Central Machinery 3 1/2 Cubic Fl Cement Mixer Reviews

Nosotros all know that there are a few purveyors of power tools (okay, more than a few) that fall into the category known affectionately as "CCC" (Inexpensive Chinese Crap). Of course, a great number of proficient power tools are also made in China. Unfortunately, though, so many of the "Harry Homeowner" models from off-brand companies are really just non a skillful investment, even if you just use them once a month. Just what if y'all only need them once a twelvemonth? Or just Once? Are disposable tools ever a skillful idea?

Harbor Freight is one of those companies that sells a myriad of equipment at seductively low prices. I get their catalogs in the mail because I go at that place to buy things like tarps, packing blankets and ratchet straps and the sale catalogs make expert bathroom reading and cat box liners. I dear to daydream about having my own milling motorcar for under $300, but I know that the reality would be a nightmare of sick-fitting parts, poorly translated directions and crusty pig-iron castings. However, once in a keen while, I admit…I succumb to temptation.

The stand is a little depression for a full-sized wheelbarrow. I way demand to add together taller wheels.

Such is the case with the El Cheapo 3 ½ cubic foot cement mixer I just purchased. I have several summer projects around my former subcontract this year that are going to require small batches of concrete and mortar. New footings for an ancient forepart porch, repointing the limestone foundation, replacing some cracked sidewalks. In addition, I regularly pour footings for deck jobs and occasionally for ground-mounted solar arrays. Paying the minimum load fee from the gear up mix institute always seems like a money-loser, and mixing past paw is just…a drag. Renting a beat out-upward mixer from the local hardware shop looked similar the all-time option. And and then…

While doing some light reading, I ran across the "preferred customer" coupon. The $399 mixer from Harbor Freight was on sale for $209, but for me (and a select few thousands of other "preferred customers") information technology was going for $189. "Holy crap" I thought. If it lasts one summertime, it will cost me less than renting for a few weeks, or a couple loads from the ready-mix plant. So I went for it. NOTE: About identical models are available, branded as Tool Shop, Northern Industrial. Pro Series, Masalta and others…

Assembly

The sheet metal out of the box: Sparse, not so pretty, simply it can be coaxed into fitting.

Of course, as with any CCC tools, assembly is always interesting. The instructions, to put it mildly, SUCK. No big surprise, right? But who reads those things anyway? It went together pretty easily. I only had to ream out a few spiral holes that were full of paint and re-bend the sheetmetal motor cover and mixing paddles a little fleck. And I ended upwardly with extra screws! Surprise! I went dorsum over the instructions to make sure I didn't miss annihilation…okay. I'grand sure I'll discover their apply somewhere down the line, right? That's what we call an "Oh $%^& moment." All together, it took me about 1 1/ii hours of leisurely monkeying around to get it dialed in and set to run. My best suggestion on associates is to go on youtube and lookout a few of the countless videos posted past guys who were frustrated with the instructions! Tons of expert tips out there.

My first impression: the sheet metallic it not thick, and the wheels are cheap, hard prophylactic, but all in all, it seems pretty sturdy.

Moment of Truth

I rolled it out of the shop to the sand pile to give it a examination run. I flipped the switch and….It runs! It seems pretty well balanced. The mixer is belt bulldoze, and the gear bulldoze itself is a pretty pretty crude casting. It is noisy when it runs, and noisier the farther y'all tip it toward horizontal. I threw in a pocket-size 1-2-3 mix with shovels full of portland, sand and gravel. Mixed cracking, no problem. I doubled the batch…no problem. Tripling the batch, the mixer starts to load up a bit, and I had to stop and scrape the bottom a bit and tip it upwards farther. That seemed similar a good sized load to me – equivalent to 2 fourscore lb. bags of gravel mix.

Down the Road

The spring loaded dump handle works well now, but it feels similar it could clothing out soon.

I take read a lot of reviews and watched a lot of videos of this automobile online, and they are mostly positive. I anticipate it volition concluding for a while, only I will update this article downwardly the route if I manage to kill it.

I have acreage with plenty of room to stockpile junk (and a packrat wife who doesn't bug me about information technology, give thanks god). When I'thou done for the summertime, this mixer can get in the barn until I need it again. For people with limited space for such things, information technology may become more than of a hassle than information technology is worth. But even if you bought it, used it for a year and sold information technology on Craigslist, y'all would probably go your money'due south worth out of information technology. In my case, I may consider other uses for it downwardly the road. In that location are several videos out there on converting it into a compost mixer or trommel equally seen here:

The Harbor freight cement mixer is available for around $210 without any coupons or promotions, and is currently rated at four stars with over 130 reviews:

Purchase Now - via Harbor Freight

Rich Dana loves to build things, to tinker on things, and to grow things. Subsequently more than a decade as a historic building remodeler in Brooklyn, New York, he and his wife Ericka moved to their back-to-the-land dream dwelling house (and fixer-uper nightmare), an 1870s farmhouse on xv acres in eastern Iowa that they call "Catnip Subcontract." For the last 18 years, Rich has specialized in super-efficient historical renovations and solar PV installation. He is working to convert much of the farm into perennial nutrient crops like nut trees and berries, and he helps Ericka out with her heirloom seed project. His latest passion is learning to sew.

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Source: https://homefixated.com/habor-freight-cement-mixer-review/

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