Mixing smaller quantities of mortar

[Blagard]

Has anyone here used a drill mixer for mortar ? I mean the high torque low reving type often used by plasterers. I can't help but think that mortar may be too heavy going for them. In addition even at low revs it may not be suitable.

Using a cement mixer is all well and good, and they are great for doing concrete work where you need to shift a lot of material quickly. But for one man bricklaying the mortar quantity needs to be less and the mixer cleaned out after each batch.

Mixing mortar by hand is simply hard work, so I am looking at alternative means of mixing small batches.

Incidentally I have a Belle 150 mixer, but I find it works best with a full barrowload at a time.

 

[simonjay]

Has anyone here used a drill mixer for mortar ? I mean the high torque low reving type often used by plasterers. I can't help but think that mortar may be too heavy going for them. In addition even at low revs it may not be suitable.

Using a cement mixer is all well and good, and they are great for doing concrete work where you need to shift a lot of material quickly. But for one man bricklaying the mortar quantity needs to be less and the mixer cleaned out after each batch.

Mixing mortar by hand is simply hard work, so I am looking at alternative means of mixing small batches.

Incidentally I have a Belle 150 mixer, but I find it works best with a full barrowload at a time.

You can put all the stuff in a barrel and roll / kick it around the garden. There was a product sold that was like this. Still needs to be cleaned out after each use.
What's the problem with cleaning out the mixer ? A hose / pressure washer would do (wear goggles to avoid getting sand in your eyes).
You might find the mixer works better at a different angle. Try tilting it forward of back a bit (a plank under the legs etc)
Simon.