How common are they elsewhere? We see them every day in this area. I call 'em "concrete cookers", they're like a big thermos and with no steel to absorb and disperse the heat they can make one smoke'n hot load! I know of one local RM company that got rid of the few that they had for the very same reason.

 I felt bad for these fellas, 2 loads ordered, the first one with hot water, the second without. The first mixer was a regular steel drum, the second one was a cooker. They had less than an hour drive time and were 30 minutes apart but the second load was on fire! You know when you can smell how hot it is when it hits the chute? Give it fifty gallons and when I turn the pump on it stays on til he's empty... They had the hot load troweled and sold before I left the job, while the first load laid there bleeding water?

TT,good observation.I tend to run Delvo allot and I mean allot.We do have some here in the Denver area but for the most part steel drums.I heard once cost was a huge factor but allowed them to carry about 1/2 yard more product (booster).Been burned more than once by hot loads,this downturn getting cooler powder.

When ordering mud I put much thought into mix,supplier,distance.Sometimes having an account doesn't mean that much,often paying cod from another.