New type of ready mix lorry?

[AlCapone]

Or maybe not
In this week’s local paper there’s an advert from a firm that supplies aggregates and decorative stone and ready mix but not in a conventional rotating barrel type lorry
Claims that you pay only for what is used and mix can be calibrated on machine
So there must be hopper for sand and gravel and separate container for cement
How are contents mixed
I am not really familiar with ready mix other than I worked at shed building firm 40 years ago
I remember when concrete walls were made using shuttering more concrete had to be ordered than needed as walls had to be filled on one go and spare would be used elsewhere on the site
Expensive way of doing it but it was only way according to boss

 

[Wesley]

Volumetric concrete mixer. Yes three hoppers & a water tank. Its measured out depending what mix is required onto a conveyor belt & fed into an auger on the back that mixes it as it feeds out.

 

[David.]

I'd be interested to know if they make a sufficiently consistent mix for structural engineering projects.
CYO Seeds run one out of their Lutterworth depot, but I personally think the system is better suited to messing about jobs, odd bits, etc, rather than say a big floor or a yard slab.
@RWG Contracts
Interested to hear your opinion.

 

[ffukedfarmer]

I'd be interested to know if they make a sufficiently consistent mix for structural engineering projects.

@Loading shovel is the man to ask

 

[Cotlandfarmer]

In my experience volumetric concrete is fine for small jobs, imo it wouldn't be up to standard/ specification for say a silage pit, slurry lagoon or yard with regular heavy traffic.

 

[Wesley]

I'd be interested to know if they make a sufficiently consistent mix for structural engineering projects.
CYO Seeds run one out of their Lutterworth depot, but I personally think the system is better suited to messing about jobs, odd bits, etc, rather than say a big floor or a yard slab.
@RWG Contracts
Interested to hear your opinion.

All of the concrete for this was from a volumetric mixer. They were based a mile from our farm & were charging less than any of the other main concrete firms around us. They could get a bit over 10 cube on the lorry. Was actually some nice stuff. Only real issue was it takes longer to unload compared to standard concrete lorries.

 

[Wooly]

Like these ?

Haven't they been around for years

 

[Doing it for the kids]

They are good for small jobs, used them a lot with no issues.

They can carry 13-14m3 I think.

Mixing is indeed up the rear spout that’s only 2 m long but the product seems to do the job.

Good for awkward corners too as they can raise it up over walls and stuff

 

[Nearly]

Readymix wagon drivers tend to be self employed and paid by the load so always in a rush.
Volumetric drivers are paid by the hour so are more patient and eager to please.
Been using them about 6 years, shed post holes and small foundations. Pumped floor screeds in cottages were readymix lemons but they knew it wasn't just a standard pour.

 

[br jones]

They are good for small jobs, used them a lot with no issues.

They can carry 13-14m3 I think.

Mixing is indeed up the rear spout that’s only 2 m long but the product seems to do the job.

Good for awkward corners too as they can raise it up over walls and stuff

8 cube max ,weight is an issue otherwise
Around 30 ton if carrying enough to mix 8 cube ,

 

[Wesley]

8 cube max ,weight is an issue otherwise
Around 30 ton if carrying enough to mix 8 cube ,

Volumetric mixers have different weight limits compared to standard lorries. Which is why they can carry more.

 

[Nearly]

Volumetric mixers have different weight limits compared to standard lorries. Which is why they can carry more.

I think these limits are being brought into line. Everyone has just bought new wagons to avoid the lower weights coming in?

 

[Blue.]

Volumetric mixers have different weight limits compared to standard lorries. Which is why they can carry more.

Had.
They also used to use red diesel,not anymore.

 

[Wesley]

I think these limits are being brought into line. Everyone has just bought new wagons to avoid the lower weights coming in?

I think they tried lowering them before but gave a temporary extension. I know the company we used bought a new lorry a couple years ago but it had to be a smaller size due to the new rules. It was 38t & a bit.

 

[Bongodog]

Our local volumetric mixer company has an extension on the mixing auger giving approx 5 metre reach, way more than a drum mixer, their concrete must be ok as they have 20 vehicles on the road

 

[Tom8400]

No one find them dusty horrendous things then? You're trying to level concrete and your stood in a cloud of dust, worst still is using them for footings or plinths undercover won't be doing that again. Only time I can see advantage is if you only need a couple of cube any more than that then find a firm with a 3cube premixer better concrete with no dust

 

[Doing it for the kids]

No one find them dusty horrendous things then? You're trying to level concrete and your stood in a cloud of dust, worst still is using them for footings or plinths undercover won't be doing that again. Only time I can see advantage is if you only need a couple of cube any more than that then find a firm with a 3cube premixer better concrete with no dust

Who were you using, few round us, some very good others less so!

 

[flinty123]

Always found the volumetric to come up with a higher quantity of concrete used, opposed to what we calculated.

Whereas , when using the companies with traditional mixers, what we calculated is usually accurate.

The local groundworks companies usually use the drum mixers, as they believe the batching will be correct and less chance of failure?

 

[HarryB97]

Good for small jobs or if you want different mixes but the quality of the mix is not nearly as good as a proper pre mix lorry. Normally a fair bit dearer as well.

 

[Macsky]

Been one operating around here for years, haven’t heard any complaints on quality, and you would if there were. I suspect the quality of product depends a lot on the quality of the operator.