stan Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 I was thinking of capping a well with a thick piece of granite or slate (1.2m x 1.5m) but cannot find anywhere that sells such a thing, neither can I find anything of this size on Leboncoin etc or any of the Brico outlets.I then had an idea of simply trying to make one with concrete and reinforcing it with iron bar. Has anyone tried this or suggest any alternative. I just want a slab of sorts to sit almost flush with the ground and be able to withstand a human adult weight on it without falling through and down the 25m depth of the well shaft! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Point P sell them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 You can use a pre-cast manhole 'biscuit' available from the 'heavy side' of Bricos. alternatively make up a 100 mm deep casting box line with DPM sit 8mm rebar mesh on small pieces of broken paving slab so that the mesh sits 40 to 50 mm into the box (ensure the edges are at least 50mm in so that they are adequately covered, then fill with a 4 (stone) 2 (sand) 1 (cement) by volume mix well mixed with sufficient clean water to form a stiff jelly like matrix. Use a long straight wooden batten to tamp the mix into the box so that the concrete is level and uniform. Leave for a fortnight if possible under a damp hessian covering. If any openings are required in the casting its easy to creat these out of timber or pipe secured to the moulding box and ensuring reinforcement is 50mm in from edge and augmented if needs be. Once mould is struck you will have your custom built 'biscuit' which should be pretty strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan Posted May 17, 2012 Author Share Posted May 17, 2012 Thanks Big Mac, exactly what I was looking for....trust a fellow Scot to come up with the answer! Cheers, much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 The sassenach answer is no good [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 How are you going to move it when it is cast? Normal concrete is about 2.4 tonnes/metre cubed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan Posted May 17, 2012 Author Share Posted May 17, 2012 I will `hae ma porage for strength and lift it one handed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Traditional wisdom sees the biscuit cast circular so that it may be rolled however The health and safety dept would set the casting box on scaffold tubes / rollers in turn sat on a sheet of 19mm ply on the far side of the well.Strike the end of the casting box then place a length of bar through the vent opening (or cast one into it at the outset) and attach to a tensioned 3 tonne rated ratchet strap secured to a robust piece of hard landscaping or a vehicle.Ratchet away until biscuit is adjacent to the well then chock the rollers and secure the casting box either by using scaffold levers to catch the edges or by holding back using an opposing ratchet strap attached to the mould.Further ratcheting and levering from assistants will see the biscuit drawn across the top of the well and onto pre-prepared grounds.if that's your fancy.(Me I would simply cast next to well and use man / donkey power to 'flip' the casting box over and cover the well....removing the mould and dpm will reveal a smooth finish)Bon chance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 [quote user="BIG MAC"]use man / donkey power to 'flip' the casting box over and cover the wellBon chance! [/quote] I knew all that cable tossing had a purpose . Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 'Cable tossing' I guess that's something to get wired into..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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