Harbor Freight 3.5 Cubic Foot Cement Mixer Assembly and Review. Item 67536

[@Farkles1]

Outstanding video. Harbor Freight should pay you for making this video because of their instructions were horrible. Thanks for posting.

[@ghostses]

+farkles1 Thanks! I'm still waiting for my check...lol. They might as well leave out the instructions and reduce the price a bit since they are utterly useless! Glad it was helpful and good luck, G.

[@dwwilliams72]

This video saved me from destroying my mixer. I would’ve gotten pissed off at the “instructions” as they are terrible and completely leave out important steps. Thank you for this video!!!!

[@cleiagrubb]

They should pay a commission. You save my day!

[@eddycuba1]

You are a lifesaver, It is April 2019 and the manual has not improved not even a bit. Thank you so much for your effort to show a real assembly, this video rocks, I followed the steps and successfully got it working. It took me around 2 hours working by myself and now is ready to work around the house. Thanks a lot again Mr ghostses and best wishes.

[@ghostses]

Thanks Eduardo! I find it crazy after all these years the manual is still garbage. With that said, I'm glad the video is still relevant and helped you out. 2hrs. to put it together and now the real work begins....lol. Take care, G.

[@bocephast9644]

Well it's March of 2024 and guess what. The instructions won't even be good burning material. I have watched 4 videos of assembling this mixer. Would have saved me half a day if I would have just checked youtube! Mine did not have separate bags of bolts, just all thrown in a box for me to figure out. Lots of bolt swapping before finishing. No screw in the box for end of pully shaft.. noticed one guy did not line up arrows on tub halves but no trouble putting in blades. Not so with me, blades would not line up to holes until I noticed I was 2 holes off. Good instructions instructions 😅

[@johnlopez8221]

Thank you Sir! You have the best video available on KZbin regarding this mixer. I'm picking up mine tomorrow and now I'm pumped up about putting it together. Very nicely done and very well explained. I'll have my iPad running on your video as I put it together.

[@ghostses]

No problem John, and thanks! The fasteners that come with it now might not be separated like mine were. Some folks have stated they came in one big bag. Other than that, it should be as shown in the video. Let me know how it goes. Good luck, G.

[@jwsasso]

I didn't even bother to look at the manual. After 30 seconds of listening to the video I concluded this guy knew what he was doing. Thanks, man! A great video that helped me get the product together in a couple of hours, avoiding all the pitfalls that could have happened.

[@ghostses]

Well thanks, man! I'm glad it helped you get yours put together and without issue. A couple of hours isn't bad at all. I bet the second time around, you could do it under one. Good luck, G.

[@chisholmranch1]

I see that the HF mixer that you bought , came with a case of Budweisser. The one that I bought did not. So I returned it back to HF and they would not return my money but instead pointed me in the direction of the beer store where I now have a complete Hf cement mixer. I hate it when I buy something and it is missing the most important parts to complete the project. Thanks .

[@ghostses]

Yes it did! I've heard reports from others that theirs were also missing the case, and also got no satisfaction at the store about the issue. They were also instructed to go elsewhere to get the missing piece- which I find extremely odd. I'd expect more from their quality control and hope they will correct the problem in short order. I can see missing part of the case, but the whole thing?- that's simply wrong on every level. At least you got your kit completed, even though it cost a few extra bucks. Take care, G.

[@chisholmranch1]

Thanks "G" ... Next time I might just shop with Northern Tools instead.

[@ghostses]

Texas Confederate Good deal...LOL! NT might include the "proper" parts! G.

[@jessemiles8347]

Step 14: does the disc or the spiral spring go in first?

[@ledhed5717]

@@jessemiles8347 the disc

[@joserawls27]

You have helped me and a lot of other folks. You're a good man. Thank you.

[@ghostses]

Good deal Joseph! Take care, G.

[@jessicacrippen3321]

Thank you so much for making this video! I legitimately thought my boss was pranking me when he dropped this off at the job site, asked me to build it and said it shouldn't take more than a half hour. I looked at the instructions and thought it had to be a joke and he had taken the actual assembly instructions out, until I looked online and realized that was really it🤣🤣🤣. Thank you! I got it all assembled easily thanks to you!

[@ghostses]

Yeah, it's a prank in a big box for sure....lol. Glad the video was helpful. Good luck, G.

[@jimstevens7046]

This was a great video. I didn't have any trouble assembling my my mixer. I just followed the instructions and paused the video until I was ready for the next step. Thank you for taking the time to make this.

[@ghostses]

Thanks Jim! I'm glad the video was useful in putting yours together. Now the real work begins...lol. Good luck, G.

[@mmonacella2]

This was a huge help. Thanks for taking the time to put this together. I'll have to check out your other videos. I was really impressed with the way you clearly laid out each step. It made a big difference. Now onto laying some concrete! :)

[@ghostses]

Thanks Mike! I'm glad it was helpful. I have a wide range of topics on my channel, so you might fine something else useful. Let the work begin! Good luck, G.

[@bearbon2]

So happy you took the time to do this well presented video. For me the biggest help was sorting out the numbered parts bags. I thought I was missing bag 1 but then noticed the lower drum was already installed from the factory with those parts.

[@ghostses]

Good deal! Glad it was helpful. Good luck, G.

[@ryanmoore246]

Excellent review, I just purchased one and it took me 1 hr 20 minutes with your video. July 2018. My lower drum was attached to the lower arm. Great for what we will be using it for....footings for decks :-)

[@ghostses]

Thanks Ryan! Thanks for the post and glad it was helpful. Good luck, G.

[@laurajames6971]

I cannot understand how 4 years later, the manufacturer hasn’t used this excellent resource to improve their instructions. They are still awful. Thank you for taking the time to make this excellent tutorial. It saved my day.

[@ghostses]

Thanks Laura! Their manuals have never been that great. Glad you found it helpful. Take care, G.

[@MoZeu]

Thanks for doing this. You just made my life a whole lot easier!

[@ghostses]

No problem! I'm glad it helped. G.

[@2004AIH]

Watched the video before I purchased from HF. Brought the mixer home and removed all the contents from inside except the instructions which remained unopened. This video was perfect and made installation very simple! Thanks for taking the time to put it together and making it real easy and a big time saver.

[@ghostses]

That's cool Mark! Glad it was helpful. Good luck, G.

[@JosePerez-yg6mp]

Thank you for taking the time in making this video....it was very helpful.

[@ghostses]

No problem! Thanks, G.

[@tyekuhn]

This video helped me immensely. I didn't even read the directions, I just watched this. I completed the assembly in about 2 hours, while putting down about 3 beers, and gathering the tools as needed. If you remove the beers and time spent looking for tools, it probably took all of 90 minutes to assemble. Thank you for creating this video! Also, today I put 60 bags of concrete through this thing, and it worked flawlessly. I got it on sale for $209, and had a 20% off coupon, for a total of $167...that's slightly more than a 2-day rental from Home Depot. Hopefully this thing lasts another day and makes it a smart purchase.

[@tyekuhn]

+Ted Kuhn PS, I appreciate your experience-based tips, like adding grease, thanks again!

[@ghostses]

+Ted Kuhn Good deal Ted! I'm glad the video helped. LOL, nothing like downing a few while working on something- it almost takes the work out of the work. I think you'll make it well past the break even point over renting and will still have the tool to boot. I hope you treated yourself to a few more beer after running 60 bags through it. That is if you could still lift one...lol. Take care, G.

[@ghostses]

+Ted Kuhn Thanks again Ted! G.

[@wallyanderson5925]

Thanks for posting this, I never looked at the manual to assemble it!

[@ghostses]

+Wally Anderson No problem Wally! Glad it was useful. Good luck, G.

[@44warlord41]

With one exception, Bag 1 was already installed in my box. This is, step by step outstanding. I did not even look at the instructions. What I did was just follow this video exactly and my assembly was right on. So much better then trying to figure it out with the instructions. Very well done video sir. Actuate as of Oct, 21 2020.

[@ghostses]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful. Take care, G.

[@janelleanguiano6659]

thanks a million! You made it easy for everyone. God bless.

[@ghostses]

Sure! Glad to help. Thanks for the post, G.

[@billfalconer2115]

Out of all the videos I have seen on assembling this mixer, this was the best one. Now there are a couple of differences from when this mixer was put together to today Oct. 2020. One difference was when you hook up the wiring there is not a second post for the ground. You will have to unscrew the post and place there along with the other ground wire coming in. The other difference was minor and the only part I had left over or extra was another wire grommet when you feed into the housing cover. But nothing extra or missing. Thanks again was very helpful in following and assembling.

[@ghostses]

Thanks Bill! Glad it was helpful. Take care, G.

[@DuaneEstilette]

This cement mixer has the worst instructions of anything I've ever assembled. I am a retired jet engine mechanic, so maybe I am expecting too much. It's as if a disgruntled employee created these instructions to get back at the company. There are several references to parts, or bolts with no picture. Several parts were bent, and a couple were pre-rusted for my convenience. I used my own bolts, washers, nuts, etc. to ensure that this mixer was put together so that it would work safely. Great video!

[@ghostses]

LOL! Agreed, their manuals leave much to be desired. I'm pretty sure they switch manufactures from time to time, or make design changes but never update the literature to reflect them. Not to mention, most of them suck to begin with...lol. That's partly why I show assembly in my reviews if required. Glad you got yours sorted out- bent, pre-rusted and all. Good luck, G.

[@mdeamicis]

HAHAHAHAHA I sit here, one jet mech reading another jet mech's thoughts on some shitty ass instructions. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA AD1(AW) USN H60 powerplants technician, TF34 CER, JOAP lab supervisor. this thing was created to make us doubt our skills.

[@gentleman5845]

OMG OMG, I really don't know what would I have done without your video. Thanks for all your help. I was struggling and sweating trying my best to assemble this thing, almost got me a headache The manual is crap we can all agree on that!

[@ghostses]

Glad it was helpful and yes, the manual is absolute crap. Good luck, G.

[@americansoldier2530]

lol.. "disclaimer: you mess it up- you own it." NICE!

[@ghostses]

LOL! Thanks! Too many people try to blame others for their own mistakes. Take care, G.

[@Ibiron]

Thank you so much for your time and effort. Your video helped me decipher what the instructions simply could not. I usually don't read them anyway but found myself in quicksand then started reading them, then just came to your video and threw them away with the box. I too bought it when it was on sale and it's been in the box for the last 5 years. For a hundred and sixty bucks its better than mixing cement in a wheel barrel. Now I'm going to make it work for storage fees, when it breaks I will send it back to China. Once again, Thank You.

[@ghostses]

That's cool Ronald. Glad it was informative. Take care, G.

[@dinoLomedico]

Thank you. Ur a competent teacher

[@ghostses]

You're welcome and thanks! Good luck, G.

[@tomb1734]

Very well put together instructions. I just bought this unit and read the reviews on putting it together and was not looking forward to the task. Now after watching your excellent presentation I feel very confident it will go smoothly. Thank you so much for taking the time to show this!

[@ghostses]

Thanks Tom! Glad the video might be useful. It's really not that bad as you will find. Good luck, G.

[@rubywarrior1]

1. look at pics in manual, (do not try to read) 2. throw manual across yard. 3. put machine together. 4. drink more beer in satisfaction. cause the manual translation sucks. (for me, first hour trying to figure manual out. threw it across yard and then put machine together in about 30 min.)

[@ghostses]

That sums it up perfectly Charles! LOL! Take care, G.

[@shreddder999]

Yes, the manual is absolute junk, the hardware all comes lumped together in a single bag, and nothing is in the quantity stated in the callouts.

[@EL_80]

&milk*kI

[@EL_80]

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[@paulabbott5611]

Great video saved me from much heartache. Thank you for posting. My cement mixer came with the fasteners in separate numbered bags. The lower drum was also came attached to the bracket. I had to attach the ground wire from the motor to the existing ground location as this was the only attachment point on my cement mixer. Used it over the weekend mixing many 60lb bags of cement, mixed 2 bags at a time, without any issues.

[@ghostses]

Thanks Paul! Glad it was helpful. Yeah, I heard of may combinations on what-was-what from many viewers. It sounds like yours has already paid for itself with what work you've done so far. Good to hear! Take care, G.

[@flyguy5941]

Thank you very much. I followed your directions and all went well. No spare parts. No missing parts.

[@ghostses]

Glad it was helpful Larry! No spare or missing parts I would call a win! Take care, G.

[@sandykovacs6791]

WOW ! That video was outstanding ! Excellent work. My unit believe it or not did not come with the instruction manual - just the owners manual. You saved me a lot of frustration. Companies should send you their products and pay you to make the assembly videos. Very impressed.

[@ghostses]

+Sandy Kovacs Thanks Sandy! I'm glad it was helpful. LOL- I would love to make assembly videos for companies- as a paid consultant. Good luck and take care, G.

[@trueleyes]

Bless your heart. I will be receiving my mixer from Amazon in 7 days and all I have heard is complaint after complaint about the assembly process. What you have done here in your video is clear up all the confusion. I've always been very good at assembling all types of things and if that parts are there I can do it no problem but here you have shown that the booklet does have a parts list to match up with the instructions which so often over looked and leads to frustration and hours of assembly and loss of temper. THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO BRAVO.

[@ghostses]

Thanks Dan! Glad it will be helpful. Good luck with yours, G.

[@KennyInVegas]

No more bags of bolts numbered... just one small bag for drum assembly and another bag with various nuts, bolts, washers. Your video helped me....... some things are different in the assembly now... just bought mine 12/2/2019 and assembled 3 months later. I used rubber cement to secure drum gasket. Thanks for your video.

[@ghostses]

I've been hearing that Ken. Not optimum but doable I guess. Glad it was helpful and you got yours together. Take care, G.

[@wntofly]

Very nicely done! You are a natural born teacher. Certainly one of the best instructional videos I have come across. Thanks much for taking the time to put this together. Very helpful.

[@ghostses]

Thanks! Glad you found it useful. Good luck, G.

[@MrHelljumper01]

Thank god for men like you , I used your video only and was able to assemble with help in about an 1 1/2 hours , the directions are terrible and impossible to follow , everything works great and it was super easy with your video, thanks again !!!!

[@ghostses]

Glad it was helpful Brian! Good luck with your projects, G.

[@mattm.3303]

Dude this is a life saver! I spent about 1 hour just trying to figure out their diagrams and bolt labeling system before I finally stumbled upon this feed, you saved me a lot of time and almost my sanity, so thank you!

[@ghostses]

Glad it was helpful Matt! Good luck, G.

[@carmentremblay9722]

You've just saved my life, my stepdad's mental health, and, by extension, my wife. Thank you so much

[@ghostses]

LOL!!! Thanks Jeffery! Glad it was helpful. Take care, G.

[@jcbassboomer]

Thanks for the video. You were lucky and got numbered bags with the hardware. I got the spring, rubber/nylon spacers and other hardware in 1 bag and all of the other hardware in one bag. No markings whatsoever! The video really helped!

[@ghostses]

Glad the video was helpful. Yeah, I've heard from others all the fasteners were lumped into a bag or two. Sucks- but doable I guess. Take care, G.

[@kenkarpinski1]

Thank you for taking the time to tell which bags to use. My mixer came without instructions or the belt, and the seal was broken but I used it anyway. I appreciate your effort.

[@ghostses]

Glad it was helpful Ken! Good luck, G.

[@mattvogel5712]

The Budweiser box was not opened at the beginning of the video. Towards the end it was ripped apart and looked half empty!!! You did everyone a huge favor by making this video. I wish I could shake your hand. Nine years after you made this video, I bought this mixer, I’ll be putting it together in the next couple days, Jim Beam will help me, but not as much as you helped me. LOL! I appreciate you.

[@ghostses]

Good deal Matt! Good to hear it was helpful. Take care, and good luck, G.

[@chrismiller-no9kk]

Great Assembly directions. I followed this, pausing the video and completed in 80 minutes. Thank you.

[@ghostses]

Thanks Chris! I'm glad it was helpful. Now the real work begins...lol. Take care, G.

[@BOBfingerpuppet]

Thanks! Without this video we’d never figured out the assembly process! Excellent information and easy to follow.

[@ghostses]

No problem Todd! Glad it was useful with getting your assembled. Thanks for the post and take care, G.

[@laurentjouvin]

Thank you so much for making this video. You saved me a lot of time, time that I would’ve mostly spent scratching my head wondering how to put this thing together.

[@ghostses]

Glad it was helpful. Take care, G.

[@sallysalami4458]

I would just like to say thank you for this. I followed your video as I was assembling the machine and you provided so many helpful tips. This is a great tutorial!!!!

[@ghostses]

No problem Sally! Glad it was helpful. G.

[@leonweatherall8722]

This video helped me considerably. Thank you so very much. You pointing out the number bags to use with each step was the most help. The manual is awful on what goes where. Thank you again for making this video and Harbor should compensate you for it. Excellent job!

[@ghostses]

Thanks Leon! Glad it was informative and helped you out. Now the real work begins. Good luck, G.

[@gregoryhall3082]

Thank you for a most excellent and instructive video. My son and I first referenced the directions included, and after a frustrating afternoon (As everyone has noted below) turned to KZbin and your thoughtful video. We appreciate the time you saved us! Cheers to you...Greg & Gabriel.

[@ghostses]

Gregory Hall That's great Gregory! I'm glad the video helped you guys out. Good luck and take care, G.

[@paulnasiatka2388]

Forget that last question as only one way to put on, just did my best to tuck in the gasket as I screwed down the 8 nuts/bolts. I completed using this video without and issues and no left over parts. But they did make some changes: 1) No installation/instruction manual at all, just a parts list and Operation Manual.2) the bottom barrel was connected to the U shaped bracket arm, so one less thing to put together 3) the motor when mounted on the tray self aligns as you can not move back and forth for alignment, and does work well. Runs pretty quiet. Great Job on this video.. Thank you.

[@ghostses]

+Paul Naz That's exactly what I did Paul. Thanks for noting the changes as they might help others. Glad the video was helpful. Good luck, G.

[@rich6977]

Just wanted to thank you great video took me 4 hours had one bad bolt from bag 8 and not one in my house to match. Unlike you I had one extra lock-washer from bag 8 and one extra plastic electric clip in bag 13/14. The 4 hours included tearing my house apart looking for one small bolt and a trip to the local hardware store. Thanks again very informative.

[@ghostses]

No problem Rich- Glad the video helped! I had read some folks were missing fasteners, but I had just what was needed. Aside from your bad bolt, you got more than required I guess. You probably would have finished the job in a couple of hours if you didn't have to go on the hunt for a replacement bolt....lol. Thanks for the post and good luck, G.

[@AndThusSpake]

Dude. This is awesome. Started putting this together and discovered the instructions were really terrible. I probably would have figured it out with a couple trips back to HF to see it assembled, but your video saved me a boat load of time. There's a comment below that says, "Harbor Freight should pay you for making this video". I could not agree more. Actually, they should hire you full time to make assembly videos for them -- it would be a huge service to their customers as virtually ALL of their instruction manuals suck. KZbin should have a link where viewers can, "Buy this man a beer"!

[@ghostses]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful! I would love that position no doubt. Someone from HF did contact me in the past (regarding another video) asking for my permission to link that video on their site. I did not respond at that time. With that said- and again, I'm glad this video was beneficial to you. Take care, G.

[@justinmcmillan2341]

Best ever assembly video. Even the "foreign" accent was refreshing. Top job bloke!

[@ghostses]

Thanks Justin! LOL!! That's cool! G.

[@johnmichaels5215]

Thanks a bunch for making this video . You saved me so much time and frustration.The mixer worked perfectly after following your instructions.

[@ghostses]

Good deal John! Glad it was helpful. Take care, G.

[@catsharkvids7475]

Your video was extremely helpful with building this mixer. Great tips and advice. It took me several hours to build it. This is not something I typically do. Thanks very much.

[@ghostses]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful. Good luck, G.

[@blenderbenderguy]

Been thinking about one of these and now after watching your vid, will go and get me one. Don't know how guys like yourself find the time to put together videos like this, but it is certainly appreciated. Very thorough and well done! Thanks!!!

[@ghostses]

Thanks BBG! I'm glad the video was, or will be, useful to you. Good question on finding the time put together videos. I don't know where I find the time (and it does take tons), but since I enjoy helping folks out by making them- it just shows up somehow. Good luck with yours and take care, G.

[@daltongang23]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I started putting ours together while my husband was occupied with something else. I could NOT have done the first part without your help. Once he started working on it (at the gasket for the drum), the video, still, was invaluable. The instructions that came with the mixer absolutely sucked! Thanks for taking the time and effort to do the video for the rest of us!!!!!! :)

[@ghostses]

The instructions suck for sure Elaine! Glad the video helped with getting yours together. Now the real work can begin....lol. Good luck, G.

[@coinman1947]

Thank you very much for the really informative video. One of the best I have seen on you-tube. Watched your video, went to harbor freight with coupon in hand and purchased one, came back to my handyman shop and watched video one more time and went out in shop and put that raschel together. your video was spot on. Once again, thank you very much. Happy mixing :-)

[@ghostses]

+coinman1947 Hey thanks! I'm glad it was helpful. Good luck, G.

[@brianh2421]

Thank you for taking the time and posting this video.. KZbin is a great help only with people like you. You saved my tons of time and your advise on lubing the bearings was golden. Thanks again...

[@ghostses]

+Brian H No problem Brian! I agree, KZbin is a great for learning things. I'm glad the video was helpful! Good luck! G.

[@billm1651]

Thank you for this video. I bought the mixer yesterday and there were a few changes but the video is still applicable and made the install extremely easy. The lower drum is now connected out of the box. My arrows did not line up perfectly and were off a few inches but didn't seem to hurt anything. The inside of the switch is a little different but you just need to follow black to black and white to white. With the 20% coupon it was $164 including tax in NC. It's amazing to me they can design, manufacture, and deliver something like this for the price. Thank you China and thank you for making this video.

[@ghostses]

No problem! I've heard there have been some small changes. Glad it was still useful getting it put together. Thanks for the info and good luck using it for your projects. Take care, G.

[@jupena]

Long story I damage my manual (left it outside and got it wet), I put my cement mixer together following your instructions, THANK YOU so much for taking the time to do this!

[@ghostses]

No problem Juan! Glad it was helpful. Good luck, G.

[@cjharley7544]

I didn't even open the instructions I just followed your video. Took me a couple of hours to put together. Thanks,

[@ghostses]

That's cool! Glad it was helpful. Good luck, G.

[@thefinalwordportland]

I wish I had watched your excellent video prior to my attempted murder of a mixer. Right now I face the paddle predicament. The easy install you just did in the blink of a eye (easy peasy) of the paddles has escaped my grasp and understanding. We aligned the arrows prior and yet the paddles beg a bending. I will rewind you and see how the paddle holes (lie or lay) in respect to the universe. You may have just saved my life or at least my sanity as fragile as it seems in reference to all things mechanical. I enjoy watching someone obviously gifted guiding the rest of us lesser gifted. Thanks

[@ghostses]

Roland, hopefully you can tell the arrangement of the holes in the video. If not, let me know and I will look at mine. Once you get, or verify, they are in the correct positions- install the paddles loosely and tighten each side up incrementally. The paddles might not be bent exactly right from the factory- so using that approach might help things out. Good luck, G.

[@jaymackey8743]

Thanks for a very useful video. I have to agree that leaving the last step completely off is almost criminal. Even more so in my case since the motor leads were missing their crimped slip-on connectors. Luckily since I have a electronic background, I found some others laying around in my garage and soldered them on to the leads. I also followed your example and created a second ground terminal using a 8-32 screw and double locked(jammed) hex nuts. What a tacky power switch assembly, I hope it can last the life of the machine. At this time, I have had great performance with this mixer(22 bags mixed) and it doesn't seem to have any major flaws. Your directions were a life saver and I thank you again.

[@ghostses]

No problem Jay! Glad it was useful. Seems like a QC problem for sure with the leads being without connectors. Glad you got it sorted out and it's working well for you thus far. Take care, G.

[@hotrailstohell]

I just bought this mixer today and when I was reading the reviews they said to check out KZbin because the instructions were horrible. They were when you made this vid six years ago and they still are. THANK YOU for making it. I just watched your video to do all of it. I used some RTV gasket maker that I already had to hold the badly twisted gasket in place and put it on both sides. And put the zerk fittings in like you said to. Harbor Fright :) should include a link to your video in the manual!

[@ghostses]

Thanks Bob! Good to know it's still helpful. Glad it helped you out! Take care, G.

[@jaysmith6863]

Absolutely the best video on the subject. Wish I found this one first!!!

[@ghostses]

Thanks Jay! Take care, G.

[@ncharlan]

THANK YOU sir. I would not have been able to assemble my cement mixer without your video. Really appreciate you taking the time and effort to post this.

[@ghostses]

Thanks Nathan! Glad it was helpful. Good luck, G.

[@marshal7102]

Well I finally got around to pouring my pad for my shed 8 X 8 x 4inches and it went great. took 34- 60lb bags to complete it. The mixer worked flawlessly and was able to handle a full load at a time without any slowing down of the drum. I would say this has been a success. Now how many more I can do is up for grabs. Thanks for your post of this video it was a great help!!!!

[@ghostses]

Very cool! It's already paid for itself!! The rest is a bonus. G.

[@tomgibson1569]

Of the videos I watched, this one was the best in terms of covering most of the little issues that came up during assembly. Add my thanks to the many here. To add my 2 cents: Agree that gasket glue is not required, but putting the gasket in without will require a lot of fiddling with the gasket during installation to make certain it stays where you want it. I started by putting the screws (one at a time) through the top drum and the gasket. The gasket held the screws in place as you flip the upper drum to get it placed on the lower drum. You then have to go around and push each screw into the corresponding hole in the lower drum. After that, you want to get the gasket shoved in correctly between the screw locations, HOWEVER, do NOT push on one side of a screw location too far or you will rock the gasket out of the opposite side. Two fingers, one on each side of a screw location pushing equally was the best method for me. I ironed on the top drum, first by bringing the screw and nut finger tight and rechecking the gasket as I went around. (Just spin the drum and forget walking around the unit.) Next I added about three or four turns on each screw to snug, again checking gasket for alignment. Finally added turns to tight all around. My unit had a burr in one of the bolt holes and one of the paddle holes at the bottom was misaligned. Used needle nosed pliers to extract the burr and a punch to align the misaligned hole and all was well. Make certain you look at the picture of the assembled unit once in a while to make certain you are adding the correct parts to the pulley side or the motor side. Just keep yourself oriented correctly, because the main cross piece is pretty much reversible and you can get things turned around in your head as to what goes where. The pulley key on my unit was a bit big to fit into the slot cut into the main shaft, so ended up putting the pulley on the shaft and lightly tapping the key into the slots. On my unit one side of the lower drum arm bar was misshaped so had to get a mallet and a block of wood to tap that end into the supporting brace. No biggie, but certainly speaks to lack of quality control. Thanks for the tip on removing the switch from the outside motor cover to get to the screw head to attach the ground. So much easier that way. If the manufacturer would have included a second nut on that grounding screw, this wouldn't have been a problem in the first place (a-hem!). Just like this video, I matched wire colors green to green for ground, black to black and white to white for the switch. That's standard, but as the man said, disclaimer: no instructions so you are on your own for that step. Don't understand companies that fail to update instructions when manufacturing and/or assembly procedures change. (Cough, cough, a-HEM!!!) Some videos show a struggle to not damage the electrical wiring or switch when attaching the wire to the motor and before attaching the outside motor cover. Get a saw horse or a small table or stool to hold that outside motor cover at a reasonable height while attaching and the whole issue goes away! The bolt for my spring tension adjustment was not in any bag and just thrown loose into the Styrofoam tray on the top. Glad I found it and saved it as it would have not been fun to replace that bolt in the middle of assembly. BTW, one of the other videos talked about trying to mate the drum halves before putting on the handle. Glad I had the handle on first, as it would have been a whole lot more challenging to try to manage the two drum halves, the gasket, and all those screws if the bottom half drum was swinging freely! My last challenge was setting the electrical cable clamp during motor assembly. Had not done that before and did not realize the hole is keyed to a particular orientation of the clamp. Fought with it for a while then turned the clamp 90 degrees to what I what trying and it slipped right in. Hard to see that requirement when the black switch box is mounted to the outside motor cover. BTW they included a second cable clamp in my parts bag. Anyone missing one? Got my unit turned on and it did spin. Will find out tomorrow if I missed anything. Harbor Freight, you need to start finding American (or at least north American) suppliers for quality, yet affordable tools. I want to stop buying from China. A note to the other video makers (THIS NOTE DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS VIDEO - THIS VIDEO IS GREAT!): If you screw up a step in your video, don't just put a caption up that says this is wrong and go on. Take the time to reshoot the scene and give us the correct way. First, it hides your screw up, and second, it makes you look a lot smarter, more credible, and more trustworthy to the audience. I stopped watching a couple of videos once they admitted their mistakes. What else did they mess up and not admit!!! (Or were they too stupid to realize their other mistakes???) A note to my local equipment rental store: If you'd have charged about half your current rate for concrete mixer rental I would not have bought this unit and rented from you. As it is, my planned use for the unit will more than cover your rental fees and I still have the unit for family and friends to borrow when their projects come up. Yeah, I have to store it, but I'm done paying outrageous rental fees for a simple mixer. If I get tired of storing this unit, I'll sell it and recover at least part of my money - none of which went to you!

[@ghostses]

I like the way you think Tom! The rental fees and having to race the clock is exactly why I purchased mine. As for your comments on videos captioning and covering up mistakes- I wholeheartedly agree. I can't tell you how many times I've taken something back apart just to shoot the clip again so the information is correct. Not trying to imply I'm any better than anyone else- but just to illustrate how much time an effort it takes to do videos like this. Anyway, hope it works out well for you. Take care, G.

[@lacroix55]

Thanks for doing this video, I just purchased the mixer and the directions you received are much better than what is now included with the mixer. I went together smoothly after watching your video...thanks again!

[@ghostses]

Glad it was helpful Dave! It's almost laughable what's included now is worse than what I had. Good luck, G.

[@greythumbshenanigans559]

You sir, are a lifesaver. Looks like at least 3 people wrote the directions and a fourth mixed em all together

[@ghostses]

LOL!!! You're not kidding Red! Around 6yrs after posting this, I still get comments stating the manual is just as bad as it was then. Glad the video was helpful. Good luck, G.

[@greythumbshenanigans559]

@@ghostses The numbering issues and no instructions for the electrical hookups are still issues. So again, thanks!!

[@ghostses]

That's cool Red. Take care, G.

[@bobhardy3]

Thank you for the great review. I just finished mixing 40- 80# bags of mortar and cement. One thing I discovered is that you almost have to tilt the tub horizontal to keep the mix from caking in the bottom of the bowl. I started with a gallon of water, broke the bag into the mixer, then started spraying while mixing to keep the dust down. I initially had to reach in with a piece of 1 1/2 PVC and poke the dry clumps around to break them up and release from the barrel. Later, I tried a different elevation (horizontal for initial start up. The more I added water, the more I tilted it back. If you don't tilt it back, it will slop out. I was filling concrete block, so I wanted a more liquid mix to go down the blocks. I struggled with mounting the paddles as they don't attach square where the holes are. I had to bend the ears a bit to get it to align. For the money, it works for my limited needs!

[@ghostses]

No problem Bob! Great information on how you got it to work the best for you! Thanks for sharing. Take care, G.

[@richkotas6491]

Sir, you are awesome. I was on the fence buying this mixer entirely due to the negative reviews on the build instructions. Your video increases my confidence in purchasing this machine. Thank you.

[@ghostses]

Thanks Rich. Yeah, the instructions were horrible. Once you get past any pain with getting it put together- the machine itself does work well. Good luck, G.

[@justinlingle3760]

This may be my favorite instructional video on KZbin. Thank you! I just bought mine and because of this video I waited until I had the 25% coupon and got the unit for $150 like you did! You literally saved me $50 bucks!

[@ghostses]

+Justin Lingle Thanks Justin! Glad you were able to get the coupon and apply it! No you can apply those savings to the project you purchased this for. Win-win! Take care, G.

[@justinlingle3760]

***** Haha! I got your reply in the middle of watching your video while I'm putting the mixer together! Mine doesn't have little numbered bags. Just 2 bags with all the bolts, nuts and washers in one and specialty parts in the other. No worries though, because I have your video. I will say (on the plus side) mine is nice and quiet! No scrubbing or anything. Smooth as silk!

[@ghostses]

+Justin Lingle LOL- that's cool. Hmm, just two bags. They should go back to the numbered ones. Glad the video was helpful and yours is smooth! Good luck, G.

[@aircommuter]

For belt tension 1/2” may be fine for this machine but belt deflection depends on the space between the pulleys. For alignment I use a piece of metal for a straight edge.

[@soniccsam]

Holy cow, where would my life be right now if I stuck to those mission impossible instructions that come with it. Thank you so much for making this video. Although I accidentally flipped the handles and wheels at the beginning ( I placed the handles under the motor... I started assembling guns blazing.) I got through it very easily thanks to this! Also we added two 1 inch i.d. washers to each wheel, just a thought, for those long trips from the shed to the backyard. ha Thanks again and looking forward to more of your videos.

[@ghostses]

Sam Van Ornam Thanks Sam! I'm glad the video helped you out. I fully agree on the "mission impossible instructions"..lol. Adding two 1" id washers was a great idea. As it comes, the wheels do tend to wobble around a bit. By adding them, I'm sure it moves about much better now. Thanks again and take care, G.

[@DavidLee-xi1of]

I have not bought the mixer yet. I read most of reviews and like yourself, Couldn't under stand why so many people where having problems with the instructions. Which brought me here. I would like to Thank you for this Video on assembly. I have not had any problems yet with Harbor Fright tools. Been buying them over 10 years now. Like the post below mine, You need to be paid for doing this video, Thank you. I will be buying mine soon.

[@ghostses]

Thanks David! I too have had good luck with most things I've purchased from them. Take care, G.

[@chopper703]

Bought this same model from Harbor Freight about a month ago, watched your video to help decipher the instructions. Thanks for the help! The mixer works like a champ, mine growls also but doesn't seem to bother me or itself. I mixed over 48 - 80lb bags of concrete laying a walkway and it never failed me yet. I had to adjust the motor / v-belt because it was a little too loose but that's it. Haven't used it for more than one 80lb bag at a time because I worked by myself and didn't need to. Not sure how it would operate spinning 2 bags.

[@ghostses]

No problem Chopper, glad the video helped. Just imagine hand mixing 48 bags...lol. I'm sure it's already paid for itself many times over. Glad you hear it's still working great! Take care, G.

[@dianeherbst4949]

thank you so much! would not have been able to put this together without you! project will now get done so much faster and less back breaking. seriously, thank you, thank you, thank you

[@ghostses]

No problem Diane! I'm glad the video was useful with getting yours put together. Good luck with your project, G.

[@trueleyes]

I've got to tell you, your video is the best video I have ever seen for what it is all about. I have seen a lot of videos as well as having up loaded my own, BUT, your is so complete, helpful, through and so clear and step by step helpful beyond words I am sure I speak for others in our same situation We All can't thank you enough for this very informative process of putting this mixer together.

[@ghostses]

Thanks again Dan! Take care, G.

[@number40Fan]

Thanks for the video. Assembled two mixers tonight in just over an hour and fifteen minutes. Lock-tited every nut! I really recommend everyone taking out the set screw on the electric motor pulley and putting some lock-tite on it as well. 7 pallets of 56 - 60 lb. bags (392 bags/23,520 lbs.) will be put through them this weekend!!

[@ghostses]

No problem! I'm glad it was helpful. Good tip on the pulley setscrew. You're going to put them to the test for sure. Let me know how it works out. Good luck, G.

[@number40Fan]

The two machines ran from 7:30 in the morning to 5:15 with maybe a 20 minute break for lunch. Not a single issue with either one and they both cleaned up looking almost like new. Poured in enough water for all three bags and tossed two in immediately. Waited for the mix to get slurry and then tossed in the third bag. Tilted the machines down enough to get everything to mix up properly without falling out. Most of the time I had to add just a bit more water to keep the mix from sticking to the sides (after the third bag), but not a whole lot. While both machines are noisy, they both had their own tone. After a couple of hours, I was able to tell if the mix was ready just by listening to the noise the machine was making. This goes for both machines! Cheap...delivered to my door...worked without an issue. Highly recommended.

[@ghostses]

number40Fan Thanks for the excellent follow-up! Glad to hear they worked out for you. Take care, G.

[@CarlDavismedia350]

Great video. Suggestions for anyone attempting assembly. Have a metric bolt gauge handy. Tear out or copy the parts list to keep from constantly flipping through manual to check bolt lengths. Find an extra nut to fit the ground wire lug. It will be easier than taking the whole switch apart to tighten it down.

[@ghostses]

Thanks Carl! Good tips! I'm sure it will help others out. G.

[@dj6769]

Great instructional video I’m A professional service tech and you saved me loads of time assembling this mixer. It’s not Harbor freight‘s fault these instructions are such It’s common to see all manufactures make their instructions as if we are all fluent with their product and mechanically inclined on engineers level. You can tell by the reviews on this product there are some who are mechanically challenged and this causes them great difficulty when you are not able to look outside the box and figure things out that are not mentioned in the instructions as you obviously did for us it fills in the missing gaps. Great job. Side note I think what they meant to say about the gasket sealer there is a material made called “Hitack” that will stick the gasket in place and hold it not necessarily sealing it. it can be purchased at most automotive parts stores.

[@ghostses]

That"s cool Daryl! Yeah, I tried to give some insight for the less mechanically inclined and a lot of manuals (like you mentioned) don't cover some of the details. I used to use Indian Head gasket shellac for holding gaskets in place for automotive applications- probably not that different then Hitack. Glad the video shaved some time off your build. Not sure which type of service tech you are, but if it's automotive related I have a few videos that you might enjoy. A series on rebuilding a 350 Vortec, and a teardown and rebuild (two separate series) on an Rx300 auto transmission. Take a peek if you like. Thanks for the post and take care, G.

[@betocano1987]

I just finished assembling mine, thanks to this video. Its very helpful, harbor freight should pay you for this video. Thanks man.

[@ghostses]

That's cool. Glad it was helpful. Take care, G.

[@johnvajcner20]

Great job on detailed instructions and added assists like lubrication and adjustments. Thank you for posting! I'm looking at details of assembly and may attempt to build one from scratch from a 55 gallon barrel I have setting around. I use old washing machine motors from the ones I can't repair. Built my own cane press for making rum from my sugar cane patch. Thanks again!

[@ghostses]

Thanks John! Glad it was helpful and my give you some ideas to build your own. Good luck, G.

[@jimdodge102]

Thanks so much, I sat my laptop in the garage and followed your instructions and all went really smooth. I liked the quality of your presentation and filming as well. Thanks again, Jim Dodge, Duncansville, PA

[@ghostses]

Thanks Jim! I'm glad the video was useful in putting yours together with ease. Take care, G.

[@garyf45garyf45]

That's exactly what I'm going to do...

[@ghostses]

Gary Filice Good deal, Gary. Just follow along and your assembly should go easy. Let me know how it turns out. Good luck, G.

[@garyf45garyf45]

***** I'm wondering if you used axle grease or a lighter lithum type?

[@ghostses]

Gary Filice I used a tool grease from Milwaukee tools since I had it on hand. I would recommend using this Lucas grease- but anything should work. The Lucas is great stuff. I use it on my trailer bearings. Whatever you choose to use though, I would get something that is water and washout resistant. shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/lucas-oil-products-red-n-tacky-grease-14-oz.-10005/7070036-P?searchTerm=bearing+grease Hope this helps, G.

[@karenregling3362]

Thank you so much for doing this from step by step the wiring and the handle were the hardest parts with no explanation at all! Again thanks! Oh and happy holidays ☺️

[@ghostses]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful. Good luck, and happy holidays to you as well. Merry Christmas, G.

[@LittleMountainLife]

Freaking fantastic step by step video, Sir! I set aside the crappy instructions and just followed your video as I assembled my mixer. Thank you!!

[@ghostses]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful with yours. Good luck, G.

[@mikehammer7419]

Great video. Watched it and noted where you said the numbered bags of hardware went (bottom barrel already attached so, no number one) and it took me a little over an hour without getting in a hurry. Never opened the instruction book.

[@ghostses]

Thanks William! Glad it was helpful. Now the real work begins! Good luck, G.

[@Mike-tb2hw]

Thank you so much for this fantastic video!! Helped me get the mixer assembled in no time! Seriously I owe you. Thanks again

[@ghostses]

No problem Mike! Glad it was helpful. G.

[@treeforest6]

Incredible generosity to the community!! I too would have thrown the damn thing in the recycling bin, the instruction manual is embarrassing to the company. I just built mine this morning, took me an hour and a half watching the video. I owe you a beer!!

[@ghostses]

Thanks Jeffery! Glad it was helpful. I will take that beer! Take care, G.

[@nhstorage]

6 years later and the instructions are still CRAP! Thanks for keeping this up, it's been a great help.

[@ghostses]

Terrible isn't it? Glad it was helpful, G.

[@kbanghart]

Yeah I agree, awful. The worst for me, I didn't even have one of the key ways installed right. Mine stopped working after about 5 minutes lol. After a quick trip to Lowe's, and a machine shop, only $7 later I got a new one made and tightened down real good. After that it worked like a charm. SMH I would have paid a little extra just for decent instructions.

[@tomb1734]

FYI - I purchased one today June 25, 2019 and they have made some changes. First big change is the drum comes with the lower half mounted to the frame. Second is the electrical is completely wired and needs nothing connected. Third the tilt handle has the same spring and connects the same way however the screw adjuster had been removed and installing it is extremely difficult requiring two strong guys to push spring down while installing the bolt but the did add a lock nut which wasn't on the older model. The bolts are in one bag with no indication where they go. I sorted them out and used logic and common sense to figure out where they go. I had extra bolts....not good but everything seems good so far.The gasket on mine was in really good shape and required no extra help to straighten. Thanks to your video it took me about an hour to put together.

[@ghostses]

Thanks Tom! Glad it was helpful to a degree. Good info! I'm sure your comments will help others. Take care, G.

[@charleszeiner7264]

video was way more helpful than manual,i just paused once in a while to do a step,then started video again. the only thing i did different was in electrical hook-up for the ground, instead of taking switch unit apart, i just slipped the connector over the stud and added another 8-32 nut.good job

[@ghostses]

Thanks Charles! Glad you found it useful. Adding an additional nut for the ground connection was a great idea! Much easier than taking things apart as I did. They should include another nut just for this connection. Take care, G.

[@okeechobeejoe2868]

I just bought one of these mixers and your video made my life a whole lot easier.....thanks

[@ghostses]

That's cool Joey! Glad it was helpful. G.

[@alexshrugged6682]

I just bought one of these cement mixers (Oct-2020). The hardware nuts and bolts now come in TWO BAGS. No labels. There is an exploded diagram which is somewhat helpful. I decided to record a video of my journey in assembling this device with even fewer clues that you were given. Your video helped nevertheless. Thank you. (FYI, the handle with the tension spring is no longer adjustable so you must now compress the spring using the handle itself while assembling it. It is a tough one, but doable.)

[@libertyjustice2703]

Mine also came with two bags of bolts, nuts, washers etc. Just thrown together. Had to lay everything out and that costs a lot of time in itself. The manual is worthless. The motor on mine was already wired. There were two welded nuts on the motor backing plate and those welded nuts are VERY close to the motor pulley and if you have the belt lined up to the two pulleys, there is very little room for the motor to turn without rubbing against those welded nuts. Very poor design. The motor also seems very wimpy and will probably burn out sooner than later. Haven't ran any cement yet so we'll see how it performs on a 10x16 foot slab.

[@ghostses]

Alex, I've heard the same from others- including how difficult how hard it is to compress the spring since it's not longer adjustable. Glad the video was helpful in some way. Take care, G.

[@ghostses]

That's a new one on me Kenneth in regards to the welded nuts. Thanks for the info, G.

[@evansween]

Thanks for taking the time to shoot this video. Made assembly easy.

[@ghostses]

evansween No problem! I'm glad it helped. Take care, G.

[@johng2880]

Well, mine showed up with one bag of fasteners, and a handful of loose nuts, bolts and washers rattling around inside the box, so I've been scrounging parts from my shop and attempting the assembly for half a day. I'm almost done, but I wouldn't wish this on anyone. Your video has helped a ton. Thanks.

[@ghostses]

+John G Yeah John, I've heard from others that everything was in one bag and needed to be sorted out. It sounds like some of the ones that got loose fell out of the box on yours. Sounds like it's been a real pain. It shouldn't have been that way. Hopefully it will serve you well after the hassle. Glad the video was helpful and good luck, G.

[@jignc1984]

+John G Mine was the same way. You can't match up the bolts from quantities listed on the parts list, since some of the parts were pre-assembled. But I'm pretty sure mine was missing the (2) M8x70 bolts needed to mount the motor bracket so I had to swap out the M8x65, I used in another location and use the M8x65 to mount the motor bracket. *Note I had to convert everything from Imperial units to metric since all I had at the time was a regular tape measure. Would have helped a ton if everything had been labeled.

[@johnloydking2806]

Me too

[@adamnlloydify]

Ghostses, you rock! This was a VERY helpful video. I had no problems (other than those you've mentioned) assembling my new mixer. I plan to test it out tomorrow running 100 80# bags through it. Thank you for posting this video!

[@ghostses]

Adam Lloyd LOL, thanks Adam! Good luck with your project! G.

[@martindr2]

He's right...Harbor Freight should pay you. My instructions were horrible and the screws and bolt bags were not marked the same as the instructions or yours. I had it half done then a months later decided to finish it and I was worried about doing it right....but you showed me the right way. Thank you !

[@ghostses]

LOL! Glad the video was helpful. Take care, G.

[@michaelstlouis2472]

A little advice on setting post... it is better if you take crushed up rock or broken cement blocks and put around post and tamp down. if you do it right it will be very strong and the post won't rot, the problem with using concrete around wood is it will rot right at top of cement. been doing it a long long time and i found out over the years that concrete around always makes it rot. I just removed a post that my grand father put in the ground with rock. there was no rot, had to go with a bigger post for the bigger gate i was putting in... just some friendly advice

[@ghostses]

Thanks for the tips, G.

[@1thepner]

Thank you so much. It's now 2017, and this tutorial was a game changer for us. Turns out, we never aligned the "arrows" and the paddles were wrong. As well as the wiring. THX!

[@ghostses]

No problem! Glad it helped to sort out the issues. Good luck, G.

[@1thepner]

Update: if you were here I'd pay you. But I'm a cheap skate:) The last problem I wrestled with was the "wiring." The motor had no pull, couldn't even do 30 lbs. What??? Watched your video again, zeroed in on the wiring...presto!! We had it backwards. Plus, the ground had pulled loose. Just fired it up, and it works like a champ. The wiring segment you did in the video just saved us. Tony in Oregon*

[@ghostses]

Very cool Tony! Again, I'm glad the video helped you sort out the problems. Now the real work begins...lol. Take care, G.

[@mrcstv]

This video was excellent. With your help I just finished putting one together. My leg bracket was bent almost exactly the same as yours. I think it's done on purpose to make the foot lie flat when the wheels are on. You touched on it in your video but I had to completely disassemble the switch to get the green wire on the screw. THANKS!

[@ghostses]

Well thanks- glad it was useful. You may be right on the bent leg, it just looked odd to me like it wasn't done with a machine. Yes, since they used a bolt instead of a stud, it was necessary to take the switch apart to install the ground wire. No big deal but I think they could have done a little better in this area. Thanks for the post, G.

[@1999C2996]

No..Mine was not bent...

[@terryrance7066]

Thanks from the England UK - very similar cement mixer purchased and again the included insructions were awful - your video was really helpful

[@ghostses]

No problem Terry! Glad it was helpful. Good luck, G.

[@marcostudd]

Just bought mine today... great video... I guess parts change over time... I didn’t have the unlabeled bag (#1), the bottom drum came assembled/sealed. Only used 1 of the cable ties... and also that fastener pin that gets inserted into the wheel/belt assembly, I had to hammer it in. I grabbed your video and trashed the manual from the get-go! Excellent. Thank you. 👍🏼

[@ghostses]

Thanks Marco! Glad it was helpful. Thanks for sharing what has changed since my posting. Take care, G.

[@charlesboyd3109]

Ok so im not the only 1 thanks for sharing

[@ghostses]

@@charlesboyd3109 No problem! G.