Kneading the mortar with a shovel-miner in a trough is a hopelessly outdated method associated with high labor and time costs. Much better, faster and more efficiently a compact concrete mixer (scientifically - a concrete mixer) will cope with this task, which are now quite a few on the construction equipment market. It is an indispensable power unit for any purpose, such as foundations or paved paths. Next up are the best compact type concrete mixers, ideal for private construction projects. How to choose the optimal model according to your needs and capabilities?
Several criteria to pay attention to when choosing
- Operating principle
The most widely used are concrete mixers gravitational... The solution is mixed in them due to the rotation of the drum: inside it, the mixture rises and falls, mixing. The design is simple, inexpensive, suitable for small jobs. For more serious volumes of mortar, more expensive concrete mixers are intended. forced action (with paddles inside the drum, like in a food processor). The tank of a gravity mixer can be filled to no more than 75% of its volume; forced - 90%. The forced solution of the required consistency makes faster than the gravity one.
- Transmission type
More affordable ring concrete mixers... The torque in them is transmitted from the motor through a gear to a ring gear encircling the drum. This connection is not protected from sand and debris and therefore wears out quickly. Also, the ring-driven concrete mixer is more noisy than geared... There, the gear connection is already protected against dirt by a metal cover. Such a concrete mixer is better, but also more expensive.
- Drum volume
It makes sense to use a concrete mixer with a tank of up to 100 liters for small works - pouring the path or foundation of a bathhouse, a gazebo. 100-150 l - for the construction of a summer cottage or garage. 100-200 liters - for building a cottage. Over 200 liters - for large buildings and warehouses. The best concrete mixers are those whose volume matches the scale of the work.
What is the principle of work to take a concrete mixer?
If the unit is rarely used, from time to time - cheap crown gravity... If he has regular and voluminous work - more expensive gear, gravitational or forced.
What else should you pay attention to?
- For power: 500 W - not enough; 750 W - good; 1000 W is even better. But too powerful is also not needed: it will consume a lot of electricity.
- On the tilt method: the electric drive is better than the steering wheel, which must be turned with considerable muscular effort.
- The presence of a drum overload protection sensor: this is a necessary thing that protects the unit from serious damage.
