Buying a Cement Mixer
Choosing a Cement Mixer
Introduction:
In the old
days DIY home owners
mixed cement by hand. This was a painstaking and
tiring process, especially for large tasks. Hand
mixing cement in a wheel barrow or cement box is
arduous work and the cement may not be perfectly
mixed, causing weaknesses and flaws.
The task of mixing cement changed with the
coming of modern cement mixers.
Modern cement mixers are light weight and come in
a
variety of sizes and are reasonably priced. I mixed
cement the old fashion way for years until I
realized that I could purchase a cement mixer at a
reasonable price.
Buying a cement mixer that is right for
you is a difficult choice because there are so many
to choose from.
Electric cement mixers are the most practical mixer
to
purchase because it is light weight, portable,
inexpensive, and some can either set on the
ground or mounted on a stand that raises it
approximately three feet off the ground.
These are drum type mixers that can hold 180 – 200 pounds of
mixture or a complete 80 pound bag of premixed
concrete. They have a 1/2 to 1.0 house power
electric motor that operates on standard single
phase 120 volt power. You can use it as a regular
concrete mixer or mortar mixer.
A drum cement mixer consists of a rotating
drum
mounted on a motor driven spindle. They mix cement,
quickly, and efficiently. The mixing process is
helped by integral blades fixed to the inside of
the drum that insure a thorough mix. These small
light weight portable cement mixers come in a wide
range of types and models to meet your needs. The
drums are made of plastic polymer for its light
weight and resistance to rust and corrosion.
When determining the size and capacity for a DIY
homeowner consider the size of the job you will be
working on. A 2 – 4 cubic foot mixer is an ideal
choice for most homeowners. Larger mixer capacities
may make the job go faster but they are more
expensive and are more difficult to move around and
operate because of their size. In addition, you
don’t want to mix anymore cement at one time than
what you can work with as it will dry out and will
require additional mixing or it will have to be
discarded.
The large gasoline and diesel power cement mixers
are commonly used by professional masons on job
sites here there is no electrical power available.
They are great mixers but require a tow vehicle to
move them around. They are not practical for a
small DIY home improvement projects.
Choosing the right concrete mixer is determined by
what tasks you need it for and the size of your
budget. The light weight modern cement mixers are
inexpensive and will work well for most DIY cement
projects.
Related articles:
Mixing Cement
Mixing Concrete and Mortar
Muriatic Acid for Cleaning Masonry
Polishing
Concrete Floors
Sealing Concrete