Another Update

I have become used to posting an update each week; so as long as I continue to accomplish something we will continue along those lines. Last week we had rain on Monday (Christmas day), but every other day was good building weather; 50’s and 60’s. It doesn’t get much better than that, so I’m trying to “make hay while the sun shines”.

Last week I pretty much finished the east wall (E) and got a good head start on the north wall (N). Concrete has been poured in the cells containing vertical rebar up to about the 4th block course. Rebar has been installed above that concrete, but can’t be seen in this pic because block has already been stacked and covers it up. I have started laying out the block for the tornado shelter (TS).

I learned something new this week when it comes to filling the cells with concrete, and that is to use a big coffee can. Before, I was using a sharpshooter shovel (long skinny blade to dig narrow ditches), but the coffee can holds more concrete (so is faster) and prevents spillage if the concrete is mixed a little “thinner” (more watery). It’s funny how when mixing bags of Quikcrete in the wheelbarrow I use the same amount of water for each bag, but some loads come out thinner than others. Anybody got an explanation; I’m all ears.

I have a question for those of you reading this blog. Right now I am buying all my concrete in 60 pound bags. That is the expensive way to buy concrete. I figure it is running about $130 per yard of concrete this way (and I need at least 3 more yards). When the big concrete truck brought me concrete it was $68 per yard. I don’t particularly want to buy cement, sand and rock separately because then I have to haul it all separately to the work area from in front of the garage. I also don’t want to have to load and use the heavier (94lb) bags of cement. Bag concrete is 60 lbs per bag. I can’t use redi-mix concrete ($68/yard) because I can’t place the wet concrete fast enough to keep it from setting up in the truck or in my wheelbarrow. There may not be an easy or practical solution to this problem, but I’m throwing it up here for comment anyway, just in case somebody thinks of something I haven’t considered. I do have a cement mixer.