How long before putting bricked evaporator on a new slab?

[SeanD]

I'm FINALLY getting my new slab poured this weekend. How soon before I can get my bricked 2x6 back on it? It's a 4" slab and temps look to be lows in the 40s and highs in the 50s next week. It's not that dry here yet.

I know a month would be ideal, but I don't have a month. My evaporator is parked where I stack my wood and I'm anxious to get it inside. What's the best-case scenario without damaging the slab?

Thanks,
Sean

[n8hutch]

2-3 Days ought to be fine

[MISugarDaddy]

I would suggest waiting a week before putting it on the new slab. With the temps you expect, it will slow the curing process of concrete. Generally, after one week, concrete has attained the majority of its strength, provided the weather conditions are good for curing.
Gary

[maple flats]

If you can place it without putting stress on the floor (hoist with small wheels or tractor with loader for example) 3 days is good. If you will be placing it with something that puts stress on the floor, I'd wait 7 or even better 10 days.

[SeanD]

Thanks, all for the input. I used a hydraulic jack to lift and swing the evaporator over a few inches at a time. I think the wheels of the jack might dig in with the weight of the firebox on it. I'll push the move out to the following Sunday and that will have given it a week. I can live with that. It's waited this long, I suppose. This spring, I won't look back and curse that I was one week behind on getting wood in, but I will curse the gouges in the slab every time I look down at them.

Thanks again,
Sean

[maple flats]

I poured my floor with the arch in the sugarhouse, suspended from the ceiling joists. It was a 3x8, fully bricked and I built a double winch so to speak. On each side I put a 10' x 3/4" black pipe in the joists, held in position with a larger steel conduit strap at every other joist. Then at one end, I put a tee and each end of the tee got a 24' "nipple with a cap on the end. Then I drilled and tapped 3 holes in each pipe in a straight line. Then I crimped an eye end on 3/16" steel cables, and attached them to the pipe. One maybe 6" in from the front, another about a foot in from the back, and the third where the back of the firebox ended (because the firebox was much heavier). Then I ran the cables under the arch and up to the other "winch", attaching the cables in the same way. Then I cranked to remove the slack on one winch, used a firing strip to hold the winch arm from turning backwards, and then turned the other one. Each was turned about 1 or 1.5 turns and then I moved to the other. I kept repeating it until the arch was above my head. Then I left the "winch" arms blocked, and I added a 2x4 from the joists near each cable extending down just a few inches below the bottom of the arch and each got a cross piece as a safety. Then I poured the floor. When it had set for about 3 weeks I removed the wood safeties and lowered the arch.

[SeanD]

Yikes! How much did you pay the kid to screed off the concrete under the bricked 3x8? Is the slab wavy there because his hands were shaking so much? A+ for problem solving that one!

Everything is going well with mine. I had a neighbor who has a much better hand with the float come over and help me finish it off. I've had to keep a heater in there. It dropped into the mid-twenties the last couple of nights. Better temps and moist air on the way.

[MISugarDaddy]

Dave, I agree with SeanD about paying someone else to finish off the concrete under your suspended evaporator!!! Please tell me you didn't make your wife finish it! Why is it that so many of our projects aren't done in a logical sequence? That shows just how much snow load your roof will support.
Gary