Yeah it's that time of year again. Concrete being batched with hot water not only means it's going set up faster but it's also going to loosen alot of build up in the mixer drums. Most of which will hopefully end up on our hopper grates but alot of it will end up in plugged & packed off reducers! 

 In case your not sure how or why this happens dont blame the mixer driver when your pump gags on a chunk of fin shaped build up. When that hot mud gets dropped into a cold mixer drum the metal expands and off comes the build up on the fins and interior of the drum. Just like taking a cutting torch to a piece of steel with concrete on it  >POP!<  the concrete comes off.

 Just something to keep in mind when we back in a load with steam billowing out of the assend. Especially when reducing to smaller hose! Keep a finger on the trigger and dont choke the driver when the pump grunts & gags!     Pump On!

Fin fish season already,oh joy,now to find my pole.

14 degrees at 8:15 am tis the season so soon:(

Pennies from heaven,getting ready for my second round.

For this 2 day storm, expect Wednesday daytime snow in Denver around 4-8 more inches, 2-4 for the evening and more snow for Thursday.

Have a mesh that I lay on top of the grate that I use for the first 2-4 weeks of hot mud season, made from rebar running across the hopper grate.
Or if you don't want to cut and weld rebar you could borrow some of your neighbours fence...

 Actually it is partly the drivers fault or, so one of my best drivers told me. He said it was becuase they didnt do their end of day cleaning well enough. I use my tapered hose till I start seeing less in the fin chaff area.

 Of course. Mixer drivers are are partially to blame for every single piece that's ever plugged a pump!

 Who else are we to cuss under our breath as we head towards the pump for the hammer?

I do this each winter and you have to run the vibrator but it has saved my butt more than one time and I only zip tie it on to the grate that way you can raise it when cleaning

WOW,that is one clean hopper

 Nice, Looks cool too, I like the cut to fit. I had a piece of chain link for a long time that had a black coating of some sort. I've tried galvinized but it just dont work the same, even tried painting over it.

 Maybe I'll try and stretch it out tight like yours see if the mud gets through it any easier?

 Jus think Zman, You might have ended up with a hopper like this!