Making concrete from crusher run?

[Hay Dude]

I always ordered transit mix truck then add a little water to make it runnier so it would make it’s way to the bottom cells, then vibrate or tap the block to settle.

 

[paulsharvey]

Pump mix is typically used, and has smaller rock. Around here, CMU filled cells are almost always pumped. Lifting buckets up scaffolding isn't a lot of fun.

 

[Hay Dude]

Pump mix is typically used, and has smaller rock. Around here, CMU filled cells are almost always pumped. Lifting buckets up scaffolding isn't a lot of fun.

We would sometimes order 1/2” stone.

 

[paulsharvey]

45-70; are there any "short batch" guys around or micro plants that rent a 1 or 1.5 cy tow behind ready mix trailer? There used to be a local lumber yard that did, but they closed 10 years ago. Now, about 1 hr north there is a small rental place that does. Closer, there is a guy that will deliver 1 yard in a ready mix trailer. It's expensive per CY; like $200+; but if you need less than 6 yards, it can be cheaper then playing the short load fees, delivery fees, environmental fees, ect of a full sized ready mix truck.

I've never used this company, just because of logistics; it's 1 hour away, and there is like a $60/hr fee for every hour after the 1st that you have it. So, in my case, by the time I got it home, it would need poured quickly, cleaned, and returned, maybe 1 hour later. Mean time, who is bull floating, edging, ect.

 

[4570Man]

45-70; are there any "short batch" guys around or micro plants that rent a 1 or 1.5 cy tow behind ready mix trailer? There used to be a local lumber yard that did, but they closed 10 years ago. Now, about 1 hr north there is a small rental place that does. Closer, there is a guy that will deliver 1 yard in a ready mix trailer. It's expensive per CY; like $200+; but if you need less than 6 yards, it can be cheaper then playing the short load fees, delivery fees, environmental fees, ect of a full sized ready mix truck.

I've never used this company, just because of logistics; it's 1 hour away, and there is like a $60/hr fee for every hour after the 1st that you have it. So, in my case, by the time I got it home, it would need poured quickly, cleaned, and returned, maybe 1 hour later. Mean time, who is bull floating, edging, ect.View attachment 1346757

Nobody runs anything like that around here. The regular concrete trucks will bring small loads but a delivery fee applies. Even the full size loads are nearly $200 a yard after all fees are paid.

 

[paulsharvey]

I have tried to talk Ace Hardware into it, I think the larger local Ace could do very well doing these small loads. My closest Ace is a larger store, selling everything from well pumps, ammo, feed, lizards/snakes/fish, and of coarse building supplies/tools/hardware.

Some of our bit more distant Ace stores are just the outdoor furniture, and potted plants...

 

[4570Man]

I have tried to talk Ace Hardware into it, I think the larger local Ace could do very well doing these small loads. My closest Ace is a larger store, selling everything from well pumps, ammo, feed, lizards/snakes/fish, and of coarse building supplies/tools/hardware.

Some of our bit more distant Ace stores are just the outdoor furniture, and potted plants...

How are they loading those small mixers? I have a skid steer mixer that works well but you have to load it by hand which kinda sucks. I suppose you could use the skid steer to mix the gravel and sand on the ground then scoop it and add the Portland by hand but if I was mixing a quantity where that method would really work I’d just call a truck. When I use that mixer I’ve always just used bagged concrete but it’s went up to like $7 a bag.

 

[paulsharvey]

How are they loading those small mixers? I have a skid steer mixer that works well but you have to load it by hand which kinda sucks. I suppose you could use the skid steer to mix the gravel and sand on the ground then scoop it and add the Portland by hand but if I was mixing a quantity where that method would really work I’d just call a truck. When I use that mixer I’ve always just used bagged concrete but it’s went up to like $7 a bag.

I'm pretty sure they have like a 5 yard sand and 5 yard #57 stone hopper, and I'm not sure it's manual Portland bags, 94# at a time, or if they have a hopper with a dryer. It's a really compact batch plant

 

[paulsharvey]

Here is a place that sells the whole plant set up, and I think the towable redimix trailers too

 

[4570Man]

Here is a place that sells the whole plant set up, and I think the towable redimix trailers tooView attachment 1347889

I could see owning something like that if your business involved a lot of small pours. I think a short delivery charge is $200. How much could you save renting that especially considering the time required to get it, wash it and return it? It also looks like it only dumps straight out the end. At least when you pay the $200 delivery it gets placed with the truck.

 

[paulsharvey]

Around here, it's hard to get them to deliver less than 6 yards, and there when the whole aggregate shortage made it hard to get concrete, if they would deliver less than 6 yards, they made you pay for 6 yards...

Those kinda setups are good for a few panels of sidewalk, home owner stuff, or a 9 ft x 9 ft shed pad.

Even bigger jobs will have a few things like replacing broken curb or broken sidewalks.

But, as you pointed out, it is really only worth it as the customer if it's pretty dang local.

 

[not2old]

Concrete needs clean sand. It's usually washed first. I don't know the process but there's tons of river sand available cheap in Vancouver, B.C. and they haul in other sand for concrete. Bricklayers are also very particular about it.
I used one of those rental trailers once to do about two yards or less. Decided it's not worth the savings. When we needed a lot of concrete for fence posts, I'd bring a couple of yards of navyjack (sand and gravel mixed at the yard for concrete) and bags of portland cement. We'd mix it in 5 gallon pails with a home made mixer like a drywall paddle but smaller.

 

[BnRidge]

When I use that mixer I’ve always just used bagged concrete but it’s went up to like $7 a bag.

$2.57/60lb here.
Comes out to $150/yd

 

[paulsharvey]

$2.57/60lb here.
Comes out to $150/yd

View attachment 1349139

Dont know about Menards, but I avoid quikcrete from Rural King and other "farm" places, as it's often sat there for many months, and you'll get a lot of half hard bags.

Home Depot has like 15% off per bag when you buy the entire pallet; I think Lowes makes you buy two pallets to get the bulk discount. I have also had Home Depot want to charge me a $15 pallet deposit. I told them, then instead of setting whole pallet on trailer, yall can stack each bag; they waved the pallet fee...

 

[4570Man]

$2.57/60lb here.
Comes out to $150/yd

View attachment 1349139

$5.11 at Lowe’s and that’s after the whole pallet 10 percent discount. Like someone else mentioned they usually charge a pallet deposit too.

 

[BnRidge]

A couple months ago price was almost $6. I checked today and thought if it's under $4 time to move on it. $2.57 even better so picked up 40 bags.
I just read the fine print - Menards will knock off an additional $.03 for volume pricing. Huh.

 

[paulsharvey]

Looks like Home Depot is $4.48/60#; but I'm sure that varies store to store

 

[mjonesnh]

3.88 for 50 lb. and 5.98 for 80 lb local Lowes. 10% off with bulk purchase

 

[paulsharvey]

A couple months ago price was almost $6. I checked today and thought if it's under $4 time to move on it. $2.57 even better so picked up 40 bags.
I just read the fine print - Menards will knock off an additional $.03 for volume pricing. Huh.

That's really pretty good at $154.20/CY; but also a lot of work. Those new "Muddmixer" mixers look like they make it easier/faster, but there is no getting around it still being a lot of work.

 

[not2old]

$2.57/60lb here.
Comes out to $150/yd

View attachment 1349139

over $9.00 here at Home Depot.