Thanks Jan,
My first batch had maybe too little water, putting it into the molds it was like cold oatmeal. The blocks have gaps were the molds didn't fill completely. The second batch may have had too much water, it poured like lumpy pancake batter, but the mixing tool was able to emulsify the paper better when there was more water. The excess water ran through the metal screen as I filled the molds; I kept adding more and more, pushing it into the mold with a little trowel. Maybe it would be better to remove some of the water before adding cement. Blocks from the second batch are much harder and tougher than the first. I'm in Mississippi where we have plenty of humidity; I'm sure that slows drying. Some of the moisture may be condensation - all the blocks are drying in the garage away from weather.
Thanks,
Dick
My first batch had maybe too little water, putting it into the molds it was like cold oatmeal. The blocks have gaps were the molds didn't fill completely. The second batch may have had too much water, it poured like lumpy pancake batter, but the mixing tool was able to emulsify the paper better when there was more water. The excess water ran through the metal screen as I filled the molds; I kept adding more and more, pushing it into the mold with a little trowel. Maybe it would be better to remove some of the water before adding cement. Blocks from the second batch are much harder and tougher than the first. I'm in Mississippi where we have plenty of humidity; I'm sure that slows drying. Some of the moisture may be condensation - all the blocks are drying in the garage away from weather.
Thanks,
Dick
----- Original Message ----
From: a.j. welmers <awsaua@gmail.com>
To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 9:52:42 PM
Subject: [papercreters] Re: blocks won't dry
From: a.j. welmers <awsaua@gmail.com>
To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 9:52:42 PM
Subject: [papercreters] Re: blocks won't dry
Dick
[The dry blocks are tough, but I can make a finger nail mark in the
surface. There have a powdery surface.]
I guess that the powdry surface is the cement. You can get that when
you have an abundance of water in your mix. You can test your mix by
putting it in a small glass container and stir it firmly for a couple
of minutes and then leave that for 1 day. if you see a clear
seperation between the different sand on the bottom, paper above that
and the cement morr on top the you have too much water in the mix and
instead of having a even mix from top to bottom the water has
seperated the lighter parts from the heavier parts.
Let me know if this is your experience?
grtn Jan
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