Concrete mixer (PTO)

[GT2]

Your going to kill your self trying to pour 10x10's with a 3.5 cuf mixer.
You prolly wont be able to mix and pour fast enough to keep up with the concrete kick.
I poured a hand full of walk ways about 10x2.5' each section. Each section took about 12 to 14 80# bags. If I tipped my 3.5 cuf mixer back a bit I could mix 3 bags at a time, so about 4.5 batches each.
I did the last section in hot weather and the first batches started kicking befor I was done. Made finishing a pain!

Do you have a small batch "u-haul" concrete place near you? Might check it out.

 

[radman1]

My driveway is 14' wide, and 2 midsized cars can barely pass but have to be very close to each other. I wouldn't trust 14' width for most drivers. The problem I see with small pours, is tying each pour into the other. It can be done with rebar and drilling holes into the older slab. If not tied together, they will heave and fall independantly of each other.

 

[mach]

Well, I know its a bunch of work. My goal was to maybe pour 1 or 2 slabs a weekend. To get the larger capacity, I was thinking of getting a PTO mixer, but I have no hydralic cylinders on my tractor, and from what i've read, most folks don't seem to like them.
My next alternative would be a gas or electric mixer. Well its just a driveway, right now my gravels end up in the yard, and me in the mud, especially with all this rain. My driveway is pretty flat, but I have no way of keeping my gravel contained. Long as I level my next slab, off of the previous slab, it should be pretty close. I'll leave 1/2" seams in between each slab for expansion joints.
Sound do-able, pouring 1 to 2 slabs a weekend?

 

[captbluewater]

Does anyone out there own or have used a 3 point hitch pto concrete mixer? Ever since I bought my tractor I have found so many uses for the darn thing it is making my life easier.
Please share your input I was considering buying one but before I shell out the money I want to make sure it works well.
Thanks again for your input.

Alex

I live in Costa Rica where you have to mix your own concrete. I looked at the PTO mixers but remembered what a concrete mixer looks like after being used after awhile. Even if you spray down your tractor with oil before you get started you are still going to end up with concrete all over your tractor. I would look for a used mixer because once you use it once it will always look used.

 

[GT2]

Long as I level my next slab, off of the previous slab, it should be pretty close. I'll leave 1/2" seams in between each slab for expansion joints.
Sound do-able, pouring 1 to 2 slabs a weekend?

I assume you will be using wood for forms? Drill holes in the forms adjacent to the next pour and stick re-bar thru the holes about 12". Then the next pour will be attached to the first, so on and so on.

Buy or rent the biggest mixer you can, You will thank me later!
No way with a 3.5 cuf.

 

[MarkV]

Mach, a 10' x 14' x 4" thick slab is 1.73 yards of concrete. That is 77.85 bags @ 80 lbs per bag of redi mix. At your price of $3.46 per bag it is $269.36 + tax per section. Around here concrete from a truck runs $100 to $125 per yard. At most $250 per section and you don't do the mixing, which is brutal if you have ever done it. The math just doesn't add up to me.

MarkV

 

[jenkinsph]

There is a lot of labor in building a driveway, but do the parts you can do and have the teenagers help you. I would grade and form so that you can add the forms between the sections as you work your way out. Have the precut sections of wire mesh and or rebar to the sides so they can be quickly placed in the form.

Do all the compacting and grading yourself before hand and check your grade carefully. I have a Bomag plate compactor for this purpose but you can rent one for the weekend (Whacker is another good brand too). Ask whoever is going to finish the concrete to inspect the job before you schedule the pour.

Have a concrete finisher and ready mix trucks handle the pour. There is no way you can compete with sack concrete, it is too expensive to consider.

I have an electric mixer, plate compactor, portable gensets, 3pt phd and hyd. phd and forks to move concrete sacks by the pallet. Great for small jobs setting posts and such. No way can I or you compete with large amounts of concrete for large pours.

 

[bjr]

Around here truck mix $85 a yd. and just a bag of Portland cement is $10 and then if you hire out a finisher $1 sqft There's another $1400 for a 14x100 drive. Put in some RR tie borders and some bigger rock and spray the weeds once in a while and keep the gravel drive. I've needed a patio but EVEN when I do the work the materials are astonomical. So we just enjoy the dirt patio. bjr

 

[bucmeister]

I think you need to do some more figuring and getting prices from the truck mix companies and compare it to the bag prices. I believe you will find that the redi-mix is going to cost less delivered ready to pour than what just the bags would cost you for a D-I-Y job.

With the car issues you mentioned I would be considering maybe even a 16' foot wide portion.

 

[Ford850]

Redi-mix has usually been less expensive when I've compared it. You are talking about 2 extremes too. You are comparing a pro doing all the work using redi-mix to you doing the work using hand mixed concrete. The least expensive should be YOU doing all the work but using redi-mix. You could even do 10x10 sections to manage the pours if needed, but having the truck deliver the mix will save you time and money.
By the way, where the heck do you live that your quotes for pouring a 4" slab 10' wide came in at $9 a square foot? I've never heard it going for that much. I think it's around $4 here. My drive was $2sf but that was 5 years ago.
Good luck on which ever method you choose.

Also, on the wider drive... consider an extra turn around in the drive for a car to pull off. Or a 20' wide section half way to the road to give room for a second car to pull over (sort of like a buldge in a snake that has just swallowed a rat). That woul give you a less expensive 10' drive but still have room to pull over when needed.