Asphalt Answers
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Long Summer Paving Days Are Here
By Bryce Davis We all love the smell of fresh asphalt or we wouldn’t be in this business. Often riding in a car with family or friends I’d often hear oh, what’s that smell? And I’d respond with what smell? ... it smells good to me. I think once you’re in the asphalt...
The Real Truth About Buying New Equipment
By Brian Hall Well, we blinked and it’s July. Now that we are finally adjusting to life as we used to know it, many contractors are breathing easier and looking at adding to their fleet. With all the good news concerning infrastructure and building, the demand for new...
Where Does Safety Rank On Your Jobsite?
By Brian Hall During the past year, we have heard so much about keeping safe that we have almost become oblivious to the dangers around us. Construction workers, specifically in the asphalt sector, are statistically at a higher risk for injury than most occupations....
PROTECTING YOUR IMAGE
In Today's Competitive Workplace By Brian Hall While most of the country is trying to figure out what the “New Normal” is, paving contractors have already figured it out. It’s full steam ahead. With all the competition out there today, how do you insure a full...
To See Where We are Going, Just Look At Where We Came From
By Brian Hall Usually during this time of year, I would be asking if everyone enjoyed their time at the trade shows. Not this year. While it seems that we are coming out of this historic time, we still have a ways to go. While we weren’t able to see each other in...
Better Decisions Equals Better Results
By Brian Hall It seems as if our industry is different than most. The winter months, it seems, is the most popular time to invest in machinery, attachments and accessories. Typically, (whatever that is these days) the first quarter is chock full of local and national...
Grade Control
By Tony Wight As we at LeeBoy like to say, “Paving is still the same as it was from day 1, but the specs and tolerances have changed.” We are all called to give a better product and we are all subject to testing for density and thickness. Being off just a little can...
How do you know what you need before you need it?
By Jeremiah Reinhardt As we are in a unique time here, you may be asking “What do you need right now? That could vary depending on the sector you are in, or the current situation in your area. What opportunities are available to you with your current customer base?...
What to look for when buying a new commercial class paver
By Bryce Davis 2020 has been a very different type of year for most of us in the paving world, to say the least. We’ve all had to adjust to our own new normal way of doing business for the most part. For one, with social distancing and wearing masks or gaiters/buffs...
The Basics of Screed Management
By Brian Hall Too many times, on the job site I hear problems such as “I can’t get my screed to do what you told me me it would do”. Many times this can be corrected by an easy screed setup or just a few twists and turns. Every screed, no matter who the manufacturer,...
Why the Asphalt Paving Business?
By Bryce Davis In today’s world, why would anyone want to start a paving business? For one it’s extremely messy, hot, dirty, and very hard work. And that’s just the paving side of the business. Then on top of that you have the stress of sales, accounting bookkeeping,...
The Unsung Hero of the Paving Job
By Tony Wight Tack tanks are typically the most overlooked machine on the paving fleet. While not every paving job requires using tack, best practices demand that tack be used when appropriate. For many commercial applications, a large distributor truck is not...
Segregation The Enemy of Quality
By Tony Wight Many of us know there are a multitude of problems and issues that need to be avoided when paving either a road, commercial parking lot or a driveway. Everything from water flow and slope to texture and shadows in the mat. One of the major challenges is...
Don’t lose sight, be prepared, accidents happen
By Dean Skinner Construction and Paving contractors throughout North America have been deemed “essential businesses” and must be innovative to find ways to prevent their workforce contracting and spreading COVID - 19. It is only natural that a strong safety emphasis...
Compaction Basics For Success
By John Greaney Early in my career, I was told a truth that has rung true for years. An experienced contactor said, “A good roller man can make a bad paving job look good, but a bad roller man can really mess up the best paving job.” There have been many innovations...
Buying a Used Paver
By Rick Smith Sometimes when a new paver is in the budget, new might not be the best option. While a new machine has many benefits such as warranty and depreciation, used machines carry a high return on investment. This month we will discuss the visual items that...
The True Value of the Local Asphalt Equipment Dealer
By Bryce Davis It’s funny, we all have had these thoughts from time to time. If I can buy that truck direct from the manufacturer, I’ll save so much money. Or if I could buy that motorcycle direct from the manufacturer, win, win. Or that asphalt paver, save, save,...
Breathe in, Breathe out, Move Forward
By Brian Hall Well, it happened again, we blinked and another year has gone by. By all accounts, 2019 was a busy year and slow, steady growth is predicted for 2020. Chances are, you’re reading this issue at a trade show or local asphalt meeting, or maybe just to pass...
Seven Tools to Success
By Brian Hall I teach quite a few “Best Practices” classes each year and the number one question that gets asked (albeit under everyone’s breath) is “What can this salesman teach me? I mean, I’m out there every day and this guy is riding around in his air conditioned...
Are You Buying or Being Sold?
By Brian Hall Where did 2019 go? Seems as if we were just getting the year started and now in many regions, plants are shutting down. From most accounts, it was a busy year. Many states passed infrastructure bills which kept everyone working in their own specialty. To...
A Look Inside Your Local Equipment Dealership
By Brian Hall As a general rule, manufactures typically sell their products through dealers. This insures the end user can get prompt, qualified service and support. But aside from the occasional sales call, not too many folks know what makes the typical dealership...
Set Yourself Up For Success
By Brian Hall Perfection. It’s what we all strive for, whether it’s on the jobsite or in our personal lives. Sometimes we get close, many times we fall short, but the pursuit never should cease. When talking to contractors, I always tell them, “give yourself the best...
It’s All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an Engine.
By Brian Hall As I was on a paving jobsite today, it occurred to me – Why would anyone get into the paving business? It’s 100 degrees, 80 percent humidity and no wind. Add in 300 degree asphalt and you’ve got the makings of a heat stroke! And this was all before 9 am....
