I bought three types of concrete mesh today and opted for the diamond lath because it seemed to be the most "meshy". I hope I don't regret that when I go to put my first layer of mortar on. The stuff is sharp. No big deal when I've got my nice leather gloves on, but I'm going to have to be careful when I've only got the rubbers.
This was hard! Not difficult, just back-straining because you've got to "stitch" the pieces together with wire. After 4 hours of it my hands and back are killing me! (Maybe I'm just outta shape LOL).
I also discovered that safety glasses are a must when stitching the pieces together with 18 gauge wire. It flails all over the place and you don't want your eye in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Anyway, tomorrow I'm back to my cushy relaxing desk job, so I probably won't make anymore headway until next weekend. Next step is to put the first layer of mortar on.
What a fun project! I can't wait to see the finished product! I've been wanting to make a simple worm. But, I'm probably just going to cut it out of a piece of scrap plywood and throw a coat of paint on it. Your idea is much more fun.
ReplyDeleteRight about now, I'm thinking plywood would have been the way to go, LOL But the women on the mosaic forum have been telling me that if I want to make concrete garden art, I need to try armature--that it will revolutionize my life because I can literally make anything out of cement (don't need to look for a mold), and it's MUCH lighter (my little garden stool weighs over 100 lbs). Soooo, if they're right, I might be tormenting you to give the process a try. They even make benches and tables out of this stuff!
ReplyDeleteBy the way - I LOVE this. It'll be lovely even if you just scratch coat ir and use glass for eyes - you could skip the mosaics. If I ever get caught up on things - I may have to emulate your project.
ReplyDeleteFollowing your posts in Yahoo.
Thanks! I'm looking forward to the next step...if I can get back to it. This weekend will be all about the vegetable garden. So many things I want to do and there's never enough time! ;-)
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