Mixer Talk

Subia29

I 've been hauling around an ol Stone Rubberband mixer ,9cu w/ 11 horsepower honda for about 5 year now,Doing alot backyard stuff during the time.Defently paid for itself. This is my first year in biz and Im already working out there in front yard . The wear & tear on the ol mixer has been nickel & diming me to death.(wont give Detials) Ive been doing research In purchasing a Mutiquip Essisk rubberband ,9cu, 8hr honda, For the work that I do ,it's a reasonble price for a start off mixer. My question is if any of you own one ,What do think of them ,or if any,What do you recomend for a start off mixer?

6stringmason

I have a stone mixer... batch and a half (6 cu. ft) capacity with an 8hp Honda and I love this mixer. I have had it for 3 years and still starts on the first pull... second when its cold.

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jvcstone

I've had both stone, and essic mixers--both were good machines. My experience is that the motor is more important than the brand mixer that motor is in. Never had any experience with the honda motors, but suspect that they are top line.
JVC

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stacker

i own both also.i have had an essick for over 20 years.in fact i am on my third motor on it.it is a 2 1/2 sacker.right now it has a 14 horse wisconsin.
currently i have it torn down to replace bearings(1st time changing them)itwas a good buy when we bought it and has been well worth the money.
my stone has an electric motor on it,i just bought it last year used for 200.00.the only thing i dont like about it is that it is to damn heavy.
i dont know where you are looking to buy,but check ebay for mixers,you can get some good buys on there if you are willing to travel sometimes.

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ruskent

I look foward to hear more about mixers. I am buying one next week as a recent turn of events has me doing masonry work in house now.

Dik Redi

this is alil with subject and alil off subject lol,,, First off im a Yamaha fan (( i ride MOTO-X on YZ-250)) but ill have too say the Honda motor on the new barrel mixer we have starts up first pull evry time,, the mortar mixer has a Wisconsin with a wrap around rope(( faster to replace rope when breaks, which is often ))

6stringmason

HA! I got sick and tired of changing the pull line on my mixer, so I took the whole assembly off and just use a nylon rope with a little knot at the end. Much easier.

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Kamps Masonry & Concrete Countertop Design Green Bay, WI
920-680-3195
Visit our website @
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Bigbricklayer

Yeah that is really the way to go, but waiting for the new guy to figure out how to wrap the rope that's funny

lukachuki

Ok here's my question concerning mixers. I don't want to hijack this thread but the title did say mixer talk. I have had a stone mortar mixer paddle type for 7 years and it has worked fine despite alot of abuse. My issue is that I frequently mix bagged concrete for little footers etc. Not good I know because it kills the rubber on the paddles which are a real pain to change. My question is if a barrel mixer....the type in which the whole barrel spins and is generally used for concrete...can acceptably mix mortar. If so, I think I will buy one so that I can twist a batch of both mortar and concrete without killing my mixer.

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stacker

this motor on my essick now started out with a crank.now you want to talk about a bitch,try cranking on a that motor on a cold winter day.best thing that ever happened to me on that was when my labor lost the crank and i had it replaced with a rope pull.
i had this laborer once who had worked for me for a few days.i told him it was time he learned to start the mixer.he puts the crank on it and it starts first time,problem was the crank handle didnt turn loose from motor and is spinning 100 mph.this d.a.reaches down to grab the crank,and damn near tears his thumb off.then he is like looking at it bent over in a postion that if and when it flies off it will hit him square between the eyes.i yell at him "get the hell back,if the handle flies off and hits you in the head,its going to break my crank handle!!"

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Tscarborough

Sure it can.

I can only go by complaints received/parts needed to stock, but having sold both Essick and Stone for many years, my vote is for Essick of the two. Edit-Don't buy any motor but Honda.

6stringmason

Good point. I read somewhere that it has to do with air entrapment. More air get entrapped in the mortar mixer while mixing concrete than it would in a barrel mixer, making it worse for things like concrete countertops.

Not sure if thats true or not? I mix all my concrete countertop mixes in my mortar mixer.

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920-680-3195
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Tscarborough

I have heard the air-entrainment theory, but I am not sure I buy it.

Subia29

I notice the stone mixers ,the drums are a bit wider ,& perfect hieght for lifting sacks.However Essick is taller & narrow with bigger blades, plus the rubbers dont go to end of the shaft, which creates a ring of build up on both sides.An old tender always had me convince, build up on a mixer could be good and bad, The good is you'll always get the most mortar outta your mixer plus is helps protect the drum.Bad is, who agrees with it,Denfintly not the Boss. Heavier mixer & makes the labor look like a slob, I gotta it mind ,with proper matnience, Cant go wrong with a new mixer.Essick or Stone.

jvcstone

I have, but really don't like too. My experience is that the sand tends to pack in the bottom of the barrel when there isn't any gravel to keep it moving. Needed to keep lifting and dropping the barrel to keep that from happening, If I lowered the of the barrel to a more horizontal position to keep the sand churning, the water / mortar mix would run out the mouth. All in all I found it to be quite a PITA. I'd still rather mix with a hoe in the wheelbarrow than go through what it takes to get a good mortar mix out of a barrel concrete mixer.
JVC

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Dik Redi

Its funny unless they go counter clock-wise lol

Dik Redi

keep your paddle mixer and by a barrel also

masonlifer

Been using Essick mixers for years with Wisconsin and then Honda motors.I haven't had a reason to look elsewhere yet.

pattyson

A mortar mixer is better if you have to add color, or any other addmix stuff, fiber, color gaurd or whatever.

Dik Redi

very true,, forgot to mention about adding color