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Buying new concrete vibrators is a significant investment. With several types of concrete vibrators available and multiple applications across industries, companies can find it challenging to determine which type and model will best serve their business and project needs. Using a concrete vibrator buying guide can help you discover the right tools to help on-site. 

How Do Concrete Vibrators Work? 

Concrete vibrators work to release air bubbles that form in concrete after pouring it. By vibrating the concrete, it allows air bubbles to move toward the surface and out of the pour, creating a stronger concrete structure with fewer weak points. 

Consolidation is the process of using the concrete vibrator to dispel air bubbles. Depending on the concrete vibrator you choose and your pour size, you will use different techniques, like varying depth and insertion levels and removal speeds. These factors will help ensure you remove the most air bubbles possible from your concrete pour. When consolidating over an existing pour, you need to remove air bubbles from the previous layer as well, which will help prevent cold joints from forming. 

Understanding how concrete vibrators work can help you better prepare for your next project, including how to prepare the concrete to ensure its quality. 

Types of Concrete Vibrators 

When preparing for your next project, it is essential to select the right concrete vibrator type that meets your concrete and project specifications. There are three main types of concrete vibrators with different processes and purposes. 

1. Formwork Vibrators

Formwork concrete vibrators attach to the exterior of your concrete pour and use pressurized air or electricity to power vibrations through several points. You determine placement points by the pour’s thickness and mass to optimize air release. Placement point intervals are usually around 6 feet in length for flexible reach. 

This method is popular for pours challenging to navigate because of the container shape or objects supporting the construct’s interior, like poles. Workers typically use formwork vibrators when working with precast concrete. 

2. Surface Vibrators

Surface concrete vibrators work at the surface of your pours and work their way through them. They are better for shallow concrete pours, especially those less than 6 inches deep. This type of concrete vibrator is helpful when concrete has a lower ratio of concrete to water, but avoid using this one with deep or thick mixes. 

Surface vibrators are popular choices when you want a polished final product — it results in a smooth finish on the concrete’s surface, so you can control your project’s aesthetic with a surface vibrator. 

3. Internal Vibrators

For another air and electric concrete vibrator, you can use internal vibrators. These hand-held electric concrete vibrators are some of the most popular types and require a specific consolidation process. It’s comprised of a metal tip containing the vibrator that connects to a flexible rod, attaching it to the motor. 

This concrete vibrator functions by quickly working down into the concrete and working your way up slowly, allowing the air bubbles to move higher before the metal tip passes them. 

The most popular internal concrete vibrators in the US today are the Series AX Flexible Shaft Concrete Vibrators.  The flexible shaft allows for full immersion applications and a high degree of control over the vibration.  Their rugged design and single phase engine make them ideal for many concrete vibration applications.  

The FOX motor in the AX Flexible Shaft Concrete Vibrator turns the flexible shaft in the vibrating hose, generating reliable, consistent vibration at the lowest cost on the market.  

 

What Are the Best Concrete Vibrators? 

Choosing the best concrete vibrators for the job can help ensure you produce quality work for your clients. Highly-rated equipment can offer additional benefits, like increased flexibility or more efficient cleanup times. Exploring your options when investing in a concrete vibrator can help you determine the ways your equipment can add to your projects and sites. 

Pneumatic External High Frequency Roller CR and DR Series 

With higher centrifugal capabilities, you can experience higher frequencies and amplitudes with these pneumatic rollers from our CR & DR Series. These tools work great on precast and prestressed concrete so you can create quality concrete, regardless of the pour state. The powerful vibration capacity creates pressure waves that disturb and release air bubbles, resulting in concrete with thicker density.

The pneumatic roller has a simple design for minimal maintenance, so you can redirect your focus to your projects. All rollers in this series are air-powered, making them ideal for more remote job sites or those without easy access to electric power sources. There is a wide range of weights and frequencies in the series, so you can find the best tool for your project and company needs.

Makita Cordless Concrete Vibrator Kit

This Makita cordless concrete vibrator offers several benefits for consolidating and other job site processes. You can experience increased flexibility with this tool because it’s suitable for vertical and horizontal consolidating. It comes with a battery cover to protect it from debris while working, allowing you to lengthen its lifespan and quality.

Makita offers Star Protection Computer Controls standard with its products which helps further protect your motor from overheating. The battery charges in about an hour, so you can continue using your concrete vibrator with minimal waiting periods. 

Synchronous Precast Vibrator 

Synchronous concrete vibrators offer increased control and consistency for precast and wet concrete pours. If you are looking for a concrete vibrator that will result in the same final product each time, then you should consider the Synchronous Precast Vibrator from the Brecon series.

Synchronous vibrators allow for more perfectly timed rotations across motors and optimized vibration control by the machine operator. This tool can function without sensors to ensure your tools will work together. If you are searching for the best tools in the industry, you can count on this concrete vibrator to offer high-quality care and consistency throughout its lifespan.

Oztec Rebar Shaker Concrete Vibrator

If you are working with a concrete pour with reinforcement steel bars within it, then the Oztec Rebar Shaker may fit your needs. This concrete vibrator comes with different inserts you can attach to it to help navigate and dispel air bubbles — depending on the rebar size — for more flexibility at your job sites.

This tool can help you increase efficiency in several areas. It produces less mess than many other concrete vibrators, allowing you to streamline your cleanup processes. It only requires two people to function, minimizing the number of qualified people needed on-site to use the equipment.

High Frequency Electric Series HS 

If you are searching for a high-quality tool that offers increased control and applications, consider our High Frequency Electric concrete vibrator from the Series HS. This concrete vibrator has a low to moderate amplitude, but this allows it to produce higher quality and finely tuned vibrations to use on your concrete pours. You can increase how precisely it functions by adjusting its speed and weight, giving you more freedom over your equipment.

When you want a strong final product, this tool can help provide the vibration services needed to provide increased strength. The High Frequency Electric is more energy-efficient than other concrete vibrators, so you can cut your operation costs on projects you use this tool.

Beamnova Electric Concrete Vibrator

The Beamnova Electric Concrete Vibrator has an extended shaft, providing increased reach for larger concrete pours. Additionally, the vibrator is thicker than most models, allowing it to dispel air bubbles and efficiently increase the quality of concrete.

This tool is quite durable, making it a long-term investment you can use on many future projects. The metal casing protects the equipment, keeping it safe from debris and concrete that can lead to damages. It’s made of a corrosive-resistant material to prevent rust from impeding functionality. 

Choose the Right Concrete Vibrator for Your Application With Deca Vibrator Industries, Inc.

Whether you are searching for a concrete vibrator to create the perfect balance of homogenous concrete or to work in remote areas without access to electricity, finding the best concrete vibrator ensures you remove the most air bubbles effectively for stronger concrete finishes.

Talking with experts in concrete vibrators is the best way to understand which tools will suit your applications. Experts will steer you in the right direction and help you find tools to meet all your requirements. 

At Deca Vibrator Inc., we design and manufacture our concrete vibrators, allowing us to tell you everything you need to know about our products. We use strong and durable materials when making our equipment to provide you with long-lasting tools that will serve as a long-term investment and help make your projects more efficient. 

We offer unmatched customer service, so you can speak with a representative about our products and which one would best fit your applications. Contact Deca Vibrator Industries, Inc. today and discover how our power concrete vibrators can serve your company’s needs.