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Improving bird bath recipee
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Posted by gardener_boy z4CO (My Page) on Mon, Sep 28, 09 at 10:35
Firstly, I 've been away from the forum for quite a while. (Moved from CA to CO too.) I am enjoying the re-visit and reading all the posts.
I did a search on bird baths but nothing came up (am I searching correctly?)
Looking to improve my success with my designs as sometimes they leak and sometimes they don't. Frustrating!
I usually use a mix of sand and cement (1:1) water and acrylic fortifier (1:4) I have also played around with adding cement bonding mix- which looks like glue in my opinion. With the bowls, the thickness is usually about 1 1/2 in. and much less with the leaf casting bowls.
Could you send me some advice and direct me to some other links/past postings? Saw someone mention a topping mix?
Also, I can't figure out how to change my user name as I now have a business as The Green Collar Guy.
Is it alright to post my web site here as it is my gallery for my hypertufa work as well.
Thanks in advance for the info.
David
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Improving bird bath recipee
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| I remember you when you were just "little gardener boy". Only kidding but I do remember e-talking to you about leaf imprints on the Gallery side. Don't know about changing your name or posting your web site. Billie |
RE: Improving bird bath recipee
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I think that if you use the sand and portland without the peat that there is a better chance that it will hold water.
Now just to prove me wrong I made a peat, portland, perlite bowl and left it outside unplanted and there has been water in it all year. I am not sure what I did or did not do but it holds water. Going back to my orignal thoughts, I like about 2 parts sand and 1 part portland and if you want a litte texture in the mix some fine peat (like seed starter mix) Right now I am working on how to make and easy base. I like the free / cheep molds, like the plastic 1 gal pots- smooth sides.
Put a little something in the middle to keep the weight down. But they just seem too short! Maybe two ductaped... Any ideas?? Good to see you back GB ! Post some pixs. Mike |
RE: Improving bird bath recipee
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| Mike, Make them just like a planter and when cured, turn them upsidedown. Make sure you make the bottom and walls a little thicker than for a planter. For molds, I've used plastic trash cans, cardboard boxes lined or draped with plastic bags, sonotubes, aluminum flashing. Save the large Christmas wrapping cardboard tubes their great for small plant stands or group a couple together. You can also embed rigid insulation pieces that you cut into different shapes for openings or windows, and remove after the piece is cured. Don't forget if you mold on the outside of your mold you can carve. Billie |
bring the cream to the surface
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| Forgot to mention, whatever cement recipe you use for a birdbath, as long as you work the cement mix and bring the cement (called cream) to the surface it will seal the piece so it doesn't leak. Billie |
RE: Improving bird bath recipee
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A friend of mine has a concrete birdbath that, she felt, was too pitted and rough on the inside making it hard to clean. It also seeped water.
She made a slurry of cement and water and smoothly applied this to the interior of the bath. As far as I know it's holding water just fine. BIllie Ann's suggestion of working the wet concrete mix reminded me of my friend's fix and sounds like it'll give the same effect. |
RE: Improving bird bath recipee
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If I wanted to make a leaf - birdbath using the above recipe. And wanted to keep the details of the veins.
Could I seal with a concrete sealer? Or in some past posts I read use beeswax as a non toxic sealer.
If I wanted to do this for a class -
Day one make the leaf/bowl. Return on day three to remove the leaf ..etc
What type of sealer would work best on the somewhat green concrete?
Or do I just increase the volumn of Ad Mix in the original portland/ sand mix?
Sorry for not creating a new post - it seems in line with the discussion - Mike |
RE: Improving bird bath recipee
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| Mike, Fresh cement mixes are too green to coat by day three. Use more acrylic fortifier if adding peat moss/vermiculite/perlite or just use a mortar mix. Billie |
RE: Improving bird bath recipee
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| You might want to consider using hydraulic cement that prevents water infiltration. I have used it in the past to seal a hole in our foundation. Found it at Lowes and the mixture is black in color. Perhaps you could coat the bottom of the leaf bird bath with this to prevent it from leaking water out the underside of the bath and still retain the leaf vein structure on the top of the bath where the birds would drink from. |
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