Well, not really glue…
We are building a little timber frame bath house and would like to scribe 3 post feet onto rocks as an interesting foot/pedestool.
So here was the plan: Footers are below the granite floor, we set the stone on location with a stiff mortar mix, then drill a hole through the rock, floor and into the footer. Insert steel rod, epoxy and set post.
Seems that when the hammer drill hit the rock…bad things happened to the mortar. New plan is to drill all separate….I’ll bet you guys might have an idea or two.
I’d appreciate any advice. Picture FYI
Replies
Drilling separate is a good idea. Or a core drill would drill through the entire assembly.
If you core drill, let the hole dry thoroughly. Many epoxies don't set well in the presence of moisure nor adhere to damp surfaces.
Get bigger rock; taller and larger base to handle the load.
ALso check FHB # 172 page 128, scribing a log post
to match a rock.
g-luck
Did you use a tile or brick mortar? Might have better luck with a stronger material, like high strength baseplate grout, which woul dhave a compressive strength of something like 6000 psi. I think I read somewhere that mortar is only about 2000 psi.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Hmmm. The point load on the post is less than 500 pounds. Do tell, the grout/epoxy seems cool....perhaps a center glop of epoxy, then pointed with mortar.I should have mentioned that we did not drill the holes with the motar green. (I'm not sure what mortar type either) Given the frame is made and part up, we set the rocks on location, let the mortar dry (3 days) then came back for the drill/pin. The hammer drill cracked em free. Too many vibes. My guess was that mortar can't handle the vibes....but I'm not a mason.
Drill separate and then epoxy. Two holes and steel rods will give better registration for scribing and fitting. Use carbon paper to make witness marks on the bottom of the post and use a rotary cutter such as a Dremel or Foredom to remove the black marks. Do this 40 or 50 times and you can get a perfect fit. I do it a lot on my work, on posts up to 12" square. Hollow out the bottom of the post about 1/4" deep after you have a rough fit, and then you only have to make the perimeter of the post match rock. It also helps to be obssesive/compulsive.
HOw did you get that tree to grow out of that rock :-)Man, that looks awesome
Wow, that's a cool bed of coals. Nice job.We're good on the scribe part. Good trick on the carbon paper...we use carpenters chalk. Given this lives outside and we don't want a tight inetrface with the rock...just implied, so to allow a square of ice and water between the rock and post to keep the "cold" rock away from the "warm" post. Again great work!
What are the (approx) dimensions of this art?
This was one of the smaller ones. I recall it being about 30" high.Clay Foster
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~claypen
Gorgeous!
Thanks. You can see more of my work at my website, including a church commission last year of doors and 30 pieces of furniture.Clay Foster
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~claypen
What's your website? I looked at your profile and couldn't find it.
I think I've updatede my profile, and added my website address to my signature below.Clay Foster
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~claypen
clay! that's beautiful! is it pure sculpture of it is functional too" looks like it could be a torch-
peg, i agree about those rocks being too small in the first place. aside from practicality, they are not visually a good proportion.
try a little experiment with a bag of cement: i've seen garden furniture "pillows" made by letting the cocrete set up inside a bag shaped like a pillowcase, nice an slumpy and saggy. you could possibly try making your own 'rocks' with makeshift molds of bags, with a dis-assemble-able box in the center to reserve a square hole for your posts
Nope. Rocks are the right size. The whole building is only 8x10 and the posts are only 6x6.Sounds like a cool idea with the CC pillow...but what's the point? why not just get a rock? As for the pocket....then the post would really rot fast...bad idea in my mind. NEVER bury a post in CC. A death sentence for the post.
what's the point? well, one way to solve the problems you are having, LOL
i guess "the right size" is in the eye of the boulder beholder. the rocks in the photo do not make satisfactory plinths to my eye, but that's my personal taste. i'm an artist, so i'm picky about the visual, but it's true that carving out natural rock will make a better story to tell.
boulder beholder....That's a great line. It's like me when I look at the ladys!
Customer picked the rocks. It's his shower.Thanks!
customer picked 'em-
'nuff said. have fun ;-)
You may want to try a morter bonder there is not much tooth with many kinds of rocks
wyatt
I use portland mortar on rocks that are of limestone and harder like the granite. If you want a real good hold use a concrete bonding adheasive instead of the water to mix the mortar ,or an acrylic addative.
Well there you go...I've never hear of such.I'll check it out. Thanks! Local supply house I guess?
It has no practical function, so it must be art. I sell my stuff through a gallery in Santa Fe, and whoever buys it can call it whatever they want.
I seem to recall FHB addressed just this very project a coupla issues back...wish my memory were better at 2AM, so's I could tell you which one.
Jason