Curb and Gutter Machines

[CM1995]

These machines still amaze me even though I have seen them operate many times. These guys are subcontractors that do all of our curb, gutter and inlet top work.

It took 1 day to string the lines and grade the subbase, which they did earlier in the week. They started at 6:00am, poured about 3500 LF of curb and were loading the machine up on the lowboy at 12:30.

[CM1995]

A pic of the finished product. I knew better than to do this but don't take your dog with you to the jobsite when there is fresh poured curb on the ground.LOL:o

[PSDF350]

I like that, comes out nice.

[wrenchbender]

Well I've been around and worked on a lot of stuff but I ain't never got to see one of these in action before. Thanks for posting the pics BTW that is a lot of concrete in 6 & 1/2 hours no coffe break huh?

[CM1995]

Well I've been around and worked on a lot of stuff but I ain't never got to see one of these in action before. Thanks for posting the pics BTW that is a lot of concrete in 6 & 1/2 hours no coffe break huh?

Hope you get to see one in action it's pretty darn neat. I have never put a stop watch on it to see how many LF per minute they can do but it's fast. Next pour we have I will find out.

Thanks PSDF350.

[Wulf]

That's great stuff CM1995 real interesting... I don't know much about paving... any idea who invented that process and is that technique replacing preformed concrete curbing?

[CM1995]

That's great stuff CM1995 real interesting... I don't know much about paving... any idea who invented that process and is that technique replacing preformed concrete curbing?

Thanks Wulf
I don't know who invented it but the machine they were using was made by Miller Formless. Probably Gomaco is the largest manufacturer of slip form machines.

Are you refering to precast curb or hand formed curb? We will hand form small curb jobs like commercial buildings and small parking lots. As far as precast curbs I don't know if I have ever seen them used around these parts, although I have seen them in Europe. On subdivision jobs the slip form method is far superior to anything else. Down here in the south we don't have to worry about frost heave so the curb can be poured continuous with expansion joints troweled in. Is it any different in the colder climates to the north?

[pushcat]

Those self-propelled curb mules are sweet. The one I used to run we had to set paver forms and it would ride on them. It would still slipform the curb itself though. Some curb mules have a trimmer on the front before the slipform. Just leave the grade a little high and it augers the extra material to the side. Saves a lot of time and work fine grading. We always just cut the expansion joints with a softcut saw.

[Dozerboy]

IIRC its a bad day if they don't get in 3,000' a day. What odd is here a lot of crub is done by hand and IMO looks like crap compared to what a machine does.

[CM1995]

Some curb mules have a trimmer on the front before the slipform. Just leave the grade a little high and it augers the extra material to the side. Saves a lot of time and work fine grading.

This particular machine has a hydraulic trimmer and auger mounted in front of the slip form. If you look at the close up pic you can see the auger.

What odd is here a lot of crub is done by hand and IMO looks like crap compared to what a machine does.

I agree the machine does such a better looking job but sometimes you can't get the guys with the machine to fit into your schedule for a small job and we have to do the old fashioned way. :Banghead

[Steve Frazier]

I used to work on a crew that did asphalt curbing. That job sucked!! We had to put these forms in the rear corners of the truck hauling the curb mix so the mix would flow out the center tailgate chute. They were welded up steel forms with 3/4 plywood screwed to them, very heavy! It always seemed to be my job to get them in my truck.

Then the mix had to be transferred by wheelbarrow to the curbing machine at a pace fast enough so the machine would not run out of material. What a miserable job that was!!!

Up north here we don't often see gutters and curbs cast as a unit. Curbs are most often formed and they extend about 2' into the ground as poured concrete. Then asphalt pavement is installed from curb to curb, no concrete gutter.

[CM1995]

I used to work on a crew that did asphalt curbing. That job sucked!! We had to put these forms in the rear corners of the truck hauling the curb mix so the mix would flow out the center tailgate chute. They were welded up steel forms with 3/4 plywood screwed to them, very heavy! It always seemed to be my job to get them in my truck.

Then the mix had to be transferred by wheelbarrow to the curbing machine at a pace fast enough so the machine would not run out of material. What a miserable job that was!!!

Up north here we don't often see gutters and curbs cast as a unit. Curbs are most often formed and they extend about 2' into the ground as poured concrete. Then asphalt pavement is installed from curb to curb, no concrete gutter.

Hot asphalt and a wheelbarrow are two things I try to avoid at all costs - much less put together!:D

Interesting about the 2' deep curb. So these are usually hand formed? Do you dig out a trench and form up? Sorry for all the questions- I just curious.

What is a typical road section for you guys? We usually have a 6:2:1. 6" dense grade base, 2" asphalt binder, 1" asphalt wear course.

[Orchard Ex]

I used to work on a crew that did asphalt curbing. That job sucked!! We had to put these forms in the rear corners of the truck hauling the curb mix so the mix would flow out the center tailgate chute. They were welded up steel forms with 3/4 plywood screwed to them, very heavy! It always seemed to be my job to get them in my truck.

Then the mix had to be transferred by wheelbarrow to the curbing machine at a pace fast enough so the machine would not run out of material. What a miserable job that was!!!


One company I worked for put a salt auger on the back of the truck without the spinner assembly. We augered the asphalt out of the salt drop hole on the driver side into a mini version of a concrete chute and into the curb machine. Still needed some shoveling in the truck bed but it was much better than the hand method. I agree that asphalt curbing was not much fun.

[Steve Frazier]

The curbs are trenched, and most companies who do this work have curb forms made up. They are wooden forms with 3/4" rebar bent in an inverted U over the top of them to hold the proper distance between front and rear of the curb. On curved sections they use a pliable wood to form the curve. When the curbs have hardened, they "wash" the curbs with a cement wash for cosmetic appearance.

[Dozerboy]

We do a lot of stand alone curb like Steve talked about, but its 15" most of the time without bar. We cut grade just as if it was C&G roads all very with the material generally 6 on 4. I have never seen this crub done but by hand.

[Pigseye]

Anybody ever work with or around one of these just trying to see others opinions like how simple they are was thinking about buying one .....http://www.leeboy.com/showcontent.aspx?id=174

Thanks

Paul

[surfer-joe]

Good pics. I liked the comment about the dog too. For those of you that take your best mutt along with you near an asphalt job, don't let it get onto the hot asphalt. It takes a moment, then the dog gets the damnest look on it's face and limps off, trying to get all four feet into the air at once.

Worst part is that it can blister the dogs paws, and sticky asphalt balls are a real humdinger to cut out from between an uncooperative dogs toes.

New curb and gutter slipformers are the cat's meow, wish I'd had one back in the day!

[ConstSite]

That Leeboy isn't really good for too much. I was around one for a couple of days last winter in California. Maybe I am just used to a Miller, but it was like using a Toro Dingo to dig a basement instead of a Caterpillar 963. You would be better off using plastic, steel and some pins. You would actually be better off just not doing curb and gutter.

Why are you interested in doing this?

- Christopher

[Pigseye]

What was wrong with it Chris? We were thinking of getting into the smaller slip form jobs say under 5000 feet, short runs, and commercial work...do you do construction here in MN.

Paul

[Pigseye]

I was just curious I guess wild idea by a friend of mine

[CEwriter]

Seems to me there are two macro categories of curb-and-gutter machines -- those with subgrade trimmers and those without. Lots of sizes and variations within those categories. The Leeboy is the biggest of the trimmerless machines.

Here's a story about what's available in the curb-and-gutter market that gets into more detail about the capabilities of machines

http://www.constructionequipment.com/article/CA495887.html?industryid=23401

L

[oakland]

:) wow they do such a good job:)

[CM1995]

I have another job coming up with about 4200LF. We should be getting the curbing contractor in next week to set string line. I will get some more pics when we pour.

[CM1995]

Well, the guys started at 6AM this morning and it is 10AM now with 75% of the job already poured. Pretty neat stuff.

Pic #1 - Starting the pour after they skipped over an inlet box.
#2 - The auger head in front of the mold. This is run automatically from the string line guide.
#3 - Conveyor for the concrete to dump into the hopper.

[CM1995]

The finished product.

[dumptrucker]

You don't see much concrete curbing in our area. They mostly use granite curbing around here. Stands up the the plows real well.
Have to admit the concrete does look nice though.

[T&SCONCRETE]

10217
We have a 5 man crew, operator, chuteman, and 3 finishers behind the machine.

10218
:Pointhead nice clean first pour of the year..

10219

This is a 1988 gomaco 3300 GT, we are getting more into curb & gutter now then ever, we can average about 3k lf of curb & gutter a day , with this trim and pour machine. Most jobs around here average from 1000lf to 30,000 lf per job, and there is alot of competetion in this area..:Banghead

[Countryboy]

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums T&SCONCRETE! :drinkup

[ConstSite]

Welcome T&S CONCRETE! What part of Minnesota are you in? You are correct about the competetion in curb/gutter, but I hear that there are 2 or 3 curb contractors not returning for 2008 (from around the Twin City area).

- Christopher

[T&SCONCRETE]

I'm Not Sure Who's All Not Returning For The 2008 Season In The Minneapolis Area, There Are Alot Of Curb Machines In That Area. We Are Located In The West Central Mn Area, Benson Minnesota. On Most Jobs We Are Bidding Against 4-6 Rivals Depending On Where We Travel To. Gets Pretty Monotanous At Times When Your Tryin To Make Money And Keep Any Rework Down When You Have So Much Competition.

[wattson]

It is good to see other make of slipform machines in operation. Around my area (pennsylvania) Power Curber is pretty much the machine of choice .

[CM1995]

Welcome to the Forums Wattson. Mr Country Boy will be along shortly to give you the proper HEF welcome.

Most of the curb and gutter contractors around my parts use either Gomaco or Miller Formless. I don't believe I have seen a Power Curber in action.

[Countryboy]

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums wattson! :drinkup

[wattson]

Thanks for the welcome. Mostly around my area,there is a lot of smaller jobs such as mall plazas, housing plans, and little add on projects.3000 feet or less . For the larger scale jobs, Gomacos and Millers are usually used. Mainly the General contractor that has the whole job does this in house. Not too many sub-contractors on these large scale, state /federal funded jobs.Thanks again for the welcome

[wattson]

As I have been running the 5700b Power Curber for some time(8 years plus) I am trying to do this for myself. Finding a good machine to start out with is a little more harder than I thought. Money being an issue for start up. Just have to watch where the money goes.

[WestConstInc]

New here, but was looking at the LeeBoy Curb and gutter machine. What are the cons about it? It seems like a good machine for small jobs and parking lots. I dont here a lot about the small machines, seems like everyone has a large gomaco or miller around here (WI). Thanks