Ok, where were we?   Forms have been staged around the site.  I used what was called a Universal Form......about like the  Simonds(sp) used now a days.    Steel framed, with a thick, paper coated plywood facing.   There were steel ties, with loops at each end.    The loops fitted into square holes along the sides of the forms.    We also had "Inside Corners"   of solid steel, notched to match the forms.  Outside corners looked like angle iron, and also notched.   There were small round holes along all the edges,  both for any screws used ( plywood filler strips) and Whaler wires.    Whalers were heavy gauge wire shapes, that could wrap around a 2x4.   We lay the whaler wire over the 2x4, and "stretch" it a bit with a nail into the 2x4.    These were to keep the forms from bowing out.    We had some double wires, for where the next 2x4 joined the last one, nailed the two together, then nailed the wire off.  

 

Ok, BEFORE any forms can be set, need to know where the outside wall line is,    Builders level or transit set over the hub on the batter board, sight down onto the footer.   You'd first sight in on the other hub at the other end of the footer, to line the sight up.   Fellow with a rebar scrap and a good 4' level would mark out where the wall line was.    Fellow on the transit would sight in the level standing straight up and plumb, rebar as a brace.    Noted which side of the level was to be used.     Make a few line along the footer.   Come back with a RED chalk line ( Red won't wash off) and snap a line.    This is the outside wall line.  

We'd repeat going along the next side of the foundation.   We needed to establish where the outside corners were, as well.   More lines snapped in red chalk.   Layout is done..

 

Next, a bundle of 2x4s.    Lay one done on the outside of the red lines, working from the corners.    Drill and tapcon the 2x4 "plates" to the footer.   wall will be 8" thick for this foundation ( have done up to 14" ones), so the inside wall line is snapped and plates screwed down.   Next, oil up some forms and grab an outside corner brackets.   Using the first form as a start.nail it down at the corner spot,    temp brace to keep it there.   Add the outside corner bracket, using dogs & pins.     Dogs were a clamp like piece of steel, had a small pointer and a slot.   Pointer went into one of the small holes and a pin was driven in to lock it in place.  Pins were like a flooring nail....on steroids.  We had a few other uses for those pins, too.   Ok, add one form to turn the corner.    You also needed to plumb the assembled corner, and make sure it was where the corner was supposed to be.   Braces were also called turnbuckles.   Normally nailed to a whaler, right now held in place with a pin.   Forms are staged along the outside wall line, and oiled up.   Steel edges and all.

 

Ok, refill the nail pouch with dogs and pins.    And go to town setting forms.    Every 4-8' add a brace.    Get far enough along, add the whalers.   Another fellow is on the inside, tying rebars.  Do NOT get the oil on the bars.  Concrete is SUPPOSED to stick to rebar.   He has to watch out for those wall ties sticking through from the outside.   Sharp edges will skin ya.   Right behind him?   a fellow setting the inside forms.   Also starting at the corners.   At the longer jobs, we'd start from each corner, and work towards the centers of each wall.   There are a few items needed to be down BEFORE the inside is bottomed up.    Any "inserts" need to be nailed to the outside forms.   Inserts like a 4-6" PVC pipe.   Sparky uses these to run cable into the building.    There are also 1" PVC pipes for ground wires going ouside.   We called them Mouse Holes. 

Plumbers also needed these inserts for their pipes.   Block of wood wedge into each end, covered with duct tape to seal out the "mud".    IF there are any windows or other openings called for,  we would build a 2x bulkhead.   Wood will go to the inside of the opening.  Sometimes we'd  add some champfer strips to picture frame to opening.     Once all of these things are done, and the forms set...the fun can begin..

 

Whalers have been nailed off, braces/turnbuckles have been nailed to a stake, and to the whaler.   Usually every 4'     Then, set up the transit at the hub, again.     You are sighting along the top of the outside forms, while centered over the hub for the outside wall line.  A fellow is going along the formed up wall with a speed square sticking up.   Task is the straighten the entire wall.   Turnbuckles to push or pull each section until the square and transit say "Good"    That wall line is now straight, and should be plumb with the bottom line under the forms.    Once all the walls are lined up. set up a lazer level to set the top of wall grade pins.

 

Usually small finish nails.   Sometimes we use more of that champfer strip.    Basically, you go along with the "stick" and mark points along the walls.    Came back with the red chalk and snap a grade line.  Add the nails or the wood strip.  The idea here is, concrete will make that nice red line disappear.....so IF the nails or wood is in lace to where a mag trowel will ride over them at grade, your are set. 

 

Concrete is called for 6 am.......4000, high early, .....if the weather is going to be freezing,,,add 1-2% calcium and Hot water to the order.   Make sure the portable generator is filled with gas ( had one newbie fill one with diesel...)  and makesure there are enough e-cords to reach everywhere.   The electric is for the vibrator you will need during the "pour".    make sure it works, as well.    Sometimes, we'd add anchor bolts.  lay out where they will go in the wall, and stage them there.    usually we could just float them in place, making sure they "hook" onto the rebar below.    Should be ready to place the "mud" in the morning. 

 

There always seems to be something you forget.....until you need it.   Double check everything now.    Once the concrete starts in, it is too late.....except for all the cussing.  Close the site up, and be ready in the morning.   BTW...placing concrete with a hangover...SUCKS.   Oh, and have a cooler full of gatorade ready in the morning.   You will need it.   One last tip, anchor bolts love to get concrete on their threads.  Form oil and duct tape does wonders to keep the threads clean.. stay tuned.....

I'm tired already!

Like you say double check everything. I am always fond of saying, "It is not a mistake until it is poured or paved over."

Re: The anchor bolts.    Sometimes we'd just  'float" them in, and hook them to the top rebar.    IF they have to be in just the right spot, and not leave this way or that, we'd cut a piece of plywood to fit between the forms,  drill a hole about the right size for the bolt.     You want a hint of thread below the plywood.     Washer and the nut threads down to the top of the plywood template.    Hole is such that it is in the center of the wall.   We'd either float the whole mess in place, or have it screw in place through the forms.   We'd wrap the exposed threads in duct tape. 

 

IF there are wide plywood filler strips in the wall forms, like where a form wouldn't quite fit,   we'd add "kickers" at the bottom of the panel.     Usually braced into the dirt of the trench, or a stake.  Another 2x4  was run between the whaler and the filler, to stiffen it up. 

 

We'd also go all around, checking each and every dog and pin.....be surprised how many we'd find loose, or missing.   Tip:  Since the dog is hammer down into place, and then drove upwards to remove....the bottom dog is usually installed upside down.    Kind of hard to swing a hammer that close to the ground.   Pins can also be used as shims under the forms, in case they start  run "downhill"   Drive a pin under the bottom edge to bring the edge back into plumb. 

 

"Day 3" of this story will be when the trucks show up.    If you can, ask for a "sock" from the concrete place.....if they don't have one, ask back at the "barn" for one.   Will explain all about that "sock"  in the next chapter.....

 

stay tuned...

2 hours ago, steven newman said:

"Day 3" of this story will be when the trucks show up.    If you can, ask for a "sock" from the concrete place.....if they don't have one, ask back at the "barn" for one.   Will explain all about that "sock"  in the next chapter.....

 

stay tuned...

Are talking about an "elephant trunk"?

Looks like a funnel for the end of the chute, with a canvas sleeve hanging down? 

 

beats the heck out of trying to direct concrete with  just a shovel.....less mud gets splattered on me, too...

27 minutes ago, steven newman said:

Looks like a funnel for the end of the chute, with a canvas sleeve hanging down? 

 

beats the heck out of trying to direct concrete with  just a shovel.....less mud gets splattered on me, too...

In my area, anytime you "drop" mud more than 4 or 5', you have to use one. They are a pain when pouring light pole bases

Some similarities and some differences in my day. Transit for locating the outer walls sounds the same. OH, I said the wood forms were 30" wide. They were actually 32" wide. Nothing was used to anchor the forms to the footer. After striking the lines on the footer we used 2" X 8'"x 8'  planks at the corners to assist in squaring the  the corner forms. We measured along the planks outer edges 3' along the side, 4' along the front and from those points, measured 5' from point to point, adjusting the planks as needed and nailing a cross brace to hold the angle. Corner forms were tied together using 2  x 4's at 3 levels, which extended to the center of the abutting forms Solid bracing with 2 x 4's secured each corner We used what I called double headed nails. to make later removal, a simple task. Metal cleats  tied the in line forms together. Then ties which spaced and secured the inner forms to the outer forms were inserted and dogs used to lock both the forms  and ties together.Ties and dogs were also installed at the 4 x 4 center brace of the forms. Bracing, Rebar, wall openings etc sound pretty much the same. no sense repeating it . Most of the walls I worked on were 8" wide but on some of the larger homes 10" was required

 

 

Edited November 8, 20169 yr by It Was Al B
additional info

Sometimes, we added a "brick ledge" by adding  a wooden "box"  inside the form just below top of wall grade.

 

At a Middle School job in Sidney,Oh....some foundations were 12"  thick.   Some were thicker to allow a veneer of bricks laid up over a layer of foam board, a layer of "parge" and a block wall.   Other walls we made, we'd let the freshly placed "mud" set up a while, just enough to allow the outside forms to be removed.    Then a rubber float was swirled against the fresh concrete.   Any holes or voids were filled in as well.    looked like a brown plaster wall.  

 

 

have had to work with those wood forms......the tie wires needed to be broke off after the forms were striped.   Dogs were a little different than the Unis were, looked more like ramps.   You'd drive them  on until tight, and hope they didn't vibrate back off.    Added duplex 16s to keep things in place.    Liked the unis better.    

Well, maybe tomorrow, I can start the next chapter?  

Good, I'm tires from setting up the forms .