[TowerTalk] Concrete Set Time

[Jim Brown]

On Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:14:47 -0700, Dino Darling wrote:

>I've know guys who mount their towers after the first 24, but I never
>recommend that.  Patience is key!

I just began a tower project, and knew nothing at all about concrete, so 
I began studying it. All the advice in this thread is in line with what I 
learned. It's one thing to walk on it in a few hours, but putting real 
structural stress on it should wait for at least a week, and four weeks 
is better. 

Another point. Concrete comes in a wide variety of mixes for special 
uses. Most concrete, including that used for our tower projects and 
nearly all foundation work, is a pretty good conductor. Special mixes can 
be used as insulators. Likewise, there are special mixes that cure much 
faster, for those applications like the piers that support bridges and 
must support stress faster. 

Another "special mix" is the "six-sack" formula just mentioned. My 
neighbor, K6XX, who is guiding my tower work, advised me to use a 6-sack 
mix and wait four weeks to let it cure before building the tower. We 
estimate the weight of that one cubic yard base at two tons. 

73,

Jim K9YC