Hi,
I’m building a short 2ft (3 blocks)high patio wall. about 55 linear ft. Should I rent a mixer or is it manageable to mix by hand?
Mike
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I'd hand mix it.
So about 125 blocks. I'd just use sackrete mortor, maybe add a little portland to it. Only about 5 bags to mix, not to difficult.
Hey,
I just went to a mortar calculator and it's telling me 12 60lb bags???
http://www.csgnetwork.com/mortarqtycalc.html
Mike
That's wimmen's work. Have your wife mix it for you.
That's wimmen's work
I bought my wife a mixer when we first started building.
Not her favorite gift, but she learned how to do it. She does enjoy telling people it's "her mixer".
Joe H
"I need a women with a chainsaw"!
"I need a women with a chainsaw"!
I think Jim Blodgett posted something years back about getting his woman a new saw so she could cut the firewood.
Mine got me a little Stihl last Christmas so my sorry elbow would be happier.
Here she is with her mixer, don't know what's she's thinking.
View Image
Joe H
My wife is handy with a mixer too.
http://esteroriverheights.com/electrical/judy_mixing_mud.jpg
I did a tradeout for an old mixer, DW and I did an overlay on a neighbor's porch ( same family I did the tradeout with) and she thought it was a hoot. I had one of the large wheelbarrows (also part of the trade) and the tub did not want to dip low enough to dump. Old Dumb ??? stuck a shovel in to help, it got caught in one of the vanes and proceeded to upend the sucker.
Mud everywhere but we were laughing our whatevers off. It tipped over and cracked the big pulley spokes so I endewd up sandwiching it in plywood. Redneck engineering at it's worst/bestFor those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
I bought my wife a mixer when we first started building.
I actually thought that sentence was going to end, "when we first got married." ROFL.
To the original question: If you're going to work by yourself and you're slow at laying block, I'd suggest that you get a small plastic mixing box and a garden hoe at HD (box in the floor tile tool area). That's what I use to mix thinset for tile work. You can mix up to one 50 lb bag of sacrete mortar mix with those implements.
That's plenty of mud for a slow, single handed job, maybe more than you can use at a time. In any case, using the premix you can mix up just as much as you want without trying to measure shovels full.
A tip: When you get that plastic trough and mixing hoe, grind the corners of the blade round to match the rounded inside corners of the trough. It's about a 1" radius.See my work at TedsCarpentry.comBuy Cheap Tools! BuildersTools.net
If you haven't already done so, please update your profile. Since many issues are dependant on the region in which you work, we often look at your profile to see where you are writing from.
>>I bought my wife a mixer when we first started building
You did WHAT??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twivg7GkYts
That is awesome, my son's FIL sent it to me, one of the comments from one of the guys was "folding laundry, you got no idea, ain't like that".For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
After the mixer, did she get a concrete vibrator?
I've said the phrase "Mortar Maid... more mortar, please!" many times.A La Carte Government funding... the real democracy.
go by a hoe with the holes in it, and the large plastic bin that lowes sell. mix half a bag at a time.
ditto what HVC said. it will take you a while to get up to speed laying those things. hand mixing in a plastic tray will keep you from wasting too much mortar.
resist the urge to water it down (more than a spritz or two) when it starts setting up on you in the tray. throw it out and mix some more. mortar's cheap.
k
Carefully measure the amount of water it takes to get the first bag mixed like you want it.
Then for the next bag put that amount of water in the pan then mix.
Having the right amount of water to begin with makes mixing much easier than mixing and adding,mixing and adding.
Never say anything bad about a person untill you have walked a mile in his shoes, by then you will be a mile away from him and you will have his shoes.
Just hire this gal.
View Image
The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.
Good thing that gal isn't around at the moment.Can you say sliced, diced and deep-fried.
I think I'm in love. Just imagine the personal imprints she could leave in the 'crete.
BTW, I wonder if OSHA would approve of her footwear...or lack thereof.
Looks like she is building another "brick house"
"BTW, I wonder if OSHA would approve of her footwear...or lack thereof."
OK. You get points for looking at her feet. ;-)
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
Thats a very purty goil and she looks strong but how many bundles of roofin can she carry up the ladder???
Does it really matter? I want to hire her and I haven't had an employee in 15 years!!!!!!!!!!
You DO know who that is don't you?The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.
Sure i do its the singer from the Dixie chicks.
Yea, OK.The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.
sally struthers;].http://www.sign-here.com/gifs/images/cf6145.JPG
Sure like to know what her left hand is doing!!!The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.
you are absolutely disgusting, and should be ashamed and embarassed.
If he was really disgusting, he'd be wondering what her right hand was doing...
k
Now, now Lads keep it nice.
<Now, now Lads keep it nice.>
Coming from you, that really doesn't have much impact.
Hawks--walking on the blue side.The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.
My apologies to you.
Not for the post, but for the fact that you took offense to it.The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.
I was gonna say maybe hiding a twinkie, but that doesn't sound right either...
From what I have seen of Sally the only place she hides twinkies is in her mouth.
It is clear why little 3d world kids follow her around. She knows where the food is.
Edited 12/11/2008 10:01 am ET by gfretwell