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Got a quick question for the condo experts out there: Does anyone have any tips as far as how to get the concrete out of the buckets after it sets up? We used 5 gallon buckets for bamboo condos, and we cut some buckets in half for pvc condos, but all of them are stuck. Any advice for the condo rookie going forward? Does spraying them w/ Pam cooking spray beforehand really work?:confused: :confused:
Take the bucket and cut it in half long ways from the top to the bottom. Over lap the edges about half an inch or so and then screw it together and set it on the ground. We cut the bottoms out also. Pour in your concrete and put in your stakes. After it sets up just take out the screws and pull the bucket off and around the concrete. This works very well. Me and a buddy have made tons of them like this and we made some tonite that way. Now we just got to wait until it sets up to remove the buckets.
This does work.
CX.
I have used motor oil in some forms years ago, but never to be put in water later. I would think PAM might work, but vegetable oil would coat the surfaces inside the bucket better. You might want to consider cutting the buckets vertically, oiling them, and duct taping them back together before you pour the concrete mix in. Later the tape could be pulled off and the pieces of the bucket pulled away. Good luck. I hope to build several for myself this spring...Crappie Xtream and I must have been typing at the same time...his ideas are excellent...
I put a trash bag in the last bunch I made but I think I might try Crappie Xtream's method next time. Thanks for the tip.
We are going to take the buckets off our condos tonite that we put together last night. They are in a barn drying. I will try to remember to take a picture of them and post in this thread. These are bamboo condos.
One thing I forgot to mention is we don't use the entire bucket for our bamboo sets. The buckets are about half. We made two molds out of one bucket for most of them. I would think this would depend on how big your bamboo is. Ours are probably 6 feet tall. We cut the bamboo in half from about 12 feet long pieces.
Also if the bucket has a rim or lip around it, which most buckets do, you will need to trim the rim back a half an inch or so for your overlap. That is so the over lap will be flush the entire length of the bucket when you screw it together. We just use three drywall screws to screw the overlap together and put them in just to where they are just breaking through the inside of the bucket. This so they come out without damaging the concrete.
When you get all of your stakes or bamboo in the concrete sitting the way you want it take a hammer or whatever and tap on the outside of the bucket all the way around. This will work the air bubbles out of the concrete to ensure you get good concrete around the stakes.
We have not had any problems with this system yet and have dropped a bunch of them in our fishn spots.
Hope this helps with your condo projects.
CX.
Why do you take the bucket off? I never do. easier to handle and don't scratch things up or conc crack.
dig bucket sized holes in the ground and make them there and you need no buckets
We don't remove the buckets from the condo and sink the bucket with the condo. Yes, you have to find more buckets, but that's a great way to make more friends and take them fishing when they provide more buckets.
We use dish pans. When the concrete sets up you can just pop them off. No need for any oil. Pictures...........
http://images1.snapfish.com/23232323...89%3A345nu0mrj
http://images1.snapfish.com/23232323...3%3B%3C6ot1lsi
http://images1.snapfish.com/23232323...3B%3A%3Bot1lsi
http://images1.snapfish.com/23232323...%3C95345ot1lsi
Jeff is my mentor on this and I can say I tried buckets and JUST LIKE JEFF said DISHPANS are re-usable, spread the structure, etc.
use motor oil or small garbage bags.
I have made a bunch with buckets. just made a slit down each side of the bucket and then wrapped duck tape around the bucket a couple times to hold until concrete sets up. then cut tape and pull sides from each other and it will cause the bottom of the bucket to buckle a bit and the condo will pop loose. I spray grocery store brand PAM into the buckets and it works. Keeps concrete for sticking as bad and it will do a bunch of them. I think the dishpans would work better too though. Gives you a wider base, more area to sink into the mud and cause suction, wider base is harder to turn over, just makes for a bigger condo. CF
Those dish pans look real good. I might try them after I finish up w/ these walmart mop buckets. Looks like they'd save u from using a lot of concrete too!
Here are some pictures of the buckets we use and the sets we build with the buckets. I have also put in a picture of the stake beds we build out of wood. The one in this picture is about 8'x8' and it got dropped in today after a few minor repairs. This one was built last year and has just been sitting in the barn. should be a good one to hold good fish.
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CX.
2 questions for ya, krappiekrazyQuote:
Originally Posted by krappiekrazy
What size PVC is that?
And...are those tobacco sticks ur using on the pics w/ the wood.
Jeff,
Those look like a manageable size for me. I can get the "dishpans" at work. Many patients don't take the plastic basin home with them and they are discarded. I know I can get a supply of em.
The pvc and sticks I imagine I could find too...
How many would you suggest dropping in one place?
I'm excited. I can really see me doing this! :)
The black pvc is 2in. The grey is 1in. conduit. The wood is just scrap 1x1s.
I like to drop 5 at each location. Put them in an H pattern. This way you will have alot of edges to fish.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anchorpuller
I know this thread is not the place to start a converstation about your statement, but I have been told that the reason "we press 1 for English" is corporate America's way of saving money...it get's us on the pathway we want quicker than waiting for more of the recording.
Ol'Saying goes; SPEAK ENGLISH OR GET OUT. :D
Thanks Jeff for your answer.
I'm really thinking this is a good way for me to do it. I'm pumped...
Gotta work the weekend, hope noone wants thier little plastic tubs!:D
You're the man...the dishpans worked perfectly for my PVC condos...I had no problem getting them out and they're perfectly reusable (plus they don't take up a lot of space)..I'm off to get more crete and a couple more pans, and start pouring some more!
I poured some using dishpans last spring right before I hurt my back and they were in the pans for 6 months and they popped out with no problem.
You can use cookin oil like vegetable,peanut oil,it won't harm any thing,but never use motor oil.
dish pans work the best (IMO) being that the sides are tapered as compared to the cylinder form of a bucket.
when the concrete sets it creates a suction. Therefore the tapered edges of the dish pan give you more leverage to `break' the suction as compared to the bucket.
i dont use buckets anymore....but if that is what you are going to use then before your pour the concrete drill 3-4 (1/4") holes in bottom of the bucket and a few on the sides (prevents suction). then use the trash bag as a liner as posted previously.
I also like to use dishpans. Very cheap.. You can pick them up for a $1 or less. You can also re-use them. Once the concrete dries you can kick around the edges and pull out just the concrete with the bed leaving the dishpan to re-use.
Jeff, how do you go about KNOWING you have successfully placed the structure out in an H pattern? Do you have any tips for anchoring the boat still, dropping one over the left, one over the right, and on and on? Or what do you do? Seems once you drop 5 or 6 down, you kinda lose site of where they actually are. How do ya keep track? I dunno, is this just me?
Thanks in advance
I drop two markers about 8 ft. apart. Then drop one condo in front of one of the marker. Then behind the marker. Then do the same at the other marker. Now drop one in the middle of the markers. This should form an H pattern. My wife or son drives the boat while I do the dropping. Works great.
I figured you had a system. Thanks
Allright, I aint gettin somethin! I bought 6 dishpans at dollar store and made 6 beds with stakes. Went out to get the concrete out and it aint happnin! I hit the edges with a hammer I picked em up and pulled and stuck screwdrivers in the side to release the pressure, NOPE!
How in the HELL are you guys gettin it out!!!???? I see the posts about motor oil and cutting the buckets and all. they are ideas I will try if this don't work. BUT!!! I would much rather know how you guys that use dishpans with no other tricks are doin it. Seems much easier. SEEMS!!!!!!!! :D
Do you have 9 guys helpin or what!!:D:D
What am i doin wrong?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kman
Kman, I turn mine upside down. Then grab each side and pull outward. Then grab the ends and pull outward. Pop, it is off. I let mine setup for a week before doing this. Don`t give up.
Maybe thats what it is. I didnt give mine enough time to set. I tried pulling them out too early cause it was late the next afternoon. Guess thats too soon!:D
Oh well, learning curves!
run some water back into your pans. Unless you cut a bucket it's a lot of work getting them out. Use the bucket as a template as described above..They have to set up for DAYS before you should try and pop them out.
I know you guys are saying dish pans? What size are we talking about here? Are these the big ones that they put bulk food in?
I use the 11.5 qt. ones from wally world.Quote:
Originally Posted by thehines
I use 18 qt from the dollar store. They fit in your sink. Your wife will know what they are but now they make them out of plastic.