As mentioned in this previous blog post, AP Pump Saver 195 can be used to lubricate and protect single-component pumps. Now we’ll look at how it can be used in two-component pumps to reduce isocyanate contamination in the lube reservoir.

Recent field tests have proven that AP Pump Saver 195 rejuvenates and restores seals on the A-side of two-component proportioners. Seal deterioration is the main cause of isocyanate leaking into your pump lube reservoir. Healthy seals will stop this contamination. Simply empty your pump lube reservoir and replace the lube or DOP with AP Pump Saver 195.

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A New 3.5 lb Concrete Leveling Foam

AP Lift 435 is a two component, high strength, high density, hydro insensitive structural polyurethane foam. Unconfined density is approximately 3.5 lbs/cubic foot (56 kg/cubic meter).  AP Lift 435 is ideal for concrete leveling, soil stabilization, compaction grouting, and similar types of concrete slab foundation repair.

Advantages

• Traffic ready in 15 minutes.
• High strength.
• Works in wet environments - displaces water.
• Bonds with soil and concrete.
• Closed cell.

Field of Application

• Lifting concrete slabs.
• Stabilizing soil.
• Fracture grouting.
• Deep Lift™

Packaging

• 10 Gallon Unit - Item #: 435-10
• 100 Gallon Unit - Item #: 435-100
• 500 Gallon Unit - Item #: 435-500

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Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article was published under the title Develop Your Competitive Edge. 

In today's fast-paced infrastructure repair market, you need every advantage you can get. At Alchemy-Spetec, the success of your business is our top priority. You gain a significant competitive edge over your competition with access to the widest selection of premium materials and equipment, plus rock-solid reliable technical and marketing support. Our entire company culture is built around ensuring your success in this industry.

Polyurethane – Quality and Selection

Alchemy-Spetec offers one of the most technologically advanced grout product lines currently on the market, We offer a wide variety of leak seal materials, including injection resins for sealing water leaks in cracks, curtain grouting foams for sealing challenging/gushing leaks, acrylic injection resins that penetrate thin cracks and saturate soil, epoxy resins for structural repair and preventative waterstop products. We also offer a wide variety of geotech materials, including slab lifting foams, deep-soil lifting foams, soil stabilization foams,. The superior quality of these materials guarantees fewer callbacks from your customers. Many of these products are also certified for contact with potable water, making them safer for the environment.

Equipment and Accessories Selection

We’re a one-stop-shop for all things polyurethane concrete repair, with one of the most versatile equipment and accessory product lines in the industry. Once you’ve picked out the product that best fits your needs, we can provide it all: pumps, hoses, packers/ports, and specialty accessories.

Tech Support – Experience and Dedication

Do you need technical support? You’re in luck—we’re home to the industry’s premier technical support squad. Averaging decades of experience, we also pride ourselves on being incredibly responsive. For example, our team was once called on to assist with a large metro project in the Western United States. The customer informed us at 4 pm on Monday evening that assistance was needed at 9 am the very next day! Our Technical Services Director, Vice President, and Western Regional Sales Manager traveled to the site Monday evening to help diagnose the location of the leaks and develop an action plan. Our Technical Services Manager remained on site for two more days to ensure that the project was successful. Depending on the size and scope of the project, response time and participating team members may vary, but this story serves to illustrate the lengths we will go to assist customers.

Training and Education

We offer the industry's most thorough training and education for both leak seal and geotech polyurethane infrastructure repair. This includes job site training/consulting, online educational content, and training workshops at distributor locations - not to mention one of the most educational blogs in the industry.

Marketing Support

Our marketing department provides qualified customers with product application illustrations and photos for use on websites, customized brochure PDFs for printing, and truck signage graphics. We also offer the use of our educational videos and animations. Lastly, we’re available for guidance on everything from online lead capture strategies to internet advertising, and more.

We’re Committed to Your Success

The overriding theme here is our commitment to your success. Obviously, this is not totally altruistic in nature.  The more successful you are, the more materials and equipment you buy.  But it is 100% genuine.  Our entire team understands the relationship between YOUR success and OUR success.  This point of view is thoroughly ingrained in our company culture.

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Rigs & Pumps for Polyurethane Slab Lifting

Entry-Level Rig

This rig features a hydraulic PH-2 proportioner. It's in a 16' v-nose trailer and has a gas powered air compressor and generator. We have many contractors with this set up doing everything from residential to D.O.T work.

Mid-Level Rig

This rig can either be a 18' or 20' trailer that happens to be built around the PH-2 proportioner. This setup is made for the contractor who wants stellar results in an affordable price range. This package boasts a 22 KW diesel powered generator and an electric air compressor.

Advanced Level Rig

This rig is similar to the mid-level rig with a larger PH-40 proportioner. These rigs come in 20'-plus size trailers and box trucks. They and are powered by 35 KW Stateline Diesel (John Deere) generator sets and also include electric air compressors. This setup is ideal for larger jobs.

PolyBadger Mobile Lifting Unit

The PolyBadger lifting system is tough and compact. This system is an affordable entry-level option for new contractors, as well as an extremely portable addition to the experienced contractor’s arsenal. The PolyBadger is a lot less expensive than your standard 20 foot trailer rig. The set up is simple and requires minimal equipment. The entire system can easily fit in the back of a pickup truck!

Polyurethane Soil Stabilization & Seawall Repair Pumps

PolyShark Pump for Larger Jobs

Single-Component Geotech Pump Skid
The PolyShark system is a custom pump skid for installation of single-component polyurethane geotech resins. This world-class skid set up is essential for large scale seawall repair, soil stabilization, and void fill projects. The PolyShark includes a gas-powered high-pressure injection pump, two hose reels, and flow meters.

Gas-Powered High-Pressure Injection Pump
A step up for projects that require greater power and output, this custom modified pump is our best-selling gas over hydraulic piston machine, favored by contractors who want to complete large application jobs in record time with high profit margins. The hydraulic ram fluid section is moved front and center in the configuration for easier maintenance and control.

High-Pressure Hose Reels with Stainless Steel Ball Bearings
High-pressure design guarantees durability when used with the high-pressure single-component pump. The construction is completely corrosion resistant and the stainless steel ball bearings, hardware, and manifolds are stronger than the aluminum parts on standard hose reels. The ball bearing-driven hose reels operate smoothly because they contain no bushings. (Bushings easily wear out.)

Flow Meters
Two high-pressure flow meters are capable of recording the exact amount of product pushed through the hose lines. This allows for precision material-use tracking.

Titan 440 Pump for Smaller Jobs

Pumps like the modified Titan IMPACT 440 electric injection pump are ideally suited for residential, property maintenance and small commercial applications.

MixMaster Pro Slab Lifting Gun

The MixMaster Pro was designed based on years of feedback from slab lifting contractors working in the field. Every known point of frustration and difficulty has been addressed in this sturdy, single-purpose gun. Further benefits include a lower cost of consumables (you can reuse ports with this gun), beefy check valves designed to handle the back pressure, and a short 10-minute breakdown/cleaning session at the end of each day. Not to mention the fact that this gun is a production BEAST - no leaky port connections, no fumbling with clamps. Watch your man hours on each project shrink accordingly. Did we mention you’ll have less replacement part orders? There are only a few inexpensive replacement parts on this gun - PERIOD.

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Not too long ago, I visited my customer Melvin Sudbeck’s company, Sudbeck Construction, on a warehouse job. They were called in by the property owner because he had noticed four slabs that were shifting up and scraping against a wall when forklifts crossed them. The crew drilled a couple of preliminary holes in the slabs for diagnostic purposes and discovered voids underneath ranging from 12-18 inches in depth.

The Sudbeck team injected 35 gallons of AP Lift 430 beneath the slabs to stabilize them. This high-strength polyurethane foam provides a solid, reliable, long-lasting base underneath the concrete to prevent future shifting or sinking. These forklifts were larger than your standard model, so it was important to use tough, strong material for stabilization. After the initial four slabs were stabilized, we walked around with the plant manager and a few other employees as they pointed out more unstable concrete that was shifting underneath the weight of these massive forklifts. The workers who had to drive over these rocking slabs said they actually felt jolted when they hit these hazard areas.

We explained to the plant manager that the Sudbeck crew could come back during off-hours and do the rest of this work in a very efficient manner. Since the polyurethane cures quickly, the slabs would be steady and ready when the warehouse staff returned in the morning. Melvin’s crew has since returned and completed the rest of the work successfully. Sudbeck Construction completed all of this work with the tough, compact, PolyBadger mobile slab lifting unit. Small enough to fit into the back of a pickup truck, the PolyBadger was a very smart choice for the job because it could be wheeled inside the warehouse directly to all of the problem areas.

If you’re a property owner in the Omaha area with sunken or unstable slabs, call Sudbeck Construction at 402-306-9506 today!

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Precision Concrete Leveling

A structure is only as good as the foundation it’s built on. Regardless of how well-constructed a structure may be, most foundations settle. That’s just a fact of life. Erosion, shifting soil, compaction, and many other environmental conditions tend to cause settling. These situations create problems for property owners and opportunities for the contractors who know how to fix them.

Sunken concrete slabs can be lifted back into place with Alchemy-Spetec two-component polymer foam designed to work in wet or dry conditions. The expansion force of these concrete leveling foams coupled with the pressure of a specialized pump generate enough controlled force to lift virtually any structure back into position with 1/8” precision.

Watch this video portraying a typical concrete leveling driveway job...

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Whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned veteran, this guide can serve as a simple checklist to keep your equipment and 16-20 foot trailer safe as you travel to your next project.

Give Yourself Plenty of Room to Stop and Turn

When towing a trailer, the distance required to stop is more than most people realize. The amount of space between you and the vehicle in front of you must be doubled if not more compared to driving without a trailer. The same is true with turns. Allow more space than you think you may need between you and any curbs or other vehicles. And don't jackknife the trailer (a turn so sharp that it touches your bumper) as this can cause damage.

Keep Your Trailer Grounded

Winds, downhill grades, and momentum can all lead to trailer swaying. We recommend utilizing a hitch stabilization device to negate some of these effects. You can also release the gas pedal and manually apply the trailer brakes with a brake controller as needed. Your trailer can start swinging back and forth behind you if you are not monitoring your surroundings and speed.

Look Twice While Changing Lanes

Your blind spots significantly increase with a trailer and it’s much harder to make quick lane changes. Give yourself plenty of space and move slowly from one lane to the other after double-checking your blind spots and the positions of surrounding vehicles.

Patience is Key with Passing

You also have to allow more distance and time when passing other vehicles. Give yourself plenty of room to get your vehicle safely up to speed with the trailer in tow. Be patient and remain calm at all times, even when other drivers may impatiently speed up and pass you.

Avoid Blocking Yourself In

Just because you can get in doesn’t mean you can get out. It’s a lot easier to get stuck or blocked in with a trailer than most people realize. Make sure there's plenty of space to make a complete turnaround or choose a spot where you can exit straightaway.

Practice Backing Up with the Trailer

Backing up with a trailer can be counter-intuitive for newbies. New trailer drivers should take some time in a parking lot or other spacious area to practice slowly driving in reverse. You’ll find that you have to turn the steering wheel left in order to move the trailer towards the right and vice versa. For most people it doesn’t feel right at first, so it’s definitely worth practicing in a safe environment.

Perform Regular Maintenance and Carry a Spare Tire

If you have electric brakes on the trailer, be sure to calibrate them so they are receiving the correct amount power. Follow the calibration procedures in your brake controller manual. Check the lug nuts with a lug wrench periodically to make sure they aren't coming loose. Grease the bearings on the axels every 10,000 miles or once a year, whichever comes first. Carry a spare tire, a lug wrench, and a jack that is strong enough to lift your trailer. It's tough to change a tire without the proper equipment.

Stay Alert

The #1 reason people get into accidents is because they are not paying attention, driving faster than they should, or simply lacking foresight. Look further down the road than you normally would because it takes longer to speed up, brake, change lanes, and turn with a trailer. This way you can spot and anticipate problems from a mile away.

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Sunken concrete slabs can be lifted back into place with a standard lifting rig and high-strength polyurethane foam. The expansion force of the concrete leveling foam coupled with the pressure of a specialized pump generate enough controlled force to lift virtually any structure back into position with 1/8” precision.

Alchemy-Spetec offers a variety of slab lifting rig options including:

• V Nose Trailers
• Box Truck Build-Outs
  (Truck not included.)
• Gooseneck Trailers
• Tractor Trailer Build-Outs
  (Truck & trailer not included.)

The demo video below covers the following topics:

• Introduction to Slab Lifting with a Standard Rig
• Drilling Injection Holes
• Preventing Concrete Stains with AP Flush 125
• Testing the Water on the MixMaster Gun
• Doing a Test Shot
• Injecting Polyurethane
• Testing the Injection Hole with Water
• Clearing the Gun Before Removal

Watch the demo video now...

Want more information on lifting slabs with polyurethane?

The Alchemy-Spetec PolyBadger lifting system is tough and compact. This system is an affordable entry-level option for new contractors, as well as an extremely portable addition to the experienced contractor’s arsenal. The PolyBadger is a lot less expensive than your standard 20 foot trailer rig. The set up is simple and requires minimal equipment. The entire system can easily fit in the back of a pickup truck!

The demo video below covers the following topics:

• Introduction to the PolyBadger
• Drilling an Injection Hole
• Preventing Concrete Stains with AP Flush 125
• Injecting Polyurethane
• Cleaning Out the Static Mixer
• Cleaning Up & Shutting Down the System

Watch the demo video now...

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This article, written by guest blogger Mic Ewart (Geotech Go-To and Victorian State Manager of Bayset Specialist Trade Suppliers) profiles a car park slab lifting job completed under a tight deadline. If you're an Alchemy-Spetec customer or distributor, and you'd like to discuss writing content for our blog, please send an email to marketing@alchemy-spetec today!

A car park slab in Sunbury, Victoria (Australia) had settled about 40 mm (1.57 in). This dangerous drop created both trip hazards and litigation risks. Because this property was normally in use five days a week, the client needed very quick turnaround. A tight deadline like this automatically rules out the options of replacing the slab and lifting with cement grout (a.k.a. “mudjacking).

The most efficient repair method for sunken slabs is lifting with polyurethane. The RevivaLift team from RevivaCrete specializes in this method of leveling concrete. In this case, they used the Alchemy-Spetec PolyBadger lifting unit to get the job done. The PolyBadger is a tough, compact pump on wheels that fits easily in the back of a pickup truck if needed. It’s ideal for small to medium projects that need to be completed quickly. RevivaCrete gets their slab lifting supplies & support from Bayset, Australia’s premier specialist trade supplier.

The RevivaLift crew pumped Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 430 high-strength polyurethane foam underneath the slab. With precision technique, they gradually brought it back into place until it was completely level. AP Lift 430 sets up very quickly, reaching 90% full strength in 15 minutes and full cure into a solid mass in less than a day. Once cured, these foams offer thousands of pounds per square foot of support. As soon as the crew is done packing up their equipment, the slab is usually ready for traffic. Needless to say, the property owner was very happy with this fast, efficient, and durable repair.

Want more information on lifting slabs with polyurethane?

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