Making Atlas Stones - anyone done it?

I have instructions for how to make an atlas stone from a mold of plaster and cement - anyone here ever try this, and if so how did it work out?

Not me, I just bought mine.

But I know of a few here who have made them, these are Nick McKinless and Richard Scott. But I'm sure they used molds. Actually not sure how Richard made them.

I wish I could remember where I got the instructions - I'm pretty sure it was from a reputable source but I'll be dammed if I can remember who, I just wrote 'em down because it looked like it would probably work

We've used Nicks molds a few times to make ours.

How's it worked out Steve - have they held up to the abuse as good as you expected?

Yep. Mike and Nick at first and then just Mike have spent half a day on them. They get used by as many as 12 people over a weekend and take abuse very well.

Excellent, thanks for the info - now all I've got to do is wait for this lousy snow to melt and I'll get to work on one

This is from a reply to a post about making stones from SDF which I made some years ago...

I have some Slater moulds and have used them to make over 20 stones. Here's some tips that may save you some hassle...

1. Tape up the moulds REALLY well. Over tape them to be sure. I now use a small beed of silicone on the bottom edge of the mould where the two half spheres meet up. This is easily cut with a stanley knife when you come to break them open.
2. Pack them in sand to about half way or just above.
3. Get a good mix of cement. I used a designer concrete company to give me the strongest and most dense mix. My first stones were cheap concrete and those stone have now split or broken. The best bet is an emulcifier and a mix that has fibre glass running through it.
4. Cover the whole area in drop sheets...you will get messy.
5. Buy some decent elbow length gloves and spray your arms with some oven oil to stop any bits of cement getting on your skin. I got some nasty burns form the first batch of stones. Safety goggles are a good idea too.
6. Where OLD clothes.
7. Don't let the mix be too soupy. Somewhere where it slops out rather than pours.
8. Pour into a bucket from the mixer and definitely use a mixer. Then pour the bucket full into the top of the mould.
9. Over fill the stones and get a stick and swirl that sucker round and round to get the bubbles out and even up the mixture.
10. Leave them in the moulds for a full 24 hours and then break them open slowly. This is my favourite part....the creation!!
11. Put the stone in a container and let it cure in water for 5-7 days. The more water it absorbs the better.
12. Lift it!!

This is from trial and error and from talking to people who deal with concrete and moulds all the time. It's produced some fantastic stones.

Hope this helps.

Nick

From the same thread at SDF.

"Here's a picture after quite a downpour in Sydney before I left...the one on the left is a 20" 140kg stone with an insert (I used an empty tin of paint to make it 10kg lighter). The red colour is something I am playing with. I want to make a full set in the same colours as the Olympic bumper plates in weightlifting (so black/grey, green, yellow, blue, red).
The one in the middle is 20" too but with no insert and weighs 150kg. the one on the right is the 6th Bundanoon Stone weighing about 145kg which I borrowed from their owner Dave Huxley and is cut from sandstone. The Bundanoon stones have been lifted by the likes of Derek Boyer, Magnuss Ver Magnusson, Gary Taylor, Mark Phillippi and many more. Awesome stones but mighty expensive!"



Nick

Great post Nick!
Wonderful pic.

Will pin this thread.

WOW - Thank you Nick, that is some incredible info, I really appreciate - and thanks David for pinning it, I'm sure there are many out there that could benefit from this info!

Great thread and excellent info on the stones! Jason Keen used to have a good site with a description on how to make the stones.

Nick McKinless wrote:This is from a reply to a post about making stones from SDF which I made some years ago...

I have some Slater moulds and have used them to make over 20 stones. Here's some tips that may save you some hassle...

1. Tape up the moulds REALLY well. Over tape them to be sure. I now use a small beed of silicone on the bottom edge of the mould where the two half spheres meet up. This is easily cut with a stanley knife when you come to break them open.
2. Pack them in sand to about half way or just above.
3. Get a good mix of cement. I used a designer concrete company to give me the strongest and most dense mix. My first stones were cheap concrete and those stone have now split or broken. The best bet is an emulcifier and a mix that has fibre glass running through it.
4. Cover the whole area in drop sheets...you will get messy.
5. Buy some decent elbow length gloves and spray your arms with some oven oil to stop any bits of cement getting on your skin. I got some nasty burns form the first batch of stones. Safety goggles are a good idea too.
6. Where OLD clothes.
7. Don't let the mix be too soupy. Somewhere where it slops out rather than pours.
8. Pour into a bucket from the mixer and definitely use a mixer. Then pour the bucket full into the top of the mould.
9. Over fill the stones and get a stick and swirl that sucker round and round to get the bubbles out and even up the mixture.
10. Leave them in the moulds for a full 24 hours and then break them open slowly. This is my favourite part....the creation!!
11. Put the stone in a container and let it cure in water for 5-7 days. The more water it absorbs the better.
12. Lift it!!

This is from trial and error and from talking to people who deal with concrete and moulds all the time. It's produced some fantastic stones.

Hope this helps.

Nick

Just out of curiosity, is the cure in water to add more weight or does it serve another purpose? What advantage does that have over air curing? Thanks!

***BUMP*** for my previous question I'm going to be pouring my first ever mould in a couple days, would like to know if I need to do the curing in water or not. I really appreciate any feedback!

Do. Just google making concrete to see what it says about hardening. It applies to atlas stones.