Quote Originally Posted by Glacier View Post

I make them as memorial stones for my pets.

I use plain ol' concrete mix. You can buy it at any hardware store.
I prefer the kind with fewer stones it.
Stones can be a pain when writing in the cement.
Stuart made the heart mold out of a couple sheets of plywood and his scroll saw.

Mix your concrete, [see NOTE] let it set for about 45 minutes.
Write whatever you want or stick decorations in.
I use bits of glass, stones ect, in colors that match the critter.
Let dry for a couple days and then remove from mold.
That's "plain ol' BAGGED concrete mix".
Called "Quikrete" at Home Depot, "Sakrete" at other places.

It's industrial strength Concrete, pre-mixed with sand and stones, and sold
in HEAVY (50-80 pound) paper bags.

After you have your *FORM* built and dampened with water, you MIX the concrete ...
Cut the bag and dump it into a wheelbarrow or a BIG bucket / tub / trough ...
then add a surprisingly small amount of water (per the instructions on the bag),
then MIX, MIX, mix, mix some more, and mix again - till you have a very thick, soupy mixture.

Pour it into your form as soon as it's mixed;
*FLOAT* the stones down into the mixture - (either ask Dad or the Home Depot guy
about the finishing steps);
THEN WAIT the 45 minutes to do the final decorating.

While you're waiting, clean up all the stuff that has concrete on it ...
Dad will NOT be a Happie Kampur to find hardened concrete on his toys!

Don't try more than one at a time till you get the hang of it ... concrete can easily
'get away from you' and start to set up before you're ready.

PS:
The steel horse shoes *might* cause the stone to crack ... ask the Home Depot guy
about maybe sticking foam insulation around the inner & outer edges of the shoe -
to provide an "expansion joint" between the shoe and the concrete.

Have Phunn!!