Mixing concrete - "Mud mixer" alternative. Steele mixer

[newbury]

When I was a kid

My Grandad, my Dad and I (age 10+) built (with very little additional help) a duplex on 30 acres in Vermont, with a full 8' walled basement (must have been about 70x30 or larger). After we had the "hole" dug by a hired excavator operator
(/edit and a professionally done floor poured)
we built the basement with concrete block. I became the prime mortar mixer until they FINALLY got a cement mixer.
While most kids had "fun summers" I was free labor for 3 or so years. I ended up spending most of my days with my Grandfather.
I have a 2 or 3 bag cement mixer, it's just that this Steele mixer looks like something that I could add to my arsenal of tools.

 

[2manyrocks]

The Steele mixer lists for $249. I look at it as a type of speciality mixer to use where there is no electric power. Personally, I'd probably buy the Bauer electric mixer with the poly drum from Harbor Freight that they sometimes put on sale for about $329. There are some less expensive ones, but that's the one I've been looking at even though I already have an older Red Lion electric mixer with a steel drum.

 

[paulsharvey]

The Steele mixer lists for $249. I look at it as a type of speciality mixer to use where there is no electric power. Personally, I'd probably buy the Bauer electric mixer with the poly drum from Harbor Freight that they sometimes put on sale for about $329. There are some less expensive ones, but that's the one I've been looking at even though I already have an older Red Lion electric mixer with a steel drum.

If that's the route, check market place, they often are sold after a single use for $50-100, and might have 20 bags ran.

 

[BlueKnife]

On my list of varying priorities:
1. An extension of a shed floor from ~ 10'Wx15'L to about 17'W to max it out w/ a change in the maximum size not requiring a permit. ~50@ 80lb bags
2. About the same size as #1 for sidewalk to house ~50 bags
3. Repair/replacement of some 10x10 driveway pads

7'x10'x4"= 58+ 80 lb bags.
Sidewalk = 58 bags
Assuming that "some" means at least 3? = 167 bags
+5% overage
Total = 298 bags

That's probably going to be roughly $100-$500 more than what it would cost to have a truck come (not including your cost to haul 12 tons of concrete and to buy a mixer and not placing any value on your time) and the end result will be significantly lower quality. Some things to consider. Might be worth the effort and cost to find a couple guys to help you.

 

[paulsharvey]

7'x10'x4"= 58+ 80 lb bags.
Sidewalk = 58 bags
Assuming that "some" means at least 3? = 167 bags
+5% overage
Total = 298 bags

That's probably going to be roughly $100-$500 more than what it would cost to have a truck come (not including your cost to haul 12 tons of concrete and to buy a mixer and not placing any value on your time) and the end result will be significantly lower quality. Some things to consider. Might be worth the effort and cost to find a couple guys to help you.

7x15×4"= 35 CF
sidewalks= 35 CF
10x10x6"=50 CF

27 CF= 1 CY, so we are at 4.5 CY already with a single 10x10 section of drive. All of that can easily be poured and finished by a single person from a truck. If we have 2 or 3 10x10 sections of drive/parking area; we are at a full truck of 8.5 yards really easily. For that, I highly recommend having a 2nd person. The nice part, these are all narrow sections, and can be screeded by a single person in mud boots in the center, But that is Far easier with 2 guys on the board, and a 3rd guy with a comalong pulling mud in front of the screed.

If you have the option, a front discharge is much nicer, as the driver can maneuver the truck and shoot, and your not pulling as much mud.

 

[BlueKnife]

27 CF= 1 CY, so we are at 4.5 CY already with a single 10x10 section of drive.

10'x10'x6" is 1.86 CY, not 4.5. I was figuring the drive sections at 4", which would be 1.25 CY.

 

[paulsharvey]

10'x10'x6" is 1.86 CY, not 4.5.

I'm saying we have 35+35+ a min of another 50; so 4.5 CY. We have a 7x15, a equal sized ammount of sidewalk, and an unknown number, but multiple 10x10x6" section. So, at the min, we need 4.5 CY, or if we say, 3 sections of the drive, plus sidewalk, plus she'd pour, we have 8.5 cy.


[35+35+50(x)]/27= cubic yards; with X being the number of driveway sections that need redone

 

[paulsharvey]

If we want to "try" to shave down the numbers, we can go 3.5" on shed floor, and sidewalks, and maybe 5" of the drive; but we aren't really changing the end result by much.

If you bag pour, I wouldn't go 4" on that drive, no way you're getting 3000psi with cold joints in the pour, uneven water-cement ratio, ect. If we bag pour, I would go atleast 5" of that drive, but there is a reason Every spec I've ever seen for driveway is 6" min

 

[BlueKnife]

I'm saying we have 35+35+ a min of another 50; so 4.5 CY. We have a 7x15, a equal sized ammount of sidewalk, and an unknown number, but multiple 10x10x6" section. So, at the min, we need 4.5 CY, or if we say, 3 sections of the drive, plus sidewalk, plus she'd pour, we have 8.5 cy.


[35+35+50(x)]/27= cubic yards; with X being the number of driveway sections that need redone

Got ya. All of that to say, he should get a truck.

 

[paulsharvey]

IF you bag pour, consider putting plastic down first, so the soil doesn't leach your water out of the mix. Each of those 10x10 sections is probably 2.5 hours of mix-pour; and by your last bag, the first 1/3rd is ready to trowel, and you'll be floating and edging, while still mixing