Concrete tips requested... what do I need for small job?

[MossRoad]

I never thought it a really big deal to carry 80lb bags, even now in my 50’s.
I kind of enjoy the work out. I used to be big into weight lifting and kind of like the hard workouts now that my gym days are over.
Not ready to surrender yet!

My wife was out of town this weekend, so for a surprise, I built her a sewing/craft table in the basement. Back in the late 90's, my father passed away, and I kept his dining room tabletop, and figured someday, I'd use it for something. So, this was the day! The table top was made from three sheets of 3/4" plywood laminated together with formica on top. Now that thing has been sitting in the back of my garage for 23 years. I went to pick it up to bring in the house Wednesday night....




I got it in, and down into the basement by myself. But that thing sure seemed a lot heavier the other day than it did 23 years ago! :laughing:

 

[MossRoad]

I just did 6 10” piers 60” deep for a porch addition. 28 ea 80lb bags.
Home Depot didn’t have 50 or 60 lb bags.

Harbor freight mixer 1 bag at a time.

After a long day of carrying all 28 from the dump trailer to the mixer, hossing the bag up about my shoulder height(I’m short at 5’8”.),
I read a tip of cutting the bags in half at the trailer and could have carried 40 pounders instead.
Live and learn.

I did sixteen 12" tubes 4' deep last month. I think it was about 8 - 60# bags each. I found I could do 3 bags at a time in the harbor freight mixer, but it took a long time, and would occasionally gum up on the sides of the mixer instead of mixing. If I only did 2 bags at a time, it mixed in just a couple minutes and went much faster. I was able to roll the mixer close to each tube, and used a shovel to scoop it into each tube. Went well. I've had that mixer for about 24 years. Use it about every 4-5 years. The switch finally went out on it, so I bypassed it and plug it in to start and stop it. Anyhow, it beat a wheelbarrow.
:thumbsup:

 

[jmc]

How to split a bag of cement in half quick & easy - YouTube

Great tip. Thanks.