Masonry Magazine March 2012 Page. 26
MIXERS, PUMPS AND DELIVERY SYSTEMS
A mechanic has to spend a half-day removing the drum on the mixer to replace seals or bearings. Mixer companies are building mixers with the bearing points away from the pivot points, so bearings and seals can be replaced in minutes instead of hours. Some mixers are designed with the bearings and seals separated from one another, so when the seals leak, they do not leak directly into the bearings. This avoids damaging the bearings and the shaft, should the seals begin to leak.
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READER SERVICE #173
The New Improved Quikpoint Drill-Mate Mortar Gun.
★ Tuckpointing
★ Paving
★ Stonework
★Tile
★Thin Brick
★Cultured Stone
★Steel Casements
★All types of masonry joints
Melvin Mancia (Mason Forman Job: The John Winthrop School, Dorchester, Ma.
Just scoop mortar into the three quart capacity hopper, pull the trigger on the drill and a continuous controlled bead of mortar can be applied, up to five times faster than conventional pointing methods, to any masonry application.
Quikpoint, Inc. 23 B Bradford St., Concord, Ma. 01742 USA Phone: 978-371-3267 Fax: 978-371-2202 Toll Free USA: 800-365-2202 Web: www.quikpoint.com E-Mail: sales@quikpoint.com
Product Watch
Save on High-Rise Block Fill Labor
Blastcrete Equipment Co.'s Mason Mate was designed primarily for high-rise block fill applications, as well as concrete repair and underground shotcrete for mining and tunneling applications. The unit features Blastcrete's D3522 hydraulic squeeze pump, a high-shear continuous mixer and an optional, 1,000-pound capacity bag lifter. Designed to increase material delivery time, the Mason Mate provides a significant time-and labor-saving solution on the jobsite.
Mason Mate is designed to be a fast, efficient, one-man solution. Rather than mixing material and water offsite, then transporting the blended material with telehandlers to be installed, the Mason Mate is able to perform the entire process from start to finish, right on the jobsite, and requires just one operator. The unit saves valuable time by being operated onsite and in close proximity to the mason, while also eliminating the need for several pieces of large, equipment, wheelbarrows and "bucket brigades" consisting of multiple laborers.
Featuring a compact design, the Mason Mate easily fits in the back of a pickup truck or in a freight elevator, and can operate within an eight-foot ceiling. Furthermore, the compact design allows easy maneuverability with a pallet jack and placement with a telescoping forklift or crane.
Mason Mate includes a two-inch, hydraulic squeeze pump with variable speed up to six cubic yards per hour, and a high-shear continuous mixer for increased speed and shorter mixing time. The unit is capable of pumping 3/8-inch aggregate mixes at 450 psi pumping pressure. To relieve pressure build-up clogs and eliminate potential damage to the pump, the Mason Mate's D3522 can be run in both forward and reverse. Hydraulic controls for the pump, mixer and re-mixer are located on the operator's control dash.
Mason Mate's primary wear part, the rubber pumping tube, can be replaced easily on the jobsite in about 20 minutes. Clean-up on the squeeze pump is fast and hassle free, using just water and a sponge ball and taking only five minutes.
A 29-hp Kubota water-cooled diesel is standard. The Mason Mate also is available with either a 35-hp Briggs & Stratton gasoline engine or 30-horsepower electric motor with starter and disconnect. Learn more at www.blastcrete.com.
Loading by shovel versus silo or skid steer
ON HIGH-PRODUCTION JOBS, loading mixers by hand is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Therefore, most commercial contractors use silos to load their mixers. Other contractors are using skid steer loaders and loading with measuring buckets that dump sand directly into mixers. Both methods save a ton of labor versus loading by the traditional shovel-loading method.
Finding your mixer
EACH MIXER has its place in the market, serving a specific need. When looking for your next mixer, consider the price tag answer the rent-versus-own question as it pertains to your financial situation; and then go one step further consider the life cycle costs of the models you are comparing, along with the sizes and types of jobs you do. Once you have carefully calculated and weighed the risks and options, you can confidently make the best possible call for your personal circumstance. IMAS
Damian Lang is owner of EZ Grout Corp., www.ezgrout.com.