My Front Gate Project

[4570Man]

I used to have a tow behind mixer for pouring 8 sac of ready crete for my generator pads....sold it, went back to wheelbarrow. It took longer to clean mixer than to mix with wheelbarrow.

How big of a pad did you pour? I usually pour HVAC pads 5x5. Even a 3x5 4” thick would need more than 8 bags. I did a footer for a porch last week that took like 80 60 pound bags. I was gonna just call a truck. 1.2 yards at $130 a yard plus $100 delivery wasn’t a lot more than mixing it and a lot less work but they wouldn’t bring it. There’s too many big jobs to attend to.

 

[grsthegreat]

I have poured literally 100s of them. Mine are only 28” x 54” x 3.5” pads. Never more than 8 sacks of 60# concrete.

 

[4570Man]

I like for the pads to touch the house. It’s just a weedy mess behind them if they don’t.

 

[grsthegreat]

I had to pour some cassions and a step retaining wall for my front porch a few years back and i ended up buying 90 of the 90# bags and had to go rent a commercial gas mixer. I called the concrete company also, and due to the minimum load service charge, i did it myself for probably 1/5th cost. It truly went real fast with the large mixer. That was the only time i missed my old mixer. But it actually didnt cost too terribly much to rent one.

 

[4570Man]

I like using mortar mixers better. They’ll mix about 600 pounds at a time which is a lot more than a little cement mixer and they’re a lot easier to load with the grate at the top. The bag cement only had like 1/2” gravel and they’ll handle that fine.

 

[EddieWalker]

You are a contractor, and don't have at least a small 120v concrete mixer, and a generator to run it anywhere?

Yes, I have a small concrete mixer. I chose not to use it for such a small project. Takes longer to clean it out then to mix 13 sixty pound sacks in a bucket. I also wont bother to use it for mixing the mortar when I do the 28 blocks next weekend.

I don't need a generator, I have power to the columns already. I'll pull from them to power the gate opener, and the two lights that I put on top of the columns to match the lights that are already on the original columns.

 

[flyerdan]

Eddie, one possible problem I see is using a gate opener when one leaf is a walk gate, that one usually has a latch like an entry set that engages the stationary link. Something to ponder on, since most double electric openers use a master-slave sequence so they can open/close without interfering with each other.
Another thing that I think that everyone with a driveway gate should consider is one of those solar HF rope lights. Give it a little bit of visibility during bad weather; I can't count the number of pranged gates that would come in on a trailer, one of the sales weasels would come down and say it needed fixed because it got backed into by someone turning around during a storm, or just not paying attention. For $8 on a coupon it's cheap insurance.

 

[civilian]

What is wrong with the vinyl fence?

I cringe every time I see someone put up a white wooden fence. Been staring at a broken down one for 20 plus years that should have been torn down 3 paintings ago. They just finally tore it down last week. They are pretty for a year at most then they go down hill.

To me, vinyl fences look to sterile to me. They may be OK in a new subdivision, but seem to really stand out on a nice wooded acerage. Plus when the snow plows go by throwing snow, they are easily damaged especially on dirt /gravel roads. Just my opinion. Jon

 

[grsthegreat]

In 20 years ive only had to replace about 4-6 rails. All damaged by me or wife on mower. Too far away from road to worry about plow.

And i personally love the look of 3 rail vinyl fences. To each their own

 

[fried1765]

I値l have to admit to being a contractor without a cement mixer. I致e been looking to buy one but haven稚 found any good candidates. My block guy is pretty good about letting me use his.

I've never been a contractor, and have had four different mixers in my lifetime.
Still do have a small old one that works just fine, but I don't use it anymore.
Won't sell it though.......just in case I should need it sometime.
At a very few weeks short of 80, I have WAY too much stuff that fits into the "just in case I should need it sometime" category.