It is very important to know how to use a concrete mixer so that you can mix concrete as quickly and easily as possible. Everyone who has worked with concrete at least once knows that kneading it by hand is a rather complicated and time-consuming process. To quickly mix concrete, you can use special equipment that will save time as much as possible.
What is Needed for Mixing Concrete
To quickly and efficiently mix concrete, you need to choose the best cement mixer, which will save time and effort.
To mix concrete, you need to take:
- concrete mixer
- cement
- water
- sand
For the manufacture of concrete, cement needs to be poured directly into the equipment tank and sand should be added there, observing the proportions indicated on the bags with cement. Getting started, it is necessary to switch the unit relay to the smallest speed. Initially, it should work at low speed for a minute, until the cement and sand become one mass, and then you need to add water in a certain amount and increase speed.
The concrete mixer should work until a homogeneous mass is formed, that is, until the concrete is completely ready. After that, you can turn it off and use the finished product for its intended purpose.
The resulting mixture in its consistency must certainly be of medium density and homogeneous. To get the resulting concrete, you need to slightly lower the lock of the concrete mixer, after which the concrete will pour itself into the tank intended for this.
In addition, to strengthen the concrete, crushed stone can be added to it, which is poured at the very end of the batch after adding water and obtaining a homogeneous mass.
How to Install a Concrete Mixer and Get Started With It
To knead concrete, the concrete mixer must first be installed near the place where the masonry will be performed. It must be put on the ground and carefully fixed.
When installing this equipment, be sure to check the brakes so that they are exposed on all wheels. Set the stabilizing lock correctly so that you can work normally without fear that the concrete mixer will budge or tip over.
Then you need to adjust the rise of the capacity of the concrete mixer, for which the mixer needs to be moved to the upper position and set at an angle of 45 °. The position of the installed equipment must be well fixed.
Next, you need to connect this equipment using an extension cord, into the socket of which you need to connect the plug. If concrete mixers work on gasoline, then in addition you need to fill the tank with gasoline and tighten the lid tightly.
It is worth noting that the principle of operation of the concrete mixer is very simple, and almost all existing variants of the device work on the same principle.
In order to be able to use the concrete mixer correctly, you need to follow a certain procedure and familiarize yourself with the manual.
When using a concrete mixer, it is very important to expose it as evenly as possible, because the quality of concrete directly depends on this, and indeed the entire operation of the equipment. You can check how smooth the unit is by using the level. Moreover, it is necessary to check the evenness of the installation in two planes, namely, in length and in width.
How To Use The Concrete Mixer
Equipment for mixing concrete is different in power and volume of the drum. In order to properly mix concrete, it is necessary, first of all, to determine the volume of the bowl, because in this way it is possible to calculate the amount of cement and sand that are required for loading.
It is worth remembering that the volume of the bowl should be at least 10% more than the volume of the finished mixture that needs to be obtained.
It is necessary to accurately determine the engine power so that you can ensure full operation. Engine power should be medium, this will not overload the concrete mixer, but at the same time make rational use of electricity.
The structure of the mixer is almost the same for any model, the device differs only in the kneading principle, which is determined by which part of the concrete mixer will be active.
The method of operation of the concrete mixer directly depends on the type of its operation during the mixing of all components. There are various options: in some, during mixing, the drum rotates, and in some, only the blades rotate, while the drum remains completely motionless.
The design of the concrete mixer ensures a uniformly kneaded mixture without lumps. The most popular are cyclical concrete mixers, because this is the most practical option and is suitable for absolutely any type of construction.
To make good quality concrete, you must follow certain rules. Before loading the components for the manufacture of concrete, you must make sure that the device is in good condition by starting it at idle. If it works fine, then you can start loading all the components necessary to obtain concrete.
At this stage, cement and sand are alternately added to the concrete mixer drum, and after some time, crushed stone and water. After loading all the components, the operating mode and kneading speed are selected.
When the kneading process is completed, you need to lower the drum with ready-made concrete and pour the mixture into a previously prepared container.
Concrete should be mixed for no more than five minutes, since prolonged mixing may adversely affect its quality.
After using the concrete mixer and preparing concrete, the unit must be cleaned and prepared for next use.
The concrete mixer requires not only internal cleaning, but also external, because the particles of the solution scatter in different directions when kneading. The outside of the concrete mixer can be cleaned with water, however, when cleaning, it is very important to ensure that no liquid enters the motor and the ventilation system. For cleaning it is better to protect all important parts with a coating.
It is possible to clean the concrete mixer tank itself from the solution using crushed stone. To do this, pour about three liters of water into the container and pour crushed stone. Then it must be turned on and left to work for about ten minutes. This way you can clean the machine well. In addition, to clean the concrete mixer, you can use a weak solution of hydrochloric acid, which must be poured into a container and let the machine run.
Having studied the manual and received practical advice, I use a concrete mixer to prepare the solution at home. This helps to significantly speed up the construction process and make it much easier.