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Old foreman pulled me aside on a 200 yard driveway pour in Phoenix
He saw me floating the slab with a magnesium bull float and told me I was burning the cream. I argued back. Said I was just speeding things up. He shook his head and walked away. Came back 10 minutes later with a wooden float. Made me switch. Turned out the surface was already setting up too fast in that 105 degree heat. If I kept going with the mag it would have been a dust bowl finish. Saved my whole pour. So here's my debate. Do you trust your own rhythm in the moment or do you listen when a 30 year vet calls you out on technique? I still wonder if I was really wrong or if he just had old ways.
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felix_coleman871mo ago
Used to be the kinda guy who'd just lock in and ignore advice like that. Thought it was old timers being stuck in their ways. But after watching a buddy of mine finish a driveway with a mag in 100 degree heat and it turned into a chalky mess six months later, I changed my tune. That wooden float slows everything down just enough to let the cream settle right. Now I switch between both depending on the weather, but I always listen when a vet flags something. They've seen enough pours cook to know the signs.
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