wiki: Paddle mixer

[meow2222]

Another article for comment. I don't know when I'll get round to rewriting, it may be slow

NT

'''Paddle mixers''' are used for [[plaster]], [[paint]], [[resin]]s, [[lime ]] mortar, [[papercrete]] and occasionally other things.

==Small paddle== Small cheap mixing paddles are intended to be used in a regular [[drill]]. Typically these have a hexagonal shaft, and are often [[paint]]ed orange.

==Standard Paddle== These are intended for a mixer drill only. They have a threaded end, and ar e larger & heavier duty than the above types.

==Home made paddle== They're easy to make if you have a welder. A few people have tried a short length of chain welded to the end of a rod, and report better results than a rigid bar.

==Mixer drill== These run at around 500rpm with about 1kW, and are designed to be used for longer under load than a standard mains drill. They have a threaded socket to take standard paddles.

==Standard drill== Not designed for paddle mixing, prone to overheat, and they run too fast wi th too low torque. Paddle mixing with them tends to void any warranty. They remain popular because only a paddle need be bought, but work throughput i s poor compared to a purpose designed paddle mixer.

Drills with a 2 speed gearbox work a good bit better, use low gear. But the y're still not suited to the task.

==Self contained paddle mixer== If you do a lot of plaster mixing, one of these might suit. They can be lef t running, enabling other work to be done.

They generally consist of a large bowl and an overhead motor & paddle, but other patterns exist too.

==Horrible hybrids== Paddles can be modified to better suit the task and the motor in use. Here a 500rpm [[paint]] mixing paddle was modified to pulp paper at 1000rpm:

• one of the 2 rotors was cut off to increase the ideal working speed of th e paddle

• the blunt rotor edges were sharpened to improve pulping

• the threaded top end was evenly ground down to fit a mains drill with 2 s peed gearbox. (this is far from ideal, but we needed it right away and coul dn't find a mixer drill within driving range).

[[Category:Tools]]

[Gazz]

At last, someone has found a use for him :)

[harry]

g, it may be slow

me]] mortar, [[papercrete]] and occasionally other things.

. Typically these have a hexagonal shaft, and are often [[paint]]ed orange.

are larger & heavier duty than the above types.

t length of chain welded to the end of a rod, and report better results tha n a rigid bar.

r longer under load than a standard mains drill. They have a threaded socke t to take standard paddles.

with too low torque. Paddle mixing with them tends to void any warranty. Th ey remain popular because only a paddle need be bought, but work throughput is poor compared to a purpose designed paddle mixer.

hey're still not suited to the task.

eft running, enabling other work to be done.

t other patterns exist too.

e a 500rpm [[paint]] mixing paddle was modified to pulp paper at 1000rpm:

speed gearbox. (this is far from ideal, but we needed it right away and co uldn't find a mixer drill within driving range).

SDS drill is best, they run much slower & avoid "cavitation" effects. Also ample power.

[meow2222]

I dont recall seeing an SDS shanked paddle. Are they in use?

NT

[Frank Erskine]

I have a Jacobs (type) chuck with an SDS shank...

[harry]

You can fit the SDS drill with a standard chuck.

[Tim Watts]

On Wednesday 15 May 2013 00:05 [e-mail] wrote in uk.d-i-y:

They exist - I have one :_)

[Andrew Gabriel]

For plaster mixing, it's important to be able to clean the paddle of all plaster between batches. Many commercial designs fail in this respect, with corners and traps in the design which are difficult to clean out. (Completely set plaster doesn't matter providing it doesn't come off into your new mix, but partially set plaster from the previous mix causes the new mix to go off faster.)

[meow2222]

Latest version...

'''Paddle mixers''' are used for [[plaster]], [[paint]], [[resin]]s, [[lime ]] mortar, [[papercrete]] and occasionally other things.

==Small paddle== Small [[cheap]] mixing paddles are intended to be used in a regular [[drill ]]. Typically these have a hexagonal shaft, and are often [[paint]]ed orang e.

==Standard Paddle== These are intended for a mixer drill only. They have a threaded end, and ar e larger & heavier duty than the above types.

==Home made paddle== They're easy to make if you have a welder.

A few people have tried a short length of chain welded to the end of a rod, and report better results than a rigid bar.

==Paddles for plaster== For [[plaster]] mixing, it's important to be able to [[clean]] the paddle o f all plaster between batches. Many commercial designs fail in this respect , with corners and traps in the design which are difficult to clean out. (C ompletely set plaster doesn't matter providing it doesn't come off into you r new mix, but partially set plaster from the previous mix causes the new m ix to go off faster.)

==Mixer drill== These run at around 500rpm with about 1kW, and are designed to be used for longer under load than a standard mains drill. They have a threaded socket to take standard paddles.

==Standard drill== Not designed for paddle mixing, prone to overheat in this application, and they run too fast with too low torque. Paddle mixing with them tends to voi d any warranty. They remain popular because only a paddle need be bought, b ut work throughput is poor compared to a purpose designed paddle mixer. Mix too much and you may have a fried drill.

Drills with a 2 speed gearbox work a good bit better, use low gear. But the y're still not properly suited to the task.

==SDS drill== These run at lower rpm than traditional drills, a real advantage. Still not as well suited as a purpose designed mixer drill.

Paddles can be held in a Jacob's chuck adaptor, or [[SDS]] shanked paddles also exist.

==Self contained paddle mixer== If you do a lot of [[plaster]] mixing, one of these might suit. They can be left running, enabling other work to be done.

They generally consist of a large bowl and an overhead [[motor]] & paddle, but other patterns exist too.

==Horrible hybrids== Paddles can be modified to better suit the task and the motor in use. Here a 500rpm [[paint]] mixing paddle was modified to pulp paper at 1000rpm:

• one of the 2 rotors was cut off to increase the ideal working speed of th e paddle

• the blunt rotor edges were [[sharpen]]ed to improve pulping

• the threaded top end was evenly ground down to fit a mains drill with 2 s peed gearbox. (this is far from ideal, but we needed it right away and coul dn't find a mixer drill within driving range).

[[Category:Tools]] [[Category:Basics]]