Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

[MetalHead]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

I am looking at the Lowe's unit. It is about $300.00 here. I have other projects coming as well. I think Harbor Freight has them also, but the Lowe's unit is about the same price and has long legs. I am thinkning a few blocks under the frame will raise it up enough to mix and pour rignt into the hearth form... Labor savings sounds like it will make the unit worth buying

[fxpose]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

I'm ready to purchase an electric concrete mixer and have looked at a few models, on-line and in stores ($400-$700). In addition to my planned oven build I have several on-going projects around the house where the mixer will definitely come in handy. I've been mixing concrete in the wheelbarrow for many years and now I'm tired.
I've looked at tri-support mixers and the low profiled ones on large wheels that can be wheelbarrowed. I am unsure as to which type is more practical for general residential use. Thoughts?

Thanks!

[Neil2]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

By a 2-3 cubic foot electric cement mixer for $250 or so.

Hours of enjoyment. Become popular with friends and neighbors. More fun than a seadoo.

[Likeithot]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

We have mini mix in Australia. I needed 0.4 of a meter (about half a yard) for a concrete hearth. I was going to mix it in my mixer that I own, but it was almost as cheap after buying the stuff to make the concrete and less of a hassle. It cost me $184.00 and I didnt have to spend the time mixing it and it drying out in the mean time.

[philiph4@ameritech.net]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

This is my first post to Forno Bravo, does anyone know how to change your user ID? Anyway, I purchased a yard of concrete from my local landscape supply place for $90/yrd and pulled in their trailer behind my truck. With my son's help we purchased, poured, and finished the base in 2 1/2 hours. That's got to beat hand mixing and probably about the same price. I did it again to pour the block cores (Asked for them to mix it wet) and the hearth slab. It was a little harder when you have to shovel to the top of the slab. This was a huge time saver for me.

[trialbyfire]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

100 degree heat! ouch! I used my easy up canopy from my kart racing stuff to tent over the oven and work area and it kept things pretty cool.

[Lars]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

just mixed up 15 80# bags of concrete... in an Odd Job bucket... with my son... in 100 degree heat! Everything went great!!!

[trialbyfire]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

I have used the wheel barrow for all the small to medium batches of mortar, and used a small mixer for larger pours. Found out the hard way a few years prior while building a water feature in the back yard. I could not keep up with tooling and mixing by myself. I had to enlist my neighbor (unwillingly) to keep the mixer going while I worked the batches. I did purchase a small mixer from Home Depot for around $300. and I think I have more than gotten my monies worth out of it. Only problem is the storage of it, but it is really handy when you are working alone. One tip I read in the forum when mixing the refractory mortar and setting the hearth, I used a tablespoon of sugar in the mix which did slow down the cure time and gave me plenty of working time. The Masons mix for the brick setting was plenty creamy and had a long working time as long as it stayed cool in the shade.

[Scott Welker]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

I hired a crew for the pad, they put in the forms and used a truck to pump the aggregate. Cost me $1200. I had an aggregate-exposed patio to match and I wasn't sure I could do it myself...but i was wrong. The contractor's pad wasn't even square! If I had it to do over again I would have put in my own forms, hired a truck to pump the concrete, and applied the inhibitor myself. I could have saved $750, and I would have placed perfectly square forms.

[warmgin]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

I have a double wheel and really like it. It doesn't want to tip over and when emptying it pours straight. 2 is better than 1

[Alice]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

That's really great Lars good technique. Well i want to purchase a wheel barrow for my garden and in this link Fort TK100 Wheelbarrow i have got many different types of Wheel barrows deals. So please guys suggest me which one should be better. A Single Wheel Barrow or Double Wheel Barrow

[bimbo]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

For me I poured the footings and the base for the stand using a cement truck as it was part of some renovations i am doing and there was other footings and slabs to pour.

For the hearth base i was planning to hire a mixer and mix it myself but found a cement place down the road that has a trailer that they dump cement into for you and you tow it home and take as long as you need then drop the trailer back. The price to do it that was is roughly the same as hiring a mixer and all the materials and is going to be a fair bit less work.

[Lars]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

Regarding mixing concrete for slabs, hearth, etc.

A long time ago, I found a bucket at the local home improvement store called and 'OdJob' bucket. For several years I didn't mix up much concrete, but when I did, I just poured in the water, poured in the bag, screw on the lid, and roll it around... in about 2 minutes, an 80 lb. bag of concrete is mixed and ready to pour.

In the last summer, I REALLY used this method a LOT. What you do is, park the tractor uphill of your work site. Set the bucket down right in front of your loader bucket ( at about waist height) pour in one gallon milk jug of water, set the 80 lb. bag of concrete across the top of the bucket. Cut the bottom of the bag and let the contents pour ( by themselves) into the bucket. Close the lid, tip, roll down hill to the site -- and POUR!

My son and I easily mix 16 bags this way. There's no way around work when you are mixing concrete, but this is quick, low cost, and relatively effortless.

Just my 2 cents.

[papavino]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

Yeah, Larry, at the very least.

[larrya1049]

Re: Concrete by the wheelbarrow, mixer, trailer or pump

Papavino that's a good friend to have! I think that you may owe him a few pizza's and a good bottle of wine.

Larry