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Issues with the Continuous Mixing of Concrete
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Leon A. Frechette has 20 years experience in construction and home remodeling; he has been involved in tool development and product evaluation. He has authored feature articles in numerous trade magazines on a variety of home repair/remodeling topics. He has written several books, including Build Smarter with Alternative Materials (1999) published by Craftsman Book Company, which deals with alternative materials that can be used to build a home from the ground up. An ongoing project is his web site, www.asktooltalk.com, where individuals can find articles on home improvement, products, tools, reviews, locate manufacturers, and shop at the General Store. His ongoing adventure is "ToolTALK" and "ToolTIPS for Women," live high-energy tool and product demonstration shows featured on the Home & Garden circuit through-out the United States and Canada.

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Q: We are going to start constructing 5 houses (and more later). Is it possible we can produce our own cellular concrete or something similar, cheap, good and sustainable? Can you advice us to find some production method for our own?

A: (Simon Stanfield) The short answer to your question is, yes.  Any of the "top three" of the volumetric manufacturers produce equipment that will do what you ask. My questions to you are this:    What materials do you plan to use?     Do you have a model mix design?     Are there building codes attached to materials production?     Do you have a  production demand (daily, hourly)?     How much can you budget for production? A typical truck mounted mobile concrete mixer with some kind of portable bulk cement storage can cost from $200,000 -- $250,000, U.S. funds.  I have seen too many poorly funded operations try to begin production, only to fail.  You must have consistency and capability built into your equipment to be effective.  The bargain machines do a very poor job and guarantee failure.  Thus, I wonder if five homes would be enough to pay for your investment. Additional consideration should be given to the types of materials you are thinking about.  Are you speaking of "Autoclaved Cellular Concrete," foamed mortar, or a simple "rubble" type of concrete with a lot of air voids in it?  I am using the term "concrete" to cover any hardened material produced by mixing cementitious stuff together. I have the advantage of living in the town where the leading manufacturer of mobile mixers is located.  I can provide introductions and schedule discussions if you would like to pursue this concept further.

 

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I specifically disclaim any warranty, either expressed or implied, concerning the information on these pages. Neither I nor any of the advisor/consultants associated with this site will have liability for loss, damage, or injury, resulting from the use of any information found on this, or any other page at this site. Kelly Hart, Hartworks, Inc.

 

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