some cement mixer and concrete fence post ramblings...

[digger doug]

Hello,
I've been reading the post concerning making concrete fence post's.

I am looking to do the same, and found that the british have been doing
this for quite awhile. I've got a book (a pamphlet really) showing
how to do this, and re-bar is required. Ussually 4 pieces set in about
1" from each corner.

So, yes you'll probably need re-bar, make a simple wood jig and
weld the cages up, including the nut at the top for the lifting eye.

some ramblings.
1. if you put a nut up top for a lifting eye, it will later rust
and stream down the sides. If you use stainless, it won't
rust, but in northern climates, the water will freeze and break
out the top. You could go to pennsylvaniainsert.com and
buy something pre-made.
Or,...you could get fancy, make a little mold say 9" x 9" sq.
as a top cap to set on top of the post (with a depression
for the post to sit up into) that will be a "roof" and end the
water problems.

2. Think of adding some of those commercial inserts on the side
of the post (front of post) to enable you to add a sign
"no trespassing" or such, just by screwing in a 3/8 bolt
into the existing molded in insert.
Adding a couple down the back could be for the electric
fence insulators.

3. White post's....you can get white portland, me I want to
try dark (very dark) brown, to look like the park service
signs.

4. The gizmo plans mixer...it's called a "volumetric mixer"
and I am ready to order the plans... but I e-mailed them
stating that I want the CAD file, I don't need paper.
Have not heard back yet, my idea is to take the file
and have my friends burn out the parts with their
cnc plasma table directly.

5. That gizmoplans mixer is ideal as you can mount it on
a running gear, and substituting hydraulic motors,
run it off your tractor. This you could take out to the
job site and pour directly into your forms.

6. Look at this patent: 4,922,463 at uspto.gov
assigned to the Del zotto company based in deluth, mn.

Looks allot like the gizmoplans unit based where?

7. I had someone pour 21 yards of concrete (23' x 40' slab)
and the second truck added too much water on the jobsite
(arrogant operator would not follow the finishers instructions)
there went 8 yards righ down the tubes.
If I had one of those volumetric mixers, this would never
had happened, they adjust the water "on the fly" and the most
in the "screw mixer" is one wheelbarrow load.

8. Look at http://www.vmmb.org/ for different manufacturers
of these things.

tnx
Doug

p.s.

I don't work for any one listed, I ain't selling anything
just my thoughts.

 

[Blagadan]

I made a bunch of concrete fence posts for my property. Simple to do really if you are inclined. I made two reinforced plywood forms, 6ft long, slightly tapered and with a round profile on the top. Made 60 of them in 4 weeks. Made 2 every day, had a proper little production set up going. Saved a load of $$$ making them but tbh, about half way through I was kinda thinking I should have just paid out and bought commercially available ones. Would I make my own again...? Probably not. But it was kinda fun making them to begin with.

In each post, I used 2 lengths of rebar and 5 short pieces of nylon 1/4 inch tubing so I could feed wire through each post.

Pretty much everyone else that has made their own posts have used the same technique.

 

[digger doug]

Blagadan,
Yup, the book I referenced came from your neck of the woods,
that was the way it was shown. I think they stresses the importance
of making enough forms to use 1 batch of whatever mixer you have,
to make it easier for the day to day mixing.

I looked at some post's commecially made around here, and they
had added rubber inserts in the molds to simulate wood grain.
But with the air bubbles and the grain, I could see a problem
with entrapped water freezing to ice and cracking the post's.

I think that at 15' away you couldn't see the wood grain anyway.
These also had the horizontal parts made of concrete as well.

They did mention that horses stay away from the stuff...My neighbohr
has a problem with their horses nawing away at the wood fences,
little beavers they are...


as I can't edit my original post, anyone ever build the mixer shown
over at gizmoplans ?

tnx
Doug

 

[Blagadan]

Blagadan,
Yup, the book I referenced came from your neck of the woods,
that was the way it was shown. I think they stresses the importance
of making enough forms to use 1 batch of whatever mixer you have,
to make it easier for the day to day mixing.
tnx
Doug

I guess you could do it that way if you want to make a dozen forms. I had a pretty specific set up for the batch mixing for my forms. Every time I used the exact same amount of sand, the same amount of cement AND the same amount of water, this IS important, you are right to point this out. I cant remember the exact ratios but I had a dedicated bucket for metering the sand, a large jug for the cement and another jug for the water. I also used a waterproofing plasticiser additive in the mix.

 

[forgeblast]

check ebay for old forms guys sell them all the time.

 

[DRL]

Doug
I have bought the gizmo mixer plans and have it on the to do list, maybe next year. I think it would be a great project. I'm sure you noticed that they also have plans for 3 rail fence forms. If you build it please let us watch over your shoulder with lots of pixs.
DRL

 

[digger doug]

DRL,
Finally someone that actually bought the plans...
How many sheets are there ? do they show a piece at a
time (did they detail up each part separately ?)

$150.00 is still allot of money, I am willing to spend it
if the plans are good.

I have not seen any mention of any 3-rail posts, interesting.

I've sort of got my own design in my head (you don't ever want
shine a flashlight in there).

Anyways, most fence post molds i've seen don't allow you to
put in (or take out later) the horizontal pieces. They expect you to set
a post, insert 3 horizontal pieces (what are they called again?)
then some how holding up those 3 pieces, stuff the next post
both, into the hole, and into those 3 mating pieces...rediculous.


You should be able to set up your post's, all in a row. then come
back later and stick in the horizontals (and remove them if they get
broken)

 

[DRL]

Doug
I am in the middle of a move right now and the plans are packed. A lot of other things going on so I won't be able to build anything for a while. I thought the plans were good, came in a 3ring binder, pages, less binder, maybe 1/2" thick including some large sheets with full scale drawings folded. I just checked their website and the 3 rail fence form plans are still there.
DRL

 

[alltoys]

Not including the cost of the mold how much would it cost to say do a 10 foot post out of cement? That is with the re bar and cement mix.