Padstone moulds

[DaveDCB]

Had a good search to buy such thing but can only find test cube moulds or Lego block types… I’m after afew 440x215x100mm(block size) if anyone has come across anything? Ideal cast ones like the test cubes are made?
Could make some out of form work ply but I kinda want these for life not a one off, im sick of terrible padstones off the shelf, always 10mm out of square etc!
Could buy a fairface precast lintel and cut it down I guess.. but would still need to be bang on or I’m gaming nothing!

 

[V8Druid]

Had a good search to buy such thing but can only find test cube moulds or Lego block types… I’m after afew 440x215x100mm(block size) if anyone has come across anything? Ideal cast ones like the test cubes are made?
Could make some out of form work ply but I kinda want these for life not a one off, im sick of terrible padstones off the shelf, always 10mm out of square etc!
Could buy a fairface precast lintel and cut it down I guess.. but would still need to be bang on or I’m gaming nothing!

could you not make a few with some plate or 100mm flat formed up ?? ... two of these bolted at the corners

 

[Monkeybusiness]

My neighbour had some really good ones from Huws Gray. The ones I’ve had from T and G have all been crap (really hard in fairness, but all sorts of shapes!).

 

[pettsy]

never come across anyone making their own. Can’t remember what was used on latest build. Google found these, sadly not cast though…. https://numold.com/padstone-moulds/

 

[Brendan]

never come across anyone making their own. Can’t remember what was used on latest build. Google found these, sadly not cast though…. https://numold.com/padstone-moulds/

Done a couple of cast in situ, more hassle than it was worth and easier to just buy premade ones. Even if they are a bit s**t on quality at least they are ready for use and no future liability of someone not doing the mix correctly or letting it cure enough

 

[DaveDCB]

Done a couple of cast in situ, more hassle than it was worth and easier to just buy premade ones. Even if they are a bit s**t on quality at least they are ready for and no future liability of someone not doing the mix correctly or letting it cure enough

Biggest problem is they are never square, front edge is always 5/10mm fatter than back edge! Lay them belly flat and they are fine but that isn’t always possible.
I’d mix myself, one bag of cement to 1 shovel of gravel and it will be plenty strong enough

 

[Giles]

Had some 6 inch ones and top face was angled obviously to get it out mould easier but made seating them a pain and front was convex etc terrible really compared to a 6 inch block

Mogman make you some in 10mm plate couldn’t he with some captive nuts then just whiz them up with impact

They’d Want a good vibing and a strong mix

 

[DaveDCB]

Might just buy a sheet of 8’4’ decent plastic face shuttering ply and see how many I can make Up out of that!

 

[6feetdown]

Might just buy a sheet of 8’4’ decent plastic face shuttering ply and see how many I can make Up out of that!

Film face ply 31.50 a sheet bought 4 last week

 

[Steve]

Might just buy a sheet of 8’4’ decent plastic face shuttering ply and see how many I can make Up out of that!

I just had a Quick Look on Travis site & couldn’t believe the price of padstones.

 

[DaveDCB]

Film face ply 31.50 a sheet bought 4 last week

Ply has plummeted in the last year or so.. timber in general, buying it cheaper now than 5 years ago!

 

[DaveDCB]

I just had a Quick Look on Travis site & couldn’t believe the price of padstones.

Think I pay £8.50.. if they were square I wouldn’t be buggering around trying to make some!

 

[Steve]

I worked in precast back in the 80s & we made a few with reinforcing steel in. We had a few moulds but only made them to use up leftover concrete so I always assumed there was very little margin.

 

[Brendan]

I just had a Quick Look on Travis site & couldn’t believe the price of padstones.

Website price is always mega high they wonder why people don't go there as those prices online never seem to be correct.
To be fair doesn't matter either way as Travis perkins just bend you over anytime you go in for bits, even worse when you go to a different branch. Fed up of being ripped off every time you go in, most things are cheaper in Wickes or toolstation, other builders merchants are just as bad

 

[Brendan]

Think I pay £8.50.. if they were square I wouldn’t be buggering around trying to make some!

Just checked mine online and "my price" is £34.03 plus vat for a 440 x 215 x 105 and bulk bags of ballast are £61.06 plus vat

 

[DaveDCB]

Just checked mine online and "my price" is £34.03 plus vat for a 440 x 215 x 105 and bulk bags of ballast are £61.06 plus vat

I only use Travis for bulk aggregates(direct not via a branch), altho recently they haven’t been the cheapest , so sod them!
Merchant I use are pretty decent across the board to be fair, Easily spend 100k a year with them and they still try it on occasionally doesn’t hurt having the odd jewson delivery turn up when the rep calls around to keep them keen

 

[Brendan]

I only use Travis for bulk aggregates(direct not via a branch), altho recently they haven’t been the cheapest , so sod them!
Merchant I use are pretty decent across the board to be fair, Easily spend 100k a year with them and they still try it on occasionally doesn’t hurt having the odd jewson delivery turn up when the rep calls around to keep them keen

I don't buy a great deal of stuff but when I do, it doesn't always tend to be from one supplier. Online Vs in store is very different although still expensive, my local branch is £42 but other branches are over £50 then come down to £48 after "having done me a favour to get near my local branch" problem is your stuck once you've slashed the two bags out on to the trailer

 

[craig]

I only use Travis for bulk aggregates(direct not via a branch), altho recently they haven’t been the cheapest , so sod them!
Merchant I use are pretty decent across the board to be fair, Easily spend 100k a year with them and they still try it on occasionally doesn’t hurt having the odd jewson delivery turn up when the rep calls around to keep them keen

I heard a Travis sale guy on the aggregates has moved to an other supplier (cant remember who), and taken a fair bit to trade with him, wont help Travis's buying power and price I would guess.

 

[William127]

Travis cost me hundreds a few years ago-
Needed about 600 9 inch hollows for a retaining wall, got a price from my usual place, acceptable enough compared to my quote for the job. Asked if there was artic access to get them delivered straight to site, yep, fine.
Guy who was actually building the wall for me said 'let me see what Travis will do on my account '. Reluctantly I agreed, surprisingly they were several hundreds cheaper.
Blocks were duly ordered, I arranged for me and a couple of lads to be onsite to move them as they landed.
Rigid Lorry turns up, unloads, only about 1/3 of the order- where's the rest of it?? Oh this is all we've got, the rest will be here another day!!
Ended up getting them in dribs and drabs, even had to pick 2 trailer loads up from another branch who took a lot of persuasion to meet the price given
Any savings were long gone in lost time and labour
Then to add insult to injury a few weeks later they tried to bill us for all the pallets (long gone) to the tune of about 300 quid!!
Nothing on the delivery notes, no word from the driver on delivery etc. No chance, not paying that in a million years!

Lesson very much learned, back to only using them when needs must!

 

[Giles]

I heard a Travis sale guy on the aggregates has moved to an other supplier (cant remember who), and taken a fair bit to trade with him, wont help Travis's buying power and price I would guess.

Happens a lot Barbara used to be the queen of Travis aggregates in the 2000-2010 but she then retired.

I mainly use a guy now with two 6 wheeler scanias

Bit dearer but problem free and can get into the mostly tight access jobs we do