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best electic concrete mixer?

driftwood | Posted in Tools for Home Building on November 28, 2005 06:04am

i just used my bran new kushlan c-ment mixer..
and what a piece of junk..for 650 bills too
the mixer stands to upright and the mix just sets there in the bottom…not mixing..
so i tip the thing up so the barrel is more horizantal.and it screeks and warbles wanting to break loose the chincy construction

should i modifiy the thing with welds
send it back
of sell it

it finally worked after adding to much water.. ok but now my slump is way to loose

has anyone used this tool? i got it from northern

thanks peace
tjd


Edited 11/27/2005 10:37 pm ET by driftwood

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  1. junkhound | Nov 28, 2005 07:16am | #1

    Took a look at NT catalog # 1601, Kushlan 6 cu ft item, page 180, 181??

    Polyethelene drum???

    IMO, send it back if you can.  Everyone of the mixers on those pages looks like POS.

    No idea what the brand of the 40 YO mixer I have is, but it has this  big wonking cast iron back with integral teeth,  mixed hundreds of yards in it over the years, only modification was an idler pulley added to the v-belt to keep tension constant and a stiffer dump lever.  Probably weighs 300 pounds compared to the 146# of the poly job in the catalog. I could barely tilt it into the back of a truck when in my 20's, put it on car tires a few years ago to be able to move it.

    BTW, even the old behemoth will not work straight up, needs to be over at a 45 degree angle or so, but then just sits there and mixes, will squeak a few times a day asking for a shot of grease into the fitting. l. 

    FWIW, out of curiosity looked at the first few hits on google for cement mixer, all looked identical the the NT junk - you may have to find/visit a machinery salvage yard to find a good one.

  2. Notchman | Nov 28, 2005 09:21am | #2

    I agree with Junkhound.....those old mixers with the outer cast ring gear can't be beat.  There're still a lot of them around, in barns, in the weeds, etc.

    But you can usually pick one up for a hundred bucks or so....may have to buy a new motor....but they're geared low enough, the motor can be pretty small.  I've seen a lot of them with old washing machine motors.

    1. brownbagg | Nov 28, 2005 05:22pm | #7

      i got one of those in my back yard.. 2+3=7

      1. driftwood | Nov 28, 2005 06:19pm | #8

        the poly drum is great... no rust, not mega heavy,easy to clean and it has a cast gear ring,,,the teeth are too small
        the plastic one i rented with the stand was sweet but it only mixed 2 cubic feet
        i wanted 3i will get the welder out an modthanks, peace
        t dog

  3. MisterT | Nov 28, 2005 12:58pm | #3

    I'm not sure who makes them, but theres a 12 volt portable mixer out there.

    mixes up to 9 yards at a time

     

     

    Mr. T.  MOTOL

    "They keep talking about drafting a constitution for Iraq. Why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it's worked for over 200 years, and we're not using it anymore."
    -- George Carlin

    "I think natural selection must have greatly rewarded the ability to reassure oneself in a crisis with complete bull$hit."

    I'm Swiss!

     

    1. davem | Nov 28, 2005 03:48pm | #4

      9 yards? you'd need king kong to dump it. i'll bet it's 9 of something besides cubic yards.

    2. davem | Nov 28, 2005 03:50pm | #5

      ok, it's monday a.m., my brain isnt functional yet. man, i hate it when i bite so publicly. grrrrr

      1. User avater
        Heck | Nov 28, 2005 05:12pm | #6

        Can't believe you fell for that.....

        <G>The heck, you say?

  4. User avater
    draftguy | Nov 28, 2005 06:42pm | #9

    Bought one from Lowes about four or five years ago. I think the brand name was 'Red Lion' or something like that. They were phasing out the brand and trying to get rid of 'em. Was a steal at around $125. Steel drum, relatively lightweight, teeth/gear match up well. Have used it to pour sidewalks and fence posts, will be pouring a considerable amount of sidewalks this spring with it. My only gripe with it is no switch, it starts rotating the second it's plugged in. Otherwise it's been great.

    Note: just googled it. It is 'Red Lion', 5.5 cu. ft.. Unfortunately, the price was $614.00.

    1. driftwood | Nov 29, 2005 05:46am | #10

      talked to the guy who desinged the thing today at lunch..
      he claimed he can get a 1 inch slump in this machine...i said no way..he told me that i may need to tip the thing up to level out the barrel
      i says "aint that a design flaw?" he did'nt think so ...so i guess i will have to modify the thing...knuckle head..told me he's done many a garage floor with that machine..that must have really sucked..thanks peace..tj

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