Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[chiefcook]

I've used the larger of their two mixers for years. The only complaints are that it is several inches too low for my wheelbarrow to fit under the crossbar for dumping the mixer, and the skinny wheels make it hard to move on a soft surface. I place blocks under the wheels and foot to raise it when mixing, or make a small hole for the wheelbarrow wheel.

Bruce

I will second this word for word on the larger one.
Have no complaints .

 

[Root Cause]

Thanks all for the input.
If I dig out step so my pull cart is under it, Can I rotate it past center to reload from a better height? Seems necessary or one solution (easy dumping ) creates another (difficulty loading)

 

[California]

If I dig out step so my pull cart is under it, Can I rotate it past center to reload from a better height? Seems necessary or one solution (easy dumping ) creates another (difficulty loading)

As I recall, it could rotate vertical up to vertical down. I think beyond vertical up, if you wanted to load it from stairs or something.

 

[KubotainNH]

Does anyone have any experience with one of these?

View attachment 731756

I have the orange one which I bought used for $75, you can find them if not in a hurry. Ran two pallets of cement through it in 2 days. It was a bit noisier after and needed some bolts tightened up but way better than hand mixing. We tried running 2 - 80lb bags in it at a shot but that just made a mess. Was quicker to do one bag at a time and got more consistent results, I think we got it down to mixing a bad in less than 1.5 mins. The red one looks much smaller, not sure if that size is worth the money. I also added a block under one side. Mine spins all the way around but it would be nice if it had a few more detents in the tilt setup.

 

[prichard]

I have one of the mixers, not sure which. 3.5 cu ft, iirc.

I had to start with it vertical so it could overcome startup load then lower towards horizontal to mix. Sometimes had to give it a start by rotating by hand as well. Managed to mix a bunch of 80 lb bags before the motor completely died.

I plan to replace motor but haven't gotten around to it. I have a 1.5 he motor but that's a bith much on an extension cord. I'll probably go with 1 hp.

 

[California]

Yes the small one is limited in capacity. Maybe its best application is for mixing bricklayer mortar, or blending mulch/earth potting mix, or ?

But it would be sufficient for a weekend backyard project. And it will be easier to transport compared to a job-size mixer.

 

[Alan W.]

When there was a substantial ITC discount I got one for a special purpose, hulling walnuts. I thought tumbling semi-dry walnuts with large nuts and bolts would strip the hulls off.

Nope. That was an experiment that failed.

All of BCP's comments are relevant. Larger wheels would make it easier to move over rough ground, and it would need to be higher to pour into a wheelbarrow.

Quality seemed decent, sufficient for the home DIY'er. Like a lot of HF stuff, buy something better for commercial use.

I put it on Craigslist and the buyer bought it for blending chicken feed.

My neighbor uses his to remove black walnut hulls. He loads it with unhulled nuts and adds water nothing else. The water is changed a time or two and they come out very clean.

I also have the orange one and it has worked well.

 

[Reddogs]

I just bought (2) Grade 70, 5/16 chains for $25.00 a piece. Tractor Supply wanted $55.00 for the same item.

A friend just bought a 3ph Quick Hitch on sale for $69.00! It works great. Compared to the $215.00 one at TSC.

Got to go back and get some chains as it was $89 at RK..

 

[California]

Got to go back and get some chains as it was $89 at RK..

Unfortunately that post you quoted to was from 2008. Prices are higher now.

Like Adireredneck in 2008, I too paid $69 for my HF Quick Hitch. But they cost double that, now.

 

[California]

My neighbor uses his to remove black walnut hulls. He loads it with unhulled nuts and adds water nothing else. The water is changed a time or two and they come out very clean.

I read that this is common, so that's why I bought the little mixer. I did run it with water, then when that didn't work I added tumbling objects for more abrasion.

But too late, I learned there are different varieties of Walnut and the variety that grandpa planted here has hulls that can only be removed by scraping each walnut across a grater (expanded metal panel). Several strokes, rotating the nut. Green, sun-dried, oven-dried, anywhere in between, same result. Apparently this tree is a very obsolete variety. I don't recall that grandparents ever had walnuts to share with us.

Just a theory but the walnut tree is in a low spot in the apple orchard that gets muddy, treacherous to drive a tractor through when wet. Grandpa was a retired mining engineer. He may have planted the walnut tree there, calculated to draw some of the water out of that boggy soil. Not for harvesting walnuts.

There are farms nearby advertising walnut meats at a price that would amount to under $1/hour if I hulled my own. I gave up on that experiment and sold the mixer.