Concrete everything

Morning.

I’m thinking about doing some projects with concrete.

Making some plant pots and a few other ideas.

I’m wondering if there is any left over concrete from construction that we don’t need and I could use.

If there is that would be great.

There’s a big pile of cement behind Chebeb’s van. Long out of date, so use at your own risk. There is probably also some lurking inside the space of a more recent vintage.

I have a few bags of good cement in my garage, you’re welcome to a bag!

You’ll need an aggregate too. Can be many things: usually sand and stones.

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Let me know if you need cement. I don’t want to drop stuff off in the space unless you’re ready to use it.

thanks dermot!

(sorry my last two post might have been confusing. was on the tube rushing to work)

…that would be great. let me finislise ideas and work out what im going to do, plus make the moulds. then will give you a nudge.

ill need to think about where i can do it aswell.
im guessing outside to mix the concrete.and maybe poor into moulds.

but i may need to bring them inside to let them dry.

Depends on the size of the job. Small batches could be done in the messy room I’d have thought (ie. at a desktop, with quantities you’d normally associate with cooking)

Yes, but after Josef’s pneumonia we decided to keep cement mixing outside as a precaution.

No problem with having it dry inside, or pouring it inside, this is about airborne cement dust being breathed in. This risk is low, however mixing outside is not too onerous, and better for other reasons too, such as clearing up and washing away spills.

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ok great. yes. mixing outside. drying inside.
small batches of plant pots.
one or two to start with.
just getting used to the material first

Hi Paul, if I’m free when you plan to do it I’d be interested to join in with concrete mixing if possible…would be good to see it done. Have a small batch of quick setting cement would like to experiment with.

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ok, cool!
ill let you know when ive got my ideas and materials ready.
i think towards the end of the month

Just a note, if you’re interested: concrete is not very good environmentally.

head in the sand. lah lah lah.

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Hey Dermot,

Why’s that? Is there an eco-friendly alternative?

Concrete: a mixture of it’s very high CO2 footprint and poor environmental practices of producers.

Depending what you want to make there will ususlly be alternatives. But it’s quite a unique and versatile material, so the alternatives usually involve a different design and construction approach, rather than just mixing up a bag of ‘cement-free concrete’. Which isn’t a thing, as far as I know!

Ahh ok.

I had a look but they seem to have the ethos of less cement with some cool
filler alternatives but not completely cement free. May need some further
research.

http://londonsculptureworkshop.org/casting-concrete-plaster-november/

In small amounts of course the effect is negligible. I was just making the point that it’s not an eco-friendly material.

Interesting - Thanks

Thanks - will be experimenting with some eco friendly approaches.

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The casting bench will have extraction with a hood and this plus dust mask, could maybe review that depending on how much is being mixed (eg up to less than a Kg?)

Yes, if precautions mitigate the risks it can be done.