I have several neglected jobs to do that involves smallish quantities of
mortar and concrete. I could hire a mixer but it seems to me better to
buy a small mixer. It would pay for itself in terms of hire charges
after just a few uses.

Machine Mart sells these:
Clarke CCM50 Concrete Mixer at £168 30 litres
Clarke CCM125C Concrete Mixer at £216 125 litres

Has anyone got either of these? Are they going to be too much of a toy
and likely to break after only a few uses?

Peter Scott

Peter Scott ) wibbled on Sunday 16 January 2011
20:22:

I have several neglected jobs to do that involves smallish quantities of
mortar and concrete. I could hire a mixer but it seems to me better to
buy a small mixer. It would pay for itself in terms of hire charges
after just a few uses.

Machine Mart sells these:
Clarke CCM50 Concrete Mixer at £168 30 litres

Don't bother - unless you only want a bucketful of mortar for pointing, it
will become frustrating as soon as you want even a modest amount of
concrete, screed or dry mix for paving.

Clarke CCM125C Concrete Mixer at £216 125 litres

I've got that one, or rather its grandad (2nd hand, 30 quid, killed myself
wedging it in the car but worth it!). This is the level of machine I would
class as a real cement mixer.

It is possible the engineeringhas changed between mine and this one, but the
frame and basic construction looks as near as dammit identical. Assuming it
is basically the same as mine:

This is a very useful size - power is more than sufficient and the drum will
make a barrowful (real man's barrow) of anything from mortar to concrete.
Mixing action is good and easy to pour out from. Heavy ******* - moves fine
on flat or slight slope hard surfaces but more or a strugle on a sloping
lawn. Mine lives outside without cover and hasn't died yet (though if new,
you might want to take more care of yours!).

Your's even has a switch which my ancient version of the same doesn't.

If you keep it clean (good hosing out after each use - I half fill mine with
water and leave it tumbling after each barrowload) don't forget the resale
value if you finally want shot of it.



HTH

Tim


--
Tim Watts

Peter Scott wrote:

I have several neglected jobs to do that involves smallish quantities of
mortar and concrete. I could hire a mixer but it seems to me better to
buy a small mixer. It would pay for itself in terms of hire charges
after just a few uses.

I agree.

I have no experience of other mixers but I bought a Belle Minimix 150 for
GBP300 and it has mixed about six pallets of cement in the year and the
guys seem happy with it, it replaced an identical one which burned out the
motor, the replacement motor was half the cost off the new one so I went
for new and kept the old for spares. Because it's for site use it's a 110V
one.

AJH

On Jan 16, 8:22*pm, Peter Scott wrote:
I have several neglected jobs to do that involves smallish quantities of
mortar and concrete. I could hire a mixer but it seems to me better to
buy a small mixer. It would pay for itself in terms of hire charges
after just a few uses.

Machine Mart sells these:
Clarke CCM50 Concrete Mixer at 168 * 30 litres
Clarke CCM125C Concrete Mixer at 216 *125 litres

Has anyone got either of these? Are they going to be too much of a toy
and likely to break after only a few uses?

Peter Scott

Belle Minimix 150 (electric). I bought one a few years ago, built an
extension using it etc.
Very robust. The hire shops use them so they must be reliable.
The electrics are sealed, you can hose them down to clean etc.
Simon.

On Jan 17, 9:22 am, Peter Scott wrote:

Has anyone got either of these? Are they going to be too much of a toy
and likely to break after only a few uses?

I bought a small mixer that looked as if it would mix an adequate
batch of concrete, but as soon as I added the water the motor could
not turn the load. However it will mix a small amount, and I can wheel
the mixer from the raw ingredients right to where I want to dump the
concrete, i.e. no wheelbarrow needed.

On 16/01/2011 20:22, Peter Scott wrote:
I have several neglected jobs to do that involves smallish quantities of
mortar and concrete. I could hire a mixer but it seems to me better to
buy a small mixer. It would pay for itself in terms of hire charges
after just a few uses.

Machine Mart sells these:
Clarke CCM50 Concrete Mixer at £168 30 litres
Clarke CCM125C Concrete Mixer at £216 125 litres

Has anyone got either of these? Are they going to be too much of a toy
and likely to break after only a few uses?

Peter Scott

Another vote for the Belle minimix here

On Jan 16, 8:22*pm, Peter Scott wrote:
I have several neglected jobs to do that involves smallish quantities of
mortar and concrete. I could hire a mixer but it seems to me better to
buy a small mixer. It would pay for itself in terms of hire charges
after just a few uses.

Machine Mart sells these:
Clarke CCM50 Concrete Mixer at 168 * 30 litres
Clarke CCM125C Concrete Mixer at 216 *125 litres

Has anyone got either of these? Are they going to be too much of a toy
and likely to break after only a few uses?

Peter Scott

The Belle ones have a robust gearbox. Very important o check oil level
in it. Ths Clarke ones are belt driven with a large cogwheel round the
perimeter of the drum. Very noisy but seems to work.
The Clarke ones have a very thin drum but OK for DIY.
The main weakness of the Clarke ones is the drum bearing. They have a
water seal but wear soon negates this. You must NOT leave it where
water can get into the bearing, Buggers it up in no time. So, if you
leave it outside with the drum facing down, it must be covered.

On Jan 17, 6:04*am, Matty F wrote:
On Jan 17, 9:22 am, Peter Scott wrote:

Has anyone got either of these? Are they going to be too much of a toy
and likely to break after only a few uses?

I bought a small mixer that looked as if it would mix an adequate
batch of concrete, but as soon as I added the water the motor could
not turn the load. However it will mix a small amount, and I can wheel
the mixer from the raw ingredients right to where I want to dump the
concrete, i.e. no wheelbarrow needed.

You must start the machne before loadng it up or you will bugger the
motor up.

On 16 Jan, 21:35, Tim Watts wrote:
Peter Scott ) wibbled on Sunday 16 January 2011
20:22:

I have several neglected jobs to do that involves smallish quantities of
mortar and concrete. I could hire a mixer but it seems to me better to
buy a small mixer. It would pay for itself in terms of hire charges
after just a few uses.

Machine Mart sells these:
Clarke CCM50 Concrete Mixer at £168 * 30 litres

Don't bother - unless you only want a bucketful of mortar for pointing, it
will become frustrating as soon as you want even a modest amount of
concrete, screed or dry mix for paving.

Clarke CCM125C Concrete Mixer at £216 *125 litres

I've got that one, or rather its grandad (2nd hand, 30 quid, killed myself
wedging it in the car but worth it!). This is the level of machine I would
class as a real cement mixer.

It is possible the engineeringhas changed between mine and this one, but the
frame and basic construction looks as near as dammit identical. Assuming it
is basically the same as mine:

This is a very useful size - power is more than sufficient and the drum will
make a barrowful (real man's barrow) of anything from mortar to concrete.
Mixing action is good and easy to pour out from. Heavy ******* - moves fine
on flat or slight slope hard surfaces but more or a strugle on a sloping
lawn. Mine lives outside without cover and hasn't died yet (though if new,
you might want to take more care of yours!).

Your's even has a switch which my ancient version of the same doesn't.

If you keep it clean (good hosing out after each use - I half fill mine with
water and leave it tumbling after each barrowload) don't forget the resale
value if you finally want shot of it.

HTH

Tim

--
Tim Watts

Throw a shovel of sand/grit in along with the water when cleaning it
out. Helps scour it clean.

Paul Mc Cann

On Sun, 16 Jan 2011 20:22:42 +0000, Peter Scott wrote:
I have several neglected jobs to do that involves smallish quantities of
mortar and concrete. I could hire a mixer but it seems to me better to
buy a small mixer. It would pay for itself in terms of hire charges
after just a few uses.

Machine Mart sells these:
Clarke CCM50 Concrete Mixer at £168 30 litres
Clarke CCM125C Concrete Mixer at £216 125 litres

Has anyone got either of these? Are they going to be too much of a toy
and likely to break after only a few uses?

Peter Scott

I used to have a 90litre mixer that looked identical to the CCM125C
('cept mine was red) - until it got stolen. One thing to be aware of
about the posted capacities. Bigger is not always better.
A 125 litre load of concrete weighs a great deal - both when you try
to tip the drum over to get it out, or if you attempt to barrow a
whole load around in one go.

Purely for convenience I found that 40 - 60 litres was a manageable
amount of goop to mix up in one lot. However, I'd expect the larger
capacity machines to be sturdier - so might (!) last longer in
everyday use.


--
http://thisreallyismyhost.99k.org/16...9512714282.php

sm_jamieson wrote:
On Jan 16, 8:22 pm, Peter Scott wrote:
I have several neglected jobs to do that involves smallish
quantities of mortar and concrete. I could hire a mixer but it seems
to me better to buy a small mixer. It would pay for itself in terms
of hire charges after just a few uses.

Machine Mart sells these:
Clarke CCM50 Concrete Mixer at 168 30 litres
Clarke CCM125C Concrete Mixer at 216 125 litres

Has anyone got either of these? Are they going to be too much of a
toy and likely to break after only a few uses?

Peter Scott

Belle Minimix 150 (electric). I bought one a few years ago, built an
extension using it etc.
Very robust. The hire shops use them so they must be reliable.
The electrics are sealed, you can hose them down to clean etc.
Simon.

I bought the same off eBay. I waited until I found one within a reasonable
pick up area. I did 20 fence posts, 3 paths and a shed base and I have never
seen the bugger since. Everyone keeps borrowing it and giving me a crate of
beer as a thank you.

From what I remember it was a very nice machine...........

--
Adam

On 16/01/2011 20:22, Peter Scott wrote:
I have several neglected jobs to do that involves smallish quantities of
mortar and concrete. I could hire a mixer but it seems to me better to
buy a small mixer. It would pay for itself in terms of hire charges
after just a few uses.

Machine Mart sells these:
Clarke CCM50 Concrete Mixer at £168 30 litres
Clarke CCM125C Concrete Mixer at £216 125 litres

Has anyone got either of these? Are they going to be too much of a toy
and likely to break after only a few uses?

Peter Scott

Many thanks for all the excellent advice. Just what I needed. I'm
impressed that, apart from the CCM50, the small machines do a decent
job. Looks like an end is in sight to shovel mixing!

Peter Scott

On Jan 16, 8:22*pm, Peter Scott wrote:
I have several neglected jobs to do that involves smallish quantities of
mortar and concrete.

The Clarke ones are a bit crap. In particular, they use a ring gear
drive that wears and falls apart (it's fixable if you can swap
bearings). Much better is to use a Belle, where it's a sealed oil-bath
gearbox and a direct drive onto the drum spindle. Ring gears are the
way to go for big mixers, but not in this size. Direct drive are also
much smaller and light enough to lift on and off pickups.

Resale value on mixers is great, so buying new isn't as bad as you
might think. You can also pick them up at farm auctions etc., but be
wary because a great many of these are auctioned off after someone
trashed the gearbox! Always (just as they advise) check the gearbox
oil level before using. It shouldn't need topping up, if it does (or
even worse, it's now overfilled with rainwater), the seal has gone.
Mind you, new Belle gearboxes are cheap enough that a trashed mixer
for a fiver at an auction is a cut-price route to effectively a new
machine.

Look after your drum. Wash it out afterwards (water & gravel), don't
spin-dry bricks in it and dent the thing (makes it harder to clean). A
dirty drum soon collects an ever-thickening layer of cement.

You need a good lock and bike chain for a mixer. They don't walk away,
they fly! If I was doing a big job or a house build and leaving it in
place outdoors, I'd bolt it or concrete it down.

On Jan 17, 9:42 pm, harry wrote:
On Jan 17, 6:04 am, Matty F wrote:

On Jan 17, 9:22 am, Peter Scott wrote:

Has anyone got either of these? Are they going to be too much of a toy
and likely to break after only a few uses?

I bought a small mixer that looked as if it would mix an adequate
batch of concrete, but as soon as I added the water the motor could
not turn the load. However it will mix a small amount, and I can wheel
the mixer from the raw ingredients right to where I want to dump the
concrete, i.e. no wheelbarrow needed.

You must start the machne before loadng it up or you will bugger the
motor up.

The bowl tilts vertical and can be locked there. In that position
there is no load on the motor. When I tilt the bowl sideways the motor
slows down.