Little hobby of mine

**John4cam** · 02-10-2010, 09:37 PM

I've been getting into precast concrete lately and have alot of things made so far.

I'm most interested in garden themed casts but I'm also doing some others. It's a fun thing to do and alot of these things make great gifts for my relatives, friends ect. It also kills time during these crappy winter months.

Couple cell phone pics of what I've been working on.

**How Much?** · 02-10-2010, 10:50 PM

Originally Posted by John4cam

I've been getting into precast concrete lately and have alot of things made so far.

I'm most interested in garden themed casts but I'm also doing some others. It's a fun thing to do and alot of these things make great gifts for my relatives, friends ect. It also kills time during these crappy winter months.

Couple cell phone pics of what I've been working on.

Pretty cool stuff, and good way to pass the time, advertise on CL and make a few bucks!!! My grandmother would buy some of that! She made me take her to a place to get some concrete deer and different crap for her yard,,,,And that stuff isnt cheap, She shell'd out all kinda loot for it

**billyNOTnice** · 02-10-2010, 11:54 PM

sweet you need to cast some mustangs to put in my garden

**pRojekt02GT** · 02-11-2010, 12:37 AM

Originally Posted by billyNOTnice

sweet you need to cast some mustangs to put in my garden

Those are pretty neat..bet you could make a nice couple bucks of some of those.

**John4cam** · 02-11-2010, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by pRojekt02GT

Those are pretty neat..bet you could make a nice couple bucks of some of those.

Thanks, yeah I've been thinking about hitting a couple flea markets this spring/summer.

**95riosnake** · 02-11-2010, 10:21 AM

Pretty nice stuff! I worked at a precast concrete plant for 5 years (senior year in hs through college) and know all about the difficulty in making what you've made. We made several large panels for PNC park (weighed 60,000lbs a piece) all the way down to spindles for railings and window sills. I learned a lot working there about molding, which I have applied to many other things in life, like fiberglass molds and even in my career because I have to engineer the tooling for my designs.

It is a very satisfying thing to do though, I've made several gifts for my mom out of concrete for her to put in her flower beds at their house

**John4cam** · 02-11-2010, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by 95riosnake

Pretty nice stuff! I worked at a precast concrete plant for 5 years (senior year in hs through college) and know all about the difficulty in making what you've made. We made several large panels for PNC park (weighed 60,000lbs a piece) all the way down to spindles for railings and window sills. I learned a lot working there about molding, which I have applied to many other things in life, like fiberglass molds and even in my career because I have to engineer the tooling for my designs.

It is a very satisfying thing to do though, I've made several gifts for my mom out of concrete for her to put in her flower beds at their house

Thats interesting. I know exactly what panels you're talking about at pnc park.

Do you know how to make molds then? That was on the list for me next. It's amazing how much you learn in a short period of time just diving in and doing it though. The one pic of the white baluster is a part of a railing system I'm molding for my front porch. I like the fact that not too many people have them and it's not cheesy vinyl railing from lowes or home depot.

**John4cam** · 02-11-2010, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by billyNOTnice

sweet you need to cast some mustangs to put in my garden

Lol.

I'll have to keep an eye out, they actually sell molds that are plaques that have different antique vehicles on them. If I found a mustang it would be bought for sure.

Really, any fast modern car I would buy.

**John4cam** · 02-11-2010, 01:17 PM

Nice sketch Dan.

Yeah the molds i'm using right now are abs plastic, and I use either cooking spray or wd-40 for a release agent. The finish is usually very nice and smooth. The wd seems to keep bug holes to a minimum. If I get real into it, i'll probably end up building a vibrating table.