Alan:
It would be worth your time to investigate the cost of having a premix
truck deliver the concrete to your site and dump it into the excavation.
The small, on-site electric or gas-powered mixers aren't intended to mix and
pour large batches as you describe. They're mainly for mixing small pours
where the concrete will be used for thin patio slabs, or for mortar for
brick facades.
Even if you could mix quickly enough, you'd only be able to transport a
wheelbarrow at a time. It would likely take you half a day to mix and place
the material. If you use a premix truck, it'll take you an hour and five
minutes (five minutes to order it by phone and one hour to dump and place
it.)
Plus your physical labor, which will not be insignificant, is required
for the on-site mixing and placement.
Plus how do you know you've got the mix (4000 pound) correct? (Same
could be said for commercial concrete, I suppose.)
Plus you have to go get the mixer, wheelbarrow, bags, sand, aggregate,
etc. And maybe go get MORE bags, sand, aggregate, etc.....
Plus your physical labor to load and unload the bags, sand, aggregate,
etc.
Plus...... (You get the picture.)
At the end of the day, you might not really be saving much $$, and you
certainly will not be saving any time mixing the concrete yourself. FWIW.
73 de
Gene Smar AD3F
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan NV8A (ex. AB2OS)" <nv8a@att.net>
To: "towertalk reflector" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 9:19 AM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Mixing your own concrete?
> The spec. for the foundation for the tower I intend to put up (AN
> Wireless 60' Light Duty) at this location (80mph winds) calls for close
> to 10 cu. yds. of 4000lb concrete.
>
> How many bags of premixed concrete is that? (They are sold by weight
> rather than by finished volume). Is the stuff in bags up to that
> strength, and is it possible to mix that quantity quickly enough (even
> with an electric- or gasoline-powered mixer) to avoid having the
> first-poured stuff set already before the last lot is mixed and placed?
> I've worked in testing laboratories for construction projects, and I
> know how important it is for concrete to be poured within a certain
> period of time, or for the structure to be designed for discontinuous
> pouring.
>
> Alan NV8A
> _______________________________________________
>
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather
Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
|