Any owner of a plot wants to arrange it as much as possible - erect the necessary buildings, create level areas and paths, etc. Often in such cases concrete is required, and its manual preparation takes a lot of time and effort. You can, of course, buy a ready-made unit for these purposes, but considerable funds will be required. DIY concrete mixer allows you to solve such problems(see others for private construction).

A concrete mixer is a machine designed for preparing by uniform mixing necessary components of the mixture and ensuring the desired consistency of the solution. In practice, four mixing principles are used:

1. Gravity method. It is based on the use of the weight of substances, i.e. gravitational forces. The problem is solved in a rotating container (drum). The components that are at the top fall down onto other substances, due to which they are mixed. The repetition of this procedure is ensured by many revolutions of the drum. The main difference between the gravity method is rotation of the entire container with ingredients concrete mixture .
2. Mechanical method. This option is similar mixer. To mix the mixture you need rotating blades, which descend into it and perform the assigned task. When using mechanical method the working container remains stationary, and the blades rotate inside it.
3. Vibration method. It can be implemented by shaking the components at a certain frequency. Home craftsmen rarely use this technology due to the complexity of installation.
4. Combined method. It combines gravitational and mechanical approaches. It can be implemented in two ways - independent rotation of the container and the blades located inside it, or rotation of only the container, but with rigidly fixed blades placed in it.

Types of concrete mixers and materials used

Any concrete mixers consist of the following main parts:

• working capacity;
• mixing blades;
• drive with transmission;
• body (frame);
• mechanism for unloading the solution.

According to the method of setting the torque, there are 2 types of installations - manual and mechanized.

In the first case, rotation is done manually, and the transmission increases the rotation speed of the working body. Mechanization is provided using an electric or gasoline engine.

By working tank design The following main varieties are distinguished.

Milk can (flask)

It is quite easy to make a manual concrete mixer from such a container. A pipe is passed through the center of gravity of the can, going out on both sides. The pipe must be securely fixed in the walls of the flask, for which it is used cold welding.

This design installed on bed posts. On one side, the pipe bends to form a handle, by which you can twist the container manually. The second pipe outlet is installed on the frame in a bearing. For such a simple installation will do standard flask with a volume of 40 l.

From a barrel

If you use a metal barrel up to 100 l, That manual installation is manufactured similarly to the previous version. When to use a barrel with a volume 200 l, good fit electric drive.

This design requires a capacity seal tightly with a lid. A shaft is passed through the bottom and lid of the barrel. IN assembled form The container is installed on the stand of the frame so that the axis of rotation is inclined.

A large gear is attached to the shaft from the bottom of the barrel for chain transmission or belt drive pulley. Rotating torque is provided electric motor with a power of 1-1.2 kW. A window for ingredients is cut into the bottom closer to its edge. When loading, it is located at the top, and when unloading the solution, it is in the bottom position.

Washing machine option

This household appliances This suggests itself as the basis for a concrete mixer. Most suitable option– . It is better to replace the activator reservoir with a metal barrel.

A shaft of the same diameter is installed in place of the gearbox. The blades and brackets are attached to the threads of the machine, which must be well balanced. The drain hole is plugged. This homemade concrete mixer is quite suitable for preparing small quantities of concrete.

How to do it yourself?

When choosing the design of a homemade concrete mixer, you must proceed from having a home workshop and the necessary equipment . You should take care of the following tools in advance: welding machine, grinder, electric drill, vice, hacksaw, chisel, set of files, pliers, screwdriver, hammer, sledgehammer, set wrenches, adjustable wrench, metal scissors, calipers, metal ruler.

Working capacity

Its volume is selected based on need. For example, when building a basement, small buildings, or arranging paths, it is enough to find sealed tank 40-60 l, and when building a house you will need a container with volume of at least 100-120 l.

Large containers should be made of metal, but for miniature installations, durable plastic can be used.

For homemade devices Of interest are any cylindrical, sufficiently strong containers of the required volume - metal or plastic barrels, a large saucepan, a tank washing machine or heating units (for example, Ariston), milk can, etc.

The manufacturing process can be considered using the example of a barrel. The role of mixing elements can be performed by comb formed inside the container. The comb is made of a metal strip to which it is welded in a row nails 20 cm long in increments of 8-12 cm.

Two such details welded across the entire height of the barrel opposite each other. Then, in the center of the bottom and cover are attached on both sides flanges with bearing, after which a hole is drilled and the shaft is threaded through. To strengthen the shaft entry point, it is recommended to strengthen the bottom and cover by welding cross-shaped slats. The lid is hermetically welded to the barrel body. The loading opening can be made on the bottom or side.

Body and base

The concrete mixer body must withstand significant loads during operation caused by a rotating container with a full load of solution. The base of the housing must ensure its stability during operation, despite vibrations and torque.

For this purpose, the width of the support is selected approximately twice as much diameter of the working container. The drum is installed on vertical racks, which are reinforced with oblique supports.

For the base it is recommended to use a corner measuring at least 10x10 cm. The tank is installed at a height of at least 110 cm. A lower location makes it difficult to unload the solution. It is better to ensure all connections by welding, but in the absence welding machine can be provided threaded connection using bolts with a diameter of at least 20 mm. For small concrete mixers, the body can be made of wood - timber and board.

Engine

IN homemade devices, most often, rotation is provided by an electric motor power 1-2 kW.

It attaches securely to the frame base and can be adjusted to ensure alignment.

The transmission of torque to the shaft of the working tank is carried out using chain or belt drive.

To do this, a gear or pulley of the appropriate diameter is pressed onto the working shaft. It is recommended to ensure the drum rotation speed within the limits 20-30 rpm. For this purpose it is used required gearbox on the engine and select the diameter of the drive and driven gears (pulley).

Final assembly

Direct assembly of the concrete mixer is carried out in the following order:

1. Housing installation and strengthening the foundation. If necessary, it is weighted.
2. Installation and securing working capacity on vertical posts. Nai best option– the shaft is inclined.
3. Installation electric motor and its gearbox on the frame so that the output gear (pulley) coincides with the location of the gear (pulley) on the drum shaft.
4. Installation and adjustment transmission belt or chain.
5. Installation electrical network , starting and control devices.

Common mistakes when making a stirrer

The experience of home craftsmen using homemade concrete mixers indicates such typical mistakes allowed during manufacture:

1. Installation of old containers in which holes quickly form when exposed to the solution. For the working body, it is necessary to select a high-quality reservoir that is not subject to severe corrosion.
2. Manufacturing parts by eye. During installation, and even worse during operation, inconsistencies will definitely come to light. Everything must be done strictly according to the drawings with details.
3. The combination of cast iron and steel in the body does not produce a reliable weld. As a result, they are destroyed by vibration.
4. The container is selected taking into account that it can only be filled with solution to 2/3 of its volume. Exceeding the load leads to engine failure.

Advantages and Disadvantages

The main advantage of a homemade concrete mixer is in saving money during numerous works using concrete pouring. It allows you to reduce the labor intensity of preparing the solution, speed up construction, and mechanize labor. Using such a device, you can carry out work without assistants. There is no need to think that concrete that is not used in a timely manner will harden and will have to be thrown away.

A homemade concrete mixer has and significant shortcomings. In it there is no way to regulate the mixing process, which is reflected in the quality of the concrete. When constructing a large facility, it will not be able to fully satisfy the need for mortar. Materials used and cottage industry can provide only limited functionality of the installation.

Useful videos

Look at a homemade concrete mixer in action:

Manually driven barrel mixer, look:

How to do it yourself - all the steps in detail:

Detailed story about self-production full-fledged concrete mixer from sheet metal and the engine from the washing machine, look:

This article is suitable for any amateur builder who, in his free time from his main job, is trying to arrange a home for himself. summer cottage. In construction you cannot do without concrete. Even if you make a house out of wooden beams, reinforced concrete foundation or you will definitely need piles. And after kneading the concrete solution in a bucket or trough with your hands a couple of times using a drill or shovel, an inquisitive mind begins to look for less labor-intensive methods.

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There are several options. You can order home delivery and the concrete mixer truck will deliver it the next day required quantity cubic meters Perhaps this option is not entirely economical. More industrious owners can buy a concrete mixer; it is compact and equipped with an electric motor for mixing the solution. Throw cement, sand, water and crushed stone into it in the required proportions, and only have time to empty the concrete mixer by pouring the solution out of it. It's cheaper, but you still have to buy such a concrete mixer.

But there is another option: make a concrete mixer with your own hands. Yes, this is possible if there are drawings. You will spend time on this, but it will more than pay off for you. Moreover, the device is not as complicated as it seems at first glance. The concrete mixer has a simple principle:

• there is a tub or something like a flask in which the solution is mixed;
• drive, that is, the mechanism due to which the tub rotates and mixing occurs;
• the frame that holds it all together.

The concrete mixer has additional small parts, which will be discussed below, but these three are the main ones. Now let's delve into the nuances of making a homemade concrete mixer.

What types of concrete mixer are there?

Based on the mixing method, concrete mixers are mainly divided into four types: gravity, mechanical, vibration and combined. Let's tell you a little about each one so that you have a little idea about it and so that you can choose the one that suits you. After all, it can be used for completely different needs: mainly for the foundation (of a house, a fence, and much more), but it can be used to cast various building materials into shape. Blocks made of cement, wood concrete and other things.

Gravitational

A unit of this type is the simplest option both to manufacture and to use. Do-it-yourself manual concrete mixer, the tub of which simply rotates along an axis, and the components of the solution are mixed under the influence of gravity. This option is not suitable for large volumes because it does not provide good mixing. But if you have always mixed the solution in small quantities and did not need more, then this option may well be suitable.

Mechanical

Such a homemade forced-action concrete mixer in pure form rarely used because it has a number of disadvantages. It looks like this: a barrel in a horizontal position with a hole at the top along its entire length. The axis runs through the center of the barrel, and metal parts are welded to it, which mix the solution. The hole does not allow the barrel to be rotated in only one direction and you have to swing it from side to side. Compared to gravity, it has a larger volume, which is a plus. The disadvantages are: poor mixing in the corners and splashing of the solution with high vibrations.

Sometimes mechanical concrete mixers are made absolutely motionless; only the axis inside it moves, to which metal dividers are welded. This design is well suited for the manufacture of wood concrete blocks. We'll talk about this below.

Vibrating

Making this type of manual concrete mixer with your own hands is not such a simple matter. The basic principle is that the solution remains stationary and all the mixing work is done by the vibrator. There are many nuances here, which, if not taken into account, will only lead to wasted time.

The tub must be round, not wide, but high, similar to the shape of a Soviet washing machine. The vibrator must be of a strictly defined shape, similar to two low plates placed together. Actually, at home, two metal plates are the best option. The vibrator should not be too large; its size depends on the volume of the mixing vessel. If you overdo it in choosing the size, then even with visible work it won't stir anyway. And the last thing: the location of the vibrator inside the vessel is strictly along the axis, the distance to the bottom of the barrel is equal to the diameter of the vibrator.

If all these conditions are met, the ideal solution from your barrel is guaranteed. But if the quality of sand or cement is poor, you will have to mix it a little longer. One drawback: high power consumption. And under no circumstances try to use a hammer drill as a drum vibrator. Many craftsmen have tried to make a concrete mixer, but most often they fail.

Combined concrete mixer

This type of concrete mixer is a combination of gravity and mechanical installation. The solution rotates in a horizontal or inclined plane, and protrusions are made inside the vessel itself, which further help to mix the components. They are usually made from metal plates different forms, which are welded to inside flasks. This type of concrete mixer allows you to mix a large volume of solution, and the mixing quality is also good. It is not difficult to weld the plates into a concrete mixer, which is why this type is the most widely used. In the future, we will talk specifically about this type of concrete mixers.

We make a concrete mixer

The theory is over. Let's start practicing. Now we’ll take a closer look at how to make a concrete mixer with your own hands. This process must be divided into several stages. We know that a concrete mixer consists of three main components: the mixer bucket, the drive and the frame. If everything is clear with the drive, it can be either manual or mechanical, when a concrete mixer uses a gearbox and an electric motor, then we will dwell on the manufacture of the bucket and frame in more detail. If you have drawings at hand when working, that will be great.

Making a tub

The most popular item used as a mixing vessel is standard 200 liter barrels. With some reservations, it is suitable for any type of homemade concrete mixer. You can use the washing machine body if it is strong enough. But that would be too simple; our goal is to make the tub ourselves.

Firstly, the material. For walls we take metal with a thickness of at least 2 mm, for the bottom - at least 5 mm. Secondly, the form. It is cylindrical, but at the top in the neck area it should taper into a cone.

Let us describe the sequence of actions point by point:

1. We make a hub flange. You can find its drawings and make it yourself, but it is better to buy a ready-made one. The part is important, but not easy to manufacture.
2. We make the bottom from sheet steel with a thickness of at least 5 mm. We drill holes in the very center and attach the hub flange.
3. We cut out five main parts of the body from metal 2 mm thick - the shell (it is rolled up to form a cylinder) and four petals, which are then fastened together to form a cone.
4. We connect the bottom, shell and cone using a welding machine and get the base of the barrel for mixing.
5. We strengthen the neck so that it does not become deformed later. To do this, we weld a 10 mm reinforcing rod to its circumference.
6. We weld cutters crosswise inside the barrel. Usually two or three are enough. They are also made from reinforcement, but more durable, or from metal plates. The main thing is to bend them at a right angle. They will mix the solution. In addition, due to them, a homemade concrete mixer will be stronger.

When the mixer tub is ready, you can begin making the frame.

Frame making

The frame is the support of the entire structure. The tub, drive and gearbox are attached to it. For good stability, the support legs are welded, and to make it easy to move the concrete mixer, even when filled with mortar, wheels are installed. The design of the frame itself can be different, the main thing is that stability is maintained during operation of the entire device. For this purpose, many craftsmen adapt various unnecessary metal parts collected from the corners of their summer cottage.

1. The concrete mixer is based on a T-shaped structure, due to which the homemade concrete mixer will stand stably on the surface. The first post is welded vertically to it.
2. Welded to the second rack cross beam, along the edges of which wheels are attached.
3. Both racks are fastened together at the bottom with a beam (this makes the structure more stable) and at the top with a subframe, which will subsequently serve as the basis for attaching the tub.
4. The frame is reinforced with an inclined stand, to which the capacitor box and starter are attached. These two devices are used to turn on the rotation mechanism.
5. The subframe is made of two pipes and a corner. It looks like a double frame held together by lintels.
6. The electric motor and gearbox are installed on the subframe.
7. The hub flange, which is already attached to the tub, is placed on the gearbox. To fix the mixer, a key is used and it is finally secured with a bolt through the hole on the shaft.
8. A handle is attached to the stretcher, which allows you to tilt the mixer tub at different angles.
9. Finally, the frame is protected from scale and coated with metal paint. The tub can also be painted, but only on the outside, there is no need to paint the inside of the barrel.

Now your DIY concrete mixer is ready to use! You can pour a foundation, install pillars, fill molds for wood concrete building blocks, and much more.

Drive for a homemade concrete mixer

In practice, it often happens that the master already has an electric drive and gearbox of a certain power, and the concrete mixer and its parameters are selected based on this. The ratio of the volume of mixed components and the power of the electric motor should be approximately: 20 W per 1 liter of solution.

That is, if you have a 1 kW engine at your disposal, then the maximum volume of the mixture should be 50 liters. Considering that the tub needs to be loaded at 30-40%, its approximate volume can be from 125 to 160 liters. For standard 200 liter barrel A gearbox with a 1.2 kW electric motor is suitable; the load will be equal to 60 liters of solution.

The number of revolutions is also important. Optimal value: from 30 to 50 rpm. If you do more, the solution may splash. You can do less, of course, but then the mixing process will be long and excess electricity will be consumed.

If there is no electricity

There are times when you need to start construction on a site where electricity has not yet been installed. Then we don’t need the engine, but we’ll use it manual force. The sequence of actions during manufacturing remains absolutely the same, only the drive is replaced with two handles - on one side and the other. The disadvantage is that you have to put more effort into mixing and it will take longer. But for short and small jobs this option can be considered quite acceptable.

Washing machine tub

You can make a tub from a washing machine if you have one lying around from Soviet times. Moreover, the body of almost any washing machine is suitable for this. You just need to solder all the holes in the drum of the old washing machine. For this a car will do with both horizontal and vertical loading. There is one more feature of this option. If the amount of mortar that you are going to mix in the future concrete mixer is not too large, then the washing machine engine will be quite suitable as a drive.

Using a concrete mixer

The concrete mixer is rarely used in one place. Often you have to carry it or roll it around the entire area, so prepare an extension cord of sufficient length in advance. The components are loaded into the tub with an inclination of 20-40 degrees in the following order: water, cement, sand, and lastly crushed stone, gravel, and expanded clay are poured.

For complete mixing concrete mortar or a mixture of wood concrete, 3 to 5 minutes is enough, then the tub is tilted with the help of a handle, and the solution is poured into the place prepared for this. You can immediately add a new portion of components and continue working.

After a day of work, the device, all its connections and seams must be thoroughly washed. Usually this happens in the evening, when there is not much strength left and you want to leave everything, because the next day you will have to get it dirty again. Don't be lazy. Even in such a situation, it is better to wash the concrete mixer, this will increase its service life.

Wood concrete blocks consist mainly of two components. In addition to various chemical additives, this sawdust and wood chips, as well as the hydraulic binder Portland cement. Such blocks are valuable because houses made from them retain heat well. Therefore, wood concrete blocks - great solution for wall construction warm home. As for the properties of wood concrete, it is low thermal conductivity, increased bending strength, does not support combustion, and is easy to process.

Imagine that everything worked out for you and now you are the owner of a very useful thing in construction - a concrete mixer. But so that its service life does not end with just a foundation or a fence, and the thing serves you for a long, long time, you will have to follow safety rules and take care of it:

• Pay close attention to cables and contact connections. They must be securely insulated. The work takes place in conditions of high humidity and splashing water, so the requirements of electrical safety rules come first;
• The vibration that accompanies the work of a concrete mixer relaxes threaded connections your makeshift tub. Therefore, periodically check them and tighten them. And don’t forget about welds, they can also break;

• Before turning on the device, make sure it is stable. All standard stands should rest firmly on the ground, and it is advisable to install wheel chocks under the wheels;
• It is impossible to check the quality of the solution while the concrete mixer is operating; cases of serious industrial injuries are not uncommon;
• Use skin and eye protection;
• Never leave a running concrete mixer unattended.

Conclusion

In conditions of total economy, when the budget for construction work is limited, and this is no wonder these days, many save on quality building materials or using the services of third-party masters. But there are craftsmen who also save on construction equipment. Of course, do a drill or electric plane- a dubious occupation. But the concrete mixer, despite its apparent complexity and bulkiness, is ideal for this, even for the home production of wood concrete blocks. You could see this in our article.

Let's summarize. A small number of parts, some of which can be found right on your site. A homemade concrete mixer has simple diagram, drawings and manufacturing sequence. You also need a few tools: a grinder, welding, work with a drill, and possibly a soldering iron. From consumables: bolts, nuts, washers, metal sheet and angle. The main thing is to clearly define in advance why you need it and what you want to see as a result of your work. Then your concrete mixer will not be inferior to any industrial production, even if it is made from the body of a washing machine.

An individual household in the private sector is always permanent - new tasks and problems constantly arise that require not only ingenuity, but also the use of mechanization means. Such means include a concrete mixer, which a prudent owner will try not to purchase, but to make on his own. Not all home craftsmen know how to make a concrete mixer with their own hands, and innovative solutions to this problem give rise to many original and unusual solutions. Most often, homemade concrete mixers use the principle of forced mechanical mixing. This means that the solution in the container is mixed and by gravity(rolling during rotation), and blades fixed in the tank.

All self-constructed concrete mixers can be classified and divided into mechanical, electrical and autonomous units. Structures are also divided according to the type of drive and the type of solution unloading. The simplest drawing of a concrete mixer includes a tank for the solution, a frame on which it is attached, and a mechanism for rotating the tank.

Any homemade concrete mixer with your own hands has a gearbox as part of its design. It can be implemented in any way - a belt drive, a gear or chain system, a transmission without belts (contact drive): the main condition for the gearbox is to ensure slow rotation of the reservoir, about 25-40 revolutions per minute. The drum of the device can be driven by hands, an electric motor or a gasoline (diesel) engine. Also, concrete mixers can have a stationary or mobile design - it depends on the imagination of the inventor and construction needs.

Unloading the solution is organized in different ways. This can be a tank without a lid with concrete unloaded over the edge of the tub by simply tilting the concrete mixer if the axis of rotation is in a vertical plane. Also, the container can be fixed horizontally, and then the concrete is unloaded through the cut off upper edge of the barrel (tub). To do this, the tub also simply needs to be tilted, which is ensured by the design of the unit.

With a vertically located tank, there is no need for a hatch - the solution is unloaded by tipping into a substitute container. The advantage of the design without a hatch is that there is no need to seal the lid, which means there is no need to complicate the device. A vertical tank can be loaded 60-70%, while an inclined or horizontal tank– by 30-50%, so that liquid solution did not splash.

There is no point in making any homemade concrete mixer larger than 1 cubic meter - the weight of concrete with a solution volume of 1 m 3 will be about 1.6 tons, which will greatly complicate both mixing and unloading of the solution. The most common design is a concrete mixer made from a washing machine or from a metal 200-liter barrel for fuel and lubricants.

Next design feature concrete mixer made at home - design of the mixing unit. It can be different: the blades are welded to the bottom of the tank if the drum rotates vertically; the blades are attached to the walls of the rotating container, and the container can rotate in both vertical and horizontal planes; the blades rotate horizontally or vertically in a fixed tank. To choose a suitable design, you should carefully study the drawings of different concrete mixers, compare them with your capabilities and the availability of parts.

Manual concrete mixer

A mechanical manual drive for rotation of a concrete mixer, made from improvised parts and components, is the simplest design solution, and it is based on the principle of a rotator - the tank rotates using a curved handle, as on any well. Such a homemade concrete mixer requires significant effort, so the container is made of small volume, which reduces the productivity of the unit. The advantage of the design is simplicity and cost-effectiveness of manufacturing, autonomy and possible mobility. Disadvantages: small tank volume and manual labor.

Electric concrete mixer

A concrete mixer with an electric drive is more widespread among home craftsmen, as it greatly facilitates manual labor - it is enough to load the components of the solution into the container in the correct proportion, and the electric drive will mix the mixture in a matter of minutes. Unloading concrete in a concrete mixer in any structure usually occurs by dumping the mixture into a trough, and the residue is cleaned out with a shovel. Unloading is not automated due to the small volume of concrete solution being prepared.

Carrying out almost any construction work in his home requires the use of concrete mortar. Those who have a concrete mixer are very lucky, because this unit greatly simplifies the process of mixing the mortar.

But even if you don’t have one, in this article we will talk about how to make a concrete mixer with your own hands at home and what is needed for the process of manufacturing the device.

Let's take a concrete mixer from a barrel

Wanting to save money, domestic craftsmen have long been practicing making homemade units for mixing cement. After all, for a small amount of solution you can use a simple shovel and own strength, but for large volumes a hand-made homemade concrete mixer made from a barrel is better suited. This type of unit is controlled manually.

Using a barrel as a base is the simplest and most cheap option, especially if you have a barrel. And if it has a frame in the form of welded corners and rods, then this option is also very reliable.

A do-it-yourself concrete mixer can be made from a barrel with a capacity of one hundred liters or more. Several holes must be drilled at the ends of the cover to install the shaft, and flanges with bearings are placed on the bottom.

Then you need to cut a hole in the side of the container through which the mixture will be loaded to make the solution. Optimal size holes – 30×30 cm.

Many people wondering how to make a concrete mixer with their own hands - are faced with the problem of the hatch not fitting tightly. In order for the lid to fit as closely as possible to the structure, a sealing rubber band must be glued along the edges of the hole.

The hatch itself is directly attached to the body using ordinary hinges. As for the shaft, in order for the forced-action concrete mixer to work properly with your own hands, this element should be installed at an angle of at least 30 degrees.

Ready manual concrete mixer mounted in the ground or tightly installed on the surface. Here everything depends on your imagination and capabilities. The shaft can be made from several iron rods with a diameter of 0.5 cm.

In principle, at this point the manufacturing of the structure can be considered complete. For first use, load the elements of the future solution into the barrel and twist it until the mixture is ready. To unload the resulting solution using a concrete mixer manual type is installed with the container so that the hatch is at the bottom.

Substituting the container, the hole opens and the mixture is removed. A handmade homemade concrete mixer made from a barrel will last longer if you treat it with anti-corrosion agents from time to time.

Homemade concrete mixer from a 200 liter barrel (video)

1.1 Electrical unit

If you are interested in how to make a concrete mixer with your own hands, but you want to get a more advanced unit than one with manual controls, then this instruction is for you.

A homemade manual concrete mixer made from a barrel cannot be compared with an electric unit, at least because in the case of the latter, cement mortar will take a lot less strength. So, manufacturing the structure will require you to prepare certain materials, a list of which is given below.

1.2 What will you need?

Prepare in advance:

1. A container that will mix the cement. You can also use a small barrel or other metal container for this.
2. Electric motor from a washing machine. You can choose another one, but the motor from a washing machine usually withstands heavy loads. Moreover, the engine of a washing machine, especially an old one, is not so difficult to find.
3. Drive shaft.
4. Fittings for blades. You can use regular metal corners.
5. Several bearings.
6. Metal elements for making the frame.

Using a washing machine engine and a barrel with a capacity of about two hundred liters, you can get from seven to ten buckets of cement in one go. On average, this is enough for one cycle of construction work.

To unit electric type the solution was mixed more efficiently, the container can be additionally equipped with screw blades. They are installed at an angle of 30 degrees.

If you don’t have a washing machine motor, then you can look for a motor whose rotation speed is about one and a half thousand revolutions per minute. It is desirable that the shaft rotation speed be no more than 48 revolutions.

Using a motor with such parameters to produce a unit, you can achieve the most optimal results mixing: the solution will be of high quality, and there will be no dry lumps left in it. In addition, to ensure that the engine operates normally and does not let you down at the most crucial moment, you will need to install the gearbox as well as the belt drive pulleys.

1.3 Let’s start assembling the unit

How to make a concrete mixer at home using a motor from a washing machine or other device - read below:

1. Holes should be drilled on both sides of the barrel or other container to connect the shaft to the drum.
2. As for the opening for loading and unloading the mixture, it is arranged according to the same principle as in the case of a manual design.
3. A gear ring should be installed on the bottom of the tank, protruding as part of the gearbox. Here you also need to install a gear with no large diameter.
4. Now is the most crucial moment. In order for an ordinary barrel to become an electric concrete mixer, you need to insert a bearing with a large diameter into a piece of pipe that will be welded to the container. After this, the shaft itself should be connected to the motor.
5. In order to make the operation of an electric concrete mixer more convenient and, if necessary, it can be moved around the construction site, the structure can be equipped with wheels. The wheels are installed on the machined ends of an axle made of metal reinforcement. Diameter in in this case should be 40-45 mm.
6. Another important point. To simplify the work with the unit, it can be additionally equipped rotating mechanism. If you don't know how to do this, then there is nothing difficult here. By welding you need to connect two segments metal pipe with a diameter of 50-60 mm with several stops, as well as bearing housings. After this, the device will only have to weld the plugs and handles.

2 Typical mistakes when making a concrete mixer

In practice, when making concrete mixers, craftsmen often make mistakes that lead to certain problems. To avoid this, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with all the nuances in advance:

1. First of all, any working tank, be it metal barrel or other container must be of the highest quality. Therefore, make sure in advance that there are no holes in your barrel and that there are no signs of corrosion or other mechanical damage.
2. Do not forget that the instructions were written specifically so that you can get a high-quality unit. Therefore, follow these points as closely as possible. If you deviate from the actions, they will end up being inconsistent with each other, and accordingly, there is a high probability of getting a low-quality concrete mixer.
3. Please also take into account the fact that metal elements structures cannot be welded to cast iron. The process of making a concrete mixer itself is not particularly easy, and such mistakes will only complicate it.
4. Also remember that it is better not to overload the concrete mixer with mass. It is better to run several mixing cycles than to break the unit in one go.

If you follow the rules described in the instructions and take into account in advance all the mistakes that can be made during the process, you can save a lot of money.

To make the unit high-quality, you will need a minimum of building materials and tools, but you need to be very careful.

No construction project of any scale is complete without a high-quality concrete mixer. The device is not cheap, but it is periodically necessary at the dacha or in the homestead, so many people think about buying it even in cases where the question of global construction is not at issue. You can get out of this situation by building a high-quality concrete mixer yourself. Today we’ll look at several options on how to make this easier and cheaper.

Concrete mixer. Why is it needed?

A homemade concrete mixer with your own hands opens up a lot of prospects for working with concrete and not only with it, but with all building mixtures. By spending some time building a device of any complexity level, you can get reliable design, which will help out not only its owner, but also its neighbors more than once.

It is useful for preparing mortar when laying brick, foam block, stone, and for building foundations different types, for the manufacture of decorative elements and landscape design, for example, garden paths. The price itself inexpensive concrete mixers- about 8 thousand rubles.

Prices for concrete mixers

On average it will have 20-25 liters of batch, and the power can be from 150 W. Not the best good choice even for periodic use, especially for construction. The mixing drum in such concrete mixers is belt driven by an electric motor, and this is the most simple design, which you can buy.

More advanced and productive models are in a more serious price category. About 22 thousand piglets for a concrete mixer with a rim driven mixing drum. Its volume will be from 120 to 140 liters, which is approximately 80 kg of the finished mixture. It's not yet professional model, but this can already be used for not very large-scale construction. Now that we are guided by the prices and characteristics of ready-made concrete mixers, we can consider options for building it ourselves, and the design can be chosen depending on how many cubes we need in a ready-mixed concrete mixer.

Choosing a concrete mixer design

For a summer residence or personal plot everyone will be able to choose a device of such productivity that they need it, and not overpay for extra cubic meters of ground air. This is the main advantage of building a concrete mixer yourself. The second advantage is that you can use literally everything you have at hand and build a concrete mixing plant with minimal costs in terms of money and time.

That is why the choice of the device concept remains with the owner. We publish photos of the most interesting and simple devices, but you can always complicate the design.

Required design elements

Be that as it may, any concrete mixer must have the following elements in its design so that it can minimally perform its functions:

How to make a frame and select an electric motor

The frame and frame of a concrete mixer can be made of wood, but there are many questions about the practicality of such a design. As a temporary option, you can use 15x15 timber, but whether this makes sense is up to each individual to judge. The optimal option for durability and strength is a welded frame made from angle or rolled steel of any profile. We have presented several drawings in the photo as an example.

If you decide to install electric motor, as a rule, they use a motor from a household washing machine. Empirically, it has long been calculated that 25-30 revolutions per minute at the outlet of the gearbox is quite sufficient for high-quality mixing of any mixture. An electric motor from a washing machine can provide good torque, the motor is quite durable, especially if it is used in a gentle operating mode. For more productive and high-volume concrete mixers, three-phase electric motors are used.

Mandatory geometric parameters for a cylindrical type concrete mixer are the inclination angle of the main axis of about 40-45 degrees. In this case it is necessary folding mechanism for unloading the finished mixture. There are options for homemade concrete mixers made from a barrel with a horizontal mixing drum. In this case, a hinged hatch is installed in the barrel, which closes tightly during the preparation of the concrete mixture, and opens during unloading, while ready mix falls into a container prepared in advance.

There are many designs and types of homemade concrete mixers. The main thing when designing and building it is patience and the ability to use basic tools and welding, which is what we wish for you. Good luck to everyone!