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#83 ·
Benefits ..with privileges...

Lucky Cliffy....

Volunteers from the local "Virginia City Historical Preservation Society" do work on the weekends...they especially like doing track clean-up!!

But only on the weekends.....

Just a plug for the VCHPS' s.....!!

D
 
#84 ·
Cliff really looking good
?? Not sure why you handle cement with your hands, I never handle cement
With hands, I use trowel only, both sides, I will actually use the back side of the trowel
As much as the front side, with a little practice it works very effeciantly.
 
#87 ·
Good start, nice blobs, well you said...
Some of the fuzzies of your vision are clearing up!
I see!
Is it done yet? :rolleyes:
John
 
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Discussion starter · #91 · (Edited)
Thanks guys, I appreciate it!!

Dennis, it was hard trowling it onto the vertical sections -- and that base has a lot of vertical to it. It would peel off. But by lightly pushing on a "patty" (by hand, using gloves) it stuck. BTW, I'm using about 5 quarts of water to the 60lb bag, so it might be a little more mushy than it ought... I don't like it crumbly though, harder to blend. Do you dip the trowel in water? Or have any other tricks you haven't mentioned?

Hi Alan, I covered the track with a strip of plastic, but it kept getting in the way of where I needed to blend the mud up to the roadbed. So I punted on that, and relied on more careful aim with the shovel (to get the stuff in the general area). That almost worked... like Dirk indicated, the only MD member of the V&TRR Historical Society will do the cleanup later. Now that the lower bits are down though, it'll be easier to lay down the plastic.

Skeeter, funny thing is, I don't. It was looking pretty bleak about 1:00pm yesterday, before any carving on the sad pile. But low and behold, using those steps I mentioned, it started looking like rock. I was so surprised that I immediately sent a pic to Dennis to say, "It's working!!"
 
#92 ·
Vibrating a blob or patty will bring out the 'slip' which lets the blade glide and will help it settle into the mesh. Liquification flows around the mesh instead of being strained by the mesh as it's pushed through. Don't make it runny, just use it as another tool. Slapping with the trowel, gently, don't splatter, softens the blob.

Enough chit chat, is it done yet?
 
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Discussion starter · #93 ·
Ha ha! No, remember John, I'm the slow guy. But, I got Friday off, so I'm looking forward to 3 days of mud-slingin'.

My mix wasn't runny, but it wasn't at all crumbly. But still, the bag said put in a gallon, and I was spraying in about an extra quart over that. So I'll experiment with less water in the mix, and try what you say. Thanks for the pointers.
 
#95 ·
What I was trying to convey is when it gets stiff, a little shaking can give more time. Also as a tool to work it.
It will become second nature when you're done.

Break is over....
 
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Discussion starter · #100 · (Edited)
Ugh...

Image


1,440 pounds of hot dogs, now safely in the garage... That's probably about half of what the mountain still needs.

One little tip. For my last two trips for the mortar (22 bags), I asked the folks at the store (Lowes) to help me out. And they did: they brought up a forklift, hauled the whole pallet out to my van, and helped me load it in. Free labor, happier spine.

Another small tip. I retrieved a broken wheelbarrow from a neighbor who was gonna haul it to the dump. It needed new axle brackets and spacers. So I went online to order the parts, found them, placed the order. And they were free! The 'barrow was an Ames / TrueTemper. So I've been using that for delivery of the mixed mortar, and saving my Gorilla cart (which is less maneuverable) for shuttling bags of the dry stuff between the garage and my mixing station.

One more day of rest (at work) before the fun begins... :eek:

===>Cliffy
 

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CliffyJ
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