We tested out some 3" hard lind today at University of South Florida with our A40HP Reed.  Having never used hard line, it was a simple as pie, once I found the back ally we were working in.  I figured 21.6 yards an hour which included time spent dragging the 3" end hose around from footer to footer.  A straight pour, slab on grade which we should do here in a few weeks, I would bet it should be 30+ yards an hour.  If my hopper was big enough for 2 trucks to fit, that number might go up a bit.  We ended up buying the pipe on the spot.  We are waiting for the brand new end hoses and clamps, but we have the hard line on the job site.  I found it a bit challanging to get just in the right spot for the line, but I just have a huge truck and was working with inches of space.  We did prime differentlly though.  We used a double slick pack, with 3 buckets of a portland slurry.  Worked great except one of the borrowed end hoses was plugged with something.  A quick change out of hoses and off we went.  We coated the pipe with a thin coating of Hyd, oil to keep it from rusting.  While I worked 13 hours on about 2 hours of sleep, Today was pretty easy.  The crew of guy I worked with actually knew what they were doing.  They had the clamps lubed and everything set up quickly.  They also took it all apart and cleaned it right for me.  They even rolled my water hoses.  Best Crew of guys our company has.  I will be more than glad to get up at 3 am to go work with them everyday if I have too.  

Just a short Video I took while pumping

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofxt6781Qqc

A far cry from how you had that small line jumping when doing the suspended slab.  even a couple of sections of pipe takes a lot of the cation out of the hose.

Yes it did.  I was very impressed.  The hose still had a small kick, enough to move the hose back over time, but nothing like the 2" line does.  

How many feet of hard line? Did it seem like it was easier on your pump than hose? Do you run a sponge ahead of your prime? I'm new to line pumping can ya tell?

To be honest, I have no idea how much of what all we bought.  I think its about 150' or so of 3" hard pipe and 100' of 3" hose.  Plus 45's and 90's and all the reducers and clamps.  The pressures were about the same, but we were running a sidewinder mix, which is a mix of big and small ag, this time.  Last time when we did a slab, we used pump mix, which is all small ag.  If you look at my other pump vids on my youtube page, you can see the differance from the 2" hose to the 3" pipe.  My 102" whips on my truck were swaying back and forth with the 2", and the 3" line they never moved.

No we do not run a sponge infront of the prime.  I would think that would make a big problem if you were to hit a slight clog.  

 More pipe than hose in my opinion I believe is better. With a bad mix you listen and watch the hose and pipe and you should be able to tell, and it's also SAFER to blow pipe out with air. I know its not a world record, but I did 1500' horoizonal about 27 years ago and 1300' about 2 years ago along with 5 or 6 highrises in the past few years. Good luck with your new system.

The pumpworkingpressaure in to a steelpipeline is 5 times lower than a hoseline. But it takes 5 times longer time to set up a steelpipeline than a hoseline, and it is more struggle. I prefer steelpipes, but i see no reason to mount a steelpipeline to pump 5 or 15 m3 - as most of my pumpjobs is.

My crew had everything set up in the time it took me to get the pump spayed down with diesel and hyd oil.  It took about 20 mins to have it ready to pump with.  Which is faster than I can run hose out.  I think its easier to set up with the pipe, at least with a crew of guys.  We bought this system just for this job but knowing that it will get lots of use in the futrue.  The slab we are going to pour is about 200 yards which should about 7 hours to pour, vs the 12 it took to pour 170 with the 2" hose.  What we pumped yesterday was 63 yards, which we did in about 3 hours.  Now if only we could get those line dragons....

Just get some plastic 'Hose Sleds' from Tank.  Don't need the Line Dragons unless you are running 5" hose.  A proper enhose choker chain with a handle and some hose hooks and a little bit of experience to pull when the surge of stroke change comes and it's an eassy day.

Some planning in how you are going to move the hose is key too.  Double the hose back to make the 'wet line', let them laser it and screed, then fill that square in.

"Goose" you have a crew that helps you. A Swedish linepumper do not have anyone to help to set up or fold down a line. You are on your own - even if you have to set up a line 14 stories up, without an elevator (stairrunning with hundreds feet of hoses, both up and down) - noone helps you. Swedish concreteworkers or constructionspeople are the most lazy and selfthinking people in the world, they want it all served on a silverplate!

A linepumper is just a bad guy who makes them a job that they have to do, but don´t want to - even though they are emploeed to pour concrete.

If your choice to set up a line for pumping, and you have to do it on your own - believe me, you have to have a very tricky pumpjob before you mount a steelpipeline. And doing it 3 pumpjobs a day, with 20 to 100 miles between every pumpjob that day...5 days a week. Sorry if i have bad attitude... 

12 hrs 160yds 2in line   200yds 7hrs 

Plastic hose sleds are not a bad idea.  I will see what we can come up with.  And yes the guys had some rope with a stick tied to it.  We are also getting a hook to move it with too.  And I understand how hard it is to run lots of line by yourself.  The one job we have, I dont get any help whatsoever.  The only thing they do is run the hose while we are pumping.  When 1500 comes they are gone no matter what is going on.  We are done pumping by then, but most of the time I could use a hand backing out.  Its a tight site and nothing but sand.  I git er done but I am beat after those days.  And hell they did not even bother to tell me that the pour had been canceled the other day for over an hour, thankfully I had not set up yet.  The crew we have in Tampa, they are doing 2 different jobs 20 miles apart at the same time, is the best one we have.  I dont know what it is, but the Spanish guys work better and are a hell of a lot nicer than the white guys.  The white guys are all mean and dont do anything that involves work.  For that reason, my boss is sending the extra 50 miles north to work with that crew on my non pumping days verus with the white guys.