Electricians: Beveled Concrete Parking Lot Base?

Question

I'm an electrician in Minnesota. On many of our jobs, we install parking lot lights that attach to 2-foot diameter round concrete footings. The prints always specify a beveled edge to keep the finished edge from cracking over time. After trying many different beveling tools, I've given up. How do you get a clean-looking, consistent beveled edge on your bases?

Answer 1

Sound like you need to ask a mason.  

Get a concrete trowel and learn to use it.  If the concrete is the right consistancy you can just smooth it and let it dry.  They also make rounded and 45degree trowels for the very thing you's trying to do.  

Its probably that you don't have enough or more likely too much water in the mix.

Answer 2

you can buy an edger for radius' instead of beveling it ...we use champers on straight forms not sure how you would champer a small radius...you could grind a decent looking bevel after it set and you stripped it...experiment...

Answer 3

I'm not a mason, or electrician, so I may be mistaken, but it seems you could make a form with the bottom constructed with the bevel, pour the concrete in and then invert it so the bottom becomes the top, with a neat beveled edge.