[TowerTalk] Vibrating Concrete...

[Marlon K. Schafer (509) 982-2181]

Grin,

Too true Dino!

I did manage to pour 4 trucks full of concrete last year.  All with 
microfiber in it.

What I was told was that it would do nothing to stop the cracking.  This has 
proven to be quite true.  My 25x35 slab for a house addition is cracked all 
over.  Pouring in 100* weather is bad.  Not leaving a sprinkler on it for a 
week is worse!

Next time I'll try the "more concrete" idea.

What the fiber did do (and was claimed by the concrete guys) was to hold the 
concrete together.  This tendency was quite clear with little chunks that 
were left on tools or forms.  Hunks would come off but still be stuck 
together nicely.  It was actually quite impressive.

We did have a bit more trouble getting the finishing done as the fiber would 
stick to the tools.  Once the concrete set up a bit though, that problem 
mostly went away and we were able to finish it just fine.  And power 
troweling worked just like normal.  One note I'd make though, when you want 
a nice smooth floor (like in a house) don't be afraid to run that power 
trowel about twice as long as you'd think you'd have to.  We should have hit 
the floor 2 or 3 more times.  I guess I'll have a nice surface for flooring 
to stick to though :-).

laters,
Marlon
(509) 982-2181                                   Equipment sales
(408) 907-6910 (Vonage)                    Consulting services
42846865 (icq)                                    And I run my own wisp!
64.146.146.12 (net meeting)
www.odessaoffice.com/wireless
www.odessaoffice.com/marlon/cam



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dino Darling" <dino at k6rix.com>
To: "K8RI on Tower talk" <k8ri-tower at charter.net>
Cc: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2006 10:07 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Vibrating Concrete...


> Roger asked;
>> What are your recomendations for vibrating "high fiber" concrete.
>
> Hey Roger, I'm not a professional concrete guy, but I play one on TV,
> AND slept at a Holiday Inn Express last night!  :-)  To answer you
> question, "Add more water!"
>
> I sold concrete tools for a few years and did all the demos.  According
> to the concrete guys, they saw no advantage to the fiber and it made
> everything "furry".  They still got cracks, etc.  The old timers would
> say, "Use more concrete if you want more strength."...or something to
> that affect.
>
> To be fair, the "engineers" state that FIBER is the best thing for
> concrete and makes a world of difference!  I have yet to be on a pour
> where an engineer was ankle high in the mud or riding on the concrete
> trowel machines with me.  YMMV!
>
> Dino  -  K6RIX
> dino at k6rix.com
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>