Mud Mixer Cement Auger

[IRQVET]

So I have “some” concrete experience pouring cement pads for various things over the years, but for the past few years I’ve been seriously considering buying a cement mixer instead of the ole wheel barrel method. The truth is that I have several projects on property requiring several larger pours, and with cement prices in my area, getting a cement truck is out of the question.

I came across several video’s for the Mud Mixer on Youtube, none of which seem to sponsored, and everyone is raving about them. As far as DIY cement mixers are concerned, its on the very high end of the spectrum ($$$). But I think I can justify the purchase based on frequency of use, being able to split pours and projects up for time management/weekend warrior sake.

Anyone else own one of these? I just ordered mine but it won’t be here for a week or so.

 

[txvwnut]

I have one and it’s everything they say, it’ll run bags just about as fast you can put them in. If you didn’t order it get the hopper extension as you will want it as the hopper specs aren’t exactly what they advertise. I also ordered the chute extension but haven’t used it yet but it will be getting a workout in a couple months.

 

[IRQVET]

I have one and it’s everything they say, it’ll run bags just about as fast you can put them in. If you didn’t order it get the hopper extension as you will want it as the hopper specs aren’t exactly what they advertise. I also ordered the chute extension but haven’t used it yet but it will be getting a workout in a couple months.

I went all out, auger extension, chute extension, and the spare parts kit. My thinking was I wanted to take advantage of their free shipping promo, and buy once cry once. (A hair under $4,000 shipped to my door for everything)

 

[240sxguy]

I saw a guy renting one of these at our local hardware store the other day and thought it was an interesting looking device. Good to know it's a good, usable option.

 

[duneslider]

There are a few guys in the local "craigslist" renting these out, they seem to be making decent money renting them out. A friend rented one for a couple days and loved it. I have a handful of concrete projects coming up and have considered buying one and then renting it when I am done.

 

[zendriver]

I thought they looked like the ticket, but too rich for my blood,

I’ll look into renting one

 

[txvwnut]

I'll be honest guys I chewed on that price for a while as I have a barrel mixer and was really doubting their claim on how fast it puts mud on the ground. Finally found a YT video of landscaper who had one and he did a real time post from start to finish. I was impressed by how fast it went even with the difficulties he had that were no fault of the machine. I got some curbs and slabs I want to do around my shop and the fact that this has a chute to deliver material instead of a gaping hole made it more appealing. Then there's that price flag again almost 3k was a definite had scratcher of do I want to or not. Well I did and as I stated earlier I'm glad I did. First job was calculated in at 28 bags and it only took 24. Thirty minutes later I'm cleaning the machine and the forms are full of ready to be troweled mud and I ain't even sweating. The last time I did that many bags with my barrel mixer it took about 6 hours start to finish. I will never use a barrel mixer again after purchasing a Mud-mixer.

The biggest thing about the Mud-mixer aside from its speed is you can dial in how wet you want your mix on the fly just like site mix truck and that is what really sold me on getting one.

 

[BombShelter]

Neat machine and it looks like it would be easy to clean, maintain and haul around, too bad you can't put a hose on the front.

 

[IRQVET]

I saw a guy renting one of these at our local hardware store the other day and thought it was an interesting looking device. Good to know it's a good, usable option.

That was what I was thinking too. I know tons of people who would want to rent mine out if it wasn’t in use. Between the rental opportunity and the time saved, I kinda talked myself into it. Plus I had a huge OT check, so I had the cash on hand. I could blow it on this or something stupid that might not give me such an ROI.

 

[IRQVET]

Forgot to update the thread, my MudMixer has arrived. Put it in ole tool shed, no plans on playing with until October.

Sure glad I pulled the trigger when I did before the price increase, as an already expensive item recently got a price increase of $400 Now its like $3,400 for just the machine itself, without all the add on assessories that I have.

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

When they first came out I had the opportunity to purchase it for $2 k

I wish I would have pulled the trigger

 

[IRQVET]

When they first came out I had the opportunity to purchase it for $2 k

I wish I would have pulled the trigger

My biggest issue with it, is at this price point, I figured it would be powder coated and not painted. So far my only complaint. Build quality is great, but when I realized it was painted my first reaction was “WTF . . . really?"

 

[eviltwin]

This price increase is super disappointing. It was already a lot of money for what it is. I plan on renting one locally for $100 a day.

 

[Zebu Fellenz]

My biggest issue with it, is at this price point, I figured it would be powder coated and not painted. So far my only complaint. Build quality is great, but when I realized it was painted my first reaction was “WTF . . . really?"

I'm probably in the minority here but I'd see paint as a plus vs powder coat. I suppose good powder coat might be superior to good paint but I've run across plenty of bad powder coating that left me wishing they'd just spray bombed it instead.

 

[zendriver]

I'm probably in the minority here but I'd see paint as a plus vs powder coat. I suppose good powder coat might be superior to good paint but I've run across plenty of bad powder coating that left me wishing they'd just spray bombed it instead.

You got one more on your side

Paint can be easily touched up, as much as necessary

Powder coating not really. Between abrasion and rust I couldn’t see it holding up

 

[Firebrick43]

You got one more on your side

Paint can be easily touched up, as much as necessary

Powder coating not really. Between abrasion and rust I couldn’t see it holding up

I concur. The more I have felt with powder coating the less less I like it. It’s especially terrible when rust starts creeping under it and its hell to peel it back, feather it out and touch it up. Sometimes I have said screw it and have it sandblasted to rod myself of the headache.

 

[LopezBart]

Seems like one has to use ready-mix bags w/ this; on jobs too small for a truck but more than a few bags of ready-mix I do X shovels of cement, Y of sand & gravel, etc. Seems more cost-effective...

And yes, powder coat is a pain when it starts to fail. My truck's rack it powder coated, as is my equipment trailer.

 

[IRQVET]

Seems like one has to use ready-mix bags w/ this; on jobs too small for a truck but more than a few bags of ready-mix I do X shovels of cement, Y of sand & gravel, etc. Seems more cost-effective...

See this is where its a regional thing. Out west (and in many moutainous parts of the country) your 1000% spot on. But in niche areas (like where I live) where cement is crazy expensive, and short load prices are even crazier. Unless your trying to shovel/ wheel barrel mix everything, thats where the Mud Mixer really shines and becomes an ROI sort of situation. For me (in Florida) with no mountains to mill from, rock is at a premium, I can control quality (no fiber mesh), the big box store cement mix actuallly turns out to be cheaper than ready mix straight off the truck. Couple that with the fact that I can split up projects on my schedule, so I’m not out there on days when its 90 degrees with 100% humidity, it is a serious plus for me. Thats where I feel the Mux Mixer shines but I also realize everyones situation and locale is different, where the ROI doesn’t get them there for the price point of this already expensive machine.

As for the powder coat, I get the pros and cons. All of you make valid points on touch ups, but powder coat is always more durable (overall) for the entirety of the machine. I get its a pain for rotation points or portions of the machine that see alot of wear and tear. But for me, those small points are easier to deal with for touch up purposes than the entire machine as a whole. Hence my suprise when I realize the entire machine wasn’t powder coated (at this price point).

Freakin machine wasn’t cheap, and now its even more expensive. I’m just glad I had all that overtime and I could pay cash for it.

 

[zendriver]

Seems like one has to use ready-mix bags w/ this; on jobs too small for a truck but more than a few bags of ready-mix I do X shovels of cement, Y of sand & gravel, etc. Seems more cost-effective...

And yes, powder coat is a pain when it starts to fail. My truck's rack it powder coated, as is my equipment trailer.

Bags are what it is designed for, since the only thing it is really "mixing" is water.

Surely bags do cost more than mixing raw materials, but it looks like it's biggest asset is the ability to pour bagged concrete pretty quick, something harder to achieve with any other method of manual mixing.

 

[LopezBart]

Many years ago (1990s sometime), my dad bought one of those Harbor Freight concrete mixers... it's been used by many people for mixing concrete for steps, pads, etc. I used it for our pump house foundation... it still works, and lives out in the rain w/ a bag over the motor. They still sell them; they look a bit smaller than the one we have, but they're less than a tenth the cost of this machine. I guess for Florida, when you might be pouring concrete in 90-100F conditions, speed of mixing is a thing; here in the islands, 80F is a heatwave. I certainly wouldn't do a big slab with either mixer. Local redi-mix approaches $300/yard.... but bags cost out more than that! So the market for this machine is a small slab where minimum delivery charges apply to drive the cost up ( or you need a pumper truck ).

 

[Firebrick43]

Bags are what it is designed for, since the only thing it is really "mixing" is water.

Surely bags do cost more than mixing raw materials, but it looks like it's biggest asset is the ability to pour bagged concrete pretty quick, something harder to achieve with any other method of manual mixing.

If one has a skid steer or tractor with SSQA they make hydraulic mixer tubs that actually cost less than a mud mixer.

https://www.usawolverine.com/html/product/28.html

I just bought one of these at a Richie Brothers auction but have not had the chance to use it yet.

 

[txvwnut]

These machines will do raw material the only stipulation is no aggregate larger than a half inch. It was suggested by the manufacturer if using raw materials to pre-mix all the material into a hopper that you can shovel from then load it into the machines hopper as the speed it mixes at you wouldn’t be able to keep with two scoops of this and one scoop of this and such.

 

[cnttxmdc]

If one has a skid steer or tractor with SSQA they make hydraulic mixer tubs that actually cost less than a mud mixer.

https://www.usawolverine.com/html/product/28.html

I just bought one of these at a Richie Brothers auction but have not had the chance to use it yet.

I actually got to this thread trying to find this exact thing…

I’d love to hear from someone who’s used both a MudMixer and a skid steer mounted mixer.

 

[speed bump]

I saw one on floor model clearance the other day for like $2500. Seemed like a cool option if you were doing random couple sack stuff as part of work. I tried to come up with a reason it made sense to buy one for at home or work but couldn't come up with anything.

 

[zendriver]

These machines will do raw material the only stipulation is no aggregate larger than a half inch. It was suggested by the manufacturer if using raw materials to pre-mix all the material into a hopper that you can shovel from then load it into the machines hopper as the speed it mixes at you wouldn’t be able to keep with two scoops of this and one scoop of this and such.

Going to all that, might as well just mix with water in a mixer and dump

Seem like a waste of time otherwise

 

[txvwnut]

Going to all that, might as well just mix with water in a mixer and dump

Seem like a waste of time otherwise

Even after mixing your dry ingredients a barrel mixer is still way slower than this unit.

 

[jhendric]

I too bought one of those Harbor Freight drum mixers, I used it for a pretty major raised garden bed project...10k bricks plus foundations. I could not believe that $250 mixer made it through. Best money I ever spent. I just wrapped that project up 3 months ago by my calculations making your own concrete from bulk materials is almost exactly half price of bags.

To the OP. That is a sweet tool let us know how it works for you!

 

[zendriver]

Even after mixing your dry ingredients a barrel mixer is still way slower than this unit.

Please explain how that is even physically possible?

 

[Firebrick43]

Please explain how that is even physically possible?

He is probably correct with the smaller drum mixers and then placing by wheel barrow.

The fact that you can move the mid mixer easily and place it directly compared to a drum mixer makes them faster. If you have a larger drum mixer instead of a small inexpense one and a front end loader to place or a tub mixer that goes on a SSQA then they would be faster

 

[zendriver]

He is probably correct with the smaller drum mixers and then placing by wheel barrow.

The fact that you can move the mid mixer easily and place it directly compared to a drum mixer makes them faster. If you have a larger drum mixer instead of a small inexpense one and a front end loader to place or a tub mixer that goes on a SSQA then they would be faster

With the exception of the mud mixer, concrete is always supposed to be mixed with the water first

If they’re going to mix dry ingredients in a big mixer and put it in the front end loader why not just add the water and dump the ready to go concrete with the loader?

I’ve seen it done often

 

[Sumboodie]

Yard of concrete is 45 bags, or around $400. Or $160 from a truck....

 

[txvwnut]

With the exception of the mud mixer, concrete is always supposed to be mixed with the water first

If they’re going to mix dry ingredients in a big mixer and put it in the front end loader why not just add the water and dump the ready to go concrete with the loader?

I’ve seen it done often

Nothing was said of mixing the dry ingredients in a mixer before being loaded i to the hopper on a mud mixer. Concrete honestly doesn't care when the water gets added to it as once it sees moisture it will start to go off. The site mix or dry batch trucks work with the same principle as the mud mixer as that's where the design came from.

 

[txvwnut]

Yard of concrete is 45 bags, or around $400. Or $160 from a truck....

About $250 here from the big orange store.

 

[Firebrick43]

Yard of concrete is 45 bags, or around $400. Or $160 from a truck....

It’s quite different here in the regular 48. It’s a 165$ here for a cubic yard of bagged concrete. And short loads under 3 yards are much more than the regular price of a yard off of a truck. Plus it’s almost impossible to actually schedule a load as they are so busy. The local guys are now charging 25$ every time the truck moves on a site.

Alaskastan has very different economics than the 48

With the exception of the mud mixer, concrete is always supposed to be mixed with the water first

If they’re going to mix dry ingredients in a big mixer and put it in the front end loader why not just add the water and dump the ready to go concrete with the loader?

I’ve seen it done often

I am not saying to dump the concrete into the bucket dry?

Just in the bucket(wet) to place. But many don’t have a front end loader.

There are SSQA auger tubs that you can put dry concrete in(bagged or separate components) and has an auger that is hydraulic powered off of the tractor or skid steer. Then you drive to where you need to place it and a hydraulic cylinder opens the chute gate. Some of them are cheaper than the mud mixer

 

[Sumboodie]

It’s quite different here in the regular 48. It’s a 165$ here for a cubic yard of bagged concrete. And short loads under 3 yards are much more than the regular price of a yard off of a truck. Plus it’s almost impossible to actually schedule a load as they are so busy. The local guys are now charging 25$ every time the truck moves on a site.

Alaskastan has very different economics than the 48


I am not saying to dump the concrete into the bucket dry?

Just in the bucket(wet) to place. But many don’t have a front end loader.

There are SSQA auger tubs that you can put dry concrete in(bagged or separate components) and has an auger that is hydraulic powered off of the tractor or skid steer. Then you drive to where you need to place it and a hydraulic cylinder opens the chute gate. Some of them are cheaper than the mud mixer

I looked it up, the cheap 3k blend at L48 is around $5.

That's $225

5k blend is almost $7... about $300

Makes sense to use bags for a tiny pour, but would be crazy in most cases for over a yard or two. Even crazier to spend $4000 on a mixer unless you're doing small yardage concrete work every day.

I mean complete usable concrete trucks sell for less. 3 sold at the local auction Saturday. Nice shape late 1980s units

 

[Firebrick43]

I looked it up, the cheap 3k blend at L48 is around $5.

That's $225

5k blend is almost $7... about $300

Makes sense to use bags for a tiny pour, but would be crazy in most cases for over a yard or two. Even crazier to spend $4000 on a mixer unless you're doing small yardage concrete work every day.

I mean complete usable concrete trucks sell for less. 3 sold at the local auction Saturday. Nice shape late 1980s units

Who’s talking 4k?

 

[Sumboodie]

Who’s talking 4k?

That's the price given a few posts up. Quick googles search shows $3400

 

[kbeefy]

OP said he paid almost $4k shipped with extras.

 

[speed bump]

It’s quite different here in the regular 48. It’s a 165$ here for a cubic yard of bagged concrete. And short loads under 3 yards are much more than the regular price of a yard off of a truck. Plus it’s almost impossible to actually schedule a load as they are so busy. The local guys are now charging 25$ every time the truck moves on a site.

Alaskastan has very different economics than the 48


I am not saying to dump the concrete into the bucket dry?

Just in the bucket(wet) to place. But many don’t have a front end loader.

There are SSQA auger tubs that you can put dry concrete in(bagged or separate components) and has an auger that is hydraulic powered off of the tractor or skid steer. Then you drive to where you need to place it and a hydraulic cylinder opens the chute gate. Some of them are cheaper than the mud mixer

Where are you finding bagged stuff at $165/yard? HD looks like $245/yard.

Having mixed and placed way to much grout, castable, and concrete over the last couple years I would tend to default to finding enough to pour to bring in a truck if I have to pour more than 3-4 bags at home.

 

[Firebrick43]

Where are you finding bagged stuff at $165/yard? HD looks like $245/yard.

Having mixed and placed way to much grout, castable, and concrete over the last couple years I would tend to default to finding enough to pour to bring in a truck if I have to pour more than 3-4 bags at home.

Menards. 60# bags (60 in a yard at this weight) $2.74 a bag if you buy more than 56 of them. $3.04 if you buy less than 56.

So 60x$2.74=$164.40 for a full yard.