Changing a gas motor to electric on a mortar mixer

[zing]

I'd rather have a mixer with an electric motor than listen to a gas engine. You just need to figure out the proper pulleys to maintain the correct operating speed.

I agree with 2manyrocks. For most people a mixer is used from time to time and may sit a long time between uses. That is not good for gas engines and you end up spending more time trying to get it going than it is worth. Besides if you have a generator, then your electric mixer is portable. I have so many gas motor items already that I spend too much time winterizing and changing oil, etc. For rarely used items, keeping it simple with an electric motor is often the best option.

Nothern Tool had 5 or 6 different electric ones so they are obviously functional for a home user. Cement Mixers + Portable Cement Mixers | Construction | ohrthern Tool + Equipment Maybe the next time you are there or Home Depot or whatever you can have a look at them and see how they do it. Why reinvent the wheel? You may end up with exactly what suits your needs, at a cost of next to nothing but your time.

 

[mx842]

I think I have changed my mind once again after I have looked at my options. I was looking yesterday at what would have to happen to be able to use the mule drive on my Wheel Horse or my PowerKing tractor and either way I would have to cut a large section out of the side of the motor compartment for the belts to run through. I didn't like the idea of that so I am now looking at running the mixer off my old Gravely walk behind. I found an old Gravely fertilizer sprayer in the junk pile that I was going to try to rebuild and make work again but I'm afraid it was too far gone to do anything with. The fiberglass tank was crushed in several places and although I could have fixed that the pump itself was frozen and there were several pieces missing so I decided to cannibalize the sprayer to make the attachment to connect the two machines together.

All I need to do is make a couple brackets to hold the drive in place which won't be too hard to do. Finding a double pulley the right size is going to be the hardest part but hopefully I'll be able to rob one from something laying around in my junk pile out back.

 

[Capricious]

You gotta Gravely walk-behind, AND a Powerking/Economy?

I would love to have a Gravely walk-behind with a 30" brush mowing head if the collectors didn't drive up the prices.



And the same collectors salivate over Powerking /Economy tractors:

https://stlouis.craigslist.org/grd/4684840922.html

 

[mx842]

Yeah I have had this old gravely for years and I wouldn't give it up for anything. That thing is a beast and will mow down anything it can run over. I just got the PowerKing not long ago and haven't had the time to mess with it much. I love that old equipment and although the PK is not really all that old (mid 70's) it will still be around a long long time. The gravely is from back in the 50's and is still as tough now as it was back when it was fired the first time. I have 2 of the 30" mowers, one with a blade and the other I want to put a saw blade on to cut off the stuff that is a little too big for the bush hog to run over.

 

[Capricious]

"..That thing is a beast and will mow down anything it can run over...."



I have some ground to mow that is too rough/steep for a tractor, and I use a Swisher 24" rough-cut mower on those areas. The Swisher has been a real good machine, but I wish it cut a bit wider than 24". DR makes a 30" rough-cut but costs big $$$. Home Depot sells a 36" rough-cut walk-behind but VERY big $$$ plus that might be just a tad too big to deal with on rough terrain.

A walk-behind Gravely with the 30" rough cut mower head would be just the ticket.

 

[mx842]

"..That thing is a beast and will mow down anything it can run over...."



I have some ground to mow that is too rough/steep for a tractor, and I use a Swisher 24" rough-cut mower on those areas. The Swisher has been a real good machine, but I wish it cut a bit wider than 24". DR makes a 30" rough-cut but costs big $$$. Home Depot sells a 36" rough-cut walk-behind but VERY big $$$ plus that might be just a tad too big to deal with on rough terrain.

A walk-behind Gravely with the 30" rough cut mower head would be just the ticket.

I used one of those DR rough cut machines and it did cut pretty good in the brush but they are not as heavy as the Gravely and I don't see one of those being around for 50 years and still working like this old machine. I use mine in the woods more than in the fields but with a good sharp blade they cut grass pretty good also. Being as narrow as it is, is good in the woods getting around trees but it is still very stable on on slopes.

The biggest improvement I ever did to this old machine is when I put tractor type tires on it. Once I put those tires on it, it was a whole new machine and was easier to operate. With the old turf tires it would hang up on sticks and roots or slip sideways on slopes especially when the ground was a little wet. With the tractor tires on I spend my time keeping up with the old girl rather than trying to lift her big ol azz up off of a stickup or a small depression, like a stump hole or rut in the ground.

 

[Capricious]

I used one of those DR rough cut machines and it did cut pretty good in the brush but they are not as heavy as the Gravely and I don't see one of those being around for 50 years and still working like this old machine. I use mine in the woods more than in the fields but with a good sharp blade they cut grass pretty good also. Being as narrow as it is, is good in the woods getting around trees but it is still very stable on on slopes.

The biggest improvement I ever did to this old machine is when I put tractor type tires on it. Once I put those tires on it, it was a whole new machine and was easier to operate. With the old turf tires it would hang up on sticks and roots or slip sideways on slopes especially when the ground was a little wet. With the tractor tires on I spend my time keeping up with the old girl rather than trying to lift her big ol azz up off of a stickup or a small depression, like a stump hole or rut in the ground.

I am not plannning on being around in 50 years so that is not a concern for me...

The Swisher came with "ag" type tires- it likes to "hang-up" on stumps and rocks but I'm used to "man handling" it to get it going again. It is a real work-out to run the thing, though.

Some of the more expensive DR's come with a differential lock, something the Swisher does not have. In deep mud that might be a handy feature to have, but in the rocky Ozarks I don't think it would help much. I don't have enough dirt to have mud !

 

[mx842]

I am not plannning on being around in 50 years so that is not a concern for me...

The Swisher came with "ag" type tires- it likes to "hang-up" on stumps and rocks but I'm used to "man handling" it to get it going again. It is a real work-out to run the thing, though.

Some of the more expensive DR's come with a differential lock, something the Swisher does not have. In deep mud that might be a handy feature to have, but in the rocky Ozarks I don't think it would help much. I don't have enough dirt to have mud !

"I don't have enough dirt to have mud" LOL....That's cool I like that! My Gravely isn't all that easy to operate either. I think they had the right name for that machine/ hehehe. If you use it in the woods much it will put you in the grave ly. My wife asks me, what did you do today? My reply...I've been running the 'man killer', cutting brush in the woods.

 

[2manyrocks]

Gravely prices appear to have come down since 2008. I don't see people asking as much for them as they did before.

concrete mixer mounted to Gravely. http://www.mytractorforum.com/showpost.php?p=6169770&postcount=35

Harold Gravely was a mechanical genius, IMO.

 

[Dave M7040]

I am puzzled by the electric motor horsepower you are considering. I had a concrete mixer for generations in my family and it had a fractional horsepower motor, off a 110 volt furnace fan I think. It was all open but tolerated getting splashed. We had a piece of tin over it as a deflector.
There is drive reduction in the V belt pulleysbetween the small motor pulley and the much larger pulley on the pinion and then a lot of gear reduction between the pinion and the main drum which it drives. You do not want it turning too fast or the mixing action will not happen.
How big it yours?
Dave M7040