19" mold

[jon hergert]

I am looking for a 19" mold. Have Slater's 18" and 20" but if you are just using all concrete, big step from 240 lb to 345 lbs. I know i could add a foam ball or lead, but that is a lot more trouble making the stones and i am planning on making quite a few.

Not interested in the plaster of paris method either.

Any idea where i could find a 19" mold?

[Jesse Marunde]

I'm in the same situation. that's actually why we're all so good at stones! ours start at 325. the 225's are just too light to even bother messing with...


Jesse

[Richard Reynolds]

I am looking for a 19" mold. Have Slater's 18" and 20" but if you are just using all concrete, big step from 240 lb to 345 lbs. I know i could add a foam ball or lead, but that is a lot more trouble making the stones and i am planning on making quite a few.

Not interested in the plaster of paris method either.

Any idea where i could find a 19" mold?

I think they mention you can either add lead weights to make your 18" stone heavier, or Styrofoam to make your 20" lighter. The former seems like a lot of lead would be needed, and the stone may be off balance. The latter may make the stone more likely to break, but I don't know this for a fact.

[Kevin McNease]

Most people I know have an 18" filled with lead or a 20" with a styrofoam ball. With lead you can get any weight you want in the 18" up to 300lbs and 310lbs with a ball in the 20". Standard plate weights work well instead of lead. Both work well and I havent had a balance or durablity problem yet.

Kevin

[Richard Reynolds]

Most people I know have an 18" filled with lead or a 20" with a styrofoam ball. With lead you can get any weight you want in the 18" up to 300lbs and 310lbs with a ball in the 20". Standard plate weights work well instead of lead. Both work well and I havent had a balance or durablity problem yet.

Kevin

Thanks Kevin,

I've been thinking of getting a stone mold myself and was wondering if there were problems with either adding lead or styrofoam to change the weight of a stone. Good to know you've had no problems either way.

[jon hergert]

i've seen a lot of 300 lb, 20" stones with styrofoam crack. Foam ball is really a pain, doesn't take off much weight, especially after you skewer it with rebar to hold it in the center. if you don't skewer it, it has a tendency to float to the top and then you really have cracking problems.

[CharlesDMickey]

You’re right on with the foam ball. But I've had some success with drilling a small hole in the bottom of the mold and using heavy cotton string to hold the ball centered. But your right its still a pain for only a few lbs difference.

I've made a 290 out of my 18" with a big hunk of lead. (40lbs I think) and have only gotten as light as 315-320 with foam in my 20".

Clay Edgin has had some success with a concrete call Maximizer. http://www.maximizer.cc/ It looks promising, but as of now its not distributed in CA.

So since when are you worried about the jump in lbs from an 18" to a 20"???? Last time I checked you didn’t have a problem with a 340ish stone....

[jon hergert]

So since when are you worried about the jump in lbs from an 18" to a 20"???? Last time I checked you didn’t have a problem with a 340ish stone....

Was looking to do a 5, 300 lb stone series to 54". 340 stones for that is going to be a little harsh. :FF:

i hadn't thought of the string, may give that a try if i can't find a 19" anyplace.

[Brendan Merchant]

If you not using your 225's Jessie how about putting one in an envelope and sending it to Scotland for me.

I'm needing a paperweight to hold down all my wife's receipts from her latest shopping trip!

:mad:

[Eric Johnson]

Is it possible to line a 20" mold with something like Great Stuff, spray it in and then sand it down to the thickness you want and smooth it out. Just a thought, there is probably something out there that could line a mold and not stick to the cement.

[CharlesDMickey]

That Great Stuff is some Nasty Stuff!

I tried using it in place of a foam insert. Used a small "mold" and filled it with Great Stuff. After weeks it still had not cured through. After the stone broke; I cut into the Great Stuff core and it was still gooey. One the 02 hit it, it started to expand again and solidified.

I don’t think you could use it to line a mold. It would be very difficult to get even displacement. Then getting a nice seam between the tow halves would be difficult as well. Just some thoughts.

I've considered commercial fishing floats to lighten a stone. I just haven’t gotten around to checking it out.