Yes, we have seen the owl a few times, but wouldn't have known we had a bobcat coming around without the game camera. We are learning more everyday about making good aircrete, it's going well! 😊🏠
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid please contact me again. I have prices for the Perkins for you. I gave you my phone number and the number for the best prices in Agua Prieta
Yes, it's something you have to do more than once to get the hang of it. We have been making batches all week, and I think we pretty much have it figured out. It's pretty cool stuff! We are excited to start testing the samples. 😊🏠
Thank you for your clever methodical generosity... Great to see you are able to nut out your test batch proceedures so well. Look forward to learning bucket loads more of your aircrete wisdom and set me on path to building a successful fire proof shed. I sooo look forward to your next videos... 😊🥰😊
Aww, thanks! We were a bit worried after the first day, but now that the foam is right, most of the batches are turning out great. We have mixed 15 batches now, excited to show those results soon! 😊🧡🏠
Thanks! Yes among aircretes many great attributes, it also has a pretty high insulation value. I see a lot of different numbers online, and it depends on the particular mix, so I doubt we will really know for sure. A good clue will be how much energy it takes to heat and cool the house. Thanks for watching! 😊
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid Well honestly the biggest thing you want to focus to make an energy efficient home is rim joists, attic or ceiling space and have no skylights lol. Coming from a professional insulator 😀. You guys are more worried about keeping the house cold, but I suppose it can get chilly in the desert when the sun drops.
Thanks, it's a learning process for sure! After the first day we were wondering if we were going to be able to make it work. The second day was better, and the rest of the week went very well. Excited to show the rest of test batches soon. 😊🏠
Merci beaucoup de partager votre experience. La meilleure video que j'ai vue sur ce sujet ! Esperant que vous en ferez d'autres ... Bon courage, je suis en pleins test aussi en FL !
Thanks! We had a really hard time finding good information about making aircrete. We ended up not building with aircrete. As the temperatures got colder our batches were not turning out well. We have learned that poured in place aircrete walls are not a good idea. Aircrete shrinks too much. If you can get good consistent batches, which is very difficult. I would recommend making blocks and letting them cure, and then let them dry out for a few weeks before using them to build. Aircrete is tricky stuff, but maybe you'll have better luck with it than we did. 🌞
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid Thank you for your reply ! And goodluck for your project. You're absolutely right, I've been doing all sorts of tests for 2 years and it's almost impossible to get something consistent between 2 batches. my project is to build a dome in projection and not in blocks so another difficulty is to find a projection machine that does not destroy the bubbles during the operation... So I am swinging towards the idea of building with hemp concrete. It is in any case much superior to the aircrete. The problem is that in the USA hemp and lime are 3 to 4 times more expensive than in Europe and that I have to import. And again there is a problem to find a cheap spraying machine..
Cool! Best wishes on your build. Everything is so expensive right now! The price of portland cement has not gone up much, so at least that's good. We bought OSB for $21 in December, and now it's $53, crazy!
It's a little tricky to get it right in the beginning, but now it's going really well. Aircrete is pretty cool stuff! We plan to keep everyone updated as we go. 😊🏠
The viscosity of the aircrete mix helps entrain the bubbles. When it's too wet they tend to float to the top. Thanks for sharing the process. Looking forward to your journey.
Yes, if the foam is too wet it just isn't going to work no matter what you do. It's also important to get everything mixed really well. It's going much better now, excited to share all of our test batches soon. Thanks for watching! 😊🏠
I've made lightweight concrete using perlite, long before foam. Perlite is rock bubbles, so it gives the concrete more strength, and as far as mixing goes....the 'bubbles' are rocks. I'm not sure what perlite costs these days, but the plant that makes it is in sfbay, I went there and picked up big bags of it.
I love your scientific methodology and attention to details. Since you are having a problem with cement congregating or accumulating at the bottom of the barrel, what if you took some of the recycled lumber and made a frame that would allow the plastic barrels to angle at 30°-45°s. On several aircrete sites I have seen people using a rotating barrel to mix the materials while stirring and blending the components. Wishing you both a blessed weekend, stay safe out there and remember your safety gear. Peace
We found out tonight that mixing a full batch actually makes it easier to mix the concrete in, because the mixer is fully submerged, and it works much better. He is also using a stick to help stir, and a gloved hand to scrape the bottom and make sure nothing is stuck. The foam is more of a challenge with a full barrel, but we are learning more about how to do that too. It all just takes a bit of practice, but if your foam isn't right, it's just not going to turn out well no matter what you do. We hope to show all of our test samples soon. We just finished the last 2 today. Thanks! 😊🏠
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid Whatever you do, stay safe. Ear, eye and lung protection and as important as comfortable shoes and gloves. I admire your process and am thankful that you have returned to RUclips. If I hadn’t been forced into retirement I would attempt to support this channel but transitioning from income to social insecurity has offered challenges. Wishing you both a peaceful weekend.
Here is a link to the one we bought. It was a little over $200 RV PRO-1000 OR M7002 10000 Grains Portable Water Softener www.amazon.com/dp/B0050EITTK/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_g_7Q37VZKVECZT0PGYGZ86 Thanks for watching!
It is to regulate pressure. We found if we don't keep a close watch on it, it will drift just a little. Our foam was becoming too wet, and we're running out of soap solution before we got enough foam in the batch. Our first batches looked like the aircrete was boiling. Too dry of a foam will cause issues too.
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid I had to ask because they make both and the flow regulators are way cheaper and will work but only if the load and supply are bang on constant. A good quality pressure regulator shouldn't drift though.
If we had a bigger air compressor it probably would do some better, but it's a pretty common issue. Red didn't believe it moved enough to matter until he took a sample mid batch and saw the density had changed significantly. Here is a video that explains it well. ruclips.net/video/Qv8PnU2pKuI/видео.html
That's probably way more than you were asking, 😅 but I like to get the word out when I get a chance. I think it's a big reason a lot of people struggle to get consistent batches.
Really interesting..I know nothing about Aircrete but is it possible to perhaps build a cradle as to tip and turn your barrel slightly as you mix(similar to a concrete mixer) to keep the concrete from settling on the bottom of the barrel? Just a thought. If anyone can figure it out, Red will. Great demo, thanks for sharing.
Thanks! Yes, that would help. We noticed when we made a bigger batch, the water cement slurry was much easier to mix well because it came up higher on the mixer. We just got our new double paddle mixer, so hopefully that will help get the foam mixed in for the bigger batches. Thanks, there are still a few things to work out, but our batches are turning out pretty good! I'll be posting the first video showing our test batches tomorrow. 😊
With light machinery as you used it’s better to make short or smaller batches.. as 1 or half kilo of fine or river sand to avoid decantation of particles.. by 7 or 3.5 kilos of cement you will end up with about a little bit less then 5 to 10 gallons of mix (sorry for the magnitudes.. I only managed well the metric system)!
Yes, smaller batches were definitely easier to make, and that's how we did most of our test batches, but in order to do a whole house, we knew we were going to have to be able to make full batches. At around 6:45 in the following video is how we did our sand sample batch. ruclips.net/video/iN3oSbtBr38/видео.html 🌞🏜️
My first batch and the type III where the only batches I had that didn't drop any without changing the mix a little. Made a couple hundred 1x1x6 blocks.... but was discouraged by the inconsistencies.
Though the problems may be the same, with the foam not fine enough.... perhaps I didn't do the steel wool right. Can it weigh right but still not be fine enough
One inch bricks would be very fragile even if you got your aircrete mix perfect. Our foam issue was with the regulator drifting some mid batch. We learned that even a little variation in pressure will change the foam consistency. Our Little Dragon foam wand uses a large piece of pretty course stainless steel scrubber pad, stretched out and then stuffed in. We have videos on putting the foam maker together. There seems to be a shortage of Portland cement in our area, all they had in stock today was mix labeled II through V, so we'll see how it does. Our main struggle right now is with mixing consistently, but I think we are starting to get the hang of it. Undermining seems to make weak aircrete with big bubbles, and over mixing makes a really thick mousse that's hard to work down into the form. Based on our recent testing and experience, over mixing produces a much stronger result than under mixing, although neither are ideal.
Speaking of foam. Check out the latest video to see how our 20% less foam mix performed it's pretty impressive, but I assume you are referring to using more Drexel or foaming agent if you have hard water. We have heard that might work, but we decided to just buy a little water softener and it's working great.
I never had success with various dish soaps but the Drexel did work much better. But I stoped testing for a couple of months and when I resumed the Drexel seems to have gotten old or something and just didn't sleep the foam like before. And having a high quality air regular is essential. Cheap ones just varies in too broad a band.
Yes, people say you can get other soaps to work, but they aren't nearly as good or reliable as Drexel. Getting the foam to the right density and getting everything thoroughly mixed is the key! 😊🏠
I have heard that if you don't mix your jug of Drexel before using it each day, the glycerin may all be on top, so later batches don't have any and don't turn out as well. You might try adding some glycerin to your batches and see if that helps. 🙂
Harbor Freight sells a fairly cheap electric cement mixer that would savea lot of time, otherwise, a mortar trough and mixing hoe, (like a garden hoe but the blade has two big holes in it), it's serious work, but you won't get unmixed cement.
The cement slurry is mixing ok, the issue is getting the foam mixed in completely and evenly with the slurry. Right now we are thinking we'll probably buy a mortar mixer to mix the aircrete for our house.
Try weighing a very dry piece of your best aircrete, then again after soaking it overnight (you have to somehow hold it down to soak it - then let surface water run off). Why? You know how well water conducts heat, and after the test you will want to do everything you can to keep those walls free of water - including integral waterproofing.
Thanks, that's a good thing to consider when deciding which plaster to use. We will definitely want to put a good coat of cloth and plaster on the walls for added strength. I figure most plasters are waterproof, but we haven't looked into it much yet. We plan to try out different cloths and plaster options on the garden wall. 😊
As far as I can tell, the one thing you have not tried is adding the foam at the top of the mix rather than pushing it down to the bottom. The extra pressure of the cement pressing down on the foam may be an issue.
It takes some practice to get the hang of what works best with mixing, it's going better now. The foam wants to rise to the top, so the hard part is to get it all the way down to the bottom. If the foam is too wet, like it was, the batch isn't going to turn out right no matter what you do. 🙂🏠
Cement slurry is around 15 lbs\ CUFT which translates to 1 psi per ft in the mix barrel. Your foaming with backpressure foam bubbles are smaller. As the cement slurry density gets lighter foam backpressure is less making your foam lighter. This is why you are constantly adjusting the air pressure. If you are going to do this alot invest in a motar mixer with paddles to get consistent batches
@@skygonzo9813 I often wondered what effect mixing in a barrel would have on the back pressure as it filled up. None of the videos I've watched have mentioned it being an issue. But I've always suspected that foam would be very sensitive to it. I'm thinking of making a rotating paddle mixer from a plastic barrel for my own attempts. Do you think that would be less problematic?
An air compressor looses air pressure as air is used before it turns on to recharge. Get a good one. I didn't see the compressor you were using. The paddle on your drill is for paint get one for drywall mud. Good idea to lay out all your product for a batch before mixing that way you stay organized. You might have better luck mixing the cement in small batches in a 5 gallon bucket then adding to barrel
Glycerin is supposed to help make a more stable foam especially when using dish soap or shampoo. Since we are using Drexel it's probably not necessary, but we had some and it's cheap, so decided to add a little. .
Less water makes stronger concrete. Six or even seven gallons is what most people use. Using 5 gallons makes it more of a challenge to get the cement whipped in with the foam but it also creates a much stronger product.
Also stop using the 5 gallon bucket this is one reason my foam gen is better you can hang it on a 55 gallon drum full of foam solution and see when your running out of solution. Just mount your foam gen on the lid of a 55 gallon drum with a longer tube to reach the bottom of the drum. You don't want to run out of foam solution in the middle of mixing. You also need a larger tank for your air-compressor that's why your presser is changing so much. Get a 30 gallon compressor your going to need it if your building an Aircrete house. And check your presser when your making foam not when the air valve is off.
He was thinking a bigger bucket for the foaming solution would be nice, but a drum is an even better idea for doing multiple batches. Thanks! He turned up the pressure on the regulator, so he doesn't have to make as many adjustments, so it's working much better now. We are on solar so a smaller compressor is better for us, and working fine now. We have made 14 batches now, and are learning a lot. We still need to figure out how much mixing is ideal. When we mix the aircrete enough to get a thick smooth mouse it loses volume and is harder to get it to settle down in the form. Whereas the slightly runnier version is easier to pour and doesn't get as many air pockets. We'll keep working on that. Thanks for being one of the early pioneers of aircrete, you have made it a lot easier on the rest of us trying to figure it out! 😊🏠
I checked and there wasn't anything in the folder. In my feed, I can see the top two lines of your other comment but when I click on it, it's not there. It doesn't say it was deleted or removed, so I don't know what happened to it. He ordered a double paddle mixer that should be in next week. We mixed a full batch to finish off the section of the garden wall, and we found that the slurry was much easier to mix with a full batch, since the blades were submerged and not just halfway in. We also found the thick mouse consistency is too hard to get down into the bottom of the forms, the batches that weren't mixed so long fill the forms much better, and we haven't had an issue with them falling either. Your thickening agent should be in today, he'll have to build a tall form to test it. I saw you also used it in the floor for the dome. Anyway, thanks for your input! 😊
@@AircreteHarry We are getting ready to test your thickening agent. It didn't come with instructions. I think you said in one of your videos to add 2 oz to the cement slurry water? We are mixing a full batch.
Just watched this Aircrete Harry video and noticed that the cement is premixed with water in a separate mixer. Additionally, notice the ductwork around the drill mixer in the barrel where foam is blended with the mixed cement slurry. ruclips.net/video/i2eNx0CVXD8/видео.html Stay safe out there. Peace
Yes, Honey Do Carpenter and Harry have tried all kinds of different things. Some of them were good ideas and others didn't work out so well. I was under mixing, but now I am probably over mixing, I think we have finally figured out what a good mix should look and feel like. Our batches this week have been turning out pretty well. Making good aircrete definitely takes some practice, but it's very doable. Thanks! 😊🏠
Yes, we have learned a lot this week. We are excited to test the samples. It's going to be challenge, but we have some ideas, and I think we can use aircrete to make a pretty cool house. Finishing the garden wall will be great practice too. Thanks for watching! 😊🏠
We have pretty extreme temperature variations here in the desert, but never had both batches fall. We were making batches at 4:00 in the afternoon at around 80° and getting down into the mid 30s at night. The first night was windy and we got down to 33° but batch #3 was ok, and didn't fall even though the foam was too wet. We weren't sure if it would work, but the water softener seems to be working well.
Yes, that is an issue for us too. We are going to finish the garden wall, and make a few more test batches, that we can let cure in the well house. We are already getting down into the mid 20's, so we will have to wait until spring to pour the house walls. We are a whopping 22° colder than the low temperature in the town that is only 10 miles away!! It will be a bit of a delay, but there is still quite a bit that needs to be done He plans to finish the pad, and work on the house structure this winter.
Once he got the foam issue figured out, it's just a matter of getting It mixed properly. Which is more of a challenge than we expected, but we are getting there. Glad we have the garden wall to practice on.
Bobcat ans Hooty Owl. So cool. Thanks for sharing
We love all the desert animals! It's fun to see them. 😊🏜️
What a beautiful bobcat and owl! That last sample looked perfect!
Yes, we have seen the owl a few times, but wouldn't have known we had a bobcat coming around without the game camera.
We are learning more everyday about making good aircrete, it's going well! 😊🏠
I am glad to see you guys figured it out and now the you can move forward on your home. Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend
Thanks! Yes, we are relieved that it looks like we can make it work. Aircrete is pretty cool stuff! Wishing you a wonderful weekend as well! 😊
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid please contact me again. I have prices for the Perkins for you. I gave you my phone number and the number for the best prices in Agua Prieta
Steep learning curve, more patience than me for sure. You'll get there
Yes, it's something you have to do more than once to get the hang of it. We have been making batches all week, and I think we pretty much have it figured out. It's pretty cool stuff! We are excited to start testing the samples. 😊🏠
science at it's best. keep up the good work. Love it :)
Thanks so much! 😊
Thank you for the new video!
We are doing lots of testing and samples, so stay tuned. 😊🏠
quite extraordinary, I liked the lynx or what crazy bugger that was in the end :-)
Thanks! It's a bobcat. 🙂🏜️
Thank you for your clever methodical generosity...
Great to see you are able to nut out your test batch proceedures so well.
Look forward to learning bucket loads more of your aircrete wisdom and set me on path to building a successful fire proof shed.
I sooo look forward to your next videos...
😊🥰😊
Aww, thanks! We were a bit worried after the first day, but now that the foam is right, most of the batches are turning out great. We have mixed 15 batches now, excited to show those results soon! 😊🧡🏠
That's very interesting learning about aircrete. New building block of the future I think. Especially with thermal resistance property.
Thanks! Yes among aircretes many great attributes, it also has a pretty high insulation value. I see a lot of different numbers online, and it depends on the particular mix, so I doubt we will really know for sure. A good clue will be how much energy it takes to heat and cool the house. Thanks for watching! 😊
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid Well honestly the biggest thing you want to focus to make an energy efficient home is rim joists, attic or ceiling space and have no skylights lol. Coming from a professional insulator 😀. You guys are more worried about keeping the house cold, but I suppose it can get chilly in the desert when the sun drops.
I am sorry you had so much trouble at first but I am so excited that things are going better and you have figured so many things out!
Thanks, it's a learning process for sure! After the first day we were wondering if we were going to be able to make it work. The second day was better, and the rest of the week went very well. Excited to show the rest of test batches soon. 😊🏠
Merci beaucoup de partager votre experience. La meilleure video que j'ai vue sur ce sujet ! Esperant que vous en ferez d'autres ... Bon courage, je suis en pleins test aussi en FL !
Thanks! We had a really hard time finding good information about making aircrete. We ended up not building with aircrete. As the temperatures got colder our batches were not turning out well.
We have learned that poured in place aircrete walls are not a good idea. Aircrete shrinks too much. If you can get good consistent batches, which is very difficult. I would recommend making blocks and letting them cure, and then let them dry out for a few weeks before using them to build. Aircrete is tricky stuff, but maybe you'll have better luck with it than we did. 🌞
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid Thank you for your reply ! And goodluck for your project. You're absolutely right, I've been doing all sorts of tests for 2 years and it's almost impossible to get something consistent between 2 batches. my project is to build a dome in projection and not in blocks so another difficulty is to find a projection machine that does not destroy the bubbles during the operation... So I am swinging towards the idea of building with hemp concrete. It is in any case much superior to the aircrete. The problem is that in the USA hemp and lime are 3 to 4 times more expensive than in Europe and that I have to import. And again there is a problem to find a cheap spraying machine..
Cool! Best wishes on your build. Everything is so expensive right now! The price of portland cement has not gone up much, so at least that's good. We bought OSB for $21 in December, and now it's $53, crazy!
You have the scientific way of figuring everything out. So things can only get better and better. Way to go and lot to achieve..great beginning👍
Thanks! It takes some practice, and the rest of the week went very well. Excited to show those samples and then test them. 😊
Just realized we haven’t subscribed! We are now. Looks great!
Thanks so much! 😊
Butter fingers! Lol. Just like me. Hope y’all get it all figured it. Spectacular wildlife! Love it ❤️🥰
😄 Thanks! We have mixed 15 batches now, it's going really well. Yes, love all of the animals out here! ❤️😊
Looking to do this as a room addition to the house thanks for all the info and some examples.
It's a little tricky to get it right in the beginning, but now it's going really well. Aircrete is pretty cool stuff! We plan to keep everyone updated as we go. 😊🏠
The viscosity of the aircrete mix helps entrain the bubbles. When it's too wet they tend to float to the top. Thanks for sharing the process. Looking forward to your journey.
Yes, if the foam is too wet it just isn't going to work no matter what you do. It's also important to get everything mixed really well. It's going much better now, excited to share all of our test batches soon. Thanks for watching! 😊🏠
That type of mixer is for thinset along with the head. Get a low rpm 1/2" drill and run a wide mixing tip that is more violent with the mixture.
We got a double paddle mixer now. 👍
I've made lightweight concrete using perlite, long before foam. Perlite is rock bubbles, so it gives the concrete more strength, and as far as mixing goes....the 'bubbles' are rocks. I'm not sure what perlite costs these days, but the plant that makes it is in sfbay, I went there and picked up big bags of it.
Yes, cost and availability of perlite might be an issue, but otherwise is sounds like a better material to build with..
Does the "Little Dragon" come with an Air Compressor built in? Please let me know. I am new to this.
No it doesn't. The air compressor is separate.
Very informative 👍
Thanks! We are learning more all the time, excited to share our next batches. 😊🏠
I love your scientific methodology and attention to details. Since you are having a problem with cement congregating or accumulating at the bottom of the barrel, what if you took some of the recycled lumber and made a frame that would allow the plastic barrels to angle at 30°-45°s. On several aircrete sites I have seen people using a rotating barrel to mix the materials while stirring and blending the components.
Wishing you both a blessed weekend, stay safe out there and remember your safety gear. Peace
We found out tonight that mixing a full batch actually makes it easier to mix the concrete in, because the mixer is fully submerged, and it works much better. He is also using a stick to help stir, and a gloved hand to scrape the bottom and make sure nothing is stuck. The foam is more of a challenge with a full barrel, but we are learning more about how to do that too. It all just takes a bit of practice, but if your foam isn't right, it's just not going to turn out well no matter what you do. We hope to show all of our test samples soon. We just finished the last 2 today. Thanks! 😊🏠
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid Whatever you do, stay safe. Ear, eye and lung protection and as important as comfortable shoes and gloves. I admire your process and am thankful that you have returned to RUclips. If I hadn’t been forced into retirement I would attempt to support this channel but transitioning from income to social insecurity has offered challenges. Wishing you both a peaceful weekend.
Thanks for sharing
Aircrete is pretty neat stuff, thanks for watching! 😊🏠
What watersoftner did you end up getting and where ? Price would be good to know as well ..
Can't wait to see more videos
Here is a link to the one we bought. It was a little over $200
RV PRO-1000 OR M7002 10000 Grains Portable Water Softener www.amazon.com/dp/B0050EITTK/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_g_7Q37VZKVECZT0PGYGZ86
Thanks for watching!
Your regulator, is it a pressure regulator, or a flow regulator?
It is to regulate pressure. We found if we don't keep a close watch on it, it will drift just a little. Our foam was becoming too wet, and we're running out of soap solution before we got enough foam in the batch. Our first batches looked like the aircrete was boiling. Too dry of a foam will cause issues too.
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid I had to ask because they make both and the flow regulators are way cheaper and will work but only if the load and supply are bang on constant. A good quality pressure regulator shouldn't drift though.
If we had a bigger air compressor it probably would do some better, but it's a pretty common issue. Red didn't believe it moved enough to matter until he took a sample mid batch and saw the density had changed significantly. Here is a video that explains it well. ruclips.net/video/Qv8PnU2pKuI/видео.html
That's probably way more than you were asking, 😅 but I like to get the word out when I get a chance. I think it's a big reason a lot of people struggle to get consistent batches.
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid more is better in my opinion.
Really interesting..I know nothing about Aircrete but is it possible to perhaps build a cradle as to tip and turn your barrel slightly as you mix(similar to a concrete mixer) to keep the concrete from settling on the bottom of the barrel? Just a thought. If anyone can figure it out, Red will. Great demo, thanks for sharing.
Thanks! Yes, that would help. We noticed when we made a bigger batch, the water cement slurry was much easier to mix well because it came up higher on the mixer. We just got our new double paddle mixer, so hopefully that will help get the foam mixed in for the bigger batches. Thanks, there are still a few things to work out, but our batches are turning out pretty good! I'll be posting the first video showing our test batches tomorrow. 😊
With light machinery as you used it’s better to make short or smaller batches.. as 1 or half kilo of fine or river sand to avoid decantation of particles.. by 7 or 3.5 kilos of cement you will end up with about a little bit less then 5 to 10 gallons of mix (sorry for the magnitudes.. I only managed well the metric system)!
Yes, smaller batches were definitely easier to make, and that's how we did most of our test batches, but in order to do a whole house, we knew we were going to have to be able to make full batches. At around 6:45 in the following video is how we did our sand sample batch. ruclips.net/video/iN3oSbtBr38/видео.html
🌞🏜️
Type III WORKS GREAT
Is that what you use, and why do you like it?
My first batch and the type III where the only batches I had that didn't drop any without changing the mix a little. Made a couple hundred 1x1x6 blocks.... but was discouraged by the inconsistencies.
Though the problems may be the same, with the foam not fine enough.... perhaps I didn't do the steel wool right. Can it weigh right but still not be fine enough
One inch bricks would be very fragile even if you got your aircrete mix perfect. Our foam issue was with the regulator drifting some mid batch. We learned that even a little variation in pressure will change the foam consistency. Our Little Dragon foam wand uses a large piece of pretty course stainless steel scrubber pad, stretched out and then stuffed in. We have videos on putting the foam maker together. There seems to be a shortage of Portland cement in our area, all they had in stock today was mix labeled II through V, so we'll see how it does. Our main struggle right now is with mixing consistently, but I think we are starting to get the hang of it. Undermining seems to make weak aircrete with big bubbles, and over mixing makes a really thick mousse that's hard to work down into the form. Based on our recent testing and experience, over mixing produces a much stronger result than under mixing, although neither are ideal.
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid sorry I knew I should have written differently. 1'x1'x6"
You add twice the amount of foam or have to heat or use setting agents.
Speaking of foam. Check out the latest video to see how our 20% less foam mix performed it's pretty impressive, but I assume you are referring to using more Drexel or foaming agent if you have hard water. We have heard that might work, but we decided to just buy a little water softener and it's working great.
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid hard water is a no go never got it to work.... had to use fresh rain water
I never had success with various dish soaps but the Drexel did work much better. But I stoped testing for a couple of months and when I resumed the Drexel seems to have gotten old or something and just didn't sleep the foam like before.
And having a high quality air regular is essential. Cheap ones just varies in too broad a band.
Yes, people say you can get other soaps to work, but they aren't nearly as good or reliable as Drexel. Getting the foam to the right density and getting everything thoroughly mixed is the key! 😊🏠
I have heard that if you don't mix your jug of Drexel before using it each day, the glycerin may all be on top, so later batches don't have any and don't turn out as well. You might try adding some glycerin to your batches and see if that helps. 🙂
How did make the foam
We used the Little Dragon foam generator. It's shown in other videos.
Hey, glad to find your channel! What is the glycerin for?
This is cool to see the little dragon+ diff methods, I'm using the 1 from honeydocarpenter
Glycerin is supposed to help make a more stable foam when using dish soap or shampoo, but since we are using Drexel it's probably not necessary.
Harbor Freight sells a fairly cheap electric cement mixer that would savea lot of time, otherwise, a mortar trough and mixing hoe, (like a garden hoe but the blade has two big holes in it), it's serious work, but you won't get unmixed cement.
The cement slurry is mixing ok, the issue is getting the foam mixed in completely and evenly with the slurry. Right now we are thinking we'll probably buy a mortar mixer to mix the aircrete for our house.
Try weighing a very dry piece of your best aircrete, then again after soaking it overnight (you have to somehow hold it down to soak it - then let surface water run off). Why? You know how well water conducts heat, and after the test you will want to do everything you can to keep those walls free of water - including integral waterproofing.
Thanks, that's a good thing to consider when deciding which plaster to use. We will definitely want to put a good coat of cloth and plaster on the walls for added strength. I figure most plasters are waterproof, but we haven't looked into it much yet. We plan to try out different cloths and plaster options on the garden wall. 😊
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid Good, but with dwellings water vapor mostly comes from the inside, then condenses in the wall.
The inside walls will be plastered as well. He also plans to put in good ventilation with motorized fans. 🙂
As far as I can tell, the one thing you have not tried is adding the foam at the top of the mix rather than pushing it down to the bottom. The extra pressure of the cement pressing down on the foam may be an issue.
It takes some practice to get the hang of what works best with mixing, it's going better now. The foam wants to rise to the top, so the hard part is to get it all the way down to the bottom. If the foam is too wet, like it was, the batch isn't going to turn out right no matter what you do. 🙂🏠
Cement slurry is around 15 lbs\ CUFT which translates to 1 psi per ft in the mix barrel. Your foaming with backpressure foam bubbles are smaller. As the cement slurry density gets lighter foam backpressure is less making your foam lighter. This is why you are constantly adjusting the air pressure. If you are going to do this alot invest in a motar mixer with paddles to get consistent batches
@@skygonzo9813 I often wondered what effect mixing in a barrel would have on the back pressure as it filled up.
None of the videos I've watched have mentioned it being an issue. But I've always suspected that foam would be very sensitive to it.
I'm thinking of making a rotating paddle mixer from a plastic barrel for my own attempts.
Do you think that would be less problematic?
An air compressor looses air pressure as air is used before it turns on to recharge. Get a good one. I didn't see the compressor you were using. The paddle on your drill is for paint get one for drywall mud. Good idea to lay out all your product for a batch before mixing that way you stay organized. You might have better luck mixing the cement in small batches in a 5 gallon bucket then adding to barrel
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Why glycerin?
Glycerin is supposed to help make a more stable foam especially when using dish soap or shampoo. Since we are using Drexel it's probably not necessary, but we had some and it's cheap, so decided to add a little. .
The right amount of water for theslurry is 6 gal. to 94 lb bag of cement!
Less water makes stronger concrete. Six or even seven gallons is what most people use. Using 5 gallons makes it more of a challenge to get the cement whipped in with the foam but it also creates a much stronger product.
Also stop using the 5 gallon bucket this is one reason my foam gen is better you can hang it on a 55 gallon drum full of foam solution and see when your running out of solution. Just mount your foam gen on the lid of a 55 gallon drum with a longer tube to reach the bottom of the drum. You don't want to run out of foam solution in the middle of mixing. You also need a larger tank for your air-compressor that's why your presser is changing so much. Get a 30 gallon compressor your going to need it if your building an Aircrete house. And check your presser when your making foam not when the air valve is off.
He was thinking a bigger bucket for the foaming solution would be nice, but a drum is an even better idea for doing multiple batches. Thanks! He turned up the pressure on the regulator, so he doesn't have to make as many adjustments, so it's working much better now. We are on solar so a smaller compressor is better for us, and working fine now. We have made 14 batches now, and are learning a lot. We still need to figure out how much mixing is ideal. When we mix the aircrete enough to get a thick smooth mouse it loses volume and is harder to get it to settle down in the form. Whereas the slightly runnier version is easier to pour and doesn't get as many air pockets. We'll keep working on that. Thanks for being one of the early pioneers of aircrete, you have made it a lot easier on the rest of us trying to figure it out! 😊🏠
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid I think my other message went into you RUclips held for review folder.
I checked and there wasn't anything in the folder. In my feed, I can see the top two lines of your other comment but when I click on it, it's not there. It doesn't say it was deleted or removed, so I don't know what happened to it. He ordered a double paddle mixer that should be in next week. We mixed a full batch to finish off the section of the garden wall, and we found that the slurry was much easier to mix with a full batch, since the blades were submerged and not just halfway in. We also found the thick mouse consistency is too hard to get down into the bottom of the forms, the batches that weren't mixed so long fill the forms much better, and we haven't had an issue with them falling either. Your thickening agent should be in today, he'll have to build a tall form to test it. I saw you also used it in the floor for the dome. Anyway, thanks for your input! 😊
@@AircreteHarry We are getting ready to test your thickening agent. It didn't come with instructions. I think you said in one of your videos to add 2 oz to the cement slurry water? We are mixing a full batch.
Just watched this Aircrete Harry video and noticed that the cement is premixed with water in a separate mixer. Additionally, notice the ductwork around the drill mixer in the barrel where foam is blended with the mixed cement slurry. ruclips.net/video/i2eNx0CVXD8/видео.html
Stay safe out there. Peace
Yes, Honey Do Carpenter and Harry have tried all kinds of different things. Some of them were good ideas and others didn't work out so well. I was under mixing, but now I am probably over mixing, I think we have finally figured out what a good mix should look and feel like. Our batches this week have been turning out pretty well. Making good aircrete definitely takes some practice, but it's very doable. Thanks! 😊🏠
You definitely want to run plenty of test batches to make sure the mixture is right. You could have a total catastrophe if you didn't.
Yes, we have learned a lot this week. We are excited to test the samples. It's going to be challenge, but we have some ideas, and I think we can use aircrete to make a pretty cool house. Finishing the garden wall will be great practice too. Thanks for watching! 😊🏠
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Who else was waiting for form 6 results?... hahaha we got got
It's all there, but we had to end the video at some point. 😄 Here is our playlist, ruclips.net/p/PLW_v9VWGwCM_gdAXzuKTr8J13rTZ1DSpx
To cold not mixed right chain barometric pressure, and water sources all can ruin your batch.
We have pretty extreme temperature variations here in the desert, but never had both batches fall. We were making batches at 4:00 in the afternoon at around 80° and getting down into the mid 30s at night. The first night was windy and we got down to 33° but batch #3 was ok, and didn't fall even though the foam was too wet. We weren't sure if it would work, but the water softener seems to be working well.
@@RedandAprilOff-Grid I've been trying to think of ways to heat the molds without electricity... perhaps masonry wood stove... or heated water
Yes, that is an issue for us too. We are going to finish the garden wall, and make a few more test batches, that we can let cure in the well house. We are already getting down into the mid 20's, so we will have to wait until spring to pour the house walls. We are a whopping 22° colder than the low temperature in the town that is only 10 miles away!! It will be a bit of a delay, but there is still quite a bit that needs to be done He plans to finish the pad, and work on the house structure this winter.
Cement mixer would have been better.
We heard it wouldn't work, but "My Little Homestead", RUclips channel uses a cement mixer and it seems to work pretty well.
Guessing you had the same problems as everyone else
Once he got the foam issue figured out, it's just a matter of getting It mixed properly. Which is more of a challenge than we expected, but we are getting there. Glad we have the garden wall to practice on.