three to four mixers full per pier.

Shouldn't be a problem. I'll tell you, the best $90 I ever spent at
HarborFreight was for their Donkey dick. Aside from getting to say
'Donkey dick' & making loads of jokes about giant vibrators-- it cuts
the grunt work to a minimum and does a much better job than I was ever
able to do various mixing methods.
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-qua...tor-34923.html

With your sonotubes- after the second pour, just dip that puppy in
there for about 3 seconds in 3-4 spots & you'll blend the works
together.

Jim
[oh- yeah. The morning after this job when you look down at your
fore-arms & they are all black& blue. . . It is where you were resting
the bucket before you dumped it in the mixer. coumadin will do that
to you.g]

The posts are .120" wall thickness. They will be about ten feet tall. I
have used commercial vibrators when working as a formsetter, and we set some
big forms. They work wonders. If you've ever poured much concrete, you
know that no matter how much you poke and prod, you still will have
noticeable substantial voids. The vibrators take care of that. Right now,
I'm dealing with some fire ant bites in my coumadin experience. Insect
bites are nasty things now, and take a long time to heal.

Thanks for your input.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

On Jun 23, 10:11*am, "Steve B" wrote:
"jamesgangnc" wrote in message

...
On Jun 23, 2:03 am, "Steve B" wrote:





I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning. They will sit
directly on caliche, hence no digging of footer holes to insert said
Sonotubes into, just cut to length, and fill and use the weight of it to
hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts. Said awning about 15' square, and
located in an alcove surrounded by three sides so no chance of wind
endangerment.

I just bought an old cement mixer. This thing is mondo. Heavy cast iron
gears, etc. I don't know the actual volume of the drum, but I have seen
ones like it on block wall jobs. It's big and heavy.

I want to buy bags of Portland, and buy some sand and aggregate, and try
to
get a production line of cement going that will produce a stream steady
enough to fill these Sonotubes. Sonotobes will be about 24" diameter, and
18" high, maybe a little more so they can be used as places for pots, or
to
sit on. I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref, and just do it by
counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just look at it for the
right consistency.

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic pour before
setting time comes? I'd say three to four mixers full per pier.

Steve

visit my blog athttp://cabgbypasssurgery.comwatchfor the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

Sounds to me ike you have massively over engineered your solution.
You really think you need 24" for an awning? *I'm thinking 10" or 12"
is plenty. I don't do anything nearly that elaborate for deck posts.
Just mix up a few 80lb bags of ready mix and put it in the hole.

Reply: *We get up to 80 mph winds here, 55 being common. *The last one was
engineered for 104 mph winds, but is in a more exposed location. *I know I
can do this with ready mix, but thought that I'd get a better mix with hand
proportioning it. *What I was curious about is if I could mix if fast enough
so that the batches wouldn't have a line between each.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

To quote you "Said awning about 15' square, and located in an alcove
surrounded by three sides so no chance of wind endangerment. "

12"x18" is going to give you about 160 lbs of concrete per post. You
could bump the size up a little bit and get 3 80lb bags per. Your
dimensions are over 600lbs of concrete per post. You have 4 posts or
is one end attached to the structure?

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
...
On Jun 23, 10:11 am, "Steve B" wrote:
"jamesgangnc" wrote in message

...
On Jun 23, 2:03 am, "Steve B" wrote:





I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning. They will sit
directly on caliche, hence no digging of footer holes to insert said
Sonotubes into, just cut to length, and fill and use the weight of it to
hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts. Said awning about 15' square, and
located in an alcove surrounded by three sides so no chance of wind
endangerment.

I just bought an old cement mixer. This thing is mondo. Heavy cast iron
gears, etc. I don't know the actual volume of the drum, but I have seen
ones like it on block wall jobs. It's big and heavy.

I want to buy bags of Portland, and buy some sand and aggregate, and try
to
get a production line of cement going that will produce a stream steady
enough to fill these Sonotubes. Sonotobes will be about 24" diameter,
and
18" high, maybe a little more so they can be used as places for pots, or
to
sit on. I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref, and just do it by
counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just look at it for
the
right consistency.

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic pour
before
setting time comes? I'd say three to four mixers full per pier.

Steve

visit my blog athttp://cabgbypasssurgery.comwatchfor the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an
insult.

Sounds to me ike you have massively over engineered your solution.
You really think you need 24" for an awning? I'm thinking 10" or 12"
is plenty. I don't do anything nearly that elaborate for deck posts.
Just mix up a few 80lb bags of ready mix and put it in the hole.

Reply: We get up to 80 mph winds here, 55 being common. The last one was
engineered for 104 mph winds, but is in a more exposed location. I know I
can do this with ready mix, but thought that I'd get a better mix with
hand
proportioning it. What I was curious about is if I could mix if fast
enough
so that the batches wouldn't have a line between each.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

To quote you "Said awning about 15' square, and located in an alcove
surrounded by three sides so no chance of wind endangerment. "

12"x18" is going to give you about 160 lbs of concrete per post. You
could bump the size up a little bit and get 3 80lb bags per. Your
dimensions are over 600lbs of concrete per post. You have 4 posts or
is one end attached to the structure?

reply: Actually, I looked at it today, and along one side is a strip of
former sidewalk where I shall anchor two posts on plates. Now just two
Sonotube piers. 15 foot square, 225 square feet. It will it one inch from
the existing building, and be free standing.

HTH you understand what I'm doing.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

"Steve B" wrote in message
...
I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning. They will sit
directly on caliche, hence no digging of footer holes to insert said
Sonotubes into, just cut to length, and fill and use the weight of it to
hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts. Said awning about 15' square, and
located in an alcove surrounded by three sides so no chance of wind
endangerment.

I just bought an old cement mixer. This thing is mondo. Heavy cast iron
gears, etc. I don't know the actual volume of the drum, but I have seen
ones like it on block wall jobs. It's big and heavy.

I want to buy bags of Portland, and buy some sand and aggregate, and try
to get a production line of cement going that will produce a stream steady
enough to fill these Sonotubes. Sonotobes will be about 24" diameter, and
18" high, maybe a little more so they can be used as places for pots, or
to sit on. I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref, and just do it
by counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just look at it for
the right consistency.

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic pour before
setting time comes? I'd say three to four mixers full per pier.


I don't see why you couldn't. Also are you planning to put any rebar in the
concrete ? Concrete by its self is not very strong.

"Ralph Mowery" wrote in message
m...

"Steve B" wrote in message
...
I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning. They will sit
directly on caliche, hence no digging of footer holes to insert said
Sonotubes into, just cut to length, and fill and use the weight of it to
hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts. Said awning about 15' square, and
located in an alcove surrounded by three sides so no chance of wind
endangerment.

I just bought an old cement mixer. This thing is mondo. Heavy cast iron
gears, etc. I don't know the actual volume of the drum, but I have seen
ones like it on block wall jobs. It's big and heavy.

I want to buy bags of Portland, and buy some sand and aggregate, and try
to get a production line of cement going that will produce a stream
steady enough to fill these Sonotubes. Sonotobes will be about 24"
diameter, and 18" high, maybe a little more so they can be used as places
for pots, or to sit on. I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref,
and just do it by counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just
look at it for the right consistency.

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic pour
before setting time comes? I'd say three to four mixers full per pier.


I don't see why you couldn't. Also are you planning to put any rebar in
the concrete ? Concrete by its self is not very strong.

Yes. I have done these of various sizes, and weld rebar on to the pole to
get a better grip.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

Steve B wrote:

I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning and use the
weight of it to hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts.

You mean the posts are 10-feet long, right?

You can get 3"x3" posts that are 10-feet long?

The posts come 20' long each, and I can cut to length.

When someone says "post", I think of wood. Rectangular wood posts. Not
metal pipe.

I live in a very dry climate. Exposed structures made of
wood don't do as well as metal because of the freeze/thaw
cycles. Wood dries out and cracks here really bad.

Cracking I can understand, but if it's so dry I don't see how there can
be freeze-thaw cycles without some humidity or water getting into the
wood.

I live in the great-lakes area. We have lots of humidity and
freeze-thaw cycles in the winter. Exposed wood (like fences) don't seem
to suffer cracking or dammage from freezing and thawing (but fence posts
and fence runners do seem to warp over time - probably because of post
movement below grade).

I did the last Sonotube bases out of 30" tubes.

That's insane. I wouldn't have thought that sonotube cardboard was
strong enough, but I guess it's a function of height more than width or
diameter.

I used a total of 2 cubic yards for the three bases,

That's insane. That's about 6600 lbs. I would never want that much
concrete to hold an awning up. Expecially above grade. What an eyesore
that must look like. Lots of wasted space taken up by that concrete.

Some Guy wrote:

Steve B wrote:

I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning and use the
weight of it to hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts.

You mean the posts are 10-feet long, right?

You can get 3"x3" posts that are 10-feet long?

The posts come 20' long each, and I can cut to length.

When someone says "post", I think of wood. Rectangular wood posts. Not
metal pipe.

The key here is the ".120" which is the wall thickness of the square
tubing.


I live in a very dry climate. Exposed structures made of
wood don't do as well as metal because of the freeze/thaw
cycles. Wood dries out and cracks here really bad.

Cracking I can understand, but if it's so dry I don't see how there can
be freeze-thaw cycles without some humidity or water getting into the
wood.

I'm with you there, no moisture = no freeze/thaw, just drying and
cracking and general weathering from the high desert winds and sun.


I live in the great-lakes area. We have lots of humidity and
freeze-thaw cycles in the winter. Exposed wood (like fences) don't seem
to suffer cracking or dammage from freezing and thawing (but fence posts
and fence runners do seem to warp over time - probably because of post
movement below grade).

I did the last Sonotube bases out of 30" tubes.

That's insane. I wouldn't have thought that sonotube cardboard was
strong enough, but I guess it's a function of height more than width or
diameter.

It's circular benches for posteriors or plant pots around the 3"x3"
post.


I used a total of 2 cubic yards for the three bases,

That's insane. That's about 6600 lbs. I would never want that much
concrete to hold an awning up. Expecially above grade. What an eyesore
that must look like. Lots of wasted space taken up by that concrete.

See above. Also consider the wind load of this big awning in the high
winds.

On Jun 23, 9:12*pm, Some Guy wrote:
Steve B wrote:
I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning and use the
weight of it to hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts.

You mean the posts are 10-feet long, right?

You can get 3"x3" posts that are 10-feet long?
The posts come 20' long each, and I can cut to length.

When someone says "post", I think of wood. *Rectangular wood posts. *Not
metal pipe.

I live in a very dry climate. *Exposed structures made of
wood don't do as well as metal because of the freeze/thaw
cycles. *Wood dries out and cracks here really bad.

Cracking I can understand, but if it's so dry I don't see how there can
be freeze-thaw cycles without some humidity or water getting into the
wood.

I live in the great-lakes area. *We have lots of humidity and
freeze-thaw cycles in the winter. *Exposed wood (like fences) don't seem
to suffer cracking or dammage from freezing and thawing (but fence posts
and fence runners do seem to warp over time - probably because of post
movement below grade).

I did the last Sonotube bases out of 30" tubes. *

That's insane. *I wouldn't have thought that sonotube cardboard was
strong enough, but I guess it's a function of height more than width or
diameter.

I used a total of 2 cubic yards for the three bases,

That's insane. *That's about 6600 lbs. *I would never want that much
concrete to hold an awning up. *Expecially above grade. *What an eyesore
that must look like. *Lots of wasted space taken up by that concrete.

You're wasting your time, the dude seem to think he needs a couple
tons of concrete to hold down an awning.

"Some Guy" wrote in message ...
Steve B wrote:

I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning and use the
weight of it to hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts.

You mean the posts are 10-feet long, right?

You can get 3"x3" posts that are 10-feet long?

The posts come 20' long each, and I can cut to length.

When someone says "post", I think of wood. Rectangular wood posts. Not
metal pipe.

I live in a very dry climate. Exposed structures made of
wood don't do as well as metal because of the freeze/thaw
cycles. Wood dries out and cracks here really bad.

Cracking I can understand, but if it's so dry I don't see how there can
be freeze-thaw cycles without some humidity or water getting into the
wood.

I live in the great-lakes area. We have lots of humidity and
freeze-thaw cycles in the winter. Exposed wood (like fences) don't seem
to suffer cracking or dammage from freezing and thawing (but fence posts
and fence runners do seem to warp over time - probably because of post
movement below grade).

I did the last Sonotube bases out of 30" tubes.

That's insane. I wouldn't have thought that sonotube cardboard was
strong enough, but I guess it's a function of height more than width or
diameter.

I used a total of 2 cubic yards for the three bases,

That's insane. That's about 6600 lbs. I would never want that much
concrete to hold an awning up. Expecially above grade. What an eyesore
that must look like. Lots of wasted space taken up by that concrete.

For someone who thinks they know a lot, you don't really know much, do you?
You moron, it's not holding the awning UP, it's holding it DOWN.

You also know a hell of a lot about a place you've never been. Our
temperature range here is about 100F. It gets down to 15 in the winter, and
115 in the summer. Surface temperatures soar above that. Wood does not do
well on exteriors here unless you paint it endlessly. That is why we use a
lot of stucco and brick. Duh.

You also seem to be a vocabulary Nazi. What is called one thing in one part
of the country or world is incorrect because it is different than your part.

I can see you know absolutely nothing about Sonotube, and its capabilities.
You can make some big round posts with Sonotube. This site lists it up to
60" diameter and 20' high, with additional sizes on request.

http://sonotube.com/sonotube_round_size_chart.html

FYI, the round bases, along with the steel spacing and bolt pattern give me
a 104 mph wind rating, something that really impressed the local inspector.
We regularly get 60 mph winds.

I wouldn't know about them being unsightly, as we have filled in between
them with Windsor wall blocks, and only about 1/3 of the bases are visible.
We filled behind them with potting soil for decorative plants. The visible
part will be tiled, and plant pots put on the tops of them, making them
actually invisible.

I was a steel erection contractor in Las Vegas, and I used to specialize in
carport erection and repairs. I once saw a carport 9' wide by 108 feet
long, stripped off and carried in one piece across US 95 at Rainbow and land
on the other side of the freeway. Another time, I saw two steel double four
car space carports ripped out of the ground, metal 3 x 3 "posts", 12" 14 ga
Zee purlins, and all and carried in the air to the other side of the
property and dumped.

Now, I have only seen what I have seen, and it in no way compares to what
you have seen, or what is in the inside of that massive brain of yours.
But, do you actually DO anything? Build anything? Repair anything? Or
just make "insane" comments to those of us here who actually "DO" things.

I'll post some pictures on flickr of my awning, and tell me what you think.
Not you, igmo, you, the group in general.

As for you, igmo, you are history. You may leave.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
...
On Jun 23, 9:12 pm, Some Guy wrote:
Steve B wrote:
I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning and use the
weight of it to hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts.

You mean the posts are 10-feet long, right?

You can get 3"x3" posts that are 10-feet long?
The posts come 20' long each, and I can cut to length.

When someone says "post", I think of wood. Rectangular wood posts. Not
metal pipe.

I live in a very dry climate. Exposed structures made of
wood don't do as well as metal because of the freeze/thaw
cycles. Wood dries out and cracks here really bad.

Cracking I can understand, but if it's so dry I don't see how there can
be freeze-thaw cycles without some humidity or water getting into the
wood.

I live in the great-lakes area. We have lots of humidity and
freeze-thaw cycles in the winter. Exposed wood (like fences) don't seem
to suffer cracking or dammage from freezing and thawing (but fence posts
and fence runners do seem to warp over time - probably because of post
movement below grade).

I did the last Sonotube bases out of 30" tubes.

That's insane. I wouldn't have thought that sonotube cardboard was
strong enough, but I guess it's a function of height more than width or
diameter.

I used a total of 2 cubic yards for the three bases,

That's insane. That's about 6600 lbs. I would never want that much
concrete to hold an awning up. Expecially above grade. What an eyesore
that must look like. Lots of wasted space taken up by that concrete.

You're wasting your time, the dude seem to think he needs a couple
tons of concrete to hold down an awning.

reply: As stated, digging footers is not an option because of caliche. The
climate eats wood. The bases sit on TOP of the soil, and are not down in
it. We have very high winds. If I make them large, they double as seats
and places to put plants. What's your problem with what I want to do? I've
seen you do dome pretty stupid stuff.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

In article ,
"Steve B" wrote:

FYI, the round bases, along with the steel spacing and bolt pattern give me
a 104 mph wind rating, something that really impressed the local inspector.
We regularly get 60 mph winds.

I'm not criticizing your plan, because I've seen you build some very
nice stuff. But I will wager that if you get a 104 mph wind, those bases
will stay put, but that awing is going to be shredded and spread across
three counties.

Steve B wrote:

That's insane. That's about 6600 lbs. I would never want that
much concrete to hold an awning up. Expecially above grade.
What an eyesore that must look like. Lots of wasted space taken
up by that concrete.

For someone who thinks they know a lot, you don't really know much,
do you? You moron, it's not holding the awning UP, it's holding it
DOWN.

Don't you think I know that you jerk?

Mostly it's holding it UP. For the intermittent occasions you have
these hurricane-force winds, then yea, your 3 tons worth of concrete are
going to stay on the ground, but your awning is going to be torn up and
sail away. Along with your potted plants that you've placed on your
concrete monstrosity.

You also know a hell of a lot about a place you've never been.

How the hell am I supposed to know where you are?

Our temperature range here is about 100F. It gets down to 15
in the winter, and 115 in the summer.

And we get to 0F in the winter, and 90 in the summer. Big deal.

Surface temperatures soar above that. Wood does not do
well on exteriors here unless you paint it endlessly.
That is why we use a lot of stucco and brick. Duh.

Again, how the hell am I supposed to know you live in a desert, and that
you're using square metal tubing (let alone round metal pipes) and not
wood?

FYI, the round bases, along with the steel spacing and bolt
pattern give me a 104 mph wind rating, something that really
impressed the local inspector. We regularly get 60 mph winds.

Then why are you wasting your time with awnings when you could be
putting up wind turbines?

I wouldn't know about them being unsightly, as we have filled
in between them with Windsor wall blocks, and only about 1/3
of the bases are visible.

Even more space being devoted to hide the piers. Is there any room left
to put a couple of chairs under those awnings? Maybe hold them down too
with a ton of cement while you're at it?

Why don't you put in helical ground screws or anchors for your posts?

http://itstrafficusa.com/helix.htm

http://www.piertech.com/index.php

http://www.benmeadows.com/store/Grou...quipment/1637/

As for you, igmo, you are history. You may leave.

What-ever.

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

By the looks of it, you're going to be history way before me.

"Smitty Two" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"Steve B" wrote:

FYI, the round bases, along with the steel spacing and bolt pattern give
me
a 104 mph wind rating, something that really impressed the local
inspector.
We regularly get 60 mph winds.

I'm not criticizing your plan, because I've seen you build some very
nice stuff. But I will wager that if you get a 104 mph wind, those bases
will stay put, but that awing is going to be shredded and spread across
three counties.

I'm taking so much flak on this, take a look at these pics and just tell me
what you think.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

"Some Guy" wrote

By the looks of it, you're going to be history way before me.

Difference is, I'll go with dignity.

Check the flickr photos I posted here and see what you think then.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

"Some Guy" wrote


http://itstrafficusa.com/helix.htm

http://www.piertech.com/index.php

http://www.benmeadows.com/store/Grou...quipment/1637/


I can see you missed the word "caliche" in my post, and have absolutely no
real world experience with that, either.

For your enlightment and entertainment:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

On Wed, 23 Jun 2010 21:23:17 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote:


"Smitty Two" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"Steve B" wrote:

FYI, the round bases, along with the steel spacing and bolt pattern give
me
a 104 mph wind rating, something that really impressed the local
inspector.
We regularly get 60 mph winds.

I'm not criticizing your plan, because I've seen you build some very
nice stuff. But I will wager that if you get a 104 mph wind, those bases
will stay put, but that awing is going to be shredded and spread across
three counties.

I'm taking so much flak on this, take a look at these pics and just tell me
what you think.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

Quite nice!

But if you'd gone with a HF tarp and some clothesline, you could have
saved on the concrete.BSEG

Jim
[damn I wish you were in NY so I could trade sweat for welding
lessons]

In article ,
"Steve B" wrote:

"Smitty Two" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"Steve B" wrote:

FYI, the round bases, along with the steel spacing and bolt pattern give
me
a 104 mph wind rating, something that really impressed the local
inspector.
We regularly get 60 mph winds.

I'm not criticizing your plan, because I've seen you build some very
nice stuff. But I will wager that if you get a 104 mph wind, those bases
will stay put, but that awing is going to be shredded and spread across
three counties.

I'm taking so much flak on this, take a look at these pics and just tell me
what you think.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

Looks great, Steve. Whether it'll survive the winds, I couldn't say. I'm
just naturally skeptical. I've seen weather tear apart some pretty tough
stuff.

Steve B wrote:

I'm taking so much flak on this, take a look at these pics and just
tell me what you think.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

It looks like industrial construction. Not what I'd want attached to my
house. But if that's what you need to do if you live in a desert...

If there's a poured concrete pad under this patio, then I would think
you could have just as well put in an anchor plate with bolts under the
pad before the pour, and connect your posts to the bolts. Throw in some
rebar around / over the anchor plate just to give the concrete more
strength in that area.

On Jun 23, 10:56*pm, "Steve B" wrote:
"jamesgangnc" wrote in message

...
On Jun 23, 9:12 pm, Some Guy wrote:





Steve B wrote:
I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning and use the
weight of it to hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts.

You mean the posts are 10-feet long, right?

You can get 3"x3" posts that are 10-feet long?
The posts come 20' long each, and I can cut to length.

When someone says "post", I think of wood. Rectangular wood posts. Not
metal pipe.

I live in a very dry climate. Exposed structures made of
wood don't do as well as metal because of the freeze/thaw
cycles. Wood dries out and cracks here really bad.

Cracking I can understand, but if it's so dry I don't see how there can
be freeze-thaw cycles without some humidity or water getting into the
wood.

I live in the great-lakes area. We have lots of humidity and
freeze-thaw cycles in the winter. Exposed wood (like fences) don't seem
to suffer cracking or dammage from freezing and thawing (but fence posts
and fence runners do seem to warp over time - probably because of post
movement below grade).

I did the last Sonotube bases out of 30" tubes.

That's insane. I wouldn't have thought that sonotube cardboard was
strong enough, but I guess it's a function of height more than width or
diameter.

I used a total of 2 cubic yards for the three bases,

That's insane. That's about 6600 lbs. I would never want that much
concrete to hold an awning up. Expecially above grade. What an eyesore
that must look like. Lots of wasted space taken up by that concrete.

You're wasting your time, the dude seem to think he needs a couple
tons of concrete to hold down an awning.

reply: *As stated, digging footers is not an option because of caliche. *The
climate eats wood. *The bases sit on TOP of the soil, and are not down in
it. *We have very high winds. *If I make them large, they double as seats
and places to put plants. *What's your problem with what I want to do? *I've
seen you do dome pretty stupid stuff.

Steve

visit my blog athttp://cabgbypasssurgery.comwatch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult..- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I admit I've shared the occasional thing on here but overall I'd say
not very much. What did I build that was stupid?

Won't it be a challenge to get anything close to the same shear
resistance in your plate attachments to an existing piece of sidewalk
as you will have in your posts embedded in concrete cylinders?

How about a smaller concrete cylinder with a nice wooden circular
bench on top of it? Cheaper, less work, and more attractive than
concrete. Plus you get some leg room under it. Appropriately stained
with solid stain suitable for your harsh environment. Just a thought.

Steve B wrote:
"Ralph Mowery" wrote in message
m...
"Steve B" wrote in message
...
I want to pour some Sonotube bases for a metal awning. They will sit
directly on caliche, hence no digging of footer holes to insert said
Sonotubes into, just cut to length, and fill and use the weight of it to
hold down the 3" x 3" x .120" posts. Said awning about 15' square, and
located in an alcove surrounded by three sides so no chance of wind
endangerment.

I just bought an old cement mixer. This thing is mondo. Heavy cast iron
gears, etc. I don't know the actual volume of the drum, but I have seen
ones like it on block wall jobs. It's big and heavy.

I want to buy bags of Portland, and buy some sand and aggregate, and try
to get a production line of cement going that will produce a stream
steady enough to fill these Sonotubes. Sonotobes will be about 24"
diameter, and 18" high, maybe a little more so they can be used as places
for pots, or to sit on. I intend to look up the mix in my Pocket Ref,
and just do it by counting shovels of each, and gallons of water, or just
look at it for the right consistency.

Do you think I can do enough mixers of it to have a monolithic pour
before setting time comes? I'd say three to four mixers full per pier.

I don't see why you couldn't. Also are you planning to put any rebar in
the concrete ? Concrete by its self is not very strong.

Yes. I have done these of various sizes, and weld rebar on to the pole to
get a better grip.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

You could reduce the concrete volume by defining a space inside - maybe
a smaller sonotube with plywood lid. Lot less moving heavy weight, and
portland dust isn't nice. Rebar would anchor the poles.

"bud--" wrote

You could reduce the concrete volume by defining a space inside - maybe a
smaller sonotube with plywood lid. Lot less moving heavy weight, and
portland dust isn't nice. Rebar would anchor the poles.

Upon closer reexamination of the project, I have decided to use a 18" strip
of concrete along one wall to rest plates on, and to do the Sonotobe bases
on the other two sides. This is in a recess in the back of my house, and I
will have to back in the mixer with the ATV. I think for this one, I shall
just use bags, and not schlep all that heavy other stuff in there.

My main question, which you and only a couple of others was how fast can I
mix and pour this so I don't come up with a layered pour. Yes, I will weld
some rebar to the poles, as always.

Thanks.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

"Smitty Two" wrote

Looks great, Steve. Whether it'll survive the winds, I couldn't say. I'm
just naturally skeptical. I've seen weather tear apart some pretty tough
stuff.

I have seen larger carport structures than this go flying, and I mean up
twenty feet or more. It was because they used 3 x 3 x .120" tubing, and
didn't really put any washes around the base, or just asphalted next to
them. Over time, they rusted off at the base. I have seen a lot of big
stuff go boom, and am a thorough believer of building something three times
stronger than you need, especially if it is something that will kill
someone.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

"Some Guy" wrote in message ...
Steve B wrote:

I'm taking so much flak on this, take a look at these pics and just
tell me what you think.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

It looks like industrial construction. Not what I'd want attached to my
house. But if that's what you need to do if you live in a desert...

If there's a poured concrete pad under this patio, then I would think
you could have just as well put in an anchor plate with bolts under the
pad before the pour, and connect your posts to the bolts. Throw in some
rebar around / over the anchor plate just to give the concrete more
strength in that area.

You apparently didn't really look at the pictures. On the one edge, that is
what I did, putting three base plates. On the outside, where the ground is
caliche, I used the massive concrete bases. And yes, I did use plenty of
rebar welded to the bottom of the posts, and yes, I am a welder, and yes, I
am certified. Even underwater.

I do not think it looks industrial at all. What, should I have used some of
that aluminum crap like they use on "trailers" that a kid with a tricycle
can dent? That surely would have gone flying. We've had some 70 mph winds
since I built this, and there's not a loose screw to be found.

Yes, we live in the country, and I built it to last, to stay, but more
because I will never have to paint or maintain it in my lifetime. The
Fabral sheets have 11 layers of stuff on them, and the red purlins have two
coats of heavy industrial enamel, plus the coatings that come on them from
the factory. It's up, and I don't have to ever touch it again.

YMMV, and probably does

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

"Steve B" wrote in message
...


Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.




To answer a question you have asked twice now with no answer. We poured a
wall using 7- 80 pound bags of enriched Sakrete, mixed one at a time with no
breaks and the wall bonded and was one pour.

We used a very slightly drier pour on the upmost level and a slightly
wetter pour on the bottom 3 bags. I have done this more than once and it
seems to work well.

In your case I would have the multiple batches measured out and ready to go,
especially if you are doing this alone.


--
Colbyt
Please come visit http://www.househomerepair.com

Steve B wrote:

My main question, which you and only a couple of others was how
fast can I mix and pour this so I don't come up with a layered
pour. Yes, I will weld some rebar to the poles, as always.

I answered that in my post on Wed. at 8:55 am EST in this thread.

I said that I can mix and place 8 batches before I notice that the first
batch is setting.

Each batch is 1.2 cubic feet (about 175 lbs).

You basically have about 2 hours, maybe 2.5 hours, to vibrate or
consolidate the first batch before it's too late. If it's at or above
80F ambient temperature, then figure on 2 hours. Even if your using
cold water. I use Eukon 37 (super-P) in my batches. I don't know if
that slows or accelerates the setting time, but it reduces the water.

If you vibrate every 4 batches, then there's really no limit as to how
tall a pier you can make because the concrete that is setting as well as
the wet concrete above it will have already been compacted and
consolodated.

Colbyt wrote:

To answer a question you have asked twice now with no answer.

I answered it on Wed. And again just now.

In your case I would have the multiple batches measured out and
ready to go, especially if you are doing this alone.

Yes. And having a vibrator is highly recommended:

This is what I have:

http://tinyurl.com/29v7qxy

Made by Wyco.