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As a fellow DIY'er, one thing I've learned is there really isn't a mistake that can't be corrected. It's just a matter of accepting it and taking the time to fix the mistake.
I worked in construction in the 80s and I recall an on-site engineer that always watched as we poured concrete. I asked him why? He made sure the concrete workers vibrated the mix properly. There's not a lot of strength in bubbles was his reasoning. I've always remembered that.
@austinatkins408 true speaking, I have seen some bad segregation from over-vibrating the slurry. End up with severe honeycombing on the lower portion of the pour.
You can also use a short piece of rebar to "rod" the concrete mixture and consolidate it to get the air bubbles up to the surface. Similar to "rodding" a test cylinder.
I worked at a rehab facility that thought it would be awesome to take a commercial 6' concrete planter and turn it into a firepit for the residents to have bonfires around during their nightly check-ins. It was pretty awesome for the first few nights, but on the third or fourth night they used it, the damn thing exploded and sent cinders, sharp chunks of concrete, and burning wood flying everywhere. Turns out that, even with proper agitation, concrete is still a very porous substance. Air expands when heated, which could turn your fire pit into a time bomb. This becomes even more likely with repeated heating and cooling. It's why refractories tend to be built with ceramic substrates and not concrete.
This one will probably do okay because of the airflow between the metal and concrete keeping the concrete cool. But yeah, concrete also soaks up water, and when water turns to steam, you get ker-blewy.
The bursting isn't primarily about the bubbles. When concrete hardens, much of the water you mixed it with is chemically bound into the new crystals that are formed. The concrete can be bone dry years later, but that water remains part of it. When it gets very hot, it changes chemically, and the water is freed up. The trouble is, it's inside concrete, so it cant expand, and thus it can get extremely hot without becoming steam. But when the solid matrix cracks, it suddenly releases all that pressure at once and bang.
The perfect amount of humor to keep me engaged, the unedited mistakes, the narration explaining the process, and the logic behind decisions made all helped me thoroughly enjoy this video and subscribe for more in the future.
Just showed this video to the wife. She just sighed and walked away. Still, I didn't hear an explicit "no", so looks like I've a project for the summer, boys! Thanks again, Haxman
To be 100% honest. I only clicked video out of pure curiosity of how you were going to separate the foam from the concrete. Watched whole video. Learned a lot. Thank you. ❤
ALSO ALSO pro tip.... WAIT AT LEAST 20 days BEFORE BURING A FIRE! There is a lot of water still free in the concrete and it is possible to create bad cracks! ALSO ALSO.... keep it wet for 7 days... spraying it with water and covering with plastic. Anyways.... just concrete things.
Not an urban myth!! I have pictures to prove it. The metal liner and gap behind it offered enough protection here which is a good thing but it is 100% guaranteed that green concrete explodes if the moisture turns to steam and I mean explode in a dangerous way. It takes about five beers long after the fire gets cooking. We were lucky.
For real. I learn on my own and do my projects on my own. When I see someone successfully completing projects while breaking parts and buying tools which don't get used. I genuinely feel like less of a failure.
I did a smokeless fire pit conversion to an already existing pit at a house I bought a few years ago. Did almost the same exact thing you did, I just didn’t have to build the walls. Used a galvanized ring, drilled the holes and set it in the middle with a gap for the outer chamber. Then did the capstones using the same technique, just used melamine board for my form instead of foam board. I only made one form and used it for four pours to give me 4 capstones. Used a bit of old motor oil for my release agent, and added coloring to match the existing walls of the pit that had been already done with landscape blocks. Color matching was the toughest part of the project! It turned out great and works awesome. If I had done the whole thing from scratch, I would have just made the whole thing a bit smaller. Having a 3’ diameter inner ring means you need to make big fires (as you mentioned) and it takes a little while to heat up for the smokeless effect to occur. That’s probably why the commercial ones are fairly small as well. You earned a subscriber, as your rolling storage system has been on my list of stuff as well, just instead of strut channel and trolleys, I had planned to utilize barn door track and rollers instead. Like minds think alike, and I look forward to watching your other builds instead of filming any of my own, lol.
This is what life is all about. Creating projects, family, and the land to do as you please. Literally found this channel this morning and binge wathed 6 already and subbed. Love it dude keep rocking!!
Okay a couple of comments. I built one just like the video three years ago. It worked exactly as you indicated it would in your video. So very good! Now, the cap plates on ours broke the first time we fired up the pit. This was three days after they were poured. The water still trapped in the hardened, but uncured concrete, caused them to forcefully pop and break. So let that concrete fully cure before applying the heat. Secondly, As I said, it worked exactly as you said it would. What you didn't mention was that it consumes copious amount of fuel. In my estimation 3 to 4 times as much fuel. I had to take it out simply because I could not afford to feed it. It is a proven method for getting a hot fire that consumes its own smoke. The problem is I am not using this fire to forge metal. I'm not even using it for heat. A little fire and some friends; that's all that's needed. So you might mention the fuel consumption issues when you promote these smokeless fire pits.
a dog walks into a telegraph office to send a message. the person there asks the dog what they want their message to say. the dog goes "woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof" the person working there says to the dog "that's only 9 words, did you want to include 1 more word? it would be free" the dog replies "no that wouldn't make any sense"
Good stuff all round. Great content worth learning to try at home-and great humor as well. Also like the fact that there's no cussing, no metal or "rap almost music" to deal with. 👍
I like mixing my cement a bit wet when I pour. It's a lot easier to work the voids out of the concrete when doing something like this. Great video man! Thanks.
the problem with polystyrene (compared to wood) is that it takes in excess of 500 years to breakdown..and recycling of it is rare...whereas 1/8" ply and 1/4" ply can break down in less than 15 years..we stopped using it for construction for this reason and have gone to using 1/8" and 1/4" for forming
Awesome for hotter climates. I like a firepit for warmth when it's cool and that's always been my issue with the smokeless pits because there's very little radiant heat if you're siting beside it. Cool none the less!
Concrete does not hold up well to high heat. If you don't believe me. Take a torch to it and I hope you have your PPE on. With that said this might work because it doesn't let the concrete to get that hot (unlike standard fire pit). I will stay tuned for the results.
I made a video about this actually on the first pit. The sides are protected by the fire ring. The top doesn’t get hot enough to be affected. As long as you don’t light a fire right after a huge rainfall there are no issues. I deliberately tried to crack the original pit I built with heat and couldn’t do it. You are correct about heat and concrete. If you made a fire directly on concrete that would be a problem.
@@HAXMAN Hey mate, I've seen concrete explode, The fire was actually lit on the slab, it really does go off...!! I'm pretty sure you can get concrete that's better suited to heat...
One of the easiest and stupidly brilliant pseudo concrete vibrators I'd ever seen whipped together was an oscillating cutter with a pipe strapped to it. Sink the pipe with it on, goes in like hot butter. I wish I'd come up with that one! I've also picked up an industrial vibrating head for various projects that can be had for like $35 and use metal worm clamps to put all kinds of things under Serious vibrational power. I have one mounted to a stainless thermos with 1,000 5/8ths ball bearings in it for grinding hard media into powder. Murphy's Soap in the huge jugs also works great as a release agent for molding, and you can let it dry and build up layers if you want, or just slather it on and pour. Last time I bought it I believe was 2022 and it was $6 at the hardware store. The only thing I'd address would be drainage, particularly in areas with more clay in the soil than average. You can use PEX tubing and cast them directly into the concrete and run them wherever convenient or pull it after the concrete cures and shrinks off the surface some. It helps a lot with premature rusting of the inner ring so runoff doesn't pool up in the bottom. I'm definitely going to borrow that all-thread trick next time though. So we're even. 😉
Can you explain a bit more about exactly how you'd attach the pipe to the sawzall to use it as a concrete vibrator? I can't seem to figure out what you mean 😅
Not sure if it was mentioned, but rock salt is a great way to add texture. Just sprinkle a little in the form sparingly, and it dissolves later. It can also be added when finishing a sidewalk, just sprinkle some on the concrete before it sets up too hard, and trowel it into the surface. Great video.
@@benholler1389 It's only bad for the concrete if you constantly let salt into the the pores through freeze and thaw cycles. So your comment is partially correct. The salt used for this texture technique is rinsed out as soon as the concrete is hard enough to handle a spray nozzle, and is used sparingly for a random texture. My parents have 40 year old walk ways that I helped my dad pour as a little kid, using the rock salt method, that still look like new to this day. Granted, I'm not a fan of textured concrete... I prefer a broom pass so light that you can hardly tell it was done.
I had to chuckle. A true DIY’er! Stuff happens, but the goal doesn’t change. I’m sure there will never be those who critique the build, but I’m one to applaud the perseverance. This is a short but sweet vid and I’m going to add this to my list of what I need to do this year. My original fire pit was made from those big box pavers, and while it took a couple hours to build, it looks like…well, let’s just say it looks like a big box build. Many have them. I want different. I need to remember to keep that seed oil handy for my release agent! Very good job.
I love the video. Very informative and entertaining as well. I will mention concrete poisoning is a real thing and everyone’s tolerance is different. Always a safe practice to wear some type of glove while getting your hands on wet concrete. Just saying.
If you type in your diameter in inches on the construction master calculator and hit the circle button it will give you the circumference as well. Built in short cuts. Invaluable tool that keeps me efficient on the job site. Love your work.
Concrete contractor 40 years. Love the fire pit. Help getting Styrofoam off,gasoline and clean real good with water simple green. Now I gotta watch your patio.
Thank for not editing your mistakes. It’s so much more educating. Great Video; a project I’d like to tackle one day. (Ironically I did edit this comment 😅)
I build these for a living and I can never avoid that unfinished look that you rubbed concrete on, I don’t care how much I vibrate. I usually just strip the out forms while wet and do so very carefully. I use a product called force cement for vertical stamping. So usually I get it like you got it there, then I apply a stamp mix that you can work for like 16 hours, it’s amazing. That was a really good video! I never knew that about baking soda? I always order the mud but guys that use bags utilize dish soap I’ve heard? Dawn dish soap? I guess it adds air to the mix, which you always want with outdoor and it makes the mix creamy. I’d check on this before doing it because I’ve never done it. But really cool how to turn them smoke free. Again, great video!
Studies have shown the longer you keep fresh mixed concrete wet, the harder and more durable it will be due to lime crystallization. Great video though! Seriously considering building one now lol
Having built fire pits and fireplaces professionally, I have a couple of suggestions... First off hammering rebar directly into the ground will cause it to rot and rust out overtime and since you're using it as a fire pit it's going to break as that moisture soaks up through that rusting hole. Second thing is when you're pouring concrete that's going to be exposed to high temperatures you need to either add refractory cement or at least cover it with refractory cement on the side thats facing the heat. And the third thing is if you spray a release agent on your mold you should do it before you place your rebar because now you've sprayed release agent on your rebar which will keep it from bonding an increase the opportunity for cracks to form where you place the rebar. Side note; I appreciate that foam is easier to work with than wood however contributing to the amount of microplastics in our food and water supply because now you have something disposable you can just throw away is not a great excuse.
Quote " Probably one of my favourite tools I've gotten Over the past serval years" Seconds early, haxman wife was helping. Honestly thought he meant his wife. haha She is trooper for being that support hats off!
Great job…question for you: I am a union electrician that works on huge construction projects and I was wondering why couldn’t you use concrete road drain pipes? They may be a little expensive but would save a ton of time and you can get them in many different sizes, they are reinforced with rebar and just cut them down to the height you want, plus with one piece you could probably make 3-4 or more pits from each piece. Just an idea. But I am very impressed with your skills and determination…excellent job buddy. Btw, wish my wife wasn’t afraid to break a nail or sweat 😅
The best gift my brother ever gave me, 36" oil field pipe casing, I'll be dead and my grandkids would be dead before it wears out, but trying to get a piece of 36" casing is like finding gold, unless you know a welder who works on pipeline and can get you a piece!
You sir, are the man! I have been planning to build 3 gas fire pits in my backyard (yep, that is a long story) your instruction, expertise and ahem humor will turn my dream into a reality! Thank you. I have subscribed. Yours is the first you tube thing that I have ever subscribed to, only took me 63 years. (Hope I did it right). Iam a BIG FAN. Most respectfully, mike USN ret.
I would advise against that. You're not really supposed to make fire pits, grills or smokers out of concrete. You need fire bricks, they're made of ceramic and they are designed for this application. They're used in kilns, fire boxes, diy fire pits and smokers. You don't want to mess around when gas lines are involved, concrete can explode which could create a very dangerous situation.
I love it. Can't believe it's been 3 years already. I've always called those tape measures as sewing tapes', but I think they are actually called "Tailors tape" because if you google search that name a butt-ton of results come up.
Sonatubes work great too man. Get a 3' and 4' sonatube and cut whatever height you want. We use them all the time on firepits. We actually take fire brick and ratchet strap them to the inside piece and the concrete locks it all in once concrete is poured.
@jellman101 not if you do a bunch of them and cut them to whatever height you want. We do quite a few custom firepits and as with most companies labor is our biggest expense. You can't really mess up sonatubes they are done, kick it off, strap your fire brick to inside, pour and you're done other than carving or rock work. Every company is different. If you don't have many employees and don't do many of these in a year then you're 100% right
I know it’s frustrating but I appreciate you showing when things don’t work out as you expect. So many UA-cam vids show perfect outcomes every time, which is disheartening for novices. By you showing realistic results makes me more apt to try things
I’ve found a better way of vibrating the bubbles out. Attach a piece of pvc pipe on an oscillating tool. Screw it on an old blade. Stick it into the cement and turn the tool on high. Works better than the reciprocating saw.
That's a great build. I think being humble and showing your mistakes really helps people learn what not to forget with procedures. I've had really good luck with building round bottom conical shaped concrete pits, that are kind of shaped like a wok . Use about 6 in of gravel underneath and a PVC pipe in the center for a drain when it rains. I found that shape allows gravity to pull all the wood towards the center so you don't have to stir the pieces that aren't getting burned all the way like in a flat bottom. With that shape you also get the flames curling around back into the center from the edges., which helps make a smokeless and efficient burn as well. Thanks for showing your design. I think your addition will take my fire pit to the next level. Try hitting the holes on the side with a leaf blower to turbo blast the flames. Lol you'll really jump start that air moving. If you like cooking on the outdoor fire or if you live in a city where the fire department frowns on you just having a fire pit without cooking on it like my town, then try a keyhole shape rather than just a round pit. With that shape you can keep a fire going and pull hot coals into the keyhole where you can set a grill over the top.
I appreciate your SUCCESS/FAILURE, your SORROW/JOY, and that you are showing this along the way to the really sharp projects that you do. It has a better feel than the slick productions that have the viewers feeling unworthy! I am working on my smoosh technique - to be gentle.
Love that you don't edit out your mistakes, definitely subscribing. Wife made the mistake of giving me the clear to do whatever I wanted to the backyard...so this is definitely in the cards haha
Also...THANKS for leaving the bloopers in...they are what make your channel so relatable. Most you tubers would have easily edited out the bloopers and disguised the real world challenges.
Wow, this smokeless fire pit looks amazing! I actually got a firepit from Bakersfield Fireplace Inserts and it’s been great-super efficient and no smoke! If you’re in the area, they’re worth checking out for all things fire-related.
Machinist tip. Use WD-40 on your drill bits to make it easier to drill and extend the life of your bits. Especially the step bits. Thanks for the 2 videos. I wanted to build your last pit ,but I like this one better.
I knew it - when you didn’t show the application of your release agent, you forgot it 😂 God bless you and your wife! What a trip. Gonna show this to my husband. We move from the burbs to 3 acres in a few months. Smokeless fire pit is gonna be ideal this holiday season! 😁
A big paint scraper works good for taking the foam off, worked concrete here in Alaska for a while, put a bit of a sharp edge on it and it works a treat.
Love your DIY man. I'm just going to give you a hint that might help you in the future. If you're going to use the styrofoam, you can take an oscillating sander without the sanding strips on it and use it to help vibrate down the concrete to the lower sections. This will give you an option to be able to do so so that the settling of the concrete actually will pull the air bubbles up a small hand sander palm sander, even a regular oscillating. One will do fine. You want to avoid a belt. Sander
I like how you routinely mix your concrete too dry, despite knowing better. I too enjoy underfilling my tractor tires, waiting too long to mow the lawn, and under-buying lumber for my next project.
I think in addition to the mix being a little too dry, the foam absorbed a lot of the vibration that caused the bubbles to stay. As opposed to using a more solid material like wood that would transfer the energy and get those bubbles out.
Yep or using one-of those vibrating metal rod things..maybe a impact drill attached to the rebar that was in the middle. ?.? Something like that might work. Anyone know if red clay would work on something like this.????.With sand & river rock in between ?Live in the Sandhills of NC.have plenty of all that stuff all around me. & if that’s a yes or a no on the clay ect…what’s the deal with cleaning & heavy rains? I’m sure i can figure it out for myself but more than one person thinking on it is better..thx for any advice/thoughts..making a “gentlemen’s farm”.That’s what the guy that suggested it called it anyway. A fenced in area,raised gardens,covered area in the middle for chilling & grilling. Maybe a water feature with some fish. Enjoy your pit. Subscribed & like. Every bit helps i suppose. PS. The-mud mixer…NICE!could use something like that. Might check it out. Takem easy.
Yep or using one-of those vibrating metal rod things..maybe a impact drill attached to the rebar that was in the middle. ?.? Something like that might work. Anyone know if red clay would work on something like this.????.With sand & river rock in between ?Live in the Sandhills of NC.have plenty of all that stuff all around me. & if that’s a yes or a no on the clay ect…what’s the deal with cleaning & heavy rains? I’m sure i can figure it out for myself but more than one person thinking on it is better..thx for any advice/thoughts..making a “gentlemen’s farm”.That’s what the guy that suggested it called it anyway. A fenced in area,raised gardens,covered area in the middle for chilling & grilling. Maybe a water feature with some fish. Enjoy your pit. Subscribed & like. Every bit helps i suppose. PS. The-mud mixer…NICE!could use something like that. Might check it out. Takem easy.
PLEASE wear a respirator when you play with concrete!!! Concrete dust is silica...which is glass...which means you're breathing tiny shards of glass. Silicosis is a very real thing!! It's a great project, and you've inspired me to build something similar...but please be safe when dealing with concrete. It will kill you, slowly and painfully!
This is about the dumbest thing I have read. The basic kn95 mask doesn’t protect you from silicosis. Silica itself is used to make glass, concrete and similar products and that’s what you don’t want to breathe in.
I've been mixing mortar for 10 years now. I've been breathing it in nearly every day. I've always wondered if it's damaged my lungs and also if that's why running is so hard to breathe after a while. What do you think?
One fantastic project. I have seen a video where the man cut a 2 foot 1/2 inch pvc pipe and duct taped to the reciprocated saw and stocked into the concrete form for smother finish. Well done
Indeed, that’s why I don’t take any of these DIY videos seriously. 99 percent of the time it’s shortcut scab work. Looks pretty for awhile; until it shows its true colors.
Planning to print one of these soon / perfect example case of where printing directly instead of using molds will save hours of work. Will also use a fire-safe cement (Geopolymer)
I built mine with a steel pipe under ground going into the bottom of pit. Faced other end to the south, since we have predominantly south winds. South wind goes in the pipe and into bottom of fire. Works great and cost me nothing. Had the pipe paying around.
I built a firepit based on your initial video a couple of years ago. Works good, although I do wish it was smaller so that I could have a smaller fire going and still keep it smokeless.
@@CFS1820 I used the one he shows in this video (same as last video). I've seen smokeless firepits for sale though since then, for around $150 that were smaller. If I were to do it again, I'd just buy one of those and put rocks around it.
I am around concrete for my job. A super cheap and easy way (not the best way, but works on a budget and in a pinch) is to rod it with a dowel (you want to do this anyway) and if you can find something along the same lines that he did to vibrate the dowel, that way it gets vibrated all of the way through the middle and to the bottom. Make several passes a few inches apart. This will help a lot with holes and voids.
Nice project, Haxman, respect. If you can stand another viewer tip here goes, a 3" pipe wrench or a large locking piler would make pulling rebar stakes a lot easier. Again, respect and peace.
HAXMAN, this is AWESOME!!! I'm retiring at the end of the month, and this seems like the logical first project I should get done before fall, thanks!!! Yup, I'm taking 2 months off and I AIN'T DOING NUTHIN!!!
A flexible tape measure is often called Tailors tape because tailors use them. A little too much water is not bad for concrete, way too much is. The Portland cement in the concrete mix reacts with the water so if you put too little water you don't get a full curing. This is why you see people wetting concrete after a pour to maintain the moisture for a full even curing process. The hover damn took decades to fully dry out after curing because the concrete was so thick the water was trapped in the interior. Concrete dries from the outside to inside as the moisture slowly diffuses out of the interior. nice build
I was excited and watched fully until the actual fire, then realised it is just a lot of effort for a deep fire you can't see, and it has to burn hot (which almost every fire then would not smoke). Was planning to go DYI my own pit with this idea until I saw it not work better than a well constructed fire would.
9:44 These voids may be from making a mix too dry, but could also be because you didn't use an excellent vibration tool. Also, mixing too much water into concrete makes it weaker, but adding water afterwards (on top) always makes it stronger. If the standing water is drawn down the form walls, the strengthening reaches everywhere. That's why wooden forms are better than steel forms for curing concrete. The wood absorbs the wet mix but also returns moisture to the green concrete for days.
Tip on vibrating down concrete, add a piece of soft wood like a 2x4 about 8" long to the reciprocating saws foot guard. Will give you a larger surface area to vibrate it down. I eventually bought a cheap harbor freight concrete vibrator, well worth it. I did one large wall section, we had every family member with something to help bring the bubbles up. Fiberglass in the concrete mix helps a lot with this, and there is an additive air detrainer that is worth it, still have to vibrate and screed. Do not run your mixer for a long time, adding extra air and voids. I like laying a concrete vibrator up against the form, and laying something heavy, like a bag of sand or quikcrete on it, and doing something else. Repositioning as needed.
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Can you share the materials list and measurements for each?
I LOVE when people don't edit out their mistakes. It gives me more confidence as a DIYer. It's great to know that can be a normal part of the process.
It also lets us know what to remember.
@@StuffTested oh I’m sure we can find our own way to screw things up! 😂
As a fellow DIY'er, one thing I've learned is there really isn't a mistake that can't be corrected. It's just a matter of accepting it and taking the time to fix the mistake.
ZZ@@NewbTube69
Yes it is, just sometimes hard explaining that to women 😂
If everyone had a Dad like this growing up, the world would be a much better, safer, more structurally sound, and smoke free place.
Thanks! 😂
Nailed it.
If anyone had a dad at all.
I didn't have a dad but I vote for more excellent dads just like Haxman, HAXDAD!😂❤
Nah bro it started when women were allowed to vote
I worked in construction in the 80s and I recall an on-site engineer that always watched as we poured concrete. I asked him why? He made sure the concrete workers vibrated the mix properly. There's not a lot of strength in bubbles was his reasoning. I've always remembered that.
And at the same time you don’t want to vibrate too much. Separates the aggregate.
@austinatkins408 true speaking, I have seen some bad segregation from over-vibrating the slurry. End up with severe honeycombing on the lower portion of the pour.
You can also use a short piece of rebar to "rod" the concrete mixture and consolidate it to get the air bubbles up to the surface. Similar to "rodding" a test cylinder.
Nowadays we just order it pre-vibrated from the batch plant. Problem solved!
@jaws8817 that's been shown to not be as effective as in situ vibration, bit still better than not
I worked at a rehab facility that thought it would be awesome to take a commercial 6' concrete planter and turn it into a firepit for the residents to have bonfires around during their nightly check-ins. It was pretty awesome for the first few nights, but on the third or fourth night they used it, the damn thing exploded and sent cinders, sharp chunks of concrete, and burning wood flying everywhere. Turns out that, even with proper agitation, concrete is still a very porous substance. Air expands when heated, which could turn your fire pit into a time bomb. This becomes even more likely with repeated heating and cooling. It's why refractories tend to be built with ceramic substrates and not concrete.
I probably wasn't supposed to laugh but the visualizations of the fire pit exploding got me good. Hopefully no one was injured!
@@dustintravis8791 It was pretty hilarious, probably because no one was injured. Just singed clothes and a story to tell.
This one will probably do okay because of the airflow between the metal and concrete keeping the concrete cool.
But yeah, concrete also soaks up water, and when water turns to steam, you get ker-blewy.
The bursting isn't primarily about the bubbles. When concrete hardens, much of the water you mixed it with is chemically bound into the new crystals that are formed. The concrete can be bone dry years later, but that water remains part of it. When it gets very hot, it changes chemically, and the water is freed up. The trouble is, it's inside concrete, so it cant expand, and thus it can get extremely hot without becoming steam. But when the solid matrix cracks, it suddenly releases all that pressure at once and bang.
Yep, that's why you're supposed to use actual fire bricks for smokers and fire pits. It's the first thing I thought of before I clicked on the video.
The perfect amount of humor to keep me engaged, the unedited mistakes, the narration explaining the process, and the logic behind decisions made all helped me thoroughly enjoy this video and subscribe for more in the future.
Well said!
I agree! And subscribed
First video seen…more to go…thanks Haxman!
Same, subscribed!
Just showed this video to the wife. She just sighed and walked away. Still, I didn't hear an explicit "no", so looks like I've a project for the summer, boys!
Thanks again, Haxman
😂 Woohoo!
Indifference sounds like a lady yes to me, lol It's not like they don't know how to say no, lol 😆
It's definitely a yes. Also, it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission....
Indifference is how I know my lady is happy. 😆 good luck on the project.
So relatable haha
To be 100% honest. I only clicked video out of pure curiosity of how you were going to separate the foam from the concrete. Watched whole video. Learned a lot. Thank you. ❤
ALSO ALSO pro tip.... WAIT AT LEAST 20 days BEFORE BURING A FIRE! There is a lot of water still free in the concrete and it is possible to create bad cracks! ALSO ALSO.... keep it wet for 7 days... spraying it with water and covering with plastic. Anyways.... just concrete things.
Also vibrate every square inch, beside the water air pockets get hotter and like to blow up like shale fire pits lol
Great tip, i would have thrown in and fired asap
Not an urban myth!! I have pictures to prove it. The metal liner and gap behind it offered enough protection here which is a good thing but it is 100% guaranteed that green concrete explodes if the moisture turns to steam and I mean explode in a dangerous way. It takes about five beers long after the fire gets cooking. We were lucky.
I agree with all these recommendations I would also put a round over on the outside edge while pouring so the edge isint sharp and won’t chip
I like how you do not edit out your mistakes. Humanizes you to the viewer. Great job on the pit!
I appreciate that!
For real. I learn on my own and do my projects on my own. When I see someone successfully completing projects while breaking parts and buying tools which don't get used. I genuinely feel like less of a failure.
The vibration part of my concrete projects, which are not that many, is the step I always forget. The use of the "reciprocating saw" is a genius idea.
I did a smokeless fire pit conversion to an already existing pit at a house I bought a few years ago. Did almost the same exact thing you did, I just didn’t have to build the walls. Used a galvanized ring, drilled the holes and set it in the middle with a gap for the outer chamber. Then did the capstones using the same technique, just used melamine board for my form instead of foam board. I only made one form and used it for four pours to give me 4 capstones. Used a bit of old motor oil for my release agent, and added coloring to match the existing walls of the pit that had been already done with landscape blocks. Color matching was the toughest part of the project! It turned out great and works awesome. If I had done the whole thing from scratch, I would have just made the whole thing a bit smaller. Having a 3’ diameter inner ring means you need to make big fires (as you mentioned) and it takes a little while to heat up for the smokeless effect to occur. That’s probably why the commercial ones are fairly small as well.
You earned a subscriber, as your rolling storage system has been on my list of stuff as well, just instead of strut channel and trolleys, I had planned to utilize barn door track and rollers instead. Like minds think alike, and I look forward to watching your other builds instead of filming any of my own, lol.
This is what life is all about.
Creating projects, family, and the land to do as you please.
Literally found this channel this morning and binge wathed 6 already and subbed.
Love it dude keep rocking!!
Your wife snorting at your mistake - GOLD! I oft hear that same snort from my wife. It encourages us to do better.
wow... next that
The all thread not to be confused with the all spark because that makes a transformer come back to life is one of the reasons I watch this channel
What other uses can all thread be used for?
@@djdup3819it can work nicely as both nut and bridge for cigar box guitars.
That mud mixer looks awesome! They really need to get them in every Home Depot rental location.
I'll just wait for harbor freight (china) to knock one off and make it affordable for a homeowner with projects.
Okay a couple of comments. I built one just like the video three years ago. It worked exactly as you indicated it would in your video. So very good! Now, the cap plates on ours broke the first time we fired up the pit. This was three days after they were poured. The water still trapped in the hardened, but uncured concrete, caused them to forcefully pop and break. So let that concrete fully cure before applying the heat. Secondly, As I said, it worked exactly as you said it would. What you didn't mention was that it consumes copious amount of fuel. In my estimation 3 to 4 times as much fuel. I had to take it out simply because I could not afford to feed it. It is a proven method for getting a hot fire that consumes its own smoke. The problem is I am not using this fire to forge metal. I'm not even using it for heat. A little fire and some friends; that's all that's needed. So you might mention the fuel consumption issues when you promote these smokeless fire pits.
Imagine the real estate agent if you guys ever sold your house. "Sir, why is there 13 smokeless fire pits on the property?"
"i just don't think it was realistic that they could've cremated that many bodies in that much time, ig I'm a skeptic"
Because 14 would be RIDICULOUS!
Find another real estate agent, 13 isn't a logical basis for superstition.
a dog walks into a telegraph office to send a message. the person there asks the dog what they want their message to say. the dog goes "woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof" the person working there says to the dog "that's only 9 words, did you want to include 1 more word? it would be free" the dog replies "no that wouldn't make any sense"
Just turn them into raised garden beds
Good stuff all round. Great content worth learning to try at home-and great humor as well.
Also like the fact that there's no cussing, no metal or "rap almost music" to deal with. 👍
Little known fact: the knight who designed Camelot's Round Table was Sir Comference. 😉
Dad joke
That’s fkng AWESOME! Now I’m smarter and funnier!😀
I like mixing my cement a bit wet when I pour. It's a lot easier to work the voids out of the concrete when doing something like this. Great video man! Thanks.
Just be aware that the strength of concrete goes down the more water you add generally.
the problem with polystyrene (compared to wood) is that it takes in excess of 500 years to breakdown..and recycling of it is rare...whereas 1/8" ply and 1/4" ply can break down in less than 15 years..we stopped using it for construction for this reason and have gone to using 1/8" and 1/4" for forming
Nobody cares
@@markwarnock4563 his grandchildren will, and will thank him for actually caring about the planet he leaves for future generations.
@@markwarnock4563wrong
@@markwarnock4563wrong
@@markwarnock4563A lot of people care... They just have a higher iq and can understand the issue unlike you.
Best I have seen. Love the bbq addition. Needs a pavilion roof. Currently finishing a smoker moving to oven next.
Awesome for hotter climates. I like a firepit for warmth when it's cool and that's always been my issue with the smokeless pits because there's very little radiant heat if you're siting beside it. Cool none the less!
Thanks!
Thank you so much!
Concrete does not hold up well to high heat. If you don't believe me. Take a torch to it and I hope you have your PPE on. With that said this might work because it doesn't let the concrete to get that hot (unlike standard fire pit). I will stay tuned for the results.
I made a video about this actually on the first pit. The sides are protected by the fire ring. The top doesn’t get hot enough to be affected. As long as you don’t light a fire right after a huge rainfall there are no issues. I deliberately tried to crack the original pit I built with heat and couldn’t do it. You are correct about heat and concrete. If you made a fire directly on concrete that would be a problem.
@@HAXMAN Hey mate, I've seen concrete explode, The fire was actually lit on the slab, it really does go off...!! I'm pretty sure you can get concrete that's better suited to heat...
@@HAXMAN Why not just get castable refractory cement and avoid the problem altogether?
Heat rises
@codycampbell2607 in high-school yeah it does but in the real world it conducts and convects w surfaces.
The molds are so aesthetically attractive! I am infatuated with them
One of the easiest and stupidly brilliant pseudo concrete vibrators I'd ever seen whipped together was an oscillating cutter with a pipe strapped to it. Sink the pipe with it on, goes in like hot butter. I wish I'd come up with that one! I've also picked up an industrial vibrating head for various projects that can be had for like $35 and use metal worm clamps to put all kinds of things under Serious vibrational power. I have one mounted to a stainless thermos with 1,000 5/8ths ball bearings in it for grinding hard media into powder.
Murphy's Soap in the huge jugs also works great as a release agent for molding, and you can let it dry and build up layers if you want, or just slather it on and pour. Last time I bought it I believe was 2022 and it was $6 at the hardware store.
The only thing I'd address would be drainage, particularly in areas with more clay in the soil than average. You can use PEX tubing and cast them directly into the concrete and run them wherever convenient or pull it after the concrete cures and shrinks off the surface some. It helps a lot with premature rusting of the inner ring so runoff doesn't pool up in the bottom.
I'm definitely going to borrow that all-thread trick next time though. So we're even. 😉
Can you explain a bit more about exactly how you'd attach the pipe to the sawzall to use it as a concrete vibrator? I can't seem to figure out what you mean 😅
@@javaguru7141 Screw a piece of PVC to an old oscillating tool blade
Glad you clarified the all-thread from the all-spark,
I was worried about having to fight off Decepticons trying to dismantle my fire pit.
😂😂😂😂
Not sure if it was mentioned, but rock salt is a great way to add texture. Just sprinkle a little in the form sparingly, and it dissolves later. It can also be added when finishing a sidewalk, just sprinkle some on the concrete before it sets up too hard, and trowel it into the surface. Great video.
It's also absolutely horrible for the durability of the concrete
@@benholler1389 It's only bad for the concrete if you constantly let salt into the the pores through freeze and thaw cycles. So your comment is partially correct. The salt used for this texture technique is rinsed out as soon as the concrete is hard enough to handle a spray nozzle, and is used sparingly for a random texture. My parents have 40 year old walk ways that I helped my dad pour as a little kid, using the rock salt method, that still look like new to this day. Granted, I'm not a fan of textured concrete... I prefer a broom pass so light that you can hardly tell it was done.
Nice project. I love all the smoke it makes.
Also it was fun to watch you as you virtually have no idea what you are doing.
Anyone else blown away that Edddie Vedder is so handy? Haha, that's a compliment. Great entertainment factor and great work!
I had to chuckle. A true DIY’er! Stuff happens, but the goal doesn’t change. I’m sure there will never be those who critique the build, but I’m one to applaud the perseverance. This is a short but sweet vid and I’m going to add this to my list of what I need to do this year. My original fire pit was made from those big box pavers, and while it took a couple hours to build, it looks like…well, let’s just say it looks like a big box build. Many have them. I want different. I need to remember to keep that seed oil handy for my release agent! Very good job.
I love the video. Very informative and entertaining as well. I will mention concrete poisoning is a real thing and everyone’s tolerance is different. Always a safe practice to wear some type of glove while getting your hands on wet concrete. Just saying.
If you type in your diameter in inches on the construction master calculator and hit the circle button it will give you the circumference as well. Built in short cuts. Invaluable tool that keeps me efficient on the job site. Love your work.
i've been following you for 3 years. wow! already!
Concrete contractor 40 years. Love the fire pit. Help getting Styrofoam off,gasoline and clean real good with water simple green. Now I gotta watch your patio.
Thank you!
Thank for not editing your mistakes. It’s so much more educating. Great Video; a project I’d like to tackle one day. (Ironically I did edit this comment 😅)
Yeah seriously
0:Naw as if !!! U said Friday!!!! 0:17 17 0:17 @@djdup3819
I build these for a living and I can never avoid that unfinished look that you rubbed concrete on, I don’t care how much I vibrate.
I usually just strip the out forms while wet and do so very carefully.
I use a product called force cement for vertical stamping. So usually I get it like you got it there, then I apply a stamp mix that you can work for like 16 hours, it’s amazing.
That was a really good video! I never knew that about baking soda? I always order the mud but guys that use bags utilize dish soap I’ve heard? Dawn dish soap? I guess it adds air to the mix, which you always want with outdoor and it makes the mix creamy. I’d check on this before doing it because I’ve never done it.
But really cool how to turn them smoke free. Again, great video!
The diy smokeless fire pit got me to subscribe 3 years ago. Still watching today. 😂
That's awesome! Thank you! 😁
same for me
Yep....that was the hook 🪝
same for me too! I built that one then, maybe I'll have to build this one too...
Same here
Studies have shown the longer you keep fresh mixed concrete wet, the harder and more durable it will be due to lime crystallization. Great video though! Seriously considering building one now lol
I like how you didn't pretend this went super smoothly and flawlessly. Im more apt to follow and maybe try this with your honesty. Thank you!
Having built fire pits and fireplaces professionally, I have a couple of suggestions...
First off hammering rebar directly into the ground will cause it to rot and rust out overtime and since you're using it as a fire pit it's going to break as that moisture soaks up through that rusting hole.
Second thing is when you're pouring concrete that's going to be exposed to high temperatures you need to either add refractory cement or at least cover it with refractory cement on the side thats facing the heat.
And the third thing is if you spray a release agent on your mold you should do it before you place your rebar because now you've sprayed release agent on your rebar which will keep it from bonding an increase the opportunity for cracks to form where you place the rebar.
Side note;
I appreciate that foam is easier to work with than wood however contributing to the amount of microplastics in our food and water supply because now you have something disposable you can just throw away is not a great excuse.
Quote " Probably one of my favourite tools I've gotten Over the past serval years" Seconds early, haxman wife was helping. Honestly thought he meant his wife. haha She is trooper for being that support hats off!
Great job…question for you: I am a union electrician that works on huge construction projects and I was wondering why couldn’t you use concrete road drain pipes? They may be a little expensive but would save a ton of time and you can get them in many different sizes, they are reinforced with rebar and just cut them down to the height you want, plus with one piece you could probably make 3-4 or more pits from each piece. Just an idea. But I am very impressed with your skills and determination…excellent job buddy. Btw, wish my wife wasn’t afraid to break a nail or sweat 😅
I was here for your first smokeless fire pit and here I am today for your second fire pit
Thanks!
The best gift my brother ever gave me, 36" oil field pipe casing, I'll be dead and my grandkids would be dead before it wears out, but trying to get a piece of 36" casing is like finding gold, unless you know a welder who works on pipeline and can get you a piece!
"Y'all better red-neckorize." Thank you, Uncle Hax, thank you.
😄
In my neck of the woods, we call it Redneck Engineering. 😁
I was NOT prepared for that part lmao
We need shirts with, "Y'all better redneckorize" on it! 😂 @@HAXMAN
You sir, are the man! I have been planning to build 3 gas fire pits in my backyard (yep, that is a long story) your instruction, expertise and ahem humor will turn my dream into a reality! Thank you. I have subscribed. Yours is the first you tube thing that I have ever subscribed to, only took me 63 years. (Hope I did it right). Iam a BIG FAN. Most respectfully, mike USN ret.
I would advise against that. You're not really supposed to make fire pits, grills or smokers out of concrete. You need fire bricks, they're made of ceramic and they are designed for this application. They're used in kilns, fire boxes, diy fire pits and smokers. You don't want to mess around when gas lines are involved, concrete can explode which could create a very dangerous situation.
I love it. Can't believe it's been 3 years already. I've always called those tape measures as sewing tapes', but I think they are actually called "Tailors tape" because if you google search that name a butt-ton of results come up.
Thanks!
Yeah, my mom called them seamstress tapes
It’s called a fabric tape measure. We have just found your videos and find you very helpful and entertaining!
I was today years old when I learned about the caulking tube tip cutter on the caulking frame
Same
This guys reminds me of myself when doing home projects that I've never done before. Trial and error, baby! Love that he has fun with his mistakes.
Sonatubes work great too man. Get a 3' and 4' sonatube and cut whatever height you want. We use them all the time on firepits. We actually take fire brick and ratchet strap them to the inside piece and the concrete locks it all in once concrete is poured.
Way more expensive than foam
@jellman101 not if you do a bunch of them and cut them to whatever height you want. We do quite a few custom firepits and as with most companies labor is our biggest expense. You can't really mess up sonatubes they are done, kick it off, strap your fire brick to inside, pour and you're done other than carving or rock work. Every company is different. If you don't have many employees and don't do many of these in a year then you're 100% right
I know it’s frustrating but I appreciate you showing when things don’t work out as you expect. So many UA-cam vids show perfect outcomes every time, which is disheartening for novices. By you showing realistic results makes me more apt to try things
I’ve found a better way of vibrating the bubbles out. Attach a piece of pvc pipe on an oscillating tool. Screw it on an old blade. Stick it into the cement and turn the tool on high. Works better than the reciprocating saw.
Rotary hammer drill on hammer mode works great too !
Or better yet just use your wife’s dido 😂
Palm Sander
That's a great build. I think being humble and showing your mistakes really helps people learn what not to forget with procedures.
I've had really good luck with building round bottom conical shaped concrete pits, that are kind of shaped like a wok . Use about 6 in of gravel underneath and a PVC pipe in the center for a drain when it rains. I found that shape allows gravity to pull all the wood towards the center so you don't have to stir the pieces that aren't getting burned all the way like in a flat bottom. With that shape you also get the flames curling around back into the center from the edges., which helps make a smokeless and efficient burn as well. Thanks for showing your design. I think your addition will take my fire pit to the next level. Try hitting the holes on the side with a leaf blower to turbo blast the flames. Lol you'll really jump start that air moving. If you like cooking on the outdoor fire or if you live in a city where the fire department frowns on you just having a fire pit without cooking on it like my town, then try a keyhole shape rather than just a round pit. With that shape you can keep a fire going and pull hot coals into the keyhole where you can set a grill over the top.
I appreciate your SUCCESS/FAILURE, your SORROW/JOY, and that you are showing this along the way to the really sharp projects that you do. It has a better feel than the slick productions that have the viewers feeling unworthy! I am working on my smoosh technique - to be gentle.
Love that you don't edit out your mistakes, definitely subscribing. Wife made the mistake of giving me the clear to do whatever I wanted to the backyard...so this is definitely in the cards haha
Great build. The end cracked me up with you trying to find a place to store those 'disposable' molds!!! The struggle is real. 😄😄😄
Also...THANKS for leaving the bloopers in...they are what make your channel so relatable. Most you tubers would have easily edited out the bloopers and disguised the real world challenges.
Wow, this smokeless fire pit looks amazing! I actually got a firepit from Bakersfield Fireplace Inserts and it’s been great-super efficient and no smoke! If you’re in the area, they’re worth checking out for all things fire-related.
My son is 59 years old. You remind me of him. I love your sense of humor.😊
Awesomeness. I am a former concrete worker, and this is great idea
Im 28 and its happening… these are the things i like to watch and do in my free time😭😭
Welcome to the club... LMAO 🎉
It’s too late, the algorithm has found you. There’s no getting out now. Enjoy adulthood.
Machinist tip. Use WD-40 on your drill bits to make it easier to drill and extend the life of your bits. Especially the step bits. Thanks for the 2 videos. I wanted to build your last pit ,but I like this one better.
Wd is too thin of a lube use a light weight motor oil
I knew it - when you didn’t show the application of your release agent, you forgot it 😂 God bless you and your wife! What a trip. Gonna show this to my husband. We move from the burbs to 3 acres in a few months. Smokeless fire pit is gonna be ideal this holiday season! 😁
Congratulations on the move!
Love your Patience and Egineering: and a big hand out to your Wife also.
"Y'all better redneckorize!" I don't watch enough of your videos, but I'm going to fix that, haha. Great video man. Very inspiring.
A big paint scraper works good for taking the foam off, worked concrete here in Alaska for a while, put a bit of a sharp edge on it and it works a treat.
Your definition of easy is nowhere near my definition.
😂
If I ever end up with enough land to do stuff like this, I'm definitely circling back to this video. Thanks man!
Ok, Ill admit it, I laughed out loud with the "then it hit me joke"
Love your DIY man. I'm just going to give you a hint that might help you in the future. If you're going to use the styrofoam, you can take an oscillating sander without the sanding strips on it and use it to help vibrate down the concrete to the lower sections. This will give you an option to be able to do so so that the settling of the concrete actually will pull the air bubbles up a small hand sander palm sander, even a regular oscillating. One will do fine. You want to avoid a belt. Sander
I like how you routinely mix your concrete too dry, despite knowing better.
I too enjoy underfilling my tractor tires, waiting too long to mow the lawn, and under-buying lumber for my next project.
I think in addition to the mix being a little too dry, the foam absorbed a lot of the vibration that caused the bubbles to stay. As opposed to using a more solid material like wood that would transfer the energy and get those bubbles out.
Yep or using one-of those vibrating metal rod things..maybe a impact drill attached to the rebar that was in the middle. ?.? Something like that might work. Anyone know if red clay would work on something like this.????.With sand & river rock in between ?Live in the Sandhills of NC.have plenty of all that stuff all around me. & if that’s a yes or a no on the clay ect…what’s the deal with cleaning & heavy rains? I’m sure i can figure it out for myself but more than one person thinking on it is better..thx for any advice/thoughts..making a “gentlemen’s farm”.That’s what the guy that suggested it called it anyway. A fenced in area,raised gardens,covered area in the middle for chilling & grilling. Maybe a water feature with some fish. Enjoy your pit. Subscribed & like. Every bit helps i suppose.
PS. The-mud mixer…NICE!could use something like that. Might check it out. Takem easy.
Yep or using one-of those vibrating metal rod things..maybe a impact drill attached to the rebar that was in the middle. ?.? Something like that might work. Anyone know if red clay would work on something like this.????.With sand & river rock in between ?Live in the Sandhills of NC.have plenty of all that stuff all around me. & if that’s a yes or a no on the clay ect…what’s the deal with cleaning & heavy rains? I’m sure i can figure it out for myself but more than one person thinking on it is better..thx for any advice/thoughts..making a “gentlemen’s farm”.That’s what the guy that suggested it called it anyway. A fenced in area,raised gardens,covered area in the middle for chilling & grilling. Maybe a water feature with some fish. Enjoy your pit. Subscribed & like. Every bit helps i suppose.
PS. The-mud mixer…NICE!could use something like that. Might check it out. Takem easy.
0:06 What I want to know is, why is this guy sitting around a fire pit with my family?
Having worked in the CONCRETE industry for almost 30 years Thank You for calling it CONCRETE and not Cement like so many novices.
PLEASE wear a respirator when you play with concrete!!! Concrete dust is silica...which is glass...which means you're breathing tiny shards of glass. Silicosis is a very real thing!! It's a great project, and you've inspired me to build something similar...but please be safe when dealing with concrete. It will kill you, slowly and painfully!
This is about the dumbest thing I have read. The basic kn95 mask doesn’t protect you from silicosis. Silica itself is used to make glass, concrete and similar products and that’s what you don’t want to breathe in.
@@barretisaacs7718 that's why I said a respirator, not a mask.
I've been mixing mortar for 10 years now. I've been breathing it in nearly every day. I've always wondered if it's damaged my lungs and also if that's why running is so hard to breathe after a while. What do you think?
If the silica doesn't kill you, the poisonous gas from heating the galvanized metal will.
One fantastic project. I have seen a video where the man cut a 2 foot 1/2 inch pvc pipe and duct taped to the reciprocated saw and stocked into the concrete form for smother finish. Well done
that thing is going to crack and fall apart in a few years...
Indeed, that’s why I don’t take any of these DIY videos seriously. 99 percent of the time it’s shortcut scab work. Looks pretty for awhile; until it shows its true colors.
Planning to print one of these soon / perfect example case of where printing directly instead of using molds will save hours of work. Will also use a fire-safe cement (Geopolymer)
You're using the word "whenever" incorrectly sir. Whenever refers to at least a plural, you keep using it in the singular with specific instances.
Thanks queer
I built mine with a steel pipe under ground going into the bottom of pit. Faced other end to the south, since we have predominantly south winds. South wind goes in the pipe and into bottom of fire. Works great and cost me nothing. Had the pipe paying around.
I built a firepit based on your initial video a couple of years ago. Works good, although I do wish it was smaller so that I could have a smaller fire going and still keep it smokeless.
What size did you end up going with?
@@CFS1820 I used the one he shows in this video (same as last video). I've seen smokeless firepits for sale though since then, for around $150 that were smaller. If I were to do it again, I'd just buy one of those and put rocks around it.
I am around concrete for my job. A super cheap and easy way (not the best way, but works on a budget and in a pinch) is to rod it with a dowel (you want to do this anyway) and if you can find something along the same lines that he did to vibrate the dowel, that way it gets vibrated all of the way through the middle and to the bottom. Make several passes a few inches apart. This will help a lot with holes and voids.
Translation: "whenever" = "when" for 95% of it uses. Thats for us northerners. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk. Love you HAXMAN!
Finally, a comprehensive example! I can't wait to build this for myself!! Thank you for the education!!
Absolute champion. Love people who engineer, plus build with their own hands !!!!!!
Mud mixer is awesome, I wish I could convince myself to buy one. My old lady would beat me silly if I did... But I sure would like one!
Love it! I also appreciate your intentional/instructional mistakes that teach us what not to do.
You can use masonite sheets also. And tap the sides of the forms all around to help prevent honeycombs. Great build
Nice project, Haxman, respect. If you can stand another viewer tip here goes, a 3" pipe wrench or a large locking piler would make pulling rebar stakes a lot easier. Again, respect and peace.
HAXMAN, this is AWESOME!!! I'm retiring at the end of the month, and this seems like the logical first project I should get done before fall, thanks!!! Yup, I'm taking 2 months off and I AIN'T DOING NUTHIN!!!
I can always count on your amuzing informative genius, to entertain and teach at the same time. Thank you for that!
There's not a better feeling that you make this and enjoy it! I love that feeling of accomplishment!
what was the baking soda for, just a look or did it serve another purpose?
A flexible tape measure is often called Tailors tape because tailors use them. A little too much water is not bad for concrete, way too much is. The Portland cement in the concrete mix reacts with the water so if you put too little water you don't get a full curing. This is why you see people wetting concrete after a pour to maintain the moisture for a full even curing process. The hover damn took decades to fully dry out after curing because the concrete was so thick the water was trapped in the interior. Concrete dries from the outside to inside as the moisture slowly diffuses out of the interior. nice build
I was excited and watched fully until the actual fire, then realised it is just a lot of effort for a deep fire you can't see, and it has to burn hot (which almost every fire then would not smoke). Was planning to go DYI my own pit with this idea until I saw it not work better than a well constructed fire would.
9:44 These voids may be from making a mix too dry, but could also be because you didn't use an excellent vibration tool.
Also, mixing too much water into concrete makes it weaker, but adding water afterwards (on top) always makes it stronger. If the standing water is drawn down the form walls, the strengthening reaches everywhere. That's why wooden forms are better than steel forms for curing concrete. The wood absorbs the wet mix but also returns moisture to the green concrete for days.
Tip on vibrating down concrete, add a piece of soft wood like a 2x4 about 8" long to the reciprocating saws foot guard. Will give you a larger surface area to vibrate it down. I eventually bought a cheap harbor freight concrete vibrator, well worth it. I did one large wall section, we had every family member with something to help bring the bubbles up. Fiberglass in the concrete mix helps a lot with this, and there is an additive air detrainer that is worth it, still have to vibrate and screed. Do not run your mixer for a long time, adding extra air and voids.
I like laying a concrete vibrator up against the form, and laying something heavy, like a bag of sand or quikcrete on it, and doing something else. Repositioning as needed.