When pouring monolithic concrete structures to compact the solution and remove voids and air bubbles from it, use a vibrator for concrete. There are many vibrator models on the market, and their purchase is justified if you plan to fill large volumes of concrete. But what if the dimensions of the foundation are not so great, and the purchase of equipment will bring to nothing all the savings? The answer is simple: a vibrator for concrete can be made with your own hands from an improvised tool and remnants of materials.
Vibrator for concrete
How does the vibrator work?
The principle of its operation is based on the removal of air bubbles from the solution with stirring. Concrete, poured into the formwork with fittings, is very difficult to mix by hand, and sometimes it is impossible. Punching a layer of concrete with a metal rod is ineffective. Therefore, you need a device that can be immersed to a sufficient depth and give it high-frequency vibration. Such a device is a self-made vibrator for concrete. Due to vibrations with high frequency, the vibrator mixes the solution, while air bubbles lighter than the concrete itself quickly rise outwards. The thickness of concrete is monolithic, moisture-proof, has no internal stresses, shells and weak points, subject to destruction.
The video shows the process of vibrating concrete, while you can see how the solution is compacted and precipitated.
Homemade vibrator for concrete from the perforator
The perforator operating in impact mode, reciprocates with a high frequency. When attaching a nozzle in the form of a reinforcing bar or a peak of the required length to it, it can penetrate with sufficient efficiency the thickness of the concrete, which is convenient when pouring vertical structures, for example, piles in a pile foundation. The main requirement for the nozzle is a sufficient length.
When using a perforator to vibrate concrete in horizontal structures, it is fixed on the formwork so that the nozzle is at a slight angle to the horizon. This can be done with a steel washer of suitable diameter fixed on the formwork. The washer is inserted into the washer and turned on for 2-3 minutes. This is done with all areas of concrete poured.
The vibrator process for concrete
Homemade vibrator for concrete from a drill
A more complex but also more convenient model of a self-made vibrator made of a drill can be used for pouring monolithic concrete structures. Its principle is to convert the rotation of the drill shaft into vibrations. This effect is achieved with the help of an internal nozzle with a displaced center of gravity placed in a sealed sleeve from a piece of pipe.
The role of the inner nozzle is played by a steel rod of circular cross-section, with a diameter of 10-14 mm. The length of the rod depends on the depth of immersion of the vibrator, while note that with increasing the length of the rod, the vibration will increase. The weighting agent is welded to the rod, displacing the center of gravity, it can be made from a rod of rectangular or square cross-section with a length of 10-15 cm. The weighting agent is welded along the rod at its very end.
The rod is placed in a flexible hose with waterproofing properties - it is necessary in order to exclude the ingress of concrete onto the rod. The vibrator is a sleeve made of a special steel pipe with a diameter of 30 to 50 mm, the length of the sleeve is about half a meter. From one end, the pipe is brewed or covered with a suitable plug. On the other end, a sleeve is installed in the pipe with a bearing, which is put on the inner rod. The length of the rod inside the sleeve should be such that, during rotation, the rod strikes against its walls and creates a vibration.
The rod is placed in a flexible hose with waterproofing properties
Homemade vibrators for concrete can easily replace the purchase unit when pouring a small foundation, their manufacture will help you reduce the cost of construction and purchase of equipment.