Buying a concrete mixer will help reduce the time of construction work. There is an opinion that only professional teams work with them, and for small private construction this is a vain luxury, on which money was wasted. It is really difficult to argue with the fact that only builders can handle bulky concrete mixing units. But one person can easily work with small, compact concrete mixers. If you decide to build a private house or a summer house, which in itself is not cheap, then hiring a team and renting equipment can cost even more. By purchasing a concrete mixer, you can avoid unnecessary expenses, and a properly selected device will serve reliably for many years.
Faced with a wide selection of concrete mixers from various manufacturers, it is easy to get confused. And the problem arises: which concrete mixer to choose so that it meets all the requirements, suits the price and serves for a long time? About this - in our article.
Choosing a concrete mixer based on its operating principle
When you decide on the volume of the concrete mixer you need, you should pay special attention to whether it operates on a gravity or forced principle. This will determine what mixtures it can prepare.
In forced-action concrete mixers, mixing occurs due to the rotation of the blades or auger inside a stationary drum. Thus, it is possible to achieve thorough and high-quality operation of the device, which is necessary for the preparation of solutions with a high water content, viscous and plastic concrete mixtures. Usually, machines with a forced-action principle are used for large-scale construction, so if you decide to build a two-story country house with an underground garage and a residential attic, then you should choose this type of device. For example, among the equipment for concrete work manufactured by the Lebedyansky plant, there are machines with a forced-action principle.
In gravity-action concrete mixers, mixing occurs due to the rotation of the drum itself, inside which the stationary blades are located. In such machines, you can prepare both solutions and rigid concrete mixtures, they are more suitable for individual construction and the construction of small structures. If your plans include only major repairs at the dacha, building garages and concreting paths on the garden plot, then you should stop at a gravity concrete mixer.
How to choose a concrete mixer by its type of device?
Concrete mixers with the gravity mixing principle also come in different types: gear or crown. They differ from each other by the type of device. If your choice has been in favor of a gravity concrete mixer, you should also pay attention to this.
Gear concrete mixers are considered more reliable. During their operation, the mechanism of the device is protected from construction debris and sand. They very rarely break down, but if a breakdown does occur, then such concrete mixers are almost impossible to repair.
The crown design is more popular. The so-called crown is a toothed wheel encircling the drum of the concrete mixer. With this type of device, the mechanism is not protected from construction debris, it wears out faster and breaks more often. But, unlike the gear one, it is easy to repair, which is why crown concrete mixers have earned such attention from users. If you want to buy a concrete mixer of this type of device, then pay close attention to the material from which the crown is made. It can be steel, cast iron and plastic. Cast iron crowns are more popular.