The concrete is finally completed for the future observatory but not without a ton of issues. So here are the woe’s encountered during this phase. I had calculated the cubic yards necessary based on the dimensions of the pad and determined that 4 yards would be sufficient to complete the formed-up area required. When I called all of the delivery companies I quickly discovered that a full truck was considered to have 5 yards and anything under that volume incurred a fee for under-capacity trucks. The trucks will hold 10-11 yards pending the size they used and the old limit was 3 yards. The penalty was more than the cost of an extra yard of concrete so the forms were adjusted to accommodate the new size based on the new calculation. I decided to add a 4′ strip along the long side (front) of the observatory pad so we could sit out of the evenings and chat and visit with anyone that came to observe. This area would also have a true North Compass stamped into it. The concrete was scheduled one week prior to my shoulder reconstruction surgery and I had just helped finish 11 yards of concrete with KVAS for a dome observatory so I figured with two people we could get the job done. I was able to get my neighbor and a good friend to volunteer to help out so all seemed good up to the day of delivery.
I had a Dr appointment and scheduled the time with a little wiggle room just in case. I was in the middle of my appointment when my cell rang. I answered and it was the driver saying he was in my driveway and was ready to pour which meant he had already started mixing the cement. Anyone who has worked with concrete knows that there is a finite time after mixing to get the concrete poured, screeded, floated and broomed before it is cured beyond the limit of workability. So needless to say I was just over the speed limit driving home since the drive is 45min. When I finally arrived we started pouring and moving the concrete within the forms to fill all the area. I was able to screed and float about 1/3 of the area before it was set up beyond that capability. The rest would just have to be screeded as best we could and I would have to adjust the plan on finishing.
So with the forms removed later and the less-than-desirable pad, I had to rent a massive walk-behind grinder to try to knock down the high aggregate and areas enough to use a self-leveling recap mixture to get a finished pad and stamp the compass into it. Of course, a thunderstorm rolled in the evening that we did the recap and a few areas had a thin hollow area where water got between the recap and the original pad. At this point, since most of the pad would be below the structure I called it good.
