Masonry Magazine March 2012 Page. 24
MIXERS, PUMPS AND DELIVERY SYSTEMS
The only time you ever need to pull-start an electric start mixer is if someone leaves the key on, and the battery dies. With the seldom need to pull-start these mixers, the coils can last years without being replaced or repaired.
Standard versus reinforced rubber blades
LIKE OTHER MIXER COMPONENTS, the mixer manufacturer saves money by installing standard rubber blades on the mixers they produce. However, regular rubber will not stand up to the daily abuse of mixing materials and, therefore, become worn out or torn during the first few weeks of operation. As soon as this happens, the laborer who is mixing pays the price through extra time spent cleaning the mortar or concrete build up from the sides and ends of the drum. This all costs time and money daily, so it is recommended that you check to see what kind of a warranty the mixer manufacturer has on the rubber blades of the mixers you're buying. If no warranty exists, you know a high-quality, reinforced rubber has not been used.
Low or high load?
TRADITIONAL MIXERS were built to load high and dump low, as mixers can be built more economically that way.
Today, some mixer manufacturers have ergonomically designed mixers that can be loaded below waist high, yet can be dumped into a high wheel barrow. These mixers save strain on the laborers' backs, by using cylinders to lift the weight of the material after the mixer is loaded, rather than the laborer lifting the material up above his chest during the loading process.
Enclosed versus exposed bearings
TRADITIONALLY, mixers were built with bearings against the drums, at the pivot point of the shaft. These mixers work fine, until seals or a bearing goes bad and a
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22 MASONRY
READER SERVICE #138
March 2012 www.masoncontractors.org
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