My father bought one from HarborFreight about thirty years ago. It’s been out in the weather the entire time. It’s been through hurricanes, thunderstorms, temps in excess of 100 degrees in the summer, even a few snowy days. And it still does the job well. Minus one wheel rusting off last year with the other one might be coming off this weekend. Great purchase!!
I did almost the exact same thing 10 or so years ago. Solid afternoon of effort and came out pretty well. Over the next 5 years in Colorado, no cracks or spalling. Good sized job for one person. Cheers
There were two things I particularly liked about this video. 1) Seeing how to make a practical - not perfect - pad using the concrete raw materials, rather than bags. 2) Seeing that one person, with a mixer, can actually get a job done like this within the time that is practical for working with the concrete. Of course, this doesn't show how well this pad might hold up over time. But, given his intended use I suspect it will hold up well enough.
Great job on the concrete. Next time use a bucket with a pre determined amount of water so that you don't have to guess. I would also use a wheelbarrow and mix outside of your form. Mix a batch, dump it in the wheelbarrow mix another one and while that's mixing you can dump the wheelbarrow.
@Mike Smith Cool, on the sixtyfiveford channel. he shows how to made a walnut cracker. You can also make walnut syrup. He also husk's them with a power washer. But I'm pretty sure he is the guy that taught me how to peel a bucket of potatoes with a new toilet brush and drill. He has other simple tricks for things. But thought you might like to make a powered walnut cracker. cleaning a milk crate full takes about a half hour with power washer. Also heard if walnut trees drop more nuts than normal. Means it is going to be a bad winter. I only have like 6 walnut trees on my property. I never knew they were poisonous to other plant species.
I bought one from HF several years ago for odd jobs around the house, and at some rentals. It has worked fine. I lube everything before I start a project, including the gear around the drum. I remember this from when I was a kid in the '50's and '60's watching people use cement mixers like this one. It is a good proven design that's been around for many decades.
Good job! I've been doing a project like this every week for the past 6 years....I'm 58....I get it. It beats you up! 4 woodshed 24 support posts 8 support beams 9 yards concrete- by hand 4) 30 foot rock walls All landscaping on 2 acres Pointed fireplace chimney 1) 400 sf patio 4) 15 ft x 3 ft x 2 ft planters A 200 sf veggie garden 400 sf deck New roof Jacked the house Slider 2 windows Kitchen remodel Bedroom remodel New electrical New plumbing New furnace... Etc.
Wow! You've been busy. I've done everything on your list except for jacking the house, the landscape stone/masonry work and I've only done two sheds. Oh, and my garden is much, much smaller. I love self sufficient people! Good job!
@@rosewoodsteel6656 Believe me...this isn't 1/2 the list! I'm burned out!! Replacing windows, sliding doors, refinishing furniture, making faux beams, TONS of landscaping...bobcat, backhoe work- French drains, PEX, a new water heater, new gas log stove, gas insert heater...and on it goes...lol Good luck on your projects!!
I'm doing the same thing right now just happened to run across your video. But I'm only doing a 2 ft by 4-ft poor at a time when I get mine all the way done it will be 12 ft by 56 ft I figure it'll probably take me a year to get it done but I'm in no hurry. That way I can just do a little bit when I feel like it and not have to worry about working my old 72-year-old body too hard. Good job son
Good Job! I wanted to add concrete to my pool deck this year, so I bought a mixer (Lowes) and used bags of Sakrete. I ended up pouring 60' X 7' which was nearly 300 60Lb bags. I did it by myself, breaking it up into 8 - 12 ft sections (Staying with existing control joints) doing 1 section a day. It took a few days of hard work but the end result was worth it. Yes, I probably could have had a truck deliver it, but sometimes it isn't the best option all around (Location, manpower, etc...) My advice, and something I seen in your video, is to try to plan ahead. Have your mixer and materials in a central location to reduce your movements, use a wheel barrel to transport. If using bags, have a trash can near your work area to collect the bags immediately
I’m impressed, you busted your butt to do this. I just did a 16X20 pad but I had them bring my concrete in on the truck, it was actually cheaper that way than buying it by the bag, and a whole lot easier. I put a 4’ block wall on 2 sides that were below grade and used this same HF mixer for my mortar and my core fill concrete on the walls, hard work but it worked great. Bought the mixer and a small generator to run it for less $ than they wanted for just a electric mixer at other places and I can’t imagine what could have made the more expensive mixers any better. 20 eighty pound bags of mortar and 200 sixty pound bags of premixed concrete and this cheap cost mixer got it done without a hitch. My only complaint was the rubber on the handle kept pulling off and eventually got thrown out in my woods out of frustration with it. No idea why I kept putting it back on after the first time it pulled off lol.
I did a 9x12 at my house all by myself, which was like 1.2 yards…I was debating about buying that mixer but felt I’d rarely use it for what it cost vs renting. I rented a wheelbarrow mixer from Home Depot for 1/3 the price and it was more than 2.5x the capacity of those HF mixers…. 100% glad I did. Having the extra mixing capacity saved me a lot of labor…we’ll worth just renting. Nice work. Will be fine for a shed, may have some Spaulding but who cares, you did it yourself
My mixer looks the same its over 20yrs old. Been used about every 3 years by me, Friends, & Family. Great Value mixer! Every time I move it I plan to build a better pull or push handle attachment.
Same here. I just finished mixing 3 yards with mine because I couldn’t get a truck to deliver the concrete to my job since I guess there is a cement shortage. I sure had no trouble Getting 21 bags of Portland at lowes. I make my own mix with recycled crushed concrete. It’s class6 road base with some 3/4” screened rock. This stuff is way cheaper Than getting the mud delivered and still Much cheaper than sacks of quickrete. It’s at least a 4000 PSI mix and yes I do add some surfactant for air entrainment and a water reducer for workability. Awesome mud.
Awesome job!!!!!! have one of those, I bought gavel and sand already mixed. I did five good size shovels and one Portland cement. I hauled it with my trailer and loaded mixer off the trailer, saved $$& and felt very proud of the work by doing it myself. I’m sure you did so too. Cheers dude.
I have this same mixer. First thing I did was replace the wheels. I actually ran a rod to widen the wheel base and installed larger wheels.. much easier moving it around.. also, most yards sell a concrete mix so you don’t have to mess it mixing rock and sand.. fortunately I have a tractor with a 1/4 yrd bucket so I mix enough loads to fill bucket.. overall, I’ve mixed a ton of concrete in this unit and it’s worked very well..
Man that looks like a serious day's workout! Great finished product and perfect for a shed. I'm impressed that you got bulk materials .. I'm sure it save you a bunch but I use bags .. too absent minded to remember to always count scoops. Thanks for sharing .. hope project turned out well.
I have to pour small pads for equipment to set on. I used to form a 5x5 with 2x4 lumber which usually required 12-14 80# bags of concrete mix. I had to bring the mixer, a barrel of water, and a generator for electricity. Materials cost around 100-130$. Usually took well over an hour to do it. Now I call the truck. 1.25 yds delivered cost 300$, and is enough to do an 8x8 with 2x6 lumber in 15 minutes. Plus I don't have to carry mixer, water, or generator.
I made a chute for mine. About a 5' piece of roofing metal cut and sharp edge rolled, it'll fit in the bracing on the frame and definitely helps. When i stop the motor, i rotate the fins the the 3/9 o'clock position and bust the bag. Definitely a finger saver. A trash can full of water, a gallon paint can for measuring water, and another trash can for the empty bags of concrete and you're set!
Thanks for the video! I just dug out (9) 12" x 3' deep Sonotube holes for a 12 x 16 shed I am building. I used a post hold digger and shovel for the holes and will be using pre-mixed bags of concrete for my pour. (The ground is sloped, that's why I am using piers.) I'll be 69, early next month, so I'm not pushing quite as hard as you. :)
@@douglasmacomber2277 32" is the frost line in my area, Douglas. I took them down a few inches further. It was a bit of work, but the piers came out fine and the frame and floor are down. Thanks for your comments!
Great job. You get an A for effort. I've done a few concrete jobs. When I saw what you're undertaking, I knew it would be a chore. But not insurmountable.
Yeah. I’ve done a 3 yrd pour 10x30 slab by myself, but that was with a truck. I couldn’t imagine doing that with a mixer. Basically an 1/8 of a yard per pour. What is that, a yrd and a quarter or so?
Great job. I'm getting ready for another project like this as well. But I will use a bucket to add my mix to the mixer and a wheel barrel to pour the concrete, leaving the Mixer outside the form.
I used one for setting 75 posts on a project, then followed up with filling hollow blocks on a retaining wall. I figured out how much of each I needed for a 140 pound batch (seems to be it's limit) and had buckets with lines inside to show how much of each material for the batch (had one for each of cement, gravel, sand and water). As one batch mixed I would prep the next batch. Worked slick. The only problem I had was the pully for the drive gear shaft loosened up and fell off. I actually found the shaft key on the ground and put it back together. Been perfect ever since.
I bought one to pour a slab and plaster my shed and it worked like a champ, I got it on sale and after I was done sold it for the same price I paid. If you get one spray the outside with WD40 to keep the cement from sticking
@@MC-wp2vz Somewhere around $150 I believe, it was 5 or 6 years ago but I remember it was marked down and I had a coupon so I got it for about $50 less
i recommend the large mixer with no reservations.. i poured 30000 lbs of quick crete for footings, block wall, and concrete pad 20 by 15.. no issues.. i always rinse it out good and oil bearings.
Dude, I appreciate your energy and willingness to tackle the project. I have always lived by "it ain't what you make, but what you can keep". Wish I could recall the oldtimers name but can not. It has served me well. 1979 a neighbor across the road gave me a Sear/Roebuck Hobart mixer, no motor. My employer had several 1/3 yard mixers. My little mixer may have done 1/6 yard at best. I had access to good gravel, sand , as well as bag portland. I can not recall the cubic yards mixed in that machine. RediMix may have been going for $65 a yard. Does not matter as I did not have $30 to buy it, nor the sand or gravel. Portland was about $4.50 a bag. I constructed 3.5 X 3.5 inch posts from concrete to fence my 2.5 acre property, as well a 28 X 28 shop and a barn much larger. As well as more. Young, dumb and full of cum at the time. Older now, doing dry pour. Cajun boy recipe, with a few tweaks. Over $220 a yard for the powder in my area. Huge fan of Harbor Freight. Keep up the hard work.
You worked your Ass off. 👍🏽 That’s a lot of work doing it solo. You’re a one man gang. When I used to help my dad years ago I wish he would have had any damn cement mixer. Lol My dad was no joke. Shit he’d mix cement in a wheel barrel or on a flat surface. Like a driveway. He could do it all. He built our house from the ground up. After clearing trees on the lot. I learned a few things. Like making sure I had my ice chest with my favorite refreshment. I’m not hating either. Here are some tips position your mixer out of the zone and next to your rocks & sand. If you have a wheelbarrow that would work too. If your mixer is unable to dump into the wheelbarrow due to the lack of height of the mixer u can place it on blocks to raise it up. Start at the farthest point. One more idea. Bend a piece of rebar in the shape of the letter J. That tool will be used to lift up your wire mesh from the ground. I tip my cap to you for a job well done 👍🏽
I'm planning to pour a pad 12 x 16. Your layout suggestions are exactly how I would do it. Additionally, I am going to pour it into rectangular sections as opposed to just pouring the concrete. it will make it easier to screed if you are on your own.
@@jbbadvet That’s right. Are you a 1 man gang too? 😂 I’m like my dad. He wouldn’t wait for anybody to help him. If he did he wouldn’t have finished any planned project that day. He didn’t mess around. He’d say I was burning daylight by the time I showed up. Maybe so. But I definitely showed up with my ice chest and ready to get busy. 😂 I’m the same way. If I get some help fine, would be easier. But if not oh well gotta get busy. Good Luck. Handle your business. 👍🏽
Been using that same mixer for years, was literally just using it again today. Make sure to put some grease on the gear once in awhile and it'll last forever.
I've been using that same mixer from HF for over 10 years-my dad sent it to me here in the NY Catskills. Lots of relatively small projects; from post hole fillings to propane tank pad. The way you mixed all three components must have saved you some $.
Thank You for posting. I have had my HF mixer for a while, but I haven't really used it for something big until now. I'm about to start a patio project about 2 or 3 times the size of your pad, but I will be doing it in segments for design and ease of pouring it. Maybe I'll post it.
Smart man! You might be the first one I've seen who actually put the mixer inside the form to start with. Its hard enough work without adding a wheelbarrow to the mix. Had you started at the back, you could have finished at the front by pouring over the 2x4. But....overall good job!
That was a lot of work. I just did an 8' x 3' pad, mixing myself with a square shovel in a mortar tub, and it about wore me out. I wondered if the mixer made the work lighter...and it looks like yes, but not all that much. At my age I'd need 2 friends helping to do something that size, even with the mixer. Thanks for posting this up, and letting us see the mixer and just how hard this is to do.
We bought one and we use it to mix goat feed. No problems and saves us alot of time and work since you don't have to grind goat feed due to their stomachs.
I have a mixer but used a truck delivery to pour my slab- it's more cost effective & quicker with the aid of a friend. I didn't think it could be done with a little mixer. Hats off to you for doing it with a mixer but it's much harder. Cost me $300 to do a 3.3x3.3x 0.15m slab + $100 for the reinforced mesh. Great effort doing it on your own - where are your mates? 🤗
Just picked up the HF mixer to do the ratwalls in my new pole barn. I figured it would be great for mortar mixing on my soon to be house addition foundation, and other misc. small projects. Great video and nice job.
Dude, put the mixer near the heap of cement/ ballast, mix it up there and then pour into wheel barrow and tip it out directly in the pad where you want it, you made that look proper hard with bucket loads and walking back and forth with a shovelful at a time, you also don't have to keep pulling the mixer about 🤦🏼 saves so much time and graft, hats off to you though you worked hard, but work smarter not harder, I do this for a living, it's back breaking work with out making it more difficult 👍🏻
Coming from a concrete background I had my doubts. I poured a 10x15 with a cement truck cement alone cost almost 500.00 . i have pured straight concrete bags into a mixer using no shovel . Backbreaking work. Your method will be how i will pour these small slabs from now on you can believe that
I mixed 225 80 pound bags of cement for my cabin foundation with one. It was worth every penny. I also have a scar on my index finger knuckle from snagging the end of a bolt while moving it as a nice reminder.
Premeasure cent in family dollar buckets 125 a piece. Sand and rock are too far away . Add a little bitty squirt of dawn to it for air entrainment. Makes it go much easier.
Great video. I’ve had one of those mixers for almost 15 years using sack mix and raw mix. It will choke with two 80 pound sacks of sack mix and water but will easily mix two 70 pound sacks and water
I did a driveway in 10'x10'x4" sections, ten yards worth total with mine. Still have it 20 years later, but the drum shaft bearings need to be replaced from sitting out in the rain for years.
Years ago I bought a Harbor Freight mixer And went to work pouring concrete. I had the batch plant deliver 10 yards of 3/4 inch base and went to work. Pouring 7’x7’ squares around my garage. I too found it best to put the mixer in the square but would put it in the middle and work my way put. I wish it was slightly bigger and I could put in 20 scoops of aggregate. The mixer was 1000 times easier then mixing in a wheel barrow. I had earlier done 5 yards like that. I mixed a 7 sack ratio. The job still looks great. Lots of work and time but about 1/2 the cost of ordering concrete from the batch plant. But at that time I had more time than money
I much prefer the type with motor on the back. They don’t have a ring gear to get chewed away by grit and sand. They can also be used at low level (less height to shovel the aggregate) or can be popped on the supplied stand for tipping into a wheel barrow.
Very cool. I want to add on to my shed but I also want to put a little wall around it to keep water from possibly getting in the shed. Great idea to buy the mixer and do it myself.
Seems like a really great workout. ;-) Great job. I'm thinking of trying my hand at this in my backyard to build a slab for a Gazebo. We'll see if that actually comes to fuition.
looks good! good job knocking it out yourself. I am thinking of building a short concrete wall for a patio and replacing my garden trim with a concrete border. I'm glad harbor freight was a win this time.
You're the man bro, I've seen many videos on this because I need to do one but, this is the the videos that taught me I can actually do this, and by myself if I want to (peace of cake with a 2nd set of hands), getting high quotes (up to $7000 for something smaller).
I just poured eight 18" diameter 45" piers with mine. It took 128 60 lb bags of concrete. I think next time I'll try mixing raw materials like you did. One thing I did was build a small chute out of scrap lumber and plywood so I could direct the concrete into the forms. The chute also gets the concrete away from the machine, so it isn't straddling the wet concrete.
I just did a 30ft x 12.6ft x 5in deep pad in front of my garage by my self I used 20 5gal buckets filled up with stone and 10 buckets for sand & portland & fly ash it go's faster for me at least took me from 10am to 6pm 2 days I did it in 2 parts 3 yard each day. normally I wouldn't do it myself but they want 138$ for delivery then 126$a yard then they said it would be 4 to 5 weeks till they could bring it when I only live 3 mile away or I could pay them 3k to do the work next week even though it was level and forms was up already. lol I still hurt 2 weeks later but only cost me 542$ plus I got 12ton of 1b/2b mixed stone and 1ton of sand left so I def saved money but its hard work. and advice start at the farthest point and work to the closest 1 ya don't get trapped 2 as ya get tired you get closer learned that long ago. thanks for sharing
To years later . . . Just finished my shed base I have decided the harbour freight is not up to big jobs and now I'm too old to do anything else . . .how time flies
I’ve had one for years. Strategically stack your 80lb bags then pull this baby along for a near-constant pour. I would suggest adding 12” wheels like I did. You are only limited by your muscle power to feed it.
Nice work! And thanks for noting how much of each you used for that size pad. That really makes it simple to scale up or down if we want to do it the same way you did.
I bought one of those from harbor freight. Though I wouldn't use a small mixer to pour anything other than something small like patch work or maybe a small walk.
Well done mate, knocking it up/placing and finishing it yourself aint easy is it, time is the enemy and seems to run double quick as you get tired eh 😅. Some tips that have helped me out in the past:- A plastic sheet helps keep your aggregates clean and protects your existing base/driveway etc The mixer set near your agg and out the job + a barrow to place where you want saves time and walking Long handle shovel agg and bucket measure cement saves your back, wet as needed, FLOW ADDITIVE! total game changer for workability Start one end and work to the other, screed/float and if needed finish as you go Diy knee sliders let you get on the job asap, dont let things stiffen up too much before you go for the finish 😭😅 There's another 6 ton arriving Tuesday with my name on it, pray for me lool Atb, D
I've mixed a lot of concrete with a mixer just like that, only problem I ever had with mine (knock on wood) was the allen screw that holds the keyway on the motor backed out and let the keyway fall out,(easy fix). In my mind, that job was too big for one person. At the minimum one more person, ideally two, one guy doing nothing but mixing the concrete and the other two working it. To your credit, you got it done, but I got tired just watching you. Next time get a couple buddies to help you. God bless.
My experience has been that bag concrete is weak and doesn't hold up well over time. Ive also mixed my own with somewhat better results. You get what you pay for and doing it this way is an incredible amount of work. Been there done that. Batched concrete from a professional supplier is worth it in the long run, especially with something as permanent as concrete
I live off grid and I live a ways away from town... I found this is perfect for washing clothes when I'm not mixing concrete. I have a complete solar array with about a 1000 amphours of battery storage..so I have plenty of power for everything... including this mixer.
You should have someone helping you! That cement is going to harden before you finish, however you did mentioned it was a cold day and that could’ve saved you!
DIY concrete it brutal work. Good job! I'm old AF and lazy so I would have put the mixer by the materials outside the slab, dumped it into a wheel barrow and transported it. Also, a round point shovel works better on this kind of material. It cuts through much easier. Also, be sure to put a lot of dirt around the perimeter or the slab will sure as shit break off
Thanks for video, I need a pad poured, and was considering doing it myself. You saved me the waged efforts, I'll be paying someone to do it for me. I'm doing a 10x16.
Great job on the concrete slab. A few suggestion break up the slab into 2 or 3 section in case something happens, raise the wire mesh into the center of the slab, and for consistent mix use a bucket to measure your sand cement, gravel, sand, and water. For the water use a trash can to hold the water an dip the bucket into it.
Great suggestions. By the way, have you ever heard Tom Russell's song "Manzanar?" The first few words in the first line from it is "he said my name is Nakashima...." th-cam.com/video/0BW3rFEdCxY/w-d-xo.html
Works pretty good, after 70 ish pallets of concrete thou the drive gear started skipping on the barrel some. Still under warranty thou so #2 gonna get worked to
I would have never gave the Karen's an explanation . Great job . Fkn' A ; You mixed your own concrete with stone n Portland for $200 . These cost a couple of thousand to have done "professionally" . And you have the satisfaction of knowing it's done with care.
Sometimes there’s a Karen that thinks they know everything but in reality they are way off. It’s hard to let those ones go but I’m working on it. Thanks for the positivity 👍🏻
Thank you, Jeff. I've been wondering about these mixers. HF is a mixed bag when it comes to value. Good to know the mixer is a good option. BTW - Every time I do a concrete project, I swear I'll never do another. That usually lasts about 10 years....I guess I'm a little overdue for one
My father bought one from HarborFreight about thirty years ago. It’s been out in the weather the entire time. It’s been through hurricanes, thunderstorms, temps in excess of 100 degrees in the summer, even a few snowy days. And it still does the job well. Minus one wheel rusting off last year with the other one might be coming off this weekend. Great purchase!!
I did almost the exact same thing 10 or so years ago. Solid afternoon of effort and came out pretty well. Over the next 5 years in Colorado, no cracks or spalling. Good sized job for one person. Cheers
There were two things I particularly liked about this video. 1) Seeing how to make a practical - not perfect - pad using the concrete raw materials, rather than bags. 2) Seeing that one person, with a mixer, can actually get a job done like this within the time that is practical for working with the concrete. Of course, this doesn't show how well this pad might hold up over time. But, given his intended use I suspect it will hold up well enough.
So long as the mesh isn’t exposed it’ll hold up fine. It wasn’t too wet. It’ll cure fine.
Mate it's concrete..
Weerrrrr😅😊😮😢🎉😂❤
Great job on the concrete. Next time use a bucket with a pre determined amount of water so that you don't have to guess. I would also use a wheelbarrow and mix outside of your form. Mix a batch, dump it in the wheelbarrow mix another one and while that's mixing you can dump the wheelbarrow.
If you have never mixed concrete whenthey create your home i promised t wasnt a pre determined measured amount lol
You sir have never professional poured concrete......
A gauge bucket or something
How much water should be added each time?
@@alanahhall6955 you add water until you get the consistency you need
Good job dude, not everyone has high dollar budgets!
Thank you, and perfectly said
I bought mine 9 years ago. It still works great and looks surprisingly good. It also does double duty cleaning black walnuts in the fall as well.
@Mike Smith yep. They will give you one heck of a pop knot on your head when they fall too.
@Mike Smith Cool, on the sixtyfiveford channel. he shows how to made a walnut cracker. You can also make walnut syrup. He also husk's them with a power washer. But I'm pretty sure he is the guy that taught me how to peel a bucket of potatoes with a new toilet brush and drill.
He has other simple tricks for things.
But thought you might like to make a powered walnut cracker. cleaning a milk crate full takes about a half hour with power washer.
Also heard if walnut trees drop more nuts than normal. Means it is going to be a bad winter. I only have like 6 walnut trees on my property. I never knew they were poisonous to other plant species.
Put some sand blast media, or plain sand and you can clean up rusty bolts, tools, etc.
I bought one from HF several years ago for odd jobs around the house, and at some rentals. It has worked fine. I lube everything before I start a project, including the gear around the drum. I remember this from when I was a kid in the '50's and '60's watching people use cement mixers like this one. It is a good proven design that's been around for many decades.
Good job! I've been doing a project like this every week for the past 6 years....I'm 58....I get it. It beats you up!
4 woodshed
24 support posts
8 support beams
9 yards concrete- by hand
4) 30 foot rock walls
All landscaping on 2 acres
Pointed fireplace chimney
1) 400 sf patio
4) 15 ft x 3 ft x 2 ft planters
A 200 sf veggie garden
400 sf deck
New roof
Jacked the house
Slider
2 windows
Kitchen remodel
Bedroom remodel
New electrical
New plumbing
New furnace...
Etc.
Wow! You've been busy. I've done everything on your list except for jacking the house, the landscape stone/masonry work and I've only done two sheds. Oh, and my garden is much, much smaller. I love self sufficient people! Good job!
@@rosewoodsteel6656 Believe me...this isn't 1/2 the list! I'm burned out!! Replacing windows, sliding doors, refinishing furniture, making faux beams, TONS of landscaping...bobcat, backhoe work- French drains, PEX, a new water heater, new gas log stove, gas insert heater...and on it goes...lol
Good luck on your projects!!
Mighty impressive.
I'm doing the same thing right now just happened to run across your video. But I'm only doing a 2 ft by 4-ft poor at a time when I get mine all the way done it will be 12 ft by 56 ft I figure it'll probably take me a year to get it done but I'm in no hurry. That way I can just do a little bit when I feel like it and not have to worry about working my old 72-year-old body too hard. Good job son
Sounds like a big project. Thanks for watching
@@jeffdeshong th-cam.com/video/knP313mrnwM/w-d-xo.html
Good Job! I wanted to add concrete to my pool deck this year, so I bought a mixer (Lowes) and used bags of Sakrete. I ended up pouring 60' X 7' which was nearly 300 60Lb bags. I did it by myself, breaking it up into 8 - 12 ft sections (Staying with existing control joints) doing 1 section a day. It took a few days of hard work but the end result was worth it. Yes, I probably could have had a truck deliver it, but sometimes it isn't the best option all around (Location, manpower, etc...) My advice, and something I seen in your video, is to try to plan ahead. Have your mixer and materials in a central location to reduce your movements, use a wheel barrel to transport. If using bags, have a trash can near your work area to collect the bags immediately
300 bags? Good lord. My lower back was pissed at me when I used 36 bags for a sidewalk.
I have the same mixer. Mixed 8 pallets of 90 lbs bags, so far so good. Very happy with the mixer purchase still going strong.
I’m impressed, you busted your butt to do this. I just did a 16X20 pad but I had them bring my concrete in on the truck, it was actually cheaper that way than buying it by the bag, and a whole lot easier. I put a 4’ block wall on 2 sides that were below grade and used this same HF mixer for my mortar and my core fill concrete on the walls, hard work but it worked great. Bought the mixer and a small generator to run it for less $ than they wanted for just a electric mixer at other places and I can’t imagine what could have made the more expensive mixers any better. 20 eighty pound bags of mortar and 200 sixty pound bags of premixed concrete and this cheap cost mixer got it done without a hitch. My only complaint was the rubber on the handle kept pulling off and eventually got thrown out in my woods out of frustration with it. No idea why I kept putting it back on after the first time it pulled off lol.
How many people did you have when finishing the 16x20 slab? I’m wanting to do a 20x25’ with a concrete truck and am curious if it’s doable with 2 guys
I did a 9x12 at my house all by myself, which was like 1.2 yards…I was debating about buying that mixer but felt I’d rarely use it for what it cost vs renting. I rented a wheelbarrow mixer from Home Depot for 1/3 the price and it was more than 2.5x the capacity of those HF mixers…. 100% glad I did. Having the extra mixing capacity saved me a lot of labor…we’ll worth just renting. Nice work. Will be fine for a shed, may have some Spaulding but who cares, you did it yourself
My mixer looks the same its over 20yrs old. Been used about every 3 years by me, Friends, & Family. Great Value mixer!
Every time I move it I plan to build a better pull or push handle attachment.
I have had the same mixer for years now. I got it used and it is one of the best investments in tools. Great mixer
Same here. I just finished mixing 3 yards with mine because I couldn’t get a truck to deliver the concrete to my job since I guess there is a cement shortage. I sure had no trouble Getting 21 bags of Portland at lowes.
I make my own mix with recycled crushed concrete. It’s class6 road base with some 3/4” screened rock. This stuff is way cheaper
Than getting the mud delivered and still Much cheaper than sacks of quickrete. It’s at least a
4000 PSI mix and yes I do add some surfactant for air entrainment and a water reducer for workability. Awesome mud.
I paid $75 for mine. It’s mixed 30+
Yards since I’ve had it. Not much prior I’m sure it was clean, now it looks like It’s done some work.
Awesome job!!!!!! have one of those, I bought gavel and sand already mixed. I did five good size shovels and one Portland cement. I hauled it with my trailer and loaded mixer off the trailer, saved $$& and felt very proud of the work by doing it myself. I’m sure you did so too. Cheers dude.
I have this same mixer. First thing I did was replace the wheels. I actually ran a rod to widen the wheel base and installed larger wheels.. much easier moving it around.. also, most yards sell a concrete mix so you don’t have to mess it mixing rock and sand.. fortunately I have a tractor with a 1/4 yrd bucket so I mix enough loads to fill bucket.. overall, I’ve mixed a ton of concrete in this unit and it’s worked very well..
What size wheels did you add?
@@VMa-mq3pm 8” solid wheels. Got them at HF…
@@bman6502 thanks
Man that looks like a serious day's workout! Great finished product and perfect for a shed. I'm impressed that you got bulk materials .. I'm sure it save you a bunch but I use bags .. too absent minded to remember to always count scoops. Thanks for sharing .. hope project turned out well.
I have to pour small pads for equipment to set on. I used to form a 5x5 with 2x4 lumber which usually required 12-14 80# bags of concrete mix. I had to bring the mixer, a barrel of water, and a generator for electricity. Materials cost around 100-130$. Usually took well over an hour to do it.
Now I call the truck. 1.25 yds delivered cost 300$, and is enough to do an 8x8 with 2x6 lumber in 15 minutes. Plus I don't have to carry mixer, water, or generator.
I respect you all that are using these mixers with so many bags. I'm spending the 300 for the truck.
I made a chute for mine. About a 5' piece of roofing metal cut and sharp edge rolled, it'll fit in the bracing on the frame and definitely helps.
When i stop the motor, i rotate the fins the the 3/9 o'clock position and bust the bag. Definitely a finger saver. A trash can full of water, a gallon paint can for measuring water, and another trash can for the empty bags of concrete and you're set!
Thanks for the video! I just dug out (9) 12" x 3' deep Sonotube holes for a 12 x 16 shed I am building. I used a post hold digger and shovel for the holes and will be using pre-mixed bags of concrete for my pour. (The ground is sloped, that's why I am using piers.) I'll be 69, early next month, so I'm not pushing quite as hard as you. :)
Update: I got my piers in and will be framing, shortly. It took 4,800 lbs of concrete mix.
Check building code. Should be 4 ft deep. Have them inspected if you have permit.
Js
@@douglasmacomber2277 32" is the frost line in my area, Douglas. I took them down a few inches further. It was a bit of work, but the piers came out fine and the frame and floor are down. Thanks for your comments!
@@rosewoodsteel6656 mass its 48inches
I rent an auger these days. Lol
Glad it came out great!!!
@@douglasmacomber2277 Thanks!
-Not many roots, very few stones. The post hold digger worked great.
Great job. You get an A for effort. I've done a few concrete jobs. When I saw what you're undertaking, I knew it would be a chore. But not insurmountable.
Thank you, definitely a chore but worth it 👍🏻
An inspiration. This is the first video I've seen of anyone doing a pad this large all on their own! hardcore, dude!
Thank you 👍🏻💪🏻
Yeah. I’ve done a 3 yrd pour 10x30 slab by myself, but that was with a truck. I couldn’t imagine doing that with a mixer. Basically an 1/8 of a yard per pour. What is that, a yrd and a quarter or so?
@Charles McKinley It's just a shed. He's not building Buckingham Palace.
It’s not a launch pad for the space shuttle is the one is use.
You can’t tell from this video how much slope it has. Gimme a break.
Great job. I'm getting ready for another project like this as well. But I will use a bucket to add my mix to the mixer and a wheel barrel to pour the concrete, leaving the Mixer outside the form.
I used one for setting 75 posts on a project, then followed up with filling hollow blocks on a retaining wall. I figured out how much of each I needed for a 140 pound batch (seems to be it's limit) and had buckets with lines inside to show how much of each material for the batch (had one for each of cement, gravel, sand and water). As one batch mixed I would prep the next batch. Worked slick. The only problem I had was the pully for the drive gear shaft loosened up and fell off. I actually found the shaft key on the ground and put it back together. Been perfect ever since.
I bought one to pour a slab and plaster my shed and it worked like a champ, I got it on sale and after I was done sold it for the same price I paid. If you get one spray the outside with WD40 to keep the cement from sticking
Thanks for the w9-40 tip. I just picked one up on FB marketplace used. Going to do the same.
A bit like using PAM around where you are welding to keep the slag from sticking to things. Thanks for the tip.
l
how much did you buy it ?
@@MC-wp2vz Somewhere around $150 I believe, it was 5 or 6 years ago but I remember it was marked down and I had a coupon so I got it for about $50 less
Awesome job on the pad, easy to stay in shape when you’re doing that kind of work without a wheelbarrow!
i recommend the large mixer with no reservations.. i poured 30000 lbs of quick crete for footings, block wall, and concrete pad 20 by 15.. no issues.. i always rinse it out good and oil bearings.
I have one of these I pour alot of concrete yearly and this little bad boy works great haven't had a single problem in over two years
Used that same machine to set poles for a 24 x 36 pole barn. Worked surprisingly well.
How many poles you set?
@@xavisolis2115 14 on that project
Dude, I appreciate your energy and willingness to tackle the project. I have always lived by "it ain't what you make, but what you can keep". Wish I could recall the oldtimers name but can not. It has served me well. 1979 a neighbor across the road gave me a Sear/Roebuck Hobart mixer, no motor. My employer had several 1/3 yard mixers. My little mixer may have done 1/6 yard at best. I had access to good gravel, sand , as well as bag portland. I can not recall the cubic yards mixed in that machine. RediMix may have been going for $65 a yard. Does not matter as I did not have $30 to buy it, nor the sand or gravel. Portland was about $4.50 a bag. I constructed 3.5 X 3.5 inch posts from concrete to fence my 2.5 acre property, as well a 28 X 28 shop and a barn much larger. As well as more. Young, dumb and full of cum at the time. Older now, doing dry pour. Cajun boy recipe, with a few tweaks. Over $220 a yard for the powder in my area. Huge fan of Harbor Freight. Keep up the hard work.
You worked your Ass off. 👍🏽 That’s a lot of work doing it solo. You’re a one man gang. When I used to help my dad years ago I wish he would have had any damn cement mixer. Lol My dad was no joke. Shit he’d mix cement in a wheel barrel or on a flat surface. Like a driveway. He could do it all. He built our house from the ground up. After clearing trees on the lot. I learned a few things. Like making sure I had my ice chest with my favorite refreshment. I’m not hating either. Here are some tips position your mixer out of the zone and next to your rocks & sand. If you have a wheelbarrow that would work too. If your mixer is unable to dump into the wheelbarrow due to the lack of height of the mixer u can place it on blocks to raise it up. Start at the farthest point. One more idea. Bend a piece of rebar in the shape of the letter J. That tool will be used to lift up your wire mesh from the ground. I tip my cap to you for a job well done 👍🏽
I'm planning to pour a pad 12 x 16. Your layout suggestions are exactly how I would do it. Additionally, I am going to pour it into rectangular sections as opposed to just pouring the concrete. it will make it easier to screed if you are on your own.
@@jbbadvet That’s right. Are you a 1 man gang too? 😂 I’m like my dad. He wouldn’t wait for anybody to help him. If he did he wouldn’t have finished any planned project that day. He didn’t mess around. He’d say I was burning daylight by the time I showed up. Maybe so. But I definitely showed up with my ice chest and ready to get busy. 😂 I’m the same way. If I get some help fine, would be easier. But if not oh well gotta get busy. Good Luck. Handle your business. 👍🏽
Been using that same mixer for years, was literally just using it again today. Make sure to put some grease on the gear once in awhile and it'll last forever.
I've been using that same mixer from HF for over 10 years-my dad sent it to me here in the NY Catskills. Lots of relatively small projects; from post hole fillings to propane tank pad. The way you mixed all three components must have saved you some $.
Thank You for posting. I have had my HF mixer for a while, but I haven't really used it for something big until now. I'm about to start a patio project about 2 or 3 times the size of your pad, but I will be doing it in segments for design and ease of pouring it. Maybe I'll post it.
Smart man! You might be the first one I've seen who actually put the mixer inside the form to start with. Its hard enough work without adding a wheelbarrow to the mix. Had you started at the back, you could have finished at the front by pouring over the 2x4. But....overall good job!
Thank you, definitely should of started from the back, I just wasn’t thinking properly lol.
That was a lot of work. I just did an 8' x 3' pad, mixing myself with a square shovel in a mortar tub, and it about wore me out. I wondered if the mixer made the work lighter...and it looks like yes, but not all that much. At my age I'd need 2 friends helping to do something that size, even with the mixer. Thanks for posting this up, and letting us see the mixer and just how hard this is to do.
We bought one and we use it to mix goat feed. No problems and saves us alot of time and work since you don't have to grind goat feed due to their stomachs.
I have a mixer but used a truck delivery to pour my slab- it's more cost effective & quicker with the aid of a friend. I didn't think it could be done with a little mixer. Hats off to you for doing it with a mixer but it's much harder. Cost me $300 to do a 3.3x3.3x 0.15m slab + $100 for the reinforced mesh. Great effort doing it on your own - where are your mates? 🤗
Just picked up the HF mixer to do the ratwalls in my new pole barn. I figured it would be great for mortar mixing on my soon to be house addition foundation, and other misc. small projects. Great video and nice job.
Ed, have you tried mixing mortar yet? If so, how did it work?? I have same mixer but have not tried mixing mortar..
I had considered doing it that way but after 2:43 seconds I was convinced to go ahead and just use bags. :)
I've had mine for about 15 years now, and still works good.!
I thought it was just mine. But apparently they all make that same grinding noise. I have had mine for 10 years.
Dude, put the mixer near the heap of cement/ ballast, mix it up there and then pour into wheel barrow and tip it out directly in the pad where you want it, you made that look proper hard with bucket loads and walking back and forth with a shovelful at a time, you also don't have to keep pulling the mixer about 🤦🏼 saves so much time and graft, hats off to you though you worked hard, but work smarter not harder, I do this for a living, it's back breaking work with out making it more difficult 👍🏻
😂
Coming from a concrete background I had my doubts. I poured a 10x15 with a cement truck cement alone cost almost 500.00 . i have pured straight concrete bags into a mixer using no shovel . Backbreaking work. Your method will be how i will pour these small slabs from now on you can believe that
I mixed 225 80 pound bags of cement for my cabin foundation with one. It was worth every penny. I also have a scar on my index finger knuckle from snagging the end of a bolt while moving it as a nice reminder.
Premeasure cent in family dollar buckets 125 a piece. Sand and rock are too far away . Add a little bitty squirt of dawn to it for air entrainment. Makes it go much easier.
Hats off to you doing this job alone…. Well done!
Thank you! 👍🏻💪🏻
Great video. I’ve had one of those mixers for almost 15 years using sack mix and raw mix. It will choke with two 80 pound sacks of sack mix and water but will easily mix two 70 pound sacks and water
I did a driveway in 10'x10'x4" sections, ten yards worth total with mine. Still have it 20 years later, but the drum shaft bearings need to be replaced from sitting out in the rain for years.
Great Video. You did an excellent job. Thank you from Orlando Florida
Years ago I bought a Harbor Freight mixer And went to work pouring concrete. I had the batch plant deliver 10 yards of 3/4 inch base and went to work. Pouring 7’x7’ squares around my garage. I too found it best to put the mixer in the square but would put it in the middle and work my way put. I wish it was slightly bigger and I could put in 20 scoops of aggregate. The mixer was 1000 times easier then mixing in a wheel barrow. I had earlier done 5 yards like that. I mixed a 7 sack ratio. The job still looks great. Lots of work and time but about 1/2 the cost of ordering concrete from the batch plant. But at that time I had more time than money
not an option for off grid unless there's a big generator of course. I wonder how many amps that mixer draws? or Watts...
I much prefer the type with motor on the back. They don’t have a ring gear to get chewed away by grit and sand. They can also be used at low level (less height to shovel the aggregate) or can be popped on the supplied stand for tipping into a wheel barrow.
That's a lot of hard work for one guy to do alone. Well done!
4 of these slabs would make a great 20x24 garage
I was going to buy a mixer. You made me realize I don't want to. I will call the cement truck. I admire your toughness though. Good video.
Thanks. I’m thinking of doing a 10 x 12 shed
Very cool. I want to add on to my shed but I also want to put a little wall around it to keep water from possibly getting in the shed. Great idea to buy the mixer and do it myself.
Thanks for sharing. Just bought one of these mixers and looks like it did the job. Nice pad dude!
And its Miller Time. After a hard days work
Seems like a really great workout. ;-) Great job. I'm thinking of trying my hand at this in my backyard to build a slab for a Gazebo. We'll see if that actually comes to fuition.
looks good! good job knocking it out yourself. I am thinking of building a short concrete wall for a patio and replacing my garden trim with a concrete border. I'm glad harbor freight was a win this time.
You're the man bro, I've seen many videos on this because I need to do one but, this is the the videos that taught me I can actually do this, and by myself if I want to (peace of cake with a 2nd set of hands), getting high quotes (up to $7000 for something smaller).
Thank you 💪🏻 really appreciate it! And wow I didn’t expect it to be that high!
I just poured eight 18" diameter 45" piers with mine. It took 128 60 lb bags of concrete. I think next time I'll try mixing raw materials like you did. One thing I did was build a small chute out of scrap lumber and plywood so I could direct the concrete into the forms. The chute also gets the concrete away from the machine, so it isn't straddling the wet concrete.
I have been thinking about making a chute of some kind. Thanks for watching!
Did I miss which mixer you're using from HF? OR specs will do.
@@suzyq4779 the orange one
I just did a 30ft x 12.6ft x 5in deep pad in front of my garage by my self I used 20 5gal buckets filled up with stone and 10 buckets for sand & portland & fly ash it go's faster for me at least took me from 10am to 6pm 2 days I did it in 2 parts 3 yard each day. normally I wouldn't do it myself but they want 138$ for delivery then 126$a yard then they said it would be 4 to 5 weeks till they could bring it when I only live 3 mile away or I could pay them 3k to do the work next week even though it was level and forms was up already. lol I still hurt 2 weeks later but only cost me 542$ plus I got 12ton of 1b/2b mixed stone and 1ton of sand left so I def saved money but its hard work. and advice start at the farthest point and work to the closest 1 ya don't get trapped 2 as ya get tired you get closer learned that long ago. thanks for sharing
To years later . . .
Just finished my shed base I have decided the harbour freight is not up to big jobs and now I'm too old to do anything else . . .how time flies
Great video! Now all I need is a cement mixer…..and to grow another foot and a half!
Signed, a 5’3” women slightly envious of your wingspan 😂👷♂️
That’s pretty cool I didn’t think that was possible with that little mixer.
Thanks for sharing. That’s a lot of work. Been there - done that. Your effort was commendable w positive/satisfactory results. Good job!
I’ve had one for years. Strategically stack your 80lb bags then pull this baby along for a near-constant pour. I would suggest adding 12” wheels like I did. You are only limited by your muscle power to feed it.
Nice work! And thanks for noting how much of each you used for that size pad. That really makes it simple to scale up or down if we want to do it the same way you did.
Glad I can help
This is exactly what I wanna do! About 5 hours, good estimate for how long it could take me to mix and pour out with a mixer!
I bought one of those from harbor freight. Though I wouldn't use a small mixer to pour anything other than something small like patch work or maybe a small walk.
Well done mate, knocking it up/placing and finishing it yourself aint easy is it, time is the enemy and seems to run double quick as you get tired eh 😅.
Some tips that have helped me out in the past:-
A plastic sheet helps keep your aggregates clean and protects your existing base/driveway etc
The mixer set near your agg and out the job + a barrow to place where you want saves time and walking
Long handle shovel agg and bucket measure cement saves your back, wet as needed, FLOW ADDITIVE! total game changer for workability
Start one end and work to the other, screed/float and if needed finish as you go
Diy knee sliders let you get on the job asap, dont let things stiffen up too much before you go for the finish 😭😅
There's another 6 ton arriving Tuesday with my name on it, pray for me lool
Atb, D
Damn bro, watching you work is making my back hurt. Very impressive!
I've mixed a lot of concrete with a mixer just like that, only problem I ever had with mine (knock on wood) was the allen screw that holds the keyway on the motor backed out and let the keyway fall out,(easy fix). In my mind, that job was too big for one person. At the minimum one more person, ideally two, one guy doing nothing but mixing the concrete and the other two working it. To your credit, you got it done, but I got tired just watching you. Next time get a couple buddies to help you. God bless.
My experience has been that bag concrete is weak and doesn't hold up well over time. Ive also mixed my own with somewhat better results. You get what you pay for and doing it this way is an incredible amount of work. Been there done that. Batched concrete from a professional supplier is worth it in the long run, especially with something as permanent as concrete
When you say batched concrete I'm assuming you mean from cemstone (or another distributor that delivers it in a mixing truck)?
@@justinhafner12383 yes
I like the idea of the mixer in the middle less work I see, ✌️🇬🇧
Well you sold me on this mixer, thank you! Great work...
I just got 1 to make wax dirt in for this upcoming trapping season. Thanks for sharing 👍🏻
Wow - I feel like you needed at least one other person maybe two! Surprised you didn’t end up using more cement. Nice work.
nice work. i would add foundation bolts to hold the house to the pad.
Nice! I'm doing this for a grill area. Thanks for sharing!
I live off grid and I live a ways away from town... I found this is perfect for washing clothes when I'm not mixing concrete. I have a complete solar array with about a 1000 amphours of battery storage..so I have plenty of power for everything... including this mixer.
At first, I laughed out loud and this... then I said... BRILLIANT!
You should have someone helping you! That cement is going to harden before you finish, however you did mentioned it was a cold day and that could’ve saved you!
DIY concrete it brutal work. Good job!
I'm old AF and lazy so I would have put the mixer by the materials outside the slab, dumped it into a wheel barrow and transported it.
Also, a round point shovel works better on this kind of material. It cuts through much easier.
Also, be sure to put a lot of dirt around the perimeter or the slab will sure as shit break off
I think he knows what he’s doing. The mixer is just a small part of the story.
Thanks for video, I need a pad poured, and was considering doing it myself. You saved me the waged efforts, I'll be paying someone to do it for me. I'm doing a 10x16.
Great work ethic no small feat on your own looks great!
Great job on the concrete slab. A few suggestion break up the slab into 2 or 3 section in case something happens, raise the wire mesh into the center of the slab, and for consistent mix use a bucket to measure your sand cement, gravel, sand, and water. For the water use a trash can to hold the water an dip the bucket into it.
Great suggestions. By the way, have you ever heard Tom Russell's song "Manzanar?" The first few words in the first line from it is "he said my name is Nakashima...."
th-cam.com/video/0BW3rFEdCxY/w-d-xo.html
Works pretty good, after 70 ish pallets of concrete thou the drive gear started skipping on the barrel some. Still under warranty thou so #2 gonna get worked to
Looks good. I am wanting to do some work around my house
Thank you for the video. You answer a lot of my questions . About the mixer .
Looks great. Now I know what it takes to pour a pad of size.
Thanks for the information including the time it took you to do it single-handedly.
Might consider a wheelbarrow next time and put the mixer next to the sand, gravel, and cement.
I would have never gave the Karen's an explanation . Great job . Fkn' A ; You mixed your own concrete with stone n Portland for $200 . These cost a couple of thousand to have done "professionally" . And you have the satisfaction of knowing it's done with care.
Sometimes there’s a Karen that thinks they know everything but in reality they are way off. It’s hard to let those ones go but I’m working on it. Thanks for the positivity 👍🏻
Great Job ! Remember its for a shed! I have been there and I know about those 5 to 7 hours of pain ! hang in there !!!
Thank you, Jeff. I've been wondering about these mixers. HF is a mixed bag when it comes to value. Good to know the mixer is a good option.
BTW - Every time I do a concrete project, I swear I'll never do another. That usually lasts about 10 years....I guess I'm a little overdue for one
I say the same thing about block jobs