New foundation

[Robert_in_NY]

I am going to have my computer reloaded so this will be my last post for a few days. I do not mind the questions as that is one reason I posted the pics is so others can see this project and either learn some things or even help me learn some things I don't know which is a lot. I like these types of jobs because it is something different and all the foundations we have done are always different.

The pumper can pump 50 yards an hour, it is a nice setup and very smooth. There is no reduction at the end of the hose and the concrete just plops out the end of the hose. It does weigh a lot and the one picture you can see we have the hose hooked to a hoist to help carry some of the weight but the end of the hose makes you work to move it. It would probally have been easier to use on a simpler pour but with our forms and what we had to walk on made it difficult to use but it was easier then trying to get a wheelbarrow down into the hole so it was the only way to go. We hired Stone Concrete pumping out of Warren, PA and he charged a minimum 4 hour fee. There is also a transport charge from when they leave their place and then they charge per yard. I do not remember all the prices but I can give you their number if you are interested in learning more. I think they have 6 pumper trucks and 4 trailer pumpers and are very easy to work with. We are probally going to use them on some of the other pours to finish the job here and on any other pours where we may need them. If you have the place to work they can have two trucks empty into the pump at the same time so it is quite fast. We only had one at a time because of having to work around the forms. The trucks were spaced out every 15 minutes which worked quite well except for the third truck running a little late. It was a lot of fun and if we didn't have the pump there would probally have been there all day finishing the pour. Take care.

[RonL]

Robert

Thanks for the reply. I've been looking for someone that has had experience with these units.

RonL

[Robert_in_NY]

This is after the first forms are removed.

[Robert_in_NY]

Lower floor formed and ready to pour.

[Robert_in_NY]

Lower floor poured.

[Robert_in_NY]

Walls formed and partially braced.

[RobS]

That's quite a foundation going in. I can't remember if you told us, do you know what kind of equipment will be sitting atop it eventually?

There is a machine shop in a town not far from here that does work for Caterpillar... the REALLY big stuff. A guy at work used to work there. He tells me they have a boring mill with a bed that you can drive a semi on. In fact they do, to load and unload the material. We drove by there the other day and there was a semi sitting outside with FEL arms from an extremely large loader. The arms took up the whole length of a drop deck trailer. Nicely painted yellow and everything [img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[rf33]

Not really the same, but I remember seeing structual specs for a similar foundation for the Micro-Kelvin lab at the University of Florida. This structure is really isolated from vibrations (it is 7 floors underground), and EMF, and just about everything which might generate heat. The purpose of the lab is to try to get down as close to absolute zero as possible, and the lengths to which they went to isolate this structure from any vibrations were really quite amazing.

As to the concrete pumps, if you think that the trailer versions are nice, you should try one of the boom trucks. They really take all of the fight out of pouring concrete. Still have to fight with finishing it, but the pouring becomes a walk in the park. No more fighting with a hose that is really heavy, and can tend to throw you around when/if you get a surge of concrete. The boom truck looks somewhat like a cherry picker truck, but the boom has steel pipe running along it, and they can reach out around 100'. You attach a 10' or so long piece of flexible pump hose to the end of the boom, and the driver keeps the boom pretty much above where you are pouring, and you can direct the flex hose to put the concrete where it is needed. These things are a real life saver when pouring big foundations. (I helped my father pour some 100+ yard foundations for large homes in Florida... That would be alot of trips with the wheelbarrow[img]/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif[/img])

[RobS]

<font color=blue>As to the concrete pumps, if you think that the trailer versions are nice, you should try one of the boom trucks. </font color=blue>

You mean like this...



I see these things every now and then and am always in awe. Wonder how much it costs to rent [img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Robert_in_NY]

The boom truck wouldn't fit thru the door we were working thru so we had to settle with the pumper trailer.