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Shoutout to the guy who talked me into trying a magnesium float on a hot day | Concrete Finishers - SMM Buzz

Shoutout to the guy who talked me into trying a magnesium float on a hot day

I always stuck with my steel float for everything, thought the magnesium ones were just for show. Then this older finisher on a job in Austin last summer saw me struggling with the concrete setting up way too fast in the heat. He handed me his and said 'just try it, it won't stick like that.' I was skeptical but gave it a shot. The difference was immediate. It glided over the surface without pulling up any paste, even as the mix was getting stiff. I finished a 20 yard slab that day without a single tear or rough patch. Now I keep one in my truck from May to September. Anyone else have a tool they swore was a gimmick until they actually used it?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamesfox6mo ago

Ever hear those old guys talk about using a wood float for a "creamier" finish? I always wrote it off as just being stubborn and set in their ways. Then I had to patch some historic stairs where the mix was a special match and way too sticky. My boss made me use his old wood float, said steel would ruin the color. It was like spreading soft butter. It didn't seal the surface tight like metal does, so it left the fines right where they needed to be for a perfect blend. Totally changed my mind on that one.

sandrajackson5mo ago

Oh yeah I totally get that. I read something once from an old school mason who said the same thing about wood floats and sticky mixes. He swore it was the only way to keep the color consistent on restoration work because the wood doesn't pull the fine stuff up like steel does. It's funny how those old guys just knew stuff through trial and error, not like the manuals or YouTube videos we have now. Had to be in the situation to really appreciate it, you know? Makes you wonder how many other little tricks are just sitting around waiting for someone to be stuck enough to try them. Your boss sounds like he knew what he was talking about at least.

miam756mo ago

Watch old timers work and you'll learn their tricks aren't just stubbornness. They solved real problems with the tools they had, and sometimes the simple fix is still the best one. Makes you wonder what else we're missing by always grabbing the new shiny tool.

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