6.1 Molding Test Specimen—Quickly form the cement
paste, prepared as described in the section on preparation of
cement paste, into a ball with the gloved hands and toss six
times from one hand to the other, maintaining the hands about
6 in. (152 mm) apart. Press the ball, resting in the palm of the
hand, into the larger end of the conical ring, G, Fig. 1, held in
the other hand, completely filling the ring with paste. Remove
the excess at the larger end by a single movement of the palm
of the hand. Place the ring on its larger end on a plate of similar
planeness, corrosivity, and absorptivity to that of glass, H, and
slice off the excess paste at the smaller end at the top of the ring
by a single oblique stroke of a sharpedged trowel held at a
slight angle with the top of the ring. Smooth the top of the
specimen, if necessary, with one or two light touches of the
pointed end of the trowel. During the operation of cutting and
smoothing, take care not to compress the paste. Immediately
after molding, place the test specimen in the moist closet or
moist room and allow it to remain there except when determinations
of time of setting are being made. The specimen shall
remain in the conical mold, supported by the plate of similar
planeness, corrosivity, and absorptivity to that of glass, H,
throughout the test period. A time of set specimen and an
autoclave bar may be made from the same batch.