Picked up an older cement mixer

[ebinmaine 74,890]

@JCM Jim had this old gem down to his place for eons. I'd mentioned back at the Annual North Berwick Meet n Greet that if he ever got a hankerin' to sell it - let me know....

 

The BBT and I will be using this mixer to build a couple ramps for the barn doors. Then..... ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[8ntruck 8,237]

That is another one of those tools that you don't know you need until you have one.

 

I haven't pulled the trigger on one yet, but every time I mix concrete in my wheelbarrow, I think real hard about it.

[ri702bill 10,220]

Nice!! Check the condition of the "brake" for the drum tipping mechanism before you load it up with the actual mix. Fill it with just water and tip it - it should not run ahead of you once you pass the tipping point. There may be a reduction device in the pivot.

Edited 15 hours ago by ri702bill

[Handy Don 14,841]

After my dad built our future home in the late 50’s he had my two brothers and me doing concrete for what seemed like forever--probably on and off for two years. 

We had a mixer like this one and built sidewalks, steps, shed floors, garage aprons, and drainage culvert ends. We did get really good at building forms, judging the moisture in the sand and gravel, not spilling the wheelbarrow, getting out air pockets, edging, troweling, and putting just the right amount of “tooth” on the floated surface for safe traction. It was (and is) hard labor but quite satisfying when done well. 

Edited 13 hours ago by Handy Don

[Achto 30,010]

There is a cement mixer that is shared between my friends & family. The ruling of it is - Who ever uses it last, has to store it until the next person needs it.   My nephew currently has possession of it. I have needed it a couple times but decided to mix in a wheel barrow instead so that I did not have to store the mixer. 

[c-series don 10,666]

This reminds me of my log splitter. I lent it to my son in law and told him that if I need it I’ll come get it. It’s five minutes from my house.In the meantime he can store it! One less thing on my property! 

[JoeM 9,028]

I had one, gave it away when we finished the last building. Glad to see it go. 

I rarely need more than a two bag mix, just mix it in a mortar tub or wheel borrow. 

Lifting those heavy bags to fill is a mixer is deal breaker for me. 

[squonk 44,726]

I needed a mixer years ago. A customer of mine had one and says I can borrow it and he would even deliver it! I get home one day and there it is in my driveway. I look it over and notice there is no motor and belt  I call him up and tell him and he says " OOPS! "  and he also has no idea where the motor is but he will look. It takes him a week or so but finally finds it along with a pair of concrete covered vise grips to hold the motor on! 

 

As soon as I was finished that mixer was loaded up and gone! 

[squonk 44,726]

8 hours ago, Achto said:

There is a cement mixer that is shared between my friends & family. The ruling of it is - Who ever uses it last, has to store it until the next person needs it.   My nephew currently has possession of it. I have needed it a couple times but decided to mix in a wheel barrow instead so that I did not have to store the mixer. 

You could have snuck it over to @WHX??'s and parked it with all of his dump carts. He'd never know it was there. Cinnday could put some dirt in it and make a planter out of it. 

[rmaynard 16,628]

My dad had a mixer similar to that back in the 1950's. It wasn't new when he got it. Probably made in the late 1940's. Everyone wanted to borrow it. It was cumbersome to move around. So, the rule for the loan was simple...you borrow it, you keep it until the next person wants to borrow it. I'm not sure, but I think my brother currently has it. Apparently it still working after more than 75 years. Must have been made by Wheel Horse.

 

[ebinmaine 74,890]

3 hours ago, JoeM said:

 

Lifting those heavy bags to fill is a mixer is deal breaker for me. 

 

Two sides to that coin....

 

1. I handle bundles of shingles at work on a very regular basis. Those are 70 to 90 lbs. Boxes of vinyl siding can be 130 lbs. Then there's doors and windows...

 

2. It's unlikely I'll handle full bags of cement/ concrete after seeing a neat trick on a couple different YouTube videos. 

Lay a piece of rebar crossways under the bag. Slice across the bag following the rebar. Quickly lift the rebar up and you're left with two FORTY lb bag half sections. 

Niiiiice....

 

 

That said...  I'm aware I'm a little on the "not small" side. Lifting and carrying things has been my whole existence. 

 

"I pick things up 'n put dem down".

 

Fibromyalgia and body chassis pains solidly kick my 🫏 on some days... but absolutely REFUSE to stop. I firmly believe that'll be great in the looooonng run. 

 

[ebinmaine 74,890]

14 hours ago, ri702bill said:

Nice!! Check the condition of the "brake" for the drum tipping mechanism before you load it up with the actual mix. Fill it with just water and tip it - it should not run ahead of you once you pass the tipping point. There may be a reduction device in the pivot.

 

Good info. Thank you.  

 

This particular mixer has four stopping studs on the sides. No obvious adjustment there.  

[JoeM 9,028]

28 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

"I pick things up 'n put dem down"

Me too.

 

I failed to mention I gave that away before I had an FEL Wheel horse. Now, I would roll those 60 or 80 lbs sacks into the bucket and load the mixer. That is what my son does. He has his own mixer and FEL and I just think it is kind of crazy but he will mix 30-40 bag jobs. 

 

Sliding down the back side of 60's now. I think back when I was in my 30/40's, the times when I lifted weights (barbels), lifted and worked with heavy stuff. Items I should have got help with. 

My consensus is just all those lifts was wearing old Joe out, and he never knew it!

 

End result = Arthritis, a fused back, ankle and artificial knee, and soon a shoulder. 

 

Sounds like you got a plan. 

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by JoeM