Hi Soahib,
The water content is completely not an issue. The cement will adhere to the paper fibers regardless of the water volume. Since the water is completely evaporated when the PC is cured completely it is a non-issue. You may want to use just enough to make the mashing of the paper easiest, then the drying time is reduced. If you are squeezing the water out prior to completion it will speed up the drying time even more.
Questions?
Ron
From: Sohain Naseer <sohaibnaseer13@yahoo.com>
To: "papercreters@yahoogroups.com" <papercreters@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 9:49 AM
Subject: Re: [papercreters] Re: looking for small batch recipe help
hello Ron.
i am an UG student, working on research paper on papercrete, as you wrote that you had make a small batch in your class room for scientific testing, and you use the mix design as 3:1, can you tell me that what amount of water you use for this sample.
SOHAIB NASEER
From: liberty1_27606 <liberty1@gmail.com>
To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, 9 July 2012 8:00 AM
Subject: [papercreters] Re: looking for small batch recipe help
Vickey,
I have no direct suggestions about the mix for you, but I will be doing some similar projects and have thought of a concern you may have.. I think it would be best for both of us if we used weighing to proportioning our ingredients. For people building massive structures, measuring ingredients by volume is close enough. I want to be confident that the test batches I make can be extrapolated to larger projects. You want to make sure that each batch you make is the same as the last and will be as pleasing to your customers. So we both need to make sure that our batches are reproducible. We both need the extra accuracy that weighing can give us.
I plan to use this scale:
<http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-held-digital-scale-97227.html>
It has tare capability, weighs up to 45 Lbs., is small, and is flexible.
This scale is on sale, but is less flexible and only weighs up to one kilogram.
<http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-gram-digital-scale-97920.html>
(After you prove your process, you may want a more durable scale than Harbor Freight.)
Bobby
--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "kjtbeskimo" <vickeym@...> wrote:
>
> Have been searching messages and every search term I can think of but have not found anything specific. We are newbies getting ready for our first attempt.
>
> Our paper is all shredded to little bits using a cross cut paper shredder. We have our drill and mixer blade, a bag of sand and will be getting portland cement soon. (had to buy sand as ours is still buried under snow.
>
> We want to make stepping stones and wall plaques for our store. Looking for as lightweight as possible that will still be durable enough for the intended use. (Need lightweight for shipping, we deal mostly with tourists.) But we are trying to find a recipe suitable for this and small enough to mix in a 5 gallon bucket for now.
>
> We still have 4 or 5 feet of heavily compressed snow on the ground here, and too cold still to do much outside. Days are finally getting around 30 degrees but nights are around 0 and even below 0 some nights. So larger projects and building our tow behind will not be happening for awhile yet.
>
> Does anyone have a suggestion for a recipe for stepping stones and or wall plaques they can recommend. Have found several recipes in the messages I have searched, but not sure which is suitable for which purposes. I know the stepping stones need to be stronger than the wall plaques but would appreciate any suggestions from those who have actually made papercrete.
>
> Vickey in Alaska
>
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