Electric Cement Mixer
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wroughtn_harv
Super Member
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.
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
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<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
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
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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
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
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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.
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
Rest in Peace
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
Now with your method, I'm thinking you would mix some really big martinis./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Knight9
Veteran Member
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
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
Super Member
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.
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.
Bird
Rest in Peace
Thanks, Kevin, that's exactly what I was talking about. It works, but it's really only for very tiny jobs.