The other day we poured a hundred bags of concrete by hand. We were going to rent a mixer for the day it costed around $100 bucks but at summit tools we found a great mixer for $350 bucks and seeing as how we always seem to be renting this mixer we decided to bite the bullet and buy it. Its kind of big so make sure you have a place to store it after. Now I'm a real perfectionist when it comes to mixing concrete never just use the hose when your mixing up the concrete (even though everyone does), its actually harder especially if your mixing it in a wheelbarrow and if you add too much water an engineer would tell you, that mix is a fail adding more dry mix to a wet mix is a real no no. the water to concrete ratio for a 55lb bag its 2l of water per bag. The mixer will do 2 bags so that is 4 l of water per batch, you can use a milk carton and pour 4 l into a white bucket then mix thoroughly adjust the water if its to wet or to dry on the next batch, when you have it dialed in make a mark on the inside of the white bucket ( its roughly around 4 inches from the bottom) then you can get a good rhythm going open a bunch of bags have them ready to go. Always use a respirator a white mask is not good enough, you can get one at summit tools I recommend getting a good one then you will always have it and it will be comfortable on your face it won't feel itchy then you can wear it for long periods of time and you can replace the filters for the same price as a package of white masks that concrete dust is brutal it mixes with the liquid in the lungs and turns into actual concrete, not cool!
Your probably thinking why didn’t they just have the concrete mix delivered?
okay let's break it down, firstly 100 55 lbs bags of concrete mix works to just under 4 Cubic meters, to have 4 meters delivered will cost you close to $4 thousand bucks all in, "isn't that nuts," then you only have 30 minutes to off load it, because then it starts costing you $50 bucks every 15 minutes. So you tell me? Also the truck will not drive on your driveway unless you sign a waver in case it breaks pipes below the ground. If the truck is loaded, witch it usually is because they will make more then one stop if they can it weighs 70 thousand lbs, easily the heaviest vehicle road. Quick tip give them lots of room and the right of way when your in traffic better to be in front of you then behind and avoid driving beside them if you can. Oh by the way pouring with the bags coasted $1350 all in and you get a new cement mixer out of the deal.
This is what we poured its going to be a little garden, walls and footing at the same time we also put a few 1' pipes every few feet at the bottom of the wall called weepers just so the water has some place to go if necessary. Also the scaffold at the top of the wall was magic and it only took an hour or 2 to build.
