Hi all, I got myself in a fix. I spec'd 12" concrete ball finials to go atop some existing brick columns for a monument sign we need to install Friday. Trouble is I can't locate any.
As a plan B, we ordered some 12" glass lamp globes which I figured I could fill with quickcrete, them break the glass away after it hardened. Nope, after two days the concrete is not set and I'm panicking. In fact, we washed the slurry back out today and remain at ground zero.
We even did a test today with some expanding foam sealant, figuring we could probably coat the shell of the resulting foam balls with some West System or something to give them a durable shell. Well, that won't work either, as the foam leaves big voids when it expands, and it's probably too spongy anyway.
Any ideas of what else I could use to fill those globes that will set fast and be reasonably rugged? Some other type of concrete? Fiberglass? Plaster of Paris? (I've been warned that plaster of paris will dry with cracks).
I'm stumped. Sorry for the last minute plea - any ideas appreciated.
Posted by Brian Crothers (Member # 2888) on :
Joe; filling the glass balls is a good idea! I can't remeber what it is called but there is an ingredient you add to concrete to speed up the cure time. Call one of the concrete mix places and ask them... they will sell you a small amount and also some fiberglass reinforcing material to strengthen the balls. Strong balls are better than weak ones! (hehehe) I have done concrete in plastic containers and it works just fine. You can even leave re-bar sticking out so you can use that to attach it. Use cement sealer, then paint it.
Posted by FranCisco Vargas (Member # 145) on :
Joe My neighbor gave me some stuff to patch a hole in an area for my rolling gate. The stuff is strong and dries real quick, it's called "Cement All" by Rapid Set. It says on the box that it's good for Underlayment, Casting, Anchoring, Industrial Grouting, and Concrete repair. I'd give it a try. Also I do know they do have different types of concrete mixes, maybe you happened to pick up the wrong bag. Hope this helps...Cisco
Posted by Ernie&DianeBalch (Member # 1301) on :
Hi Joe
How about seeing if you can get a strofoam ball, coat it with west ssysstems epoxy( use the fairing compound to help fill the voids, prevent drips then makes it easier to sand.)
Or Use a soccer or basketball , cut out the bottom, fill with 5 minute concrete (used for setting posts). Then coat with the west sytems epoxy with the fairing compound added (so it is a smooth nonrunny past.) You can sand it within about 8 hours. Paint with latex or one shot. You can also gold leaf it.
Diane Balch
Posted by Dave Draper (Member # 102) on :
Joe, it looks like you got no balls!
hahahahahhahahahahahahahahaha
couldn't resist! You got the 152 blues!
The glass bulb idear was really good. Should have worked. You might try a stryofoam ball and and get a hold of some "drivit" or the knock off brand and coat the balls.
Step 1. get balls Step 2. get accrylic stucco mix ( 5 gallon pail $39.99) Step 3. get some nylon window screen mesh Step 4. cut mesh up in strips and place it on the ball, get it as smooth as you can. Hold it in place with the stucco. step 5 plaster the ball with stucco and smooth out with damp cheapo foam paint brush step 6 dont touch it for 24 hours.
It should be hard as a rock when dry and dent proof (except with a hammer)
You may find some foundation coating cement that goes directly over styrofoam, but you still need to use the nylon screen mesh. give it an extra coat if necessary. That stuff has little fibers of fiberglass mixed in with it.
If all else fails, ask the big kahuna at Giggle Ridge for expert advice. Posted by Olde Lang Signs (Member # 336) on :
Joe, Sorry to hear of your "familiar" situation! How about making the balls out of foam or urethane & coating with a Dryvit® type material? They would look just like concrete. Good Luck. Jeff
Posted by Jeff Ogden (Member # 3184) on :
Have you tried your local brickyard? The brick dealer here carries concrete balls and other ornamental stuff like ogee mouldings, etc. They're pretty popular in private entryways and subdivisions...it seems like they're building brick walls around eveything in these parts...
[ October 09, 2002, 10:20 PM: Message edited by: Jeff Ogden ]
Posted by Stephen Broughton (Member # 2237) on :
[ October 10, 2002, 04:22 AM: Message edited by: Stephen Broughton ]
Posted by Neil D. Butler (Member # 661) on :
Brass ones should work, and it's getting cold enough, so just go find a monkey!
Posted by bronzeo (Member # 1408) on :
Joe, I would go back with plan A. Turn the cement upside down to drain water down for a while, then re-right for proper top forming and let it set. You might also drill some holes at the bottom of the globe for draining. Adding fast dryers to cement will crack the hell out of it, such as CaCl and the like. They should cure in a few days on their own with the moisture reduced. Meanwhile paint flat grey. You can spray a faux cement look on the glass until then. Then just go break off the glass a week or two later, unless you have done too good of job on the Faux.
Posted by Talisman (Member # 1869) on :
Hi Joe,
Just a thought… Use the ones you have now. Just coat the outside to look like solid concrete. Then in a week or so, go back and free the cured ones from the post and hatch the cured ones and remount.
And if you do it incognito at night who’d be the wiser.
Good luck, Joe
Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :
Boy do I appreciate all the replies - and so fast!! I was reallyo looking forward to 'busting my balls' today.
I'm printing these ideas out and taking them with me to the shop. Maybe we can figure this out. If anyone else has a brainstorm during the day, please add it here and I will check back. Thanks so much.
Posted by Tony McDonald (Member # 1158) on :
I bet the local bowling alley has what you need......and they even have 3 mounting holes.
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Hope the problem isn't what I went thru a few years ago! Had the same problem....mixed up some concrete to do a patch, and it didn't cure.
Seems that the problem was that I didn't dump out the whole bag and mix it all together. Since I used only part of the bag, I didn't get enough of the cement. Turned out that most of the cement was near the bottom of the bag, and what I used was mostly sand! Posted by Robert Larkham (Member # 2913) on :
Someone stole my thunder....Bowling balls. Fill the extra holes. Use the third for mounting. I have used Billiard marker ball for finials. They come in white and black. I drill and tap them for mounting. Nice smooth surface for guilding. Just my 15 pounds of two cents.
Posted by Mike Languein (Member # 319) on :
This is something that came up for me once in the past, but somebody else got the job so I never got to play - my first thought is plastic balls, the super markets around here all have a big wire cage in them full of different sizes. 12" is pretty big, though, maybe a toy store - I wouldn't have the faintest idea where to get glass ones, but the basketball idea sounds good. I suppose the plastic or rubber ones would have to be supported so they wouldn't have flat spots, maybe in water?
You can get all the bowling balls you want for $2.00 apiece in a thrift store, but I think they are more like 10" than 12.
[ October 10, 2002, 01:06 PM: Message edited by: Mike Languein ]
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
If there is a cast stone supplier in your area, they would probably have some cast stone ball caps.
Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :
Update:
I went back to the building supply to rummage around. After cogitating over all the assorted additives, coatings, and compounds, I decided on "quick setting" concrete - the Quick-Crete brand in the RED BAG. It's the kind you can put into a post hole dry and pour the water on top of it. It's supposed to set in 20-40 minutes.
Mustering my courage, I went for it again, filling one ball only so I could see what it looked like in 20-40 minutes. For good measure, I purposely mixed it pretty thick - only enough water to wet the powder. Well folks - after 20 minutes it was clearly hardening. Yippee! I leveled it off and stuck a carriage bolt into the open end and patted everything down all pretty. After two hours it was hard to the touch with no water standing on top. This was really working. Ok, so I filled the second ball. By the time I went home, everything was hard and the glass ball was warm, so I knew it was cooking. I think it's going to be alright. We'll see how my confidence is by the end of the day tomorrow - maybe I'll get to bust-my-balls afterall!
Posted by Steve Purcell (Member # 1140) on :
Good thinking, Joe. Very inventive. Be sure to handle gingerly for a few days, while it's "green".
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