Hi
A power mixer may be just the ticket for a job that's not quite large enough to
require ordering from a ready-mix company, but that's too big to do by hand
- or one that requires masonry concrete over an extended period of time.
Steps:
1.
Be sure you have all of your materials gathered and on site before you rent the
power mixer.
2.
Have the clerk at the rental center give you the full instructional session on
the running and cleaning up of the power mixer.
3.
Keep your bags of Portland cement up off the ground and covered with plastic to
protect them from weather and ground moisture. Any unused, unopened bags
can probably be returned for a cash refund.
4.
Start the loading of the mixer by wetting down the inside of the drum. It
doesn't take a lot of water to do this and is most easily accomplished by using
a garden hose with a squirt nozzle. This also works best for keeping the
machine clean during and after use.
5.
Add water to your mixture using a bucket so that you can keep track of the
amount used and duplicate it more easily on following loads.
6.
Use this simple, time-tested formula for a common concrete mix ' 1:2:3 parts by
dry volume. That is: one part Portland cement, two parts sand and three
parts coarse aggregate. Masonry mix, of course, has no coarse aggregate and
uses a better quality of fine sand in its mixture.
7.
Make small additions of water to your first few batches of concrete until you
learn what consistency you will achieve with the different amounts of water.
In general, a consistency of a very thick cake batter is the desired result.
Such a mixture will be workable when wet and strong when dry.
8.
Mix only the amount that you can use in a short period of time. Once the
cement-and-water chemical reaction starts, you have only a limited amount of
time
to work with the concrete.
Warnings:
If you have doubts about your skills or if the size of the project is
overwhelming, it may be wise to call a professional. Even small jobs can be
physically
demanding, and mistakes can be costly.
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