GManBart
Elite Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2012
- Messages
- 4,976
- Location
- Detroit, Michigan
- Tractor
- Massey Ferguson 241, Kubota SVL90-2
I had delays far worse than a flat tire happen, and never had concrete set up in the barrel. On big jobs, we'd often have to wait an hour+ to offload, because there was a line of trucks, and it was never a problem. There were times it was even longer than that...2-3 hours wasn't unheard of. The key is to turn the barrel slowly (fast builds up friction/heat), and to give it a little shot of water periodically. If they knew there was going to be a long delay, they'd add a chemical to slow the process, but it was expensive, and they used it as little as possible.
I don't recall seeing tanks as small as 100gal, but I guess it's possible. The smallest I recall were 150gal, and that was the exception....most of the trucks I drove had 250gal tanks. We used to mix to about a 3" slump before leaving the yard, so adding even 100gal would make it pretty soupy (varies with the exact concrete mix, of course), and enough to keep it setting up for quite some time.
The fins would always get some buildup, over time, but it was usually lower in the barrel, and depended on how careful the driver was. I was always picky about it, but with some drivers they'd have to do a little jackhammer work maybe once a year to knock off a few chunks here and there. The same thing would happen with the outside of the barrel. Lazy drivers would have concrete dust hardened all over the outside of the barrel, and good drivers wouldn't....go figure!
