Hypertufa does have a finite lifespan. Most people say about 10 years, depending on ingredients, weather, abuse, etc. Any organic matter that you add to your mix (peat, for example) will eventually rot out. When it rots, channels will form where water can get into it, and the water will freeze. Eventually, you will have cracking and it will disintegrate. It may last longer if you live in a dry area, but 'permanent' is not a word to describe hypertufa.

And I've discovered that it tends to fall apart at the worst possible time... like the dead of winter.

HOWEVER... if you are willing to change one ingredient, it may work.

My suggestions:
1. Those forms should do very well as a mold, but you will probably want to remove them. The ones I've used are made from a kind of fibrous cardboard with a heavy wax coating. They are designed to be removed, and will absorb moisture through the ends.

2. Set the tube on a piece of plywood that has been coated with motor oil as a release agent. The tube itself shouldn't need any release agent.

3. Wrap the tube with about three wraps of 1" mesh chicken wire (offset the hexagons so you have small holes) or one wrap of half-inch mesh hardware cloth. Fasten the end securely. The mesh will not only add strength, but will give the mix something to hang onto.

4. Rather than including peat moss, I would use a combination of perlite, vermiculite and concrete. None of these are organic and they won't rot out. What you are really creating is a lightweight concrete, rather than hypertufa. Wear a dust mask when you are working with these materials dry. You can remove it when the mix is moistened.

5. The mixed consistency is of the utmost importance. Ignore EVERYONE who tells you to add more water to make it sloppy wet. Too much water makes it weak and hard to handle. Wear sturdy dishwashing gloves (those yellow ones) and stir with your hands. Add about half the water you think you will use, and mix it with the dry ingredients thoroughly. When it's uniformly damp, start adding small amounts of water, maybe a quarter-cup at a time. You want the consistency to be wet enough so there are no dry spots, but you want it moist enough to handle well, but not so wet that it will slump. To tell the truth, if I were you, I would make a few stepping stones, one at a time, to find the right consistency.

6. As soon as it's ready, start smearing it with your hands through the wire mesh and firmly against the cardboard tube. Use the heel of your hand for most of the pressing or your fingers will get sore. No interruptions -- turn off the phone.

7. Work your way all around the tube, getting the mix about 3/4" to 1" thick. It needn't be super neat, this is the first of two layers. Speed beats neatness here.

8. Before you walk away from it, level and clean the top edge. Another FLAT piece of ply wood (plain is fine) just a little wider than your finished pedestal would be perfect. Set it on top, smooth and trim the concrete as needed, then remove the plywood (think of it as a ruler). Then use a putty knife or something to clean the bottom edge. Scrape all the excess away from your work and discard it.

9. Leave the pedestal to set for an hour or two. It's best if you are working in the shade.

10. Gently press your finger into the concrete, and then a fingernail. If your finger doesn't leave a print, or just a slight one, and your fingernail leaves a mark, it's time to add the second layer. Wrap the pedestal snugly with one layer of chicken wire. Secure it in a few places, then wrap it with a straight pieces of spool wire, all around the pedestal in a spiral to keep the mesh flat. Fasten the ends. Lightly dampen the first layer of concrete with a mister.

11. Make a new batch of mix, same recipe, same way. Smear it through the wire and make good contact with the base layer of concrete. Work all the way around, completely covering the wire mesh with at least 1/8" of concrete. Don't leave any wire exposed. If you're making any patterns on the finished surface, a thicker layer over the wire is better, at least 1/4"

12. Smooth the surface as well as you can. Here is where I usually take off the gloves and use my bare hands. Then rinse your hands thoroughly -- cement is hard on the hands.

13. Let the concrete firm up slightly, then press your leaves into it, or embed bits of tile or glass. Slightly press the concrete up against any embedded objects to hold it.

14. Concrete/cement doesn't dry, it cures. And that curing takes at least 28 days. Let it set for a day until your fingernail doesn't leave a mark, then keep it moist. Leave it in a shady spot and either hose it down a couple (or more) times a day to keep it damp, or cover it with an old towel or something and keep that damp. If you could put it into a plastic garbage can filled with water, do it and ignore it for a couple of weeks or a month. (This is probably the best time to remove the cardboard tube, when it's soaked; otherwise, reach inside with a box cutter and score it good -- it will take some work).

15. I would put it in place, and when winter comes, I would stuff the whole area between the well head and the pedestal with strips of that sheet foam insulation. And I would glue a piece of circular foam sheet to the center of whatever you're using for the 'lid' of the pedestal; it will add insulation and help to hold it in place so it doesn't shift.

TIPS: Dedicate your day to making this. You can't let the first layer set too much or the second layer won't stick very well -- it will be weak. None of the ingredients are good for your lungs or long contact with bare skin -- mask and gloves. Moisture is setting concrete's best friend. Dryness is bad, heat over 90F can cause cracking and disaster. Plan everything out.

Simple, huh?

Sue

Wow, thanks for the detailed info! Um, no, it doesn't sound simple but after I read it a couple times I was somewhat less intimidated. ;)

I have not found anything either locally or online that I think would work as well, so I really want to give it a try.

Clarification on #14: Are you recommending putting it under water in a big garbage can?

One more question... Where would one find perlite and vermiculite in a small town?

Thanks again!

OR---If you have two different diameter tubes, one about 3 to 4 inches larger than the other, use them as inside and outside mold pieces. Cut them in half lengthwise then duct tape them back together again. This will allow them to be removed easily later. Put a wire mesh cylinder 3/4 to 1 inch larger than the inside tube betwee the two tubes. Then fill the space between the tubes with the hypertufa mix. You will need to be careful to pack down the mix very well with a sitck so it extrudes into the holes in the mesh.
Make sure you do this on a level surface using a level on the top surface.
let this set for a day or so (above fifty degrees). Cut the duct tape and peel off the mold tube halves.
At this time you will be able to wet the surface and fill in any voids with more mix. You can also smoothen or roughen the outside surface to give the desired look and to allow pressing in the design you want. You could even make a larger diameter base with more mix to give more stability.
Why does this have to be your first project? Many folks seem to want to start with the ultimate piece they desire without experimenting first---Bad Idea. Make some smaller pieces of any description first,and you will soon figure out most of what you need to know.