Once I have a nice hole in the ground of the proper depth,
the next thing to do is to add some rebar. Reinforcing bar (rebar) helps keep
the concrete slab from cracking. To make the 90 degree bends, I use an angle
grinder to make a large notch halfway through the bar at the point of the bend.
This allows the bar to bend without breaking (usually). Then to make it strong
again, I weld the seam.
The rebar is held 2 inches from the bottom of the trench by
pieces of brick. Concrete is then carefully shoveled in over the top of the
rebar and brick pieces (as opposed to just dumping a wheelbarrow load in the
hole) to keep them from being moved around.
When you start pouring a footer, you have to keep at it
until it is finished. I got started late on the first one and was working until
late at night to get it finished. Trust me, it is much better to work by the broad
light of day than by the spots of light afforded by artificial means. Be sure
to have some good knee pads because you will be on your hands and knees troweling
and floating the concrete until it is level and smooth.
I finally got tired of running up to the “yellow store” to
get ice for my ice chest. I bought this 3.2 cubic foot refrigerator and built a
little base for it to sit on. The base helps prevent blood from rushing to your
head when retrieving something from the bottom shelf and it provides a tiny bit
of badly needed storage space. The fridge runs on about 2.35 KWHr per week – an
average of 14W/hr – about the same as a 60W equivalent compact fluorescent lamp.
Not bad. It has no freezer compartment but that is why it is so efficient.
