Mixing concrete with a concrete mixer, 101
- Thread starter wroughtn_harv
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Slamfire
Veteran Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( but I cannot shovel the sand and gravel
)</font>
My Dad taught me that 50 years ago, when my heart was not the trouble. He also taught me that too wet, or too dry made no difference, concrete is too heavy. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
)</font>
My Dad taught me that 50 years ago, when my heart was not the trouble. He also taught me that too wet, or too dry made no difference, concrete is too heavy. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Alan L.
Elite Member
That brings back memories of when I was a strong, young man working construction with my dad. I ran the mixer and poured A/C compressor pads and sidewalks for houses we built. I thought it was really fun back then, but I liked any kind of outside work. I am a white man but I had hispanic friends who I was darker than.
I had never heard of Sacrete or ready-mix. I shoveled so many shovel-fulls of sand, gravel, and portland, and just the right amount of water and I can hear that mixer turning now..... Then, right into the forms, or the wheel barrow if I had any distance to go.
Dad passed away in 1999. The mixer sat behind his shop building until something had to be done with it just this year when Mom, at age 83 had to sell the place and move to a small apartment near her doctors.
The mixer is locked up - I don't know if its just the electric motor or something else. But I couldn't stand to see it get thrown away or sold. All it ever had were skids (2 by 4s) that are gone now - no wheels. We used to load it up in the back of a pickup to take it to jobs. Probably 40 years old this mixer.
I loaded it up on my trailer and brought it home. Now it sits behind MY shop and I hope to put a motor on it and fix it. Hopefully I can use it to pour a foundation for my well house and maybe pilings for my bridge if I ever get around to building one.
I had never heard of Sacrete or ready-mix. I shoveled so many shovel-fulls of sand, gravel, and portland, and just the right amount of water and I can hear that mixer turning now..... Then, right into the forms, or the wheel barrow if I had any distance to go.
Dad passed away in 1999. The mixer sat behind his shop building until something had to be done with it just this year when Mom, at age 83 had to sell the place and move to a small apartment near her doctors.
The mixer is locked up - I don't know if its just the electric motor or something else. But I couldn't stand to see it get thrown away or sold. All it ever had were skids (2 by 4s) that are gone now - no wheels. We used to load it up in the back of a pickup to take it to jobs. Probably 40 years old this mixer.
I loaded it up on my trailer and brought it home. Now it sits behind MY shop and I hope to put a motor on it and fix it. Hopefully I can use it to pour a foundation for my well house and maybe pilings for my bridge if I ever get around to building one.
Larstan
Silver Member
OkeeDon, just thought I would pass along some tips from my last month and a little over a hundred bags of sakrete.
I mix a max of 4 bags a load in the mixer, I think it is a six cubic foot and that seems like a full load(see pic). I wet the mixer down before pouring the first bag, since I know I am going to mix four bags you can be pretty liberal with the water and this keeps it from sticking to the mixer. I add a bag let it mix good, wet it (I spray the top of the mixer which wets the walls and keeps it from adhereing and clumping in between each bag) add another and so on. I get a real good mix but it took a couple loads get it right every time now /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
The sakrete I am using is 60lbs a bag, its a workout humping them from the pallet and dumping into a spinning mixer but if you try load it static you get one of harvs dry bottoms with a wet mess on top /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Just my experience so far not trying to step on any toes....
I mix a max of 4 bags a load in the mixer, I think it is a six cubic foot and that seems like a full load(see pic). I wet the mixer down before pouring the first bag, since I know I am going to mix four bags you can be pretty liberal with the water and this keeps it from sticking to the mixer. I add a bag let it mix good, wet it (I spray the top of the mixer which wets the walls and keeps it from adhereing and clumping in between each bag) add another and so on. I get a real good mix but it took a couple loads get it right every time now /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
The sakrete I am using is 60lbs a bag, its a workout humping them from the pallet and dumping into a spinning mixer but if you try load it static you get one of harvs dry bottoms with a wet mess on top /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Just my experience so far not trying to step on any toes....
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Egon
Epic Contributor
Don:
We all like your input and would hate to see it stopped.
Concrete work is about the hardest work thing going!!
Just for information for those using premixed bags - perhaps add a little portand cement for added strength. It will not cost much and give lots of benefits.
Egon
We all like your input and would hate to see it stopped.
Concrete work is about the hardest work thing going!!
Just for information for those using premixed bags - perhaps add a little portand cement for added strength. It will not cost much and give lots of benefits.
Egon
WVBill
Veteran Member
I did the same thing. Here's a picture of the mixer in my FEL.
If you get the guys at Home Depot to load the sacks or pre-mix into your pickup truck, you can nose the mixer right up there and practically just slide the bags right in without lifting them at all!
If you get the guys at Home Depot to load the sacks or pre-mix into your pickup truck, you can nose the mixer right up there and practically just slide the bags right in without lifting them at all!
Larston, a lot of help, thanks.
Egaon, I won't push it to far -- I pace myself pretty good.
RonR, yes, Doug is good at the grunt work - sometimes. The funny thing is, young, strong guy, sometimes poops out before me! To be fair, when he works with me he's usually coming off a 24 hour shift as a fireman (8am to 8am). Most nights they run a LOT of med calls (he's certified EMT and has completed the paramedic course; just waiting to take the state paramedic exam). The other thing is, I am often spontaneous -- I decide to do something, and want to do it right now! Because I'm also stubborn, I'll usually find a way. Of course, this gets to the heart of Egon's warning...
WVBill -- Ah! that's exactly what I want to do!
Egaon, I won't push it to far -- I pace myself pretty good.
RonR, yes, Doug is good at the grunt work - sometimes. The funny thing is, young, strong guy, sometimes poops out before me! To be fair, when he works with me he's usually coming off a 24 hour shift as a fireman (8am to 8am). Most nights they run a LOT of med calls (he's certified EMT and has completed the paramedic course; just waiting to take the state paramedic exam). The other thing is, I am often spontaneous -- I decide to do something, and want to do it right now! Because I'm also stubborn, I'll usually find a way. Of course, this gets to the heart of Egon's warning...
WVBill -- Ah! that's exactly what I want to do!