Cement Mixers

[Grunt]

Unfortunately I sold it about 10 years ago otherwise you could have borrowed it

Damned inconsiderate there Peter. You should have know I would need it.

[johnc]

I've had both petrol and electric all lightburn models, and petrol is great when there are no power points, otherwise electric everytime. There are no fumes, they are quieter, power is not an issue they really don't need much grunt Grunt. They are a little lighter and work just fine, the main thing is to keep them clean, don't leave 'em spinning without water and for the lazy a couple of half bricks tossed in will keep the bowl clear, but at the end of the day a quick scrub and sluice is needed. I'd get the ????? GMC models, you've got the warranty so who cares, just make sure bowl size is adequate, the is a big difference in speed between the 2.2 and larger models if you are try to batch up large volumes.

John

[Tools]

Iain, block the mixer up on a couple of bricks to make it more solid.

Tools

[joe greiner]

Couple suggestions if you buy a portable mixer: Consider replacing undersized wheels; mine has "toy" wheels about 8in diameter - work fine on pavement, but not so great on bare ground. Replacement with bicycle or barrow wheels pending. Also, add extensions to short folding handles at the other end, so you don't bang your shins on the lower cross brace when moving it.

Joe

[Burnsy]

If I was mixing that much that quickly I would look to buying two second hand tilt forward type mixers (3.5 cube) (westmix/easymix style not those chuck away orange swivelly things). Electric is easy and cheaper to buy. The reason I say this is the new light (2.2 cube) mixers do not have gear boxes and are direct drive off the motor. The short of it is they run to fast and when you are mixing all day they soon give you the sh##s. I have a westmix 2.2 as my tilt forward died about a month after I stopped landscaping full time so I could not justify buying a new one for jobs on the side. This is no better than a GMC in my opinion (I have used both and they both have the same problems) which is not surprising as they pretty much cost the same. Even if you only get one of these and a GMC special to back it up, you won't be sorry. Look around you will get a second hand one for the same price as a new GMC, even if you have to spend some time cleaning it out, it will be time well spent.For good second hand mixers try the trading post and also ring around the auction houses and hire companies (they regularly change theirs out and sell off the old ones).

[Iain]

the new light (2.2 cube) mixers do not have gear boxes and are direct drive off the motor.

Mine has a belt and pulley reduction drive, would you class this as a 'gearbox' or are you referring to a mechanical/cog/gears device?

[Burnsy]

Mine has a belt and pulley reduction drive, would you class this as a 'gearbox' or are you referring to a mechanical/cog/gears device?

Sorry for the delay in responding. The gearbox I am referring to is cog and gears as was used on the old mixers, not the reduction via small pulley on the motor up to a large pully on the mixer bowl spline.

Which way have you decided to go if you have moved forward?