Electric Cement Mixer

[rancar]

Great Bill....let us know how the job works out. I've used my mixer on small jobs, watching those small jobs become even bigger jobs until it reaches the point that I wish I had contracted to just have a truck come in to do a pour. I'd be interested to receive your feedback as well as those of others on mixing own concrete in relation to size of the job and knowing where the personal threshold is where one decides it isn't worth it and instead makes more sense to contract the job.

....Bob

 

[RanchMan]

BB_TX -

Really strange timing as I literally came in a few hours ago after setting a few posts with my Harbor Freight mixer. I didn't mix much (only about 500 lbs worth) but after many years of mixing small batches by hand, believe me when I say that I will ***NEVER*** mix by hand again!

I haven't ever had any trouble with my mixer. I have a 5000 watt generator I use to run it. When its full and I first start it the generator will "bog down" for about half a second, but the mixer has never failed to start spinning right away - and it doesn't take long to mix a batch either.

Sometimes they will drop the "sale" price to $179 instead of $199, but you'll have to get the right flyer to find it and it doesn't happen often. The free shipping would save you some more money, but you'll have to wait a couple of weeks for it to get to you.

Even at the $200 price, I suspect you will be very happy with your purchase. (Just don't pave your whole back yard! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif)

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Just above HWY 121 on FM 160 is a perpetual yard sale. They had the mixer you're wanting yesterday. It might still be there today. I haven't stopped, they don't have my kinds of stuff on sale, but they had a small brush hog for two hundred the other morning and one seventy five that evening.

A little perspective for you. Those are usually about two and a half cubic feet max. That means you can pour an average of two feet of sidewalk three feet wide each load. Consider the time it takes to mix a batch and then muliply it out. You might decide having to finish while mixing and not getting either done quite right worth a hoot.

I have a nine cubic foot concrete mixer. That's three six cubic feet wheelbarrows full enough in the wheelbarrow that the average man will lose two years *** life pushing it fifty feet. When it comes to slabs I'm for concrete truck. Finishing is so much easier.

Renting a nine cubic foot mixer used to be about fifty dollars a day. A compromise is a six cubic footer but they usually find homes where they're a legacy and are passed down via a will.

 

[BB_TX]

RanchMan - Thanks for the input. I found out that there is a Harbor Freight store only 20 miles away. They have the mixer in stock and will honor the web price so I can just go over and pick one up.
Pave the backyard? I don't think so. Had enough of pavement. I just want to look out over open green pasture and trees now. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[EdDekker]

I have a Kushlan 3.5 Cu Ft mixer <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&langId=-1&catalogId=4006970&PHOTOS=on&TEST=Y&productId=616&categoryId=149>this one</A> from Northern Tool.

I have had no luck (that should read 'skill') using it. When I mix a batch of cement I get a hard layer on the bottom of the mixer with about half the dry powder. The only way this hard lump mixes in is when I dig into it with a shovel and force it to mix. The effect is more work than just mixing the cement in a tub. I have used several types of Quickcrete premix bags (normal, sand mix and fiber reinforced) with the same results.

I have tried:
adding the cement first than the water with the motor on
adding the cement first than the water with the motor off and turning the motor on
adding the water first than the cement with the motor off
adding the water first than the cement with the motor on (makes a big cloud of cement dust)
adding the water first and throwing the entire bag paper and all into the mixer motor on (a mess getting the paper fragements out)
mixing one bag at a time
mixing two bags at a time

In all cases I get the lump of mostly dry powder at the bottom and need to dig into it to force it to mix.

Can someone with the skill and experience suggest what I should try next time I mix some cement?

 

[rdbrumfield]

The only way I have ever mixed cement is to have a pile of gravel-sand and bags of cement. I shovel the gravel in with the motor running, add water, then shovel cement. By counting shovelfulls of each, you get an even mix. With it going in evenly it mixes without layering. Have a box, or use something to dump the cement into so you can shovel it out easily, trying to put it in by the bag would be cumbersome I would think.

 

[herbenus]

I have experienced the improper mixing as well. I found that tilting bucket closer to horizontal mixes better, forcing off bottom. Also, sometimes mixing more works better then mixing less. But I'm not an expert. Usually I have to relearn each time I plug it in and usually only figure it out when I'm about done. I do know it helps to precisely measure water. Forget the water hose. Get a measured bucket or pitcher. What works good for one bag will work for the next. Also, maybe switch brands. I've had best luck with the yellow bags from Home Depot -"Sarkrete" or something. The white bags I got from Ace were coarse sandy and I was unhappy with mixing. Sorry I don't remember brand name. Hope this helps.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

<font color=blue>Harvey - Do you mean State Hwy 160 (toward Whitewright)? I don't recall a FM 160, at least in my area of 121?</font color=blue>

Yup. That's the town of Desert. Here's picture of the mixer. He claims it was used once by an old couple. It looks like that might be the truth.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here's another.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

And here's even another. The good lookin' truck and tractor don't go with the deal./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

He quoted me a hundred and fifty. I got the impression he was willing to negotiate.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

The beauty of the nine cubic foot mixer is it's simplicity of use while mixing.

1. You put in ten gallons of water, less if the sand is real wet, but not much less.

2. You throw in a ninety four pound bag of Portland cement, bag and all.

3. You add your sand and gravel to taste.

I look at the paper and plastic from the bag as fiber/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif.

If you're wanting better concrete then you add another half bag of portland.

For setting fence posts I mix it stiff. For slabs and sidewalks I mix it not so stiff. The only time I mix it real wet is when I've screwed up, as in putting in ten gallons of water and the sand is soaked.

 

[Rick Jay]

<font color=blue>adding the water first than the cement with the motor on (makes a big cloud of cement dust)</font color=blue>

Yes, it does, but that's the way I believe it should be done. Make sure the drum is turning before any solids are added. Wear safety goggles and a dust mask. Pour the quikrete mix in slowly or use a shovel to put it in a bit at a time. If the mix begins to look dry, add more water. I use a hose with a forceful spray tip and as I add water, I blast off any mix that is "stuck" on the bottom of the mixer.


~Rick

 

[Rick Jay]

Although I've used the quikrete redi-mix stuff, my preference now is to use sand, gravel and portland cement.

This way, I only needed to buy a couple of bags of portland cement and that's all I need to keep under shelter. The sand and gravel (I had a couple of yards of each delivered a couple of years ago) stay outside in the elements. Makes it a bit cheaper than using all pre-mix and is easier to store. Sometimes I have to pull out a few stray weeds from the stored gravel and sand, but usually it's not too bad.

~Rick

 

[ns_in_tex]

Well, I guess you guys need a laugh, & that is probably what you would do if you saw me mixing concrete today.

I took a 55 gal barrel with a clamp on top. Chained it to my brush forks on the front end loader. Put in 2 80 lb bags of concrete mix, 2-1/2 gal water, clamped lid on, lifted it about 5' high, then turned it up & down about 6 times with the fel tilt, removed lid, eased up over forms & poured it out of the barrel.

It worked fairly well. Mixed & poured 13 bags in 1-1/2 hr yesterday, finished up today with another 12 bags.

I hope when I get time, to make a barrel mount (without the brush forks), so I can lighten the load to about 1/2 on the loader.

Sorry I didn't take time to do any pictures.

 

[Bird]

Neal, when I first started reading about the "barrel" I was reminded of a gadget my brother bought before he bought the electric mixer. It was simply a small poly, or plastic, barrel with a screw on lid and was molded with "paddles?" inside. You put in the water and one sack of Sakrete, screwed the lid on, and then rolled it along until you thought it was mixed, set it upright, unscrew the lid and pour your concrete out. I think he only mixed a couple of sacks that way before going to buy the electric mixer./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Now with your method, I'm thinking you would mix some really big martinis./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Knight9]

Bird,

They still sell those mixers all over the place. Here is an example at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=1&page=10338&category=2,2180,33222>Lee Valley</A>.

Kevin

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I guess mixing concrete is right up there with skinning cats when it comes to "vive la difference!"

Tomorrow at noon I've got a lunch appointment in Hurst Texas at the TXI consumer products plant, their invite.

This all about an email I sent to them complaining about the inconsistancy of their product, Maximizer. We've been exchanging messages, telephone and email, about when it would be convenient for all involved for us to have a sit down.

I suggested a demonstration of how fencemen mix concrete. They like that idea. So I'm planning on taking some remix (sand and rock mixed), some sacrete, some good Maximizer, Maximizer, some pipe posts, and of course on Lucy will be the auger. I will drill some holes and set some posts for them. Then they want to have a sit down and talk about it.

What is scarey is just who's supposed to be at this meeting. The sales manager is the one I've been talking with. Monday morning he called from Dallas to find out my schedule. Then Monday afternoon he called from Chicago to confirm the Friday noon appointment. There's him, sales manager, commercial accounts, plant manager, marketing manager, chief engineer, fella who has the patent on Maximizer, and some vice president who got hold of my email and told all of the above that they needed to sit down and talk with me.

Needless to say I'm a little overwhelmed. Mixing concrete isn't rocket science. Unless of course it's in a plant and it's not being done right.

 

[BB_TX]

Harv - Thanks, I know exactly where it is. I pass by there often. I think I will run up there after work and see if it is still there. That looks like maybe a 5 cubic foot model.

 

[Bird]

Thanks, Kevin, that's exactly what I was talking about. It works, but it's really only for very tiny jobs.