Does anyone out there know where I can obtain plans to make forms to make my own concrete blocks for building?

I seem to remember reading at some time past of the existence of such plans, but have searced futilely for a long time.

Thanks!!

-- Kathe Holzworth (karousel3@juno.com), February 28, 2002

Answers

There is an article in the MEN #45 for May/June 1977 which was a reprint of a 1946 Popular Mechanics article by Hi Sibly. Mr. Sibly built a machine driven by an electric motor that a operator and a helper used to make 800 blocks a day. A set of plans is included in the article but they're not really detailed. The block maker isn't something that would be cheap to build. It would be an interesting home project though.

There is a pictorial of a smaller machine constructed mostly of wood. The requirement for a machine is due to the manipulation of the mold which combined with the weight of three wet blocks would be fairly heavy.

-- Darren (df1@infi.net), February 28, 2002.

While I was in Haiti I saw many local villagers making concrete blocks. They hand made their forms and poured perhaps three or four at a time, depending on how many forms they had. Each block was individually made. A man could do a few each day and allow them to cure and then they would lay them up to build their houses.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), February 28, 2002.

There were old hand tamping block machines made in the 1930's and 40's bacically a steel box with a top press,you may be able to find one of these.

-- Gary (burnett_gary@msn.com), March 01, 2002.

One of the names for these block machines is named the CINVA RAM. It is a steel press, just as described above. The method of manufacturing your own block by this process is follows;

After doing a simple soil test for suitability of soil, a person was to mix soil and concrete together, add water to this, then pour this into the machine. There was a lever which compressed this material to a solid block form. There were attachment for different block profiles, lintels and tile.

If was developed in Columbia, South American for peasants to build their own homes in remote, mountainous terrain. It was sold in the U.S. somewhere in the Northeast, but I don't know if it still is sold brand new. A google search would probably turn up something about it. If not, a want add on Ebay might stimulate a find.

I hope this helps.

-- j.r guerra in s. tx. (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), March 01, 2002.

If you're determined to make concrete blocks here is a link to a company that makes small block machines.

If you're going to make concrete blocks, you need a way to vibrate the filled mold and apply pressure.

-- Darren (df1@infi.net), March 01, 2002.

go to the site www.concretepumps.co.za/brickblock.htm

-- nick main (mainstrm@newnorth.net), April 21, 2002.