Thursday, August 30, 2012

The Great Wall

 

Retaining wall of interlocking landscape blocks

Made from blocks poured in hand made plywood mouldsIMG_0067

P1010044 Costa Roca 2012 159 P1010040

 

P8230010 Preparing  for the first row

P7110020 This is the mould concept: the 2x2 framework supports removable panels which slip out when the cement is firm, eliminating the need for greasing the moulds.

P7110021

A bottom insert 3/4”  thick, and 1 inch short at the back end to form the lip that interlocks with the row below. 

Wedges are driven between the 2x2 frame and the removable panels the tighten up the mould  - when these are removed, the sides slip right out leaving the finished block.P7110022 P8230006 Stepping up production! three continuous moulds forming 6 blocks each. We released them from the moulds after 4 hours by pulling out the 1/4” side panels and carefully stacked them to finish drying.

The pvc pieces that were inserted to reduce the weight and amount of cement needed were removed after 2 hoursP8040041   The hand turned cement mixer – it rolls on large fixed casters mounted on the work table. P8230013 PA080040 We forgot to remove the pvc  “holes” in time - had to cut this batch down.