wet bell cast

[snozzel]

Hi, I started rendering today using a bell cast at the bottom, The main wall went on a dream, it's straight as a die and I'm impressed with the finish but I am sat here waiting for the damn bell cast to go off. It must be 2 1/2 hours since i finished rubbing up the main wall. The bell cast is still too wet to do anything with (even though I feathered the scratch coat to match the angle. Is this normal, if so how do you pro's manage with it?

 

[Micilin]

Hi, I started rendering today using a bell cast at the bottom, The main wall went on a dream, it's straight as a die and I'm impressed with the finish but I am sat here waiting for the damn bell cast to go off. It must be 2 1/2 hours since i finished rubbing up the main wall. The bell cast is still too wet to do anything with (even though I feathered the scratch coat to match the angle. Is this normal, if so how do you pro's manage with it?

You did the right thing in scratching it out well. The problem is probably all the water on the render above it soaking down to the bottom . Next time perhaps put the bell cast on first and so that it has longer to go off.

This is one reason for using a timber batten (legs and Roughcaster among others might agree) for a drip/bell cast. A bead holds the water there, keeping the render wet, whereas a drip nibbed out to a batten won't do to the same extent.

Are you sponging it up? A dry sponge will be gentle on it rather than a wet or damp one.

 

[roughcaster]

I would agree with Micilin about a wooden batten used to form the bell drip, being far more absorbent than the metal bead, although i normally use metal beading. Something that i always do when scratching the actual bell area itself, is to scratch it vertically,, down the way,,, 3 or 4 inches,, that way, no moisture can be trapped in any lower scratch lines on the bell,,, and when mixing mortar for rendering,, don't overdo the water,, let the plasticiser put the life into it, and for best results, use a cement mixer.

Roughcaster.

 

[Micilin]

I would agree with Micilin about a wooden batten used to form the bell drip, being far more absorbent than the metal bead, although i normally use metal beading. Something that i always do when scratching the actual bell area itself, is to scratch it vertically,, down the way,,, 3 or 4 inches,, that way, no moisture can be trapped in any lower scratch lines on the bell,,, and mixing mortar for rendering,, don't overdo the water.

Roughcaster.

I do the same with the scratching. You can also scratch a diagonal from about two foot up in the middle down to each corner, that pulls any water out to the corners so you have two wet corners, but a drier main length of drip. Most sites here specify beads, I often thoght that holes in the underside every 150mm or so would let water out! Maybe we could go halves in the patent?

All that said, a bit of patience and a gentle hand helps, and if you put the drip on first, then that helps too.

 

[roughcaster]

!

Maybe we could go halves in the patent?

Dragon's Den it is then.

All that said, a bit of patience and a gentle hand helps, and if you put teh drip on first, then that helps too.

Absolutely right.

Roughcaster.

 

[snozzel]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, you were right, it must have been the water weeping down the wall under the top coat and sitting on the bead. Next turn round and I did the bell cast first followed by the main panel and it worked a treat.