Nice, haven't heard of anyone mixing with a string trimmer before, you are exploring new territory!
60 pounds into a wheelbarrow is a lot of portland cement. That will give you heavy and very strong pc. You might want to divide the pulp into several smaller containers and use varying amounts of cement to see what you want your final mix to be. You can make one or two smaller forms, and can remove the form within a few minutes after pouring. Be sure to provide drainage, like a sand bed or something similar.
Better to "waste" a little time now with experimenting than to commit to a mix that you might not like in the end. I have had success with ratios from 1:10 portland to paper, all the way to 1:1 portland to paper. The 1:10 is a lot cheaper and great for blocks and infill applications. The 1:1 rings like a bell when you knock on it and is very hard.
Unless you are making very large structural panels, you'll find that the chicken wire is just not necessary. The paper fibers are all the reinforcement you need in most cases. I commonly cast 3 1/2' triangles using only paper, borax, and cement, without any dirt or reinforcement. These work well, even hold some snow load.
Spaceman All opinions expressed or implied are subject to change without notice upon receipt of new facts.
David-"The Hern" wrote:
__._,_.___Howdy all, this weekend was our first try at PC. Sat I set a buch of torn stuff into wheelbarrow and added water. Kept turning and tearing some, but carboard, coateds,a dn strips of newsprint werent pulping apart. LSS, I used a 4 stroke string trimmer with approx 2 inhces line sticking out to finish pulping. Now have a wheelbarrow almost full to the top with oatmeal-ish pulp. I have a 60 pound cement, do you all think its enough for a contractor wheel barrow full to top with pulp? Planning to pour after work sometime this weeek, or Sunday if can tdo after work. Sat is not an open day for us this week. I have a 2 ft by 4 ft frame built, and will make another before I mix and dispense. Using steel poultry netting as reinforcement. Wish us luck, and let me know how much cement I should addd to pulp? Thanks, Dave
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