The 'Today's Job' thread

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charlie2

Well-known member
summat like this ??
OIP.577jIJEY0Ol-Y8g671PcyQHaDZ
think there were a few Italian versions of them

got a winch here off of the big self loading site mixers ... chain driven with an electro-magnetic clutch for engagement off one of these sort of beasts
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winch propelled the loading shovel/skip off the pulley at the top of the frame... IIRC the drum used to flip over to the rear to discharge ... big old beast
seen them on sites in my younger days the piling guys very often used them, all the ones i saw loaded one side and emptied the other into a lowish dumper . sure they reversed the drum to discharge.
 
Canal Navvy

Canal Navvy

Well-known member
summat like this ??
OIP.577jIJEY0Ol-Y8g671PcyQHaDZ
think there were a few Italian versions of them

Yup, not quite as big or plush but looking very useful. The farm had aggregate and cement in a barn and the trundle round to where they were pouring was apparently a long enough mix 🙂. I do remember them saying that the material cost was more expensive than ready mix but the convenience more than made up for it.
 
J

Jimoz

Well-known member
For a couple of cube yes. It’s all part load charges, delivery charges and £160 a cube round here.

We are in an awkward place right at the edge of the radius for the big three concrete companies. They’ll do a full volumetric no hassle but not keen on anything less.

Most of our work is five miles from base, and this only two miles so it’s no trouble. The guys kept mixing, raking and tamping and I just brought out a truck to swap every time they called me. Inbetween loads I had plenty to get on with at the yard.

The way I look at it, by the time you’ve set the forms, waited for the concrete (cause you dont want to order it for too early and not be ready!) and then tamped it off it’s a minimum of half a day and we all know you have to charge a day if it’s a half day.

I would say it’s around the same cost but the hassle savings are where it’s at. Having complete control of the job.
Big volumetric firm round here used to be dead simple a mini mix rate and an over 4cu rate. I presume bigger discounts on huge pours. Nowadays they have some complicated algorithm where you have to estimate your usage and they give you a quote. It will cost less or more depending on how much you use but not as simple as using 10% less so paying 10% less. With that and them always ticking the "customer requested to add water" box which I've told them to pack in I've gone a bit cold on them now.
 
TiltyShaun

TiltyShaun

Well-known member
Big volumetric firm round here used to be dead simple a mini mix rate and an over 4cu rate. I presume bigger discounts on huge pours. Nowadays they have some complicated algorithm where you have to estimate your usage and they give you a quote. It will cost less or more depending on how much you use but not as simple as using 10% less so paying 10% less. With that and them always ticking the "customer requested to add water" box which I've told them to pack in I've gone a bit cold on them now.
Yep. They have got expensive for delivery of 1m3.
Here you need to take 6m3 to get the “proper rate”. Anything less than makes you wince!!
 
Furniss

Furniss

Well-known member
Screenshot_20221205-224506_Chrome.jpg

I have one of these (older model) without the self load and we used to load it with the mini .... but tbf it was a hit and miss affair...haven't put the mixer on it for years ...but handy if your curbing to track up and put it where you want it.
 
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hiluxman

hiluxman

Well-known member
Who'd of known one question about concrete would spark a page or 2 of debate lol.

I quite Impressed that alot of you mix your own, as said anything over .25 for me is a no. But like wise if we do a large flag laying job then it is all by the mixer. Different situations for different things.
 
Gunners

Gunners

Well-known member
This has been an interesting discussion for sure. 3 years ago I'd have been on the bandwagon that anything over 1m3 was volumetric territory, yes it still cost a little more but the savings in labour and quality of gear was well worth it. Anything more than 3m3 was a no brainer for the voley.
Fast forward to 2022 and with concrete prices where they are at, its made more than a few of us think about the cost effectiveness of mixing our own on smaller loads. I was just this week quoted £130m3 for 4m3 with 65m3 for the part load - so £650 for my 4m3. No volumetric's in the area so not a lot of choice...
Now at 4m3 its tempting to knock my own gear up, but as I want the spec its not really worth it - right on the borderline really for me.
But if I was doing kerbs.... or the access was poor, might be a different story.
Depends on area, depends on the job, but as it stands, the ability to knock your own gear up has come back around as an option. Problem with these small mixer buckets, be they auger mounted or mixing buckets in the own right is quantity. They tie up a machine on mixing duties, you still have the issue with batching correctly and they are expensive. No doubt for the right job they are essential, but for me the best compromise is either knocking up small loads on the floor or in the dumper. The machine can then scoop out of the dumper and feed the kerb brace or slab as required. Bringing another bit of kit on site for this task just doesn't add up for me, even with concrete at the price it is.

And @Giles, I clocked that self feeding trackbarrow based concrete mixer too. Nice bit of kit no doubt, and the ability to be a traditional track barrow too, but really expensive for the problem it solved - a conclusion I think you came to as well.
 
Giles

Giles

Well-known member
This has been an interesting discussion for sure. 3 years ago I'd have been on the bandwagon that anything over 1m3 was volumetric territory, yes it still cost a little more but the savings in labour and quality of gear was well worth it. Anything more than 3m3 was a no brainer for the voley.
Fast forward to 2022 and with concrete prices where they are at, its made more than a few of us think about the cost effectiveness of mixing our own on smaller loads. I was just this week quoted £130m3 for 4m3 with 65m3 for the part load - so £650 for my 4m3. No volumetric's in the area so not a lot of choice...
Now at 4m3 its tempting to knock my own gear up, but as I want the spec its not really worth it - right on the borderline really for me.
But if I was doing kerbs.... or the access was poor, might be a different story.
Depends on area, depends on the job, but as it stands, the ability to knock your own gear up has come back around as an option. Problem with these small mixer buckets, be they auger mounted or mixing buckets in the own right is quantity. They tie up a machine on mixing duties, you still have the issue with batching correctly and they are expensive. No doubt for the right job they are essential, but for me the best compromise is either knocking up small loads on the floor or in the dumper. The machine can then scoop out of the dumper and feed the kerb brace or slab as required. Bringing another bit of kit on site for this task just doesn't add up for me, even with concrete at the price it is.

And @Giles, I clocked that self feeding trackbarrow based concrete mixer too. Nice bit of kit no doubt, and the ability to be a traditional track barrow too, but really expensive for the problem it solved - a conclusion I think you came to as well.
Reality for that 1.2 ton version would be at £20k with mixer and dumper swivel body we’d be like take my money but £18k for base then £7k an option makes it too much. Doubt we’ll see any second hand ones either. That one was going up top of snowden to buikd new restaurant etc up There
 
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