Why does nobody talk about mortar drying out on the hawk

Was on a job in Phoenix last July and my mortar was crusting up on the hawk in under 2 minutes in the heat. Lost a whole batch because I wasn't keeping it wet enough. Anyone else use a damp rag trick or just me?

2 comments

2 Comments

charlie_allen1d ago

Man, that Phoenix heat is no joke! I've been there and it turns your hawk into a fry pan. Thing is, everybody talks about keeping the mortar wet but nobody mentions the type of sand you're using. If you've got super fine sand, it'll soak up the water way faster and crust up on you no matter what you do. Mix in a little bit of coarser sand next time, like a 2 to 1 ratio of fine to coarse, and it'll hold moisture way longer on the hawk. Also, try pre-wetting your hawk itself before you load it, not just the rag. The cold water on the metal buys you an extra 30 seconds easy.

wesley_thompson23h ago

@charlie_allen, pre-wetting the hawk made a big difference for me too, especially in dry weather.