Teach ME!!!!!!

[collette dotson]

ok, so who wants to talk about where to go, who to study from for someone who just wants to learn more to just make stuff... i don't really want to take on jobs anymore unless its something super cool... i want to b able to make a shop for myself at my home and do small jobs for fun oh and fill my friggin house with this stuff LOL... I want to learn how to make them lighter,  the best tricks for pouring in place and molds ... how to save on dry polishing pads for a pour in place... ect... plus when ur concrete is its weakest, when its finally unbreakable and how to not need ladder wire, does this glass fiber stuff really work on anything long and thin... come on guys... i want to know MORE! Im a stay at home mom addicted to this new art!

[Tommy T Cook, AKA The Gnome]

There is a newer edition as well.  The writer is a friend of mine from Seattle.  There are pictures of my work and several quotes from me in both books.  In the first one, she came out and spent about a week at my shop learning and writing.  These are great books to have on the shelf!!!  Important enough to on my book shelf in an RV with not much space.

and if your really going to play the game, then here are 3 more that should be on your shelf!

[Mike Lokar]

I remember finding one of the Sunset books in the bargain bin at a grocery store! LOL, The one with the island.

I actually didn't really know who Tommy was until I read the acknowledgments and saw his name there and realized that's the guy from the forum! Damn, I should have brought it to the training class in Calgary and had him sign it.

[Chuck]

Make stuff!!! Don't be afraid to try GFRC if you are interested in it.  Get one of the mix designs that so many people share, order some materials, and try it.  Don't overthink it!  Try it without a face coat!  Stand back and throw it in the mold with your hand like a maniac!  Spray the face coat wrong! Just do it. Try something that seems counterintuitive, especially since it is for yourself.  Try some sandpaper, scotch pads, acid wash.  You don't have to use polishing pads. Try ICT!!!! Try Stainz!!! Acid stain!!!!  Mainly, don't be afraid to try anything, and don't take it too seriously!  Good luck...

[Tommy T Cook, AKA The Gnome]

Mike, that book with my autograph and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee just about any where you go!!  It is all about brand recognition!!  :)

Chuck, I agree with the spirit of your post and agree if you are doing it for yourself then definitely play!!!  But if you are going to do this for a business, it has to go deeper.  Just because concrete gets hard and comes out of the mold, does not mean it is going to perform for a client.  Trust me, go backs are expensive and you will have them if you do not do somethings the right way.  I will say that many of the tricks in the industry came from mistakes!!!

[Chuck]

Yes, like Tommy said, If you are going to do it for a business you need to take it seriously, in aspect of strength and hardness.  But If you follow a few simple rules, some which you will inevitably learn the hard way, you will be ok.  Find a mix design like Jeremy's or Brandon's, and follow it closely.  Just make sure you follow it, don't try to substitute things or add more water than you should, less fiber, etc.  Read over the pages in this forum, every question might you have has probably been answered.  Watch some of the videos on youtube people have posted.  You will make some things that fail, facecoats pull off, you don't compact your backer and it is weak, you use the wrong form material and the surface is weakened or deformed, and you will learn from them.  Once you make a bunch of stuff for yourself, and you get an understanding for what you are doing, you will be able to make things for other people.  Just follow the basic, common sense stuff that there is so much information on here about, and have fun with it and get your hands dirty.  Don't be scared to try it!!!!

[Tommy T Cook, AKA The Gnome]

here is a basic GFRC mix.  You can leave out the vitro and add that amount back into the portland weight if you like.  There are no special additives in this mix, standard stuff (for GFRC).  Once you understand this mix, you can move up to all the cool additives, but it is best to understand why those additives do what they do.  I absolutely support playing in the mud, as everyone knows, but I also support good business practice and that comes from learning, through mistakes and other fabricators.  

BTW, this is an old mix using PolyPlex, I prefer to use Forton now as it performs better than polyplex.  The ratios are just a little different.  Ball consulting has current formulas and sell the AR glass and Forton.  You can reach them at [phone]

					content %		wt needed	for batch
19PH901X (3/4" glass fiber)	7.00	LBS		0.02826	2.825999		1.92	lbs
cement	75.00	LBS		0.302786	30.27856		20.6	lbs
#30 silica sand	100.00	LBS		0.403714	40.37142		27.5	lbs
Water	30.00	LBS		0.121114	12.11143		8.2	lbs
Polyplex (acrylic polymer)	10.70	LBS		0.043197	4.319742		2.9	lbs
Rheobuild 1000 (superplasticizer)		liquid OZ		0	0		0.0	liquid oz
vitra minerals	25.00	LBS		0.100929	10.09285		6.9	lbs
	247.70	LBS			100.00	desired wt	68.00	lbs
	2.83%	glass content
	131.36	lbs/cu.ft.
	5.03%	polymer content
Weight per Square Foot:	1/4" thick	2.74	lbs	pallet of glass is 1320 lbs
	3/8" thick	4.11	lbs
	1/2" thick	5.47	lbs	pallet of poly is 1900 lbs
	5/8" thick	6.84	lbs
	3/4" thick	8.21	lbs	pallet of vitra 2800 lbs

[collette dotson]

thx chuck, not selling though, just an artist who found a new love and now I'm obsessed, now my whole home is concrete and we r getting ready to do the next one!!!  I found this place and I can't get off the damn computer LOL

Chuck said:

Yes, like Tommy said, If you are going to do it for a business you need to take it seriously, in aspect of strength and hardness.  But If you follow a few simple rules, some which you will inevitably learn the hard way, you will be ok.  Find a mix design like Jeremy's or Brandon's, and follow it closely.  Just make sure you follow it, don't try to substitute things or add more water than you should, less fiber, etc.  Read over the pages in this forum, every question might you have has probably been answered.  Watch some of the videos on youtube people have posted.  You will make some things that fail, facecoats pull off, you don't compact your backer and it is weak, you use the wrong form material and the surface is weakened or deformed, and you will learn from them.  Once you make a bunch of stuff for yourself, and you get an understanding for what you are doing, you will be able to make things for other people.  Just follow the basic, common sense stuff that there is so much information on here about, and have fun with it and get your hands dirty.  Don't be scared to try it!!!!

[collette dotson]

wow tommy thx!!! Im gonna play as soon as i get some time :)  Im excited to come and learn from u :)

Tommy T Cook, AKA The Gnome said:

here is a basic GFRC mix.  You can leave out the vitro and add that amount back into the portland weight if you like.  There are no special additives in this mix, standard stuff (for GFRC).  Once you understand this mix, you can move up to all the cool additives, but it is best to understand why those additives do what they do.  I absolutely support playing in the mud, as everyone knows, but I also support good business practice and that comes from learning, through mistakes and other fabricators.  

BTW, this is an old mix using PolyPlex, I prefer to use Forton now as it performs better than polyplex.  The ratios are just a little different.  Ball consulting has current formulas and sell the AR glass and Forton.  You can reach them at [phone]

					content %		wt needed	for batch
19PH901X (3/4" glass fiber)	7.00	LBS		0.02826	2.825999		1.92	lbs
cement	75.00	LBS		0.302786	30.27856		20.6	lbs
#30 silica sand	100.00	LBS		0.403714	40.37142		27.5	lbs
Water	30.00	LBS		0.121114	12.11143		8.2	lbs
Polyplex (acrylic polymer)	10.70	LBS		0.043197	4.319742		2.9	lbs
Rheobuild 1000 (superplasticizer)		liquid OZ		0	0		0.0	liquid oz
vitra minerals	25.00	LBS		0.100929	10.09285		6.9	lbs
	247.70	LBS			100.00	desired wt	68.00	lbs
	2.83%	glass content
	131.36	lbs/cu.ft.
	5.03%	polymer content
Weight per Square Foot:	1/4" thick	2.74	lbs	pallet of glass is 1320 lbs
	3/8" thick	4.11	lbs
	1/2" thick	5.47	lbs	pallet of poly is 1900 lbs
	5/8" thick	6.84	lbs
	3/4" thick	8.21	lbs	pallet of vitra 2800 lbs

[Tommy T Cook, AKA The Gnome]

Guess what Collette, you don't have to come learn from me.....we will be coming to you!!!  :)

[Tommy T Cook, AKA The Gnome]

Be aware that there are a lot of good suppliers in this industry.  Blue sells fiber, as well does FishStone, Surface 519 (I think),  CCS, Buddy, Nippon, Cem-Fil and so on.  Many of the products we use you can get direct from the manufacture, if you really want to deal with some of the hassle that can come with it or the quantity needed to get discount.  For me, I prefer to pay an extra dollar and support a company that is supporting our trade and trying to make a living doing that.  You will definitely get more personal service from the companies in the smaller part of the trade.

[collette dotson]

im soooo glad i found this forum!!!!  whiny girls and all :)