146 MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



of the side board at the bottom of the mold, so that when the mold 

 is put together and the concrete post molded the corner of the post 

 will be rounded. A similar effect on the upper side of x the post is 

 produced by using a trowel or an edger special tool for rounding 

 the corners of concrete walks or curbs. Clay plastered in the corner 

 of the mold or wooden strips tacked to the sideboards will answer the 

 same purpose. Such strips must, however, be as small as possible or 

 else they will crowd out much concrete, and thus cause the reen- 

 forcement to be located too far within the post to obtain the best 

 results. Ordinarily the reenforcement should be placed within three- 

 fourths of an inch or 1 inch of the outside of the post. 



For Posts Without Taper. The easiest and cheapest mold to 

 make is the straight mold, or one for a post which does not taper. 

 Such molds are merely long boxes built with various schemes for 

 making the molding of the post a simple matter. On account of the 

 amount of lumber saved and the ease with which these molds are 

 filled, straight molds are generally made in sets or gangs, by con- 

 structing several side by side with a continuous bottom and end 

 pieces. On account of the rigid method of construction, all lumber 

 used in this mold, with the exception of the 2 by 4 inch stringers, 

 may be 1-inch dressed boards. The end pieces are made up of one 

 board each to which are nailed blocks 1 inch in thickness and 5 

 inches square, placed so as to allow the side pieces to slip between 

 them. The end pieces are hinged to the bottom with strap hinges, 

 in which the fixed pin is replaced by a loose pin or a nail. This ar- 

 rangement allows the end piece to be removed at will. 



For Posts Tapering on Two Sides. Posts tapering on two sides 

 are preferable to the straight posts in some respects. A satisfactory 

 size for this style is produced in a mold 4^ inches deep by 6 inches 

 wide at the butt, 4^2 by 4 1 /2 inches at the top, and 7 feet long. These 

 posts may be made more easily in gang molds, which are built so as 

 to make the adjoining posts lie butt to top. By considering that the 

 end positions of every post are reversed, it is possible to build this 

 style of mold according to the directions set forth under straight 

 molds. 



For Posts Tapering on All Sides. Square posts are also made 

 tapering on all sides. A line post of a satisfactory size may be ob- 

 tained by making the molds 5 inches deep by 6 inches wide at the 

 butt, 3 inches deep by 4 inches wide at the top, and 7 feet long. 

 Since all the butts must be placed at one end and all the tops at the 

 other, this arrangement causes the continuous bottom to be 1 foot 

 wider at one end than at the other. (F. B. 403; Col. Exp. Sta. B. 

 161.) 



Oiling the Molds. Concrete has a tendency to stick to either 

 steel or wood. In order to yield a smooth finish to the post, it is cus- 

 tomary to give the inside of the molds a coating of oil. Soft soap or 

 crude oils used sparingly serve the purpose well. Too much oil will 

 destroy the setting qualities of the cement and will give a face 

 roughened with pockmarks. A small amount of oil, poured into a 

 pail of water and applied with a mop or stiff broom in scrubbing out 



