Equipment for wall blocks at home. Homemade machines for the manufacture of cinder blocks and other building materials at home

This article is intended for those who are interested in the maximum reduction in the cost of building materials. From it you will learn about the method of making a cinder block with your own hands using a vibrating machine. We will talk about how to independently create a matrix for blocks and about the rules for making blocks for walls.

Cinder block - the simplest and most affordable of stone materials for walls. Its history goes back more than 100 years, and the combination of the properties of a constructive and insulating material makes it indispensable today.

Massive private construction in the periphery, especially in subsidiary farms and farms, requires a constant reduction in the cost of building non-residential premises. For the walls of sheds, barns and pantries, almost everything that comes to hand is used - from slabs to marl. In this article, we will consider the possibility of creating a vibrating machine for the manufacture of cinder blocks.

Note. For the manufacture of the machine will need the skills of a welder and a locksmith.

The purpose of a homemade cinder block

It should immediately be noted that final product will not have high strength and durability compared to the factory "prototypes". Home production does not allow to withstand the technology, because there is no possibility for the steaming procedure, in which the material is saturated with the necessary moisture and receives optimal temperature for the reaction of the binder (cement). However, the blocks are quite suitable for building lungs. one-story buildings with a service life of about 30 years.

Cinder block machine

The main part of a homemade machine is a matrix or mold for a raw mix. In fact, this is a steel box with elements installed in it in the form of voids, or without them. The matrix itself is already a machine that can be used by performing some of the operations manually.

For the manufacture of the machine you will need:

Welding machine.
Bulgarian.
Vice.
Locksmith tool.

Materials:

Steel sheet 3 mm - 1 sq. m.
Pipe Ø 75-90 mm - 1 m.
Strip 3 mm - 0.3 m.
Electric motor 500-750 W.
Bolts, nuts.

Operating procedure:

Take dimensions from a standard cinder block (w / w) or determine the dimensions you need.
Cut out the sides of the matrix from the sheet for 2 w / w with a partition in the middle. You should get a box with two equal compartments.
Voids should leave a bottom wall with a thickness of at least 30 mm. From this calculation, we determine the height of the cylinder (or parallelepiped) to limit voids.
We cut 6 pieces of pipe with a length equal to the height of the cylinder.
To give the cylinders the shape of a cone, you need to cut each of them along to the middle, compress with a vise and connect by welding. The diameter will decrease by 2-3 mm.
Weld cylinders on both sides.
Connect the cylinders together in a row along the long side of the block. They must copy the location (pitch, diameter) of the voids on the factory sample. Along the edges, add 30 mm plates with a hole for attaching to the lugs.
In the middle of each of the matrix compartments, make cuts and weld lugs with reverse side boxes. This is necessary for the possibility of temporary fastening of void limiters. So you get the opportunity, removing them, to produce monolithic blocks.
On one of the transverse walls (outside), weld 4 bolts for the mounting holes of the vibration motor.
Weld the apron and blades along the edges on the loading side.
Clean and polish all parts for painting.
Make a press in the form of a block material body - a plate with holes, with a diameter larger than the cylinders by 3-5 mm. The plate should freely enter to a depth of 50-70 mm into the box where the limiters are installed.
Weld comfortable handles to the press.
Paint the entire structure with a primer and install a vibration motor.

Video instruction for making a mold for cinder block, part 1

Video instruction for making a mold for cinder block, part 2

To convert a conventional electric motor into a vibration motor, you only need to add eccentrics in the form of welded bolts to its shafts. Their axes must match. Nuts can be screwed onto the bolts, selecting the desired vibration amplitude and frequency. You will find more information in our article "Do-it-yourself vibrating table".

Such a matrix can become the basis for a stationary or walking machine. To upgrade it, you will need a developed locksmith skill and more accurate execution. There are many options for machine tools and the main factor is the availability of improvised material (metal).

Vibrating machine for cinder block, video

Material for homemade blocks

Theoretically, "home" blocks can be made from anything - clay, sawdust concrete, expanded clay concrete, and so on. The optimal composition of the mixture is 1 part sand, 1 part cement, 3 parts granulated slag.

The decisive moment is the humidity of the mixture, which is easy to determine "by eye". The finished mixture should hold the shape of a lump and not crumble. Raw materials of this consistency can be placed in a matrix and pressed into blocks from it. Instead of voids, you can use glass bottles, brick battle or sharp-angled stone.

How does a factory cinder block machine work - video with explanations

Working with a homemade machine

Before the first loading, lubricate all contact surfaces with oil - the solution will stick to the metal less. The vibrator can be turned on at any stage, but it is most effective to do this before pressing. Take care of reliable electrical insulation of the motor. The apron should cover it from getting the mixture.

Finished blocks should be kept for outdoors in summer weather (from +10 to +30 °C) for 3 days. Field with finished products must be covered with polyethylene to prevent early drying.

The simplest form for blocks. Video of the work process

It is possible that such a machine will not become a source of reliable and practically free material for the construction of a residential building, but it will help to significantly save on the maintenance of the economy or the construction of a garage. By applying masonry mortar (1 part of cement, 3 parts of sand) for wall plastering, you will extend the life of the handicraft cinder block by at least 1.5 times.

The cinder block is one of the most demanded building materials. It is made by the method of vibrocompression from a concrete solution. A wide variety of buildings are being built from cinder blocks - from sheds and garages to and residential buildings.

Planning to build something out of cinder blocks? Make them yourself! There is nothing complicated in the production technology of these concrete blocks. You need to thoroughly understand the order of work, find out the basic requirements and withstand the recipe.

The dimensions of the cinder block are standardized - 188 x 190 x 390 mm. Each block has holes. Usually there are 3 of them. For the manufacture of building elements, a mixture of cement grade not lower than M400, blast furnace slag and coarse sand is used. Often additional fillers and plasticizers are added.

It is possible to make blocks both manually using molds, and using equipment with the function of vibrocompression.

On average, one bag of cement is enough to make 36 blocks. The savings are obvious.

The cinder block must have correct geometry. Even small irregularities will lead to a deterioration in the quality of the masonry. To get even blocks, the forms need to be filled not just to the brim, but with a small slide, because. during vibration, the concrete will slightly shake and settle.

How to prepare a solution?

There is no universal composition of the solution for the manufacture of cinder blocks - each master has his own unique recipe. In general, it is necessary to focus on the features of the composition of the slag.

Components	Volume, l, per block	Dry block compressive strength, kg/cm2	Frost resistance of the finished block, cycles	The coefficient of thermal conductivity of the finished cinder block
Slag up to 8 mm	10	30-40	30	0.35-0,4
Sand up to 3 mm	1,8
Cement	2,75
Water	1,5

There is a standard "factory" recipe, you can focus on it. The proportions are as follows:

slag - 7 parts;
sand - 2 parts;
cement - 1.5 parts;
water - 1.5-3 parts. More details about determining the required amount of water will be discussed below.

Useful advice! Previously cited standard dimensions cinder blocks. However, for private development it is more convenient to use products with dimensions of 400x200x200 mm.

In addition to slag, such blocks can include ash, sawdust, gypsum, broken bricks, coal combustion products, gravel and other similar materials.

Take Special attention determination of the required volume of water. It must be added so much that the products do not spread after formation.

You can do a simple test. Throw a handful of the solution on the ground or other surface. If it crumbles, but when compressed back by hands, it reunites into a single mass - the consistency is optimal.

Making cinder blocks by hand

If not too large-scale construction is planned, blocks can be made without a vibropress.

We make a form

We collect the form with dimensions of 40x20x20 cm. If you wish, you can adjust the dimensions at your discretion. For the manufacture of molds, we use metal sheets or wooden boards.

The design is extremely simple: bottom and side walls. We fix the walls taking into account the selected width and length of the block. The height of the form faces must also correspond to the planned height of the building elements.

Useful advice! You can make molds with cells for the simultaneous production of 4-6 blocks - very convenient. It is only necessary to increase the length and width of the outer faces and install partitions between them.

Prepare empty glass bottles. You will use them to create voids in blocks.

Pour blocks

Pour the solution evenly into the mold to the brim.

We place the bottles with the neck up in the poured mass. Level the surface of the fill, removing excess mortar.

We wait about 5 hours and get the bottles. We leave the cinder blocks in the forms for a day, after which we carefully take them out and lay them out on a horizontal surface in piles.

We leave the blocks to dry for a month. Only after the specified time, the material can be used for construction.

Useful advice! During drying, cover the blocks with plastic wrap. It will protect products from cracking during the heat and will not let them get wet in case of rain.

We make cinder blocks on the machine

The machine allows you to significantly increase productivity. The equipment has a fairly simple design.

We assemble the machine

The main element of a home-made vibrocompression machine is a form (matrix) for cinder concrete mortar. By design, this form is a metal box with internal elements in the form of voids. The void spacers can also be removable.

Work set includes the following materials and tools:

First step. We make a form according to the size of future blocks. Cut from sheet steel side faces matrices. We will make the form immediately for 2 blocks. To do this, we cut out the inner central partition from steel and fix it in the box.

Second step. Determine the height of the elements for the design of voids.

Important! In accordance with the technology, the height of the voids should be such that the bottom wall has a thickness of 3 cm or more.

Third step. We cut off 6 pieces of pipe along the length of the restrictor cylinders to form voids.

Fourth step. We give the pipes a conical shape. To do this, we cut each piece of pipe longitudinally to the middle, crimp it with a vise and connect it with welding machine. each cone on both ends.

Fifth step. We connect the limiters in a row along the long edge of the cinder block. We add along the edges of the row along a plate of 3 cm thickness with holes for fastening with eyes.

Sixth step. We make cuts in the middle of each such compartment. From the reverse side of the form we weld the eyes. They will allow temporary fastening of elements to create voids. Very convenient solution- it will be possible to remove the cylinders and make monolithic blocks.

Machine for cinder blocks compact (press from above)

Seventh step. Outside one of the transverse walls, we weld 4 bolts for the mounting holes of the vibration motor.

Eighth step. By welding, we attach an apron and blades along the edges from the loading side.

Ninth step. We prepare all structural elements for painting - we clean them and carefully polish them.

Tenth step. We do a press. It will look like a plate with holes that repeat the location of the holes in the block.

Important! The diameter of the holes on the plate should exceed the same parameter for the recesses in the block by about 0.5 cm.

We make the plate of this size and fix it in such a way that it can go deep into the box at the place where the limiters are installed by 5-7 cm.

In conclusion, it remains to weld the handles to the press, cover the structure with a primer mixture and mount the vibration motor.

You can turn an ordinary vibration motor into a suitable vibration motor Electrical engine. To do this, it is necessary to weld eccentrics to the motor shafts. We won’t bother much - we’ll just weld the bolts so that their axes coincide. To regulate the frequency and strength of vibration, we wind the nuts onto the welded bolts.

Making blocks

Recommendations for the preparation of the solution were given above. You can use the standard recipe or modify it to your liking. The main thing is to get optimal viscosity. It can be determined "by eye" - a lump of the mixture must hold its shape steadily.

Before loading the mixture, lubricate the contact metal planes with oil. Due to this, the solution will not stick to the iron.

We stack ready mix into the matrix and proceed to pressing.

We install the filled forms on the vibrating plate and let it compact the solution for 5-15 seconds. After the specified time, add more solution to the form, because. previously loaded will inevitably settle.

We repeat the process, only this time we do not turn off the vibrating plate until the clamp reaches the limiters. We remove the form until the machine stops.

We give the blocks 1-3 days for primary drying, carefully remove them from the blocks, lay them out on a flat horizontal surface and cover with plastic wrap. You can use the material for its intended purpose no earlier than a month later.

Successful work!

Video - Making cinder blocks with your own hands

Wall blocks have long been one of the most common building materials. When building a garage, residential building or other outbuildings for building walls, the cheapest building materials are cinder blocks. They are made from almost any waste material. At the same time, cinder blocks are laid into the walls not only on sand-cement mortar, but also on clay mortar, which further reduces the cost of construction. Unlike brick, building blocks much easier to do at home with your own hands. The process of making cinder blocks and the technology is quite simple and accessible to anyone who wants to save money and who likes to do it himself.

Briefly, what is a cinder block?
According to the prevailing opinion, cinder blocks are commonly understood as blocks made by vibrocompression (vibroforming) from a concrete solution, the main components of the solution are slag and cement as the main binder. However, today cinder blocks are conditionally called any building blocks obtained by vibrocompression (vibroforming) from a concrete solution. The presence of slag is not necessary - as components of the concrete solution there can be: slag, granite screenings, granite rubble, river rubble, gravel, brick and concrete breakage, hardened cement breakage, glass breakage, expanded clay and even sand.
Usually the size of the cinder block is in the range of 200 mm by 200 mm by 400 mm or less. There are two types of cinder blocks - hollow and solid. There are a great many varieties of blocks: these are ordinary wall blocks(for example, cinder block, smooth block 140), wall blocks (used for the construction of partitions indoors, has a thickness of 90 mm), decorative blocks for walls (decorative block 190), blocks for fences (decorative block 140, decorative corner block), blocks for facade finishing facade stone), etc. At home, you can also make clay bricks - the choice is yours.

For the manufacture of cinder blocks, you need two things: shape and raw materials.

Form options for cinder blocks

Form from sheet metal 3 mm thick. Together with assistants, using a concrete mixer, you will be able to special efforts"Release" up to 300 pieces of blocks. Is it a lot or a little? Judge for yourself: a 6x4 m garage will require 450 such blocks, and 1000 pieces per floor of a 6.5x8 m house.

Form for concrete blocks (all dimensions are internal, welds are external).

Block making mortar prepared like this. Knead a slightly moistened mixture (the amount of water is determined empirically) in the proportion: cement - 1 part, slag or expanded clay - from 7 to 12 (the proportion is given for M400 cement). Having set the form on a flat area, fill it with mortar, ram it with a manual tamper and, having aligned it along the upper edge, cut off the excess with a metal strip. Now carefully remove the form (it is without a bottom) - the block is ready.

Place the form side by side and repeat the process. At the end of the work, do not forget to thoroughly wash the mold with water. After 24 hours, the blocks can already be stored (no more than three in height), making room for the next batch. The size of the form is given in case you decide to lay walls with an additional 1/2 brick cladding. If your building will have walls plastered on both sides, then you can take arbitrary sizes - if only you could then lift such a block with your hands. And when laying walls with a thickness of 50 cm, do not forget to “bandage” with a bonded brick row every two rows of blocks.

The sizes of home-made cinder blocks can be chosen "for yourself".
most the simplest form, which satisfied me the most, I made as follows. I picked up planed boards with a width along the height of the cinder block (140 mm). The length of the board should be no more than 2 m, since working with a longer form is more difficult: you have to do a lot of unnecessary movements. Next you need cross bars. The two extreme crossbars are connected to the longitudinal boards "on sliding grooves" (Fig.).

Form for three cinder blocks

FROM inside longitudinal boards (between the crossbars) every 140 mm form a cut with a hacksaw and a chisel transverse grooves with a depth of 7 ... 8 mm. The kerf width depends on the thickness of the separating plates made of sheet metal, textolite, getinaks. Suitable plates from another durable sheet material as long as it's smooth enough. From fig. 1 it is clear how to make a mold. To describe it for a long time and there is no point, I just want to say that the finished form is placed on an absolutely flat surface before pouring the solution into it. All details of the form made of wood, it is desirable to paint any oil paint, which will provide easier removal of cinder blocks from the mold. Each time before pouring into the form of a solution, all of its internal surfaces wipe with solar oil (diesel oil) or used engine oil. Rub lightly, not too much. To reduce the consumption of the solution, and cinder blocks turned out to be light and with voids, - and this is additional heat in indoors, - forms pour the solution up to half, after which champagne bottles are pressed into the solution.

Form filled with mortar

If the level of the solution does not rise enough after installing the bottles, required amount solution (to the top of the mold) is added with a trowel. After 2 ... 3 hours, the solution will significantly settle and get stronger, then the bottles are pulled out, carefully turning them around the axis, and immediately washed with water, otherwise the solution will firmly stick to them and the bottles will be unsuitable for further use.
The process of removing cinder blocks from the mold is very simple. Just lightly tap the mold around the perimeter with a hammer and disassemble it. The side boards are easy to separate, but the separation plates are somewhat more difficult to remove. You will have to carefully beat with a hammer on the protruding plate from above and slightly to the side.
Every day, that is, after 24 hours, I took out the almost hardened cinder blocks from the mold and poured the solution into it again. I did not use any compaction of the solution with a rammer or with the help of vibration. A few words about the solution. Despite the fact that it was quite liquid, cinder blocks, after appropriate exposure, acquired such strength that they could then be split or hewn with great difficulty.
For one part of cement brand "400" I took 9 or even 10 parts of slag. There was no marriage. Why did I tell this? Yes, in order to quickly make a solid number of cinder blocks with just a few forms excellent quality. I made cinder blocks in the evening after work every day, and I will say that this work was not a burden to me. I don’t have a concrete mixer and I kneaded the mortar manually in a 300 p. capacity pallet. Well, if you work together, everything will turn out effortlessly. Alternatively, you can make foam blocks with your own hands.

And one more option self-manufacturing blocks. Sheet metal mold.

I chose the dimensions of the blocks 510x250x215 mm (the volume is 14 bricks). I welded 11 molds without bottoms from sheet iron waste. From the sides welded on 2 handles.

Right on the ground I spread the roofing material, put the form. To prevent the mixture from seizing with the walls of the form, I wipe them from the inside with a rag moistened with used oil or diesel fuel. I fall asleep there hard expanded clay concrete. Ramming is not very strong. I remove the first form after backfilling the 11th - this is about 10-12 minutes later. The blocks stand still for 12 hours. Then I shift them under a canopy. They harden at a positive temperature for 24 days. I make a canopy from roofing material, tarpaulin or polyethylene film. Under it, the blocks will be protected from rain and sun.

Tried make blocks with voids. He inserted two wooden round timber, turned into a cone and wrapped with roofing iron. Hollow formers can be round, square, rectangular ... Depending on how the blocks are laid, the wall thickness is 215, 250 or 510 mm.

For thick walls, it is better to make the blocks hollow, for thin walls - filled. Conventionally, walls with a thickness of 215 mm without voids can be called cold, 250 mm - semi-warm, 510 mm with voids - warm.

To make half blocks, I insert a sheet of iron in the center of the mold. In the blanks that are used to form openings in the wall of the house, you have to make wooden plugs to secure the door and window frames.

Tried make building blocks using a vibrator, but the solution goes to the bottom of the mold and the expanded clay does not bind. To prevent this from happening, general form for multiple blocks. The vibrator was fixed on the side. I made the walls of the mold 1/3 higher - this is for concrete shrinkage during vibration.

Fillers can be local non-deficient materials: expanded clay, slag, sawdust, etc. I used cement, expanded clay and sand in a ratio of 1: 4: 1 to prepare the mixture.

The hardest work is the preparation of concrete. It is advisable to use a simple home-made concrete mixer or a ready-made purchased one.

Cinder blocks were and are one of the most popular materials for the construction various designs in construction. Their characteristic strength, as well as good thermal insulation properties make it possible to build quickly and relatively easily and quite cheaply. Both a professional and an inexperienced bricklayer can build from them.

People at all times have taken care of the safety of their home and usually one of the measures taken for this was the construction of a fence. These designs are different, for example, from metal, which is very expensive, and from wood, which requires constant care. Now there is a wonderful option - a fence made of decorative concrete blocks, from which you can build a really reliable and impressive fence. The fence of them is universal, and the terms of its construction are very short, because it is very easy to work with these materials. Besides, concrete blocks for a fence can have a different texture and color, so you can get an original, unlike any other, fence.
Benefits of block fences
Concrete blocks for the fence are hollow, clay, and they can also be made from artificial stone. The shape of the masonry and its pattern depends on the choice of the customer and the skillful hands of the installers. The surface can be smooth, torn, with a certain pattern.
The decorative block has a very good quality- It's the same on both sides. That is, the fence both outside and inside will have an attractive, beautiful view. These designs are not afraid of temperature changes, humidity, fire resistant. The area they enclose will be protected from noise and dust.
As for the shortcomings, then, perhaps, this is the need to build a foundation when building a fence from blocks, as well as a rather laborious process of erecting a fence itself.
Peculiarities
Concrete blocks for the fence are suitable for erecting a fence around a cottage or cottage. These modern materials are small concrete plates, not monumental boulders. Notches, holes can be applied to them, so they are smooth. Blocks can imitate cobblestone or brickwork. Although the thickness of the products can be quite small, they still have an excellent strength factor.
Installation
Before you start building a fence, you need to mark the site. First, mark the lines along which it will be laid strip foundation. It freezes for about a day, but before this happens, reinforcement must be inserted into it. Concrete blocks for the fence will then be strung on its vertical bars. They must be pressed into the masonry mortar with force, which will ensure maximum structural strength. The cavities of the blocks also need to be filled with a solution. Between the blocks there are seams, the width of which is 10-12 millimeters, there should be no voids in them. Excess solution must be immediately removed with a trowel.
fence design
The wall of the fence may not be straight, but to change the size of the block to the desired one, it is simply placed on soft ground and broken with a hammer. From the wreckage, you can create interesting and original architectural forms.
Concrete blocks for the fence allow you to create fences different design. For this you can use decorative plaster. It will allow you to create both a perfectly smooth surface and reminiscent of natural stone.
How to make blocks yourself
You can make concrete blocks for the fence yourself, and not buy, then the construction will be much cheaper. To do this, you need to assemble a form consisting of walls and a bottom from planed boards. The thickness of the board must be at least 25 millimeters. The walls should be connected with nails or screws. To fix the walls, you need to take screws with ears. The form is carefully checked for compliance with dimensions, correctness of planes and angles. Blocks can be made perforated or curly. To do this, you need to insert different inserts into the form: those that have the shape of corners are placed closer to the corners, and the square one is installed in the middle. In order for them to hold, holes must be made in the bottom for the spikes.
Then prepare the solution. For it, cement grade 250 is taken and sand and gravel aggregate is added to it. After pouring this composition into the mold, when it partially hardens, the nail is removed from the ears, the liners are pulled out, and then the next block begins to form.

How to make a building block

For construction, you can use not only, but also made independently. The most important thing in the manufacture of blocks is to make collapsible forms or buy them, the presence of a concrete mixer and a room with a temperature of 60-70 degrees for drying.
How to make a concrete block
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You will need
- sand
- crushed stone
- cement
- iron for molds
- concrete mixer
Instruction
1To make a mold for blocks, you need to take a sheet of iron, cut it to the required size of the desired shape. Cut grooves on the sides and assemble. You can make the shape and size of concrete blocks at your discretion, but it is better not to make them large - this will simplify and facilitate the construction procedure. 2For the manufacture of concrete, you will need high-grade cement, fine crushed gravel, clean river sand. Make the ratio of the solution at the rate of 1 part of cement, 3 parts of sand and 3 parts of crushed stone. 3 The solution must be thoroughly mixed in a concrete mixer. Hand mixing for block production is not suitable. Because their quality depends not only on the solution, but also on the thoroughness of its mixing. 4 Pour water gradually. The mortar for blocks should not be liquid. 5Pour the solution into the molds in the drying room. Lubricate molds with machine oil. 6For warmer concrete blocks, you can make blocks with voids, which will additionally help save mortar and lighten the finished block. For voids, glass bottles can be installed in molds. 7Dry the blocks at a high temperature. 8 After two days, you can remove the blocks from the molds and lay them evenly on the platform to gain strength. 9Moulds can be refilled with mortar. 10Make a sufficient number of molds so that you don't have downtime due to block drying.

We produce cinder block with our own hands

Table of contents:
Why are cinder blocks good?

Concrete blocks are an incredibly popular building material for the construction of residential buildings, as well as auxiliary buildings - garages, sheds, bathhouses, etc. Their hollow variety, in which waste from various “hot” industries or simply slag is used as a filler, has excellent heat-insulating characteristics. Therefore, cinder blocks have found the widest application in domestic construction, as a reliable, more than once proven insulation.
Why are cinder blocks good?
We produce a cinder block with our own hands When using such heat-insulating masonry elements, the walls of structures and buildings under construction are significantly warmer, with the same thickness parameters. The blocks are much larger than traditional bricks. This circumstance accelerates and facilitates the course construction works and provides an opportunity to save masonry mixture.
The recent adoption of new SNiPs (building codes and regulations) relating to thermal savings in newly constructed buildings does not now allow the design and construction of buildings without the use of insulating materials. And cinder blocks are "two in one" - and the main structural element and insulation at the same time. At the same time, it is also light and does not unnecessarily burden the building.
With all its advantages, this material is also quite cheap. Its cost price (1 piece, this includes the salary of workers) is only 10-15 rubles, depending on the region.
If you wish, it is quite possible to make cinder blocks with your own hands - for this you do not need to have profound knowledge in building and engineering art. The main components of any blocks are cement, water and various aggregates. If you do not have enough slag, you can mix sand, crushed stone, expanded clay, sawdust, crushed brick. In short - everything that is at hand and for which you do not have to pay money or that costs mere pennies. To produce enough material for your needs, you do not need sophisticated equipment and high-tech tools. At the same time, you have the opportunity to fill in structural elements of precisely those sizes that are most beneficial to you. To do this, you only need to make the necessary forms.
How cinder blocks are made to fit your needs manually
For the manufacture of materials in not very large quantities, only for the construction of buildings on your site, you will only need a container for mixing concrete and molds for blocks. make a cinder block Think about how many you can start making cinder blocks with your own hands, if you manage to make 30 pieces in a day, then you need 30 molds, if 50 pieces, then there should be 50 molds. In this case, you can dry the products directly in them, and you will not have to take out underdone blanks and risk ruining them. Forms can be made of wood or metal. It should be noted that the standard block sizes are 400mm / 200mm / 200mm. But, if for some reason such dimensions do not suit you - your will, do any size. Forms must be knocked down, consisting of the bottom and side walls. Best of all, to save materials, as well as time, make them modular. That is, in one form, in several cells, several blocks will be filled at once. Before making these modules, decide what shape the cavities in the blocks will be. This affects the economics of production.
It can be seen that although the most traditional cavities round shape- two or three per block, but the most advantageous configuration with two squares. With such a volume of voids, by making molds for cinder blocks with your own hands, you will save up to 60% of concrete.
IMPORTANT!
If you decide to make molds from wood, then keep in mind that only planed lumber is needed, and preferably polished, without cracks, knots and other defects. Otherwise, you will have problems when removing the finished product.
In the manufacture of this method, the process of tamping by vibration is not provided, so the concrete must be made sufficiently liquid so that the mixture is homogeneous and completely fills the entire form.
Under rounded cavities, champagne bottles are best suited. So stock up on them enough. They must be inserted into the mold with the neck down already filled with the block, and the extruded concrete should be removed, and the raw block should then be well leveled. After the solution has set - after 4/5 hours, the bottles must be pulled out. It takes about a day to dry the products in the forms. Then the blocks are carefully pulled out and stacked on top of each other.
The storage area must be flat, clean and protected from rain and sun, otherwise the blocks may be deformed.
The building material can be used for its intended purpose after 28 days. During this period of time, the blocks are fully cured. A little bit about consumables. Cement, in principle, can be taken of any brand - from m400 and above. As for the variety, then take general construction - Portland cement. But do not forget that the higher the brand of binder, the more expensive it is. The highest quality is blast furnace slag. But if you can’t get one, you can use shale or coal. Take the ratio of cement to aggregate 1/5 - the blocks will get the necessary strength, and will not crack from internal stress arising from too much binder.
Mechanized method of manufacturing material
The second method of producing cinder blocks is much more productive, but it requires some, however, not very sophisticated equipment. Do-it-yourself blocks
Well, and of course, some investments. The minimum is a small concrete mixer and a vibrating table. Then you will need only 1-2 forms, be sure to make them from metal. Handles will need to be welded to the molds, and 2 or 3 pipes to the bottom. Their diameter should be 5 / 8 cm, you guessed it - they are needed to form voids. With this method of making blocks, concrete must be made thick or, as the builders say, with slight shrinkage. Having poured it into the form, immediately put it on the vibrating table, where the concrete will be compacted within 30/40 seconds. Bring the block to the place of storage by turning and tapping the form, carefully remove the product. If the block begins to float or fall apart, it means that the density is either insufficient or excessive. You will quickly understand what degree of density is needed - experience is the head of everything.
Vibrating table, with sufficient skill, you can do it yourself. To make a do-it-yourself cinder block machine, you will need sheet metal, size 80cm/ 80cm/0.5cm, 2/3 kW electric motor and springs. The latter can be taken from an old car or motorcycle. Weld the springs to the steel sheet at the corners, attach the engine to the center of the structure. Put a pulley on the shaft, always with a displaced center of gravity. Turn the machine over, set it on solid foundation and fasten. Attention: pay special attention to the cable - it must be connected securely and be well insulated. Be sure to ground the metal of the machine.
Industrial equipment for the production of cinder blocks
If you are waiting for a large construction on the site, and you are not able to make a machine yourself, then it makes sense to purchase a ready-made - industrial one. There are two types of such equipment: stationary and mobile, popularly nicknamed "layer".
It should be noted that stationary machines are very expensive and it does not make sense to buy them only for your needs, besides this, you will have to transport the blocks to the drying place manually. Therefore, the option remains with a compact vibrating machine "layer". It has one mold per one or two blocks and produces them in one cycle.
The advantages of a mini vibrating machine include the following:
Relatively low cost
Quite a small mass
Optimal exercise stress per employee
But, before placing the block on the machine, it must be prepared. Following the logic of saving time and reducing labor costs, you should not do this manually. To do this, you can purchase a concrete mixer. With its help, you quickly, and most importantly - qualitatively, prepare a concrete solution of the desired consistency in just five minutes. Naturally, you should buy a mortar mixer quite small. Such equipment operates from a network with a voltage of 220 volts and there is no need to supply industrial voltage from 380 volts under it.

Building a house from blocks is moving faster than from bricks. You can buy them freely, but many make building blocks with their own hands.

Blocks in construction are used not only for the construction of walls. It also speeds up the use of building blocks for the foundation. Of course, these blocks must be very dense: 1.5 tons per 1 cubic meter. Making blocks with your own hands, if you look, is not such a super complicated matter.

Where to begin?

And the beginning of everything is the manufacture of forms.

Forms

On sale there are molds for building blocks standard sizes. And at home you can make building blocks sizes that suit you. We take sheet metal, cut out the required shape of the workpiece from it and weld the shape. They also make molds from wood, they are good for adobe blocks. The bottom is not needed here. But the handles on the sides will come in handy, it’s more convenient to work with them.

Material for homemade building blocks

What makes DIY building blocks good is that they use material that you already have or you can easily purchase.

Basically, blocks are made on the basis of cement with different fillers, but craftsmen, like manufacturers, sometimes do without it. Depending on the material chosen, it is possible to manufacture home-made building blocks of the following types:

cinder concrete;
blocks based on liquid glass;
adobe;
chip concrete or arbolite.

How the filler is used:

ash;
slag;
screenings;
crushed stone;
gypsum;
perlite;
expanded clay;
sawdust;
straw;
broken brick and more.

Blocks without cement

The manufacture of building blocks using this technology is not available to everyone, because the mixture contains liquid glass. Is it possible to negotiate with the nearest reinforced concrete plant and buy the main component there. The mix will be:

two dozen parts of river sand;
one and a half dozen parts of liquid glass;
4 parts of chalk;
3 parts of slaked lime;
2 parts kaolin.

Manufacturing process

First, the sand is sifted;
chalk is added;
everything mixes well;
slaked lime is introduced;
kaolin or brick crushed to a state of powder;
liquid glass.

The feedstock should be homogeneous, pasty. Before pouring this dough-like mass, moisten the molds from the inside. If you wish, you can add color to the building blocks. To do this, add:

chalk of any color;
powdered red brick.

Fillers are added to such blocks: slag, expanded clay, shavings. Their strength is high - they are much stronger than cement.

Expanded clay blocks

Expanded clay concrete blocks are one of the types of cinder blocks, where expanded clay serves as a filler.

Composition

cement - 1 part;
expanded clay - 5 parts;
sand - 3 parts;
water - about one part.

Technology

The manufacturing technology of expanded clay concrete building blocks is, in general, the same as any other:

the starting material is placed in pre-lubricated molds;
rammed;
the form is removed after 10 minutes;
the product remains in place;
after 12 hours it is transferred to a place protected from precipitation and direct sunlight.
in warm weather, the blocks will become hard after a little less than a month.

If you plan to make thick walls (about 0.5 m), then blocks are better with voids. To do this, inserts made of wood are inserted into the mold: round or square. And so that they can be taken out well, before inserting them, wrap them in roofing iron.

Advantages

light weight;
frost resistance;
breathability;
moisture resistance;
strength;
small cost.

A house made of expanded clay concrete blocks is built faster than a brick house, less mortar is needed for masonry.

adobe blocks

Components

For this type of block, the material is literally underfoot. All it takes is:

clay;
straw;
river sand;
water.

Selection features

In order for the characteristics of the building blocks to meet all the requirements, you need to know something about the features of the selection of components:

It is better to prepare clay in the fall, cover it with a film and let it winter - this will improve its quality.
Sand first sift, freeing from impurities.
Straw can be taken to the field where wheat, rye or barley have just been harvested. If the straw remains from the harvest of the past year, then the quality will not be the same - after all, after lying down, it begins to sing.

How to determine the percentage of components

clay - 1 cu. m;
straw - 20 kg;
sand - 25%.

In order not to spoil the entire batch of blocks, you need to make a small experimental batch. So we do it like this:

we combine all the components in small quantities and write down the proportions;
we make a batch;
form a ball;
leave in the sun to dry for about 1 hour;
We throw it on the ground at a height of a meter and a half.

If all the components are matched in the right proportions, then the ball will remain intact. Added more sand than it should? It will break or crack. Not enough sand? The ball will float. So, in a practical way, we select the most best option.

Training

To prepare the mixture for several dozen blocks at once, you need to make a recess in the ground: round with a diameter of about 2.5 m or rectangular 1.5x2.5 with a depth of half a meter. Line the bottom with polyethylene. Although some kind of ready-made container is also suitable: a trough or old bath. Then everything is as it was done in the old days: we put on high boots made of rubber and walk, mixing everything until smooth.

Manufacturing

While the batch is in the manufacturing stage, we are preparing a platform for products: we select a flat sunny place;
we bring the mixture with buckets;
filling out forms;
we compact;
we remove the excess by drawing a board along the upper edges of the form;
remove the form.

Finished blocks should dry. This usually takes several days. It is important that they do not get rain. Then they are transferred to a shelter and dried again. Will be ready in 10 days.

A house made of adobe blocks turns out to be very warm and comfortable. In addition, this building material is environmentally friendly, durable, fireproof. It is used for buildings no higher than 2 floors.

Sawdust concrete blocks (arobolit)

The technology for manufacturing blocks from sawdust concrete is similar to the manufacture of adobe blocks, but the components need not be mined, but purchased.

Components

Before you start manufacturing, you need to purchase:

cement - M300 or higher;
sand - a fraction no larger than 1.8 Mcr;
not slaked lime;
sawdust (coniferous wood).

Preparing the Components

sift sawdust;
mix dry cement and sand;
lime here and mix again;
add sawdust and repeat the mixing procedure;
pour water;
In order for the components to adhere well to each other, we add calcium chloride or alumina sulfate;
we control the quality of the mixture.

For quality control, roll the ball and squeeze it in the palms. If water flows, then there is too much of it in the mixture, if the ball crumbles, there is a lot of sawdust or sand.

Let's start manufacturing

We line the form with plastic wrap;
lay the mixture;
rammer;
without removing from the mold, leave to harden for 5 days;
take it out of the mold and dry it further.

The drying process will take a long time - from 1.5 to 3 months: it all depends on the mass of the block.

Equipment

If the construction is to be large-scale, then it may make sense to invest in equipment for building blocks. For example: there is a mini-machine for the production of wood concrete RPB-1500 BL on sale. Its productivity is 1 sawdust block with dimensions of 19 x 19 x 39 cm per minute. Issues Russian manufacturer- INTEK company.

Vibrating tables are widely used in the manufacture of building blocks. They allow you to solve the problem of ramming mixtures. The vibrating table consists of:

movable table;
engine;
control panels;
sometimes a transformer is included.

Compaction of the working mixture occurs under the influence of vibration created by the vibration motor.

Working cycle

on the movable table we set the form;
put in the mold half or completely dry mixture;
start the engine;
drying.

How to choose?

There are 3 types of vibrating plates capable of compacting material by weight:

up to 75 kg;
from 75 to 160 kg;
from 160 kg.

Based on these indicators, you should choose the best vibrating table for yourself.

Manufacturers

They are released by:

Russian company VPK;
Stroymash LLC;
plant "Red Poppy" in Yaroslavl and others.

Vibrating tables are also supplied by foreign manufacturers:

Spain - Enar and Hervisa;
Germany - Wacker;
Italy - Batmatic;
France - Paclite.