People buy the MixMaster Pro because they want the most dependable, high production slab lifting gun on the market. Sometimes they can't wait for hands on training and we have to go ahead and ship a gun to a customer we haven't been able to train face to face. To help get you up to speed on the MixMaster Pro, we captured some footage at recent job where I'm using the MixMaster Pro and discussing best practices.
Topics: Equipment & Accessories, All Posts, Lift Slabs
There are contractors that lift the everyday slabs, performing a great service fixing trip hazards, reviving previously unusable floor space, and supporting the investment of the property owner. Then there are slab and foundation lifting contractors who take it to the next level – every opportunity is a challenge to be conquered. The results are often fantastic – people’s entire homes lifted back into place, factories and warehouses returned to life, and countless potential hazards and injuries avoided.
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But first you’ve got to understand one thing; you can’t bring a knife to a gunfight. Expert contractors have to know what is going on at all times. In the picture at the top of this post, you can see a slab that I probably would have not attempted to repair. However, with several tools to help monitor the different pieces of this puzzle, this contractor was able to put it back together again. They say information is power and I am a firm believer in that, especially when it comes to taming jacked up concrete slabs. In the picture you can see three different slabs. Our customer Morgan Helms of Helms Polyfoam (Jackson, MS) is using a ZipLevel, a machinist’s dial indicator, and a putty knife to monitor what each of the slabs is doing.
The MixMaster gun is injecting underneath the slab that he wants to raise.
So what are these different monitoring tools doing? Let’s take a look….
The dial indicator tells him which slab is moving. In the picture, the base of the dial indicator is on the slab that Morgan is injecting under while the dial point is on the slab he doesn’t want to move. It doesn’t really matter how you configure it as long as you understand what the needle movement means. A needle on a machinist dial indicator moves in .001” increments. If the needle on this dial indicator is rising, that would mean the wrong slab is lifting and he knows to stop. If the needle is falling then the slab he is injecting under is lifting, and that’s what he wants.
So what if both slabs are moving equally? In that case the dial indicator would remain stable or fluctuate slightly in both directions. This is where a ZipLevel or a laser transit would come in handy. Morgan has his ZipLevel indicator box (in yellow) on the slab he doesn’t want to move. It will let him know if the slab he doesn’t want to move is lifting so he can stop and re-evaluate what to do next.
One of my favorite tools is the metal putty knife. Slabs often move in increments so small that you can’t detect them visually. If you wedge a putty knife into a crack between two slabs, you will see it wiggle when there’s slight movement. So the putty knife in the picture is on the third section of slab and letting Morgan Helms know what is going on with that piece.You can use other things like string lines, tape measures, and laser transits as well. The point is that real time information is likely to give you a better finished result, and it will also help you avoid making mistakes.
Topics: All Posts, Lift Slabs
Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to assist on a concrete leveling job involving a sunken garage slab. This particular slab had a massive void underneath that needed to be filled before the slab would lift. In just a few hours, we had the void filled and the slab level again.
Quick recap for those who are new to polyurethane slab lifting: Concrete slabs settle due to voids or unstable soil below. By pumping a polyurethane foam through the concrete, you essentially push the concrete slab back up from below. Using polyurethane foam is very cost effective, environmentally friendly, and causes very little downtime.
Check out this incredible time lapse footage our marketing team captured!
Topics: All Posts, Lift Slabs
I recently assisted on a job in which a large void underneath a homeowner’s garage had caused the slab to sink. Our marketing team got some GREAT time lapse footage of the slab lift.
Quick recap for those who are new to polyurethane slab lifting: Concrete slabs settle due to voids or unstable soil below. By pumping a polyurethane foam through the concrete, you essentially push the concrete slab back up from below. Using polyurethane foam is very cost effective, environmentally friendly, and causes very little downtime.
Check out this awesome time lapse footage!
Topics: All Posts, Lift Slabs
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Sunken concrete slabs can be lifted back into place with two-component polyurethane foams designed to work in wet or dry conditions. 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's AP Lift 430, AP Lift 440 and AP Lift 475 are the most dependable foams for jacking and leveling concrete slabs.
Want more information on lifting slabs?
Topics: All Posts, Lift Slabs
The terms hydrophobic and hydrophilic may not mean anything to the average person. But, to a contractor, these terms can mean a world of a difference. Hydro means water while phobic means “to fear” and philic means “to love”. Alchemy-Spetec offers both hydrophobic and hydrophilic polyurethanes, so it is important to be aware of the differences between the two types.
Hydrophobic polyurethanes naturally repel water (similar to the way oil would repel water and stay separate if you were trying to mix them in a glass). These products push water out of the area in question as they expand. Hydrophobics are used with catalysts which allow you to adjust the set time. They also have zero shrinkage after curing.
Check out these hydrophobic polyurethanes:
Hydrophilic polyurethanes naturally mix with water before curing (similar to the way gin and tonic mix thoroughly in a glass). This characteristic allows for a very strong chemical and mechanical bond, as water helps pull the material into the pores of the concrete. These products do not require a catalyst. You can pump them straight out of the pail.
Check out these hydrophilic polyurethanes:
Don't get caught in the trap of oversimplifying hydrophilic vs. hydrophobic. There are varying degrees of each (see chart below for more information on how this is measured) .
Some hydrophilic materials will keep absorbing water (10-15 times their original volume). Others (such as our AP Seal 500) only absorb as much water as is necessary for their reaction and then they reject the rest. Yes, hydrophilic gels will shrink like crazy in the absence of water, but the AP Seal 500 won't. It is completely safe to use in a dry environment.
Topics: All Posts, Lift Slabs, Seal Leaks, Stabilize Soil
Needless to say, there's been an abundance of content posted on this blog lately. This week we'll round up the best content from our 3 post popular topics: Lifting Slabs, Stabilizing Soil and Sealing Leaks. You may or may not have missed some of these posts the first time around. Regardless, it's always helpful to pause and review this information in order to process it more thoroughly. Today's focus is lifting and stabilizing slabs. Here are three essential recent posts...
Structural Polyurethane Foams For Hurricane SeasonBy Andy Powell
Per usual, meteorologists predicted a higher than average degree of activity for this year. It’s easy to pile on the pressure for accuracy from the weather people, but last year they accurately predicted and tracked two storms that affected our coasts.
Hurricane Matthew and tropical storm Hermine both caused significant damage in the gulf and on the east coast. Matthew especially caused a tremendous amount of flooding as opposed to wind damage because of the way it tracked parallel to the coast for so long before making landfall.
By Andy Powell
Sunken concrete slabs can be lifted back into place with our two-component polymer foam designed to work in wet or dry conditions. 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. Polyjacking and concrete lifting can be accomplished at a fraction of the cost and time required for replacement using our AP Lift series of resins.
Click here to read more and watch an excellent demo video...
By Andy Powell
Eroded soil and voids underneath a structure can result in settlement and damage to the structure. These dangerous voids can be filled with high strength polyurethane foam that supports up to 14,000 pounds per square foot. The video in the linked article shows the stabilization of the back half of a residence resting on nothing but its frame and thin air.
Click here to read more and watch the video...
Topics: All Posts, Lift Slabs
A few weeks ago, the start of "hurricane season" was officially recognized. Per usual, meteorologists predicted a higher than average degree of activity for this year. It’s easy to pile on the pressure for accuracy from the weather people, but last year they accurately predicted and tracked two storms that affected our coasts.
Hurricane Matthew and tropical storm Hermine both caused significant damage in the gulf and on the east coast. Matthew especially caused a tremendous amount of flooding as opposed to wind damage because of the way it tracked parallel to the coast for so long before making landfall.
Thanks to meteorologists, the death toll from those storms were kept to a minimum. If you didn't know, water and flooding are responsible for 88-90% of deaths from hurricanes. The worst on record being the Galveston hurricane of 1900 where between 6,000 and 12,000 perished. The property damage, however, is unavoidable no matter what the time period.
Last year after the hurricanes, we saw scouring/erosion underneath building footings and parking lot slabs. We saw stairways undermined, as well as historical buildings with huge voids underneath them. Not to mention, roadways, sidewalks, marinas, and infrastructure equally impacted from erosion of soil. A few of the contractors we work with were hired to do void filling underneath some of these buildings, but in a lot of cases these repairs are not addressed immediately - leaving a lot of the market still open.
The AP Lift series of structural polyurethane foams can be used to fill voids caused by scouring, to support suspended slabs by preventing further damage from settling, and to lift concrete that has sunken due to erosion from water. Not only can these products be applied rapidly, they can be pumped into places other products like concrete can’t reach. Displacing water as they react, and having the ability to support loads within 15 minutes, polymers are ideal for these types of repairs. Additionally, polymers are the only product you can shoot under an overhanging slab or footing that will expand and fill up completely.
If you call on people from FEMA or other local emergency management agencies this year, or insurance companies for that matter, let them know there is a solution that is readily available, permanent, and can prevent further damage from occurring to an undermined structure. We can assist with preparing and giving presentations in many cases. Just give us a call at 404-618-0438.
Topics: All Posts, Lift Slabs
In this post I'll provide an overview of the concrete repair equipment that we offer, including slab lifting pumps, crack injection pumps, air compressors and accessories.
PMC plural component proportioners are used to inject AP two-component structural polyurethane foams for slab lifting and soil stabilization. Rugged and dependable, these pumps utilize relays and circuit breakers instead of circuit boards, vastly increasing reliability and preventing maintenance problems. Read more...
Modified for injecting Alchemy-Spetec leak seal and soil stabilization resins, the world-class Titan pumps we offer are essential tools for sealing both small and gushing leaks as well as filling voids behind and below structures. Read more...
The FS Curtis series of air compressors we offer are the go to choice for powering your PMC drum pumps and air powered proportioners. Dedicated to their customers, this brand name is synonymous with legendary reliability. Read more...
We also manufacture an injection gun designed specifically for slab lifting. It is custom built to handle back-pressure. For detailed information, read this blog post: MixMaster Pro- The Reliable Slab lifting Gun.
Accessories
See the table below for an overview of additional acessories we offer...|
Button Head Fittings Designed for high volume flow of lubricant and provide a smooth working surface for easy coupler engagement & removal. |
Flush Wand Use this essential tool to flush concrete dust from the holes you have drilled for crack injection. |
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Packers For injection of chemical grouts into stable or deteriorating concrete for a professional result. |
Hammer In Ports For injection of chemical grouts into new or stable concrete. |
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Couplers Provides an airtight seal when paired with packers or hammer-in ports. |
Oakum Seals cracks and slows down gushing water during leak repair. Oakum can be used alone or in combination with AP Seal 500. |
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High Pressure Crack Injection Valves Control resin flow at the point of injection and turn an airless sprayer into an injection pump. |
Topics: Equipment & Accessories, All Posts, Lift Slabs, Seal Leaks, Stabilize Soil
Think you can use a spray foam insulation gun for slab lifting? Well think again. If you've tried it, you know insulation guns become an expensive proposition with the constant need for replacement parts. They're also tedious to use, which can slow down production. And they often leak foam at the port when used for slab lifting. This is why we designed a gun specifically for the slab lifting industry.
The MixMaster Pro slab lifting gun is built to last. It easily handles back pressure and has a leak proof port connection. It boasts an efficient design with minimal replacement parts. With an average cleaning time of 10 minutes, this gun is designed for ease of use. Spend less time repairing and cleaning your gun, and more time pumping foam!
Topics: All Posts, Lift Slabs
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