Harbor Freight Cement Mixer Review | 3 TON of Concrete in 2 Days!! | Ran OFF GRID with Generator

[@randallweaver7718]

This is so cool Chad. Building yalls dreams with 5 girls at your side. Your a good father and husband. Rock on sir.

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Randall

[@cranefly23]

I’ve said it on here before, but I’ll say it again; you are indeed a very lucky man to have such a wonderful family!

[@debrafelix4419]

You have a hard working family and I love your videos, be blessed always 🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰🤗

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Debra

[@debrafelix4419]

Your very welcome 😘

[@anonymousmaple2012]

Naomi, making cement mixer assembly glamourous again.

[@9252LIFE]

😆

[@1944chevytruck]

She is a good mechanic. She's a keeper!

[@jimthompson9992]

Aaaaaannnddddd......yep, gonna say it one more time...beyond impressed with ALL the ladies in your household! Just always, always, always remember to say those few words that every woman, no matter their age, must hear....."yes, dear".....works almost every time!! (Almost as good as "I love you"). Looking forward to the next adventure in the U.P. building that off grid girls addition and finally getting your well in! God bless your family! As always, you're doing it right!👍🇺🇸👍🇺🇸

[@musicluvr70]

Someone asked my Dad at their 50th wedding Anniversary party, what the secret to being married so long was. His reply was the same, "Yes Dear". 😁

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Jim! Yeah I’m getting better with age with that “yes dear” thing! 😂 The rain and work has killed our addition progress but I think it’ll go up quite fast. We definitely have to beat the snow! 😆 Take care Jim.

[@jimthompson9992]

@Gary Rogers... I'm just a couple years shy of my 50th and your dad was spot on! I learned it very early on!🤣👍

[@musicluvr70]

@@jimthompson9992 😄 😉

[@carolynmesser7199]

Your wife and children made this look easy to assemble 😊

[@9252LIFE]

They are rockstars! And every thing is faster and easier on camera! 😆

[@barbarawilcox3925]

Excellent job girls

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you

[@markhudspeth8503]

I think you go live tonight. Have a great day!

[@9252LIFE]

Yes in about 6.5 hours or so

[@paulhoneyman6923]

good review Chad. Stay safe all of you

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Paul

[@CynBrown]

Awesome video. Great review and a little Issac fix.

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Cyndi

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you for moderating us first timers

[@portugalonawingandaprayer473]

Great job … so much hard work to actually get out of the ground … now I hope it will be all plain sailing and those girls get their new room soon … well done girlies great cement mixer build ! catch ya next time … 🙏☘️😘

[@9252LIFE]

It’s never plain sailing out here! 😂

[@tammysarrazin7078]

great video and i so love that wife and kids are right side of you to help ............hope your live goes good hugssssss

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Tammy. The Live went great! Have a great weekend.

[@erichkestler1934]

Great video. I love that the experience is a family affair. Your kids are learning valuable skills.

[@dalevodden1359]

So far it's all looking good can't wait to see you start building the house can't wait for that episode or hopefully I'll find it here soon it you guys have a blessed day and God bless you all talk to you later bye

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Dale

[@pelenaka]

On a side note also makes a nice washer. Just make a sturdy frame with hardware cloth. Place under opening dump clothes out let drain enough to make wringing out easier.

[@savagewolf1966]

Great idea,no more going to the laundromat 🤔,just hang the clothes out to dry on a line.wash and rinse .

[@9252LIFE]

We may have to do that! Great idea!

[@djyearly]

LOL I told my wife after I got it put together on a Friday Night, You have 3-options in this order before I put concrete in it tomorrow: Daiquiris, homemade ice cream (Clean Out), dog blankets washed, (dog fibers ok for concrete)then its ready for concrete.

[@sharonswisher7274]

Thank you for the review. We bought one last year when it went on sale and have yet to take it out of its package (haven't had a project yet for it, but like to be prepared). Love watching fellow Michiganders such as your young family searching out and taking control of how they live their lives! Carry on!

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Sharon. It works great!

[@maryranch5329]

Good jobs Ladies 😁👍.

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you

[@bendall248]

Great review and video , thanks for sharing!

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Alan!

[@daveturnbull7221]

Good review and hopefully see you later for the live stream 👍

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Dave. Yes hope to hear from you then!

[@bullet1218]

Great review and the goats put the finished touches on it ...💯👍

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you

[@nancyl3843]

Awesome job ladies, seriously!

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Nancy

[@garymorris1834]

Impressed, Your Family works well together. I’m sold on the mixer & bug spray. Looks great

[@9252LIFE]

Thanks 😆 The bug spray is a definite necessity up here.

[@KIDD80]

Great job guys...

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you

[@Alx2672]

Your daughters are going to be amazing women. Educated to be self sufficient, troubleshooters, builders, raising food, while at the same time feminine and not scared to work hard in the dirt. WOW, that's awesome. Great parenting raises great children. Congratulations!

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you!

[@bertdiver3708]

What a beautiful family you have, God bless

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you

[@AustralianRadioindie]

Nice work looked great

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you

[@dominofive5075]

God bless! You folks are awesome!

[@gadolelohai115]

Looking forward to your live stream tonight 👍 It's been 2 weeks since my surgery and I'm mending more slowly than I thought. However, I'm optimistic that prayers are being heard and soon I'll be completely healed. P.s. I watch your ads without skipping 🙂 I hope it helps

[@9252LIFE]

Oh that is so good to hear. Just have patience because I am sure time is going by extremely slow for you. You’ll be up and kickin in no time! Thank you.

[@patriciaherman6499]

May God keep his loving healing arms you.

[@williamshafer9182]

Isn't God Great...!!!

[@PlanetMojo]

This brings back memories of when we first started homesteading! We built our house while living in a 10' x 12' shed. Some tools we rented, some we really needed to own and bought the best, but there are others that we bought that were 'good enough' to get the job done (and then some). Great work guys!

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you. How long did you live in the shed?

[@donfrank4429]

glad to see kids working

[@robertburns3014]

Glad the cement mixer is working out well for you. I think some of the Harbor Freight stuff is fine for the "weekend warrior" builders, mechanics and other diy'ers.

[@9252LIFE]

Exactly

[@MichaelR58]

Great review and video , thanks for sharing , God bless !

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Michael. Have a great day

[@fionalewis3121]

Love the teamwork from you guys and how you involve your kids, they are so blessed to be learning sp many practical things about living life. A great review, you clearly have a calling for this type of content. Businesses would be lucky to have you and your team working for them to get their products out there. Thanks for sharing your experiences with this concrete mixer.

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Fiona. Have a great weekend!

[@lilahnewton7940]

You've definitely got a bada$s group of ladies!! Have a good one Chad. Chad, I have an idea for you as possibly another channel. You have a story telling voice!! Start reading some children's stories in videos but off camera!! Take a walk through nature whilst reading aloud. Trust me, you have a great voice for this. And add extra revenue to the household as well.

[@JourneyOnLife]

Any reading or story at all actually. With any thoughts of his own is also fun, like in his videos : )

[@ez-g3090]

Will they turn out to be good wives or a bunch of feminist nags?

[@jonathanmulzer17]

I was looking for information about this cement mixer and ran across your video. I am not an off-grid living sort of person. Just not my thing. But I wanted to tell you both that you have a beautiful family. I appreciate how you are getting the kids involved. Keep doing what you're doing.

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Jonathan. The cement mixer is very much worth the money. Oh and we’re not off grid anymore as we just purchased a new homestead.

[@jonathanmulzer17]

@@9252LIFE I just realized that comment may have seemed like I look down on those who love off-grid. Nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that modern living has made me too soft to be able to do it. 😁 I can't live without modern conveniences. If I could it could potentially save me a *lot* of money.

[@patrickgilhooly8340]

GOOD second time !!! What a wonderful CREW, all professionals. Maybe a donkey to protect those goats and sheep. Works here in Texas against coyotes. That U P is a tuff area. Next winter a second hand snow moble would help. I have the same Chinese mixer, 17 yrs strong. 🥰

[@9252LIFE]

not sure if feeding a donkey in the winter time would be worth it. We are considering another Karakachan to give Kerchak a girlfriend

[@geraldtrice4894]

I bought one of these to make mortar for concrete blocks. At first I’d clean it so it would look new but after several days I gave up an just cleaned it good enough to keep it functioning. Always worked without special effort.

[@contrafax]

Nice,and informative.

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you

[@campbluedog7139]

Seems pretty solid. I was at Harbor Freight last weekend checking one out.

[@MsHomesteader]

Thank you for you opinion on the mixer, we were looking at that one for some home projects we hope to do next year, we'll buy it now. Your project looks great, love the handprints. Looking forward to your future vlogs.

[@9252LIFE]

Awesome! Thank you.

[@CamppattonFamilyCompound]

I have had a couple over the last 30 years. I ran over 13,000 pounds of mix (60 pound bags) through it to pour a cement pad on the back side of the house last year. The bad boy keeps on working just fine.

[@9252LIFE]

That’s good stuff!

[@Quacks0]

3:06 Love those slim-line gear-wrenches :D

[@TheTinkerersWife]

Good review info. It is true with things like the mixer that keeping them clean does extend their lives so good point to make there. A friend and I put together a smaller version of this mixer she bought from Harbor freight and one thing we had trouble with was clear info on scews/bolts. It took forever and then we found out something was missing too, but thankfully Ace hardware had the item so we got it all together and went to work pouring here cement walkway.

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you. This one was only missing the sealant. Thankfully. Definitely no complaints other than that and the upside down mixers. Will we see you tonight on our livestream?

[@offgridhomesteadingmcgarve1494]

👍 such the team..!! You guys are awesome..!!

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Ron

[@phyllismulkey3778]

i got one of those a long time ago still works good

[@stellajeffrey647]

Good evening everyone 👋🏻 Hope you’re all well 😊

[@9252LIFE]

Doing well! You?

[@Downeastwaves]

Excellent!

[@IkonicLionProductions]

Simple and straight forward tutorial . Great job. Hope you get some sponshorship from these manufacturers.

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you. I don’t think these guys do any of that.

[@TheLaLaFarm]

We use that same mixer for mixing our feed and it works great. It's a good little value mixer. - Rick

[@9252LIFE]

Great idea

[@willisdockery3972]

Cool

[@danielleterry180]

Thanks for this vid I am going to definitely get one of these as we have several projects for the up coming future

[@9252LIFE]

Awesome! Be sure to wait for the deals if you don’t need it right away. They fluctuate quite a bit and could get it for even more of a steal than the original price.

[@williamvaughan1218]

Nice video. We need one of these but now they are re closer to 300 bucks.

[@angler2058]

👍👋 Just poured 3900# yesterday.

[@9252LIFE]

Good stuff!

[@DeweyColeman]

Awesome job Guys :) enjoy watching your journey! May the Lord bless it all 🤟🏼🤟🏼🤟🏼

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you! Have a great weekend!

[@bobbybaldeagle702]

I bought myself one of them a few months ago on sale for 149.00 its still in the box. It will stay there until next spring now. When I got it I was feeling better but being disabled I do what needs to be done to prepare the ground where I want to lay in a walkway. The help I had lined up to help me had to back out. When I seen that y'all had gotten one I was interested to see how good it worked. So now I see it's worth the price I paid for it. I'm not going to put it together until I need it. It takes up less room to store it in the box... LOL... Thanks for sharing your videos out here in KZbin land... Be blessed in Jesus name... BBE

[@9252LIFE]

Great price! Thank you Bobby. Have a great weekend

[@zjedinite]

Wow! $149?! You lucky dog, HarborFreight has done away with their %20 / %25 off after COVID. I got mine October 21 for $229 with some coupon.

[@bobbybaldeagle702]

@@zjedinite yeppers when I seen that price I sent my son right over with cash in hand... I haven't used it yet, haven't even put it. Together. But I got for when it need it. For that price I wasn't going to wait. . LOL... I say I'm just blessed..,

[@zjedinite]

@@bobbybaldeagle702 I would be running there with my PJs on for that price! Great find. Hope you get your project done. Invite all those who offered to help to a nice steak BBQ. When they show up you say “well, we need to build up an appetite first, let mix some concrete!” 😂 everyone comes for free food, real humans come to do what needs to be done.

[@larryalexander4833]

I bought exact same mixer about a year ago for a building foundation project. I mixed about 55 bags without issues. Just don't over load it 2 bags at a time is good .

[@fisherus]

I wish I had waited to purchase my cement mixer a few more days until I watched your video. I heard so many bad things about this one, I bought a 5cu. ft. Ryobi from Home Depot for twice the money. Looks like they're building the Harbor Freight one way better than they used to. But nothing builds daughters better than your wife and you do!

[@9252LIFE]

It’s definitely decent quality for the price. And thank you Craig. And thank you for hanging out with us in our livestream last night. Have a great weekend.

[@tommysanfilippo3165]

I have one of these mixers I bought used for $90. Don’t really worry about cleaning it up that great. I’ve ran tons and tons of home mix concrete through it. If you want to know the best way to save money mixing concrete is to go and find your local Concrete recycler. I buy a ton of class 6 road base and one ton of 3/4” screened crushed concrete rock. And I mix with Portland cement for a 7 sack yard. This makes a very strong mix for under $100 a yard and a 1/4 approximately. Finishes nice and is plenty strong. The quickrete is running right at $250 a yard here. So I’m saving a ton of cash mixing my own like this.

[@9252LIFE]

That’s good to know. Thank you. It gets pretty pricey doing it how we did.

[@grandmabelieves5581]

GOD BLESS

[@roberto.peterson9917]

After watching the assembly of mixer I belive if push come to shove and really off grid no power remove belt guard could adapt to manual power by adding Handel to pulley just a thought

[@9252LIFE]

Heck yes or attach one of our junk bikes to it and peddle power that bad boy! 😂

[@Led_Dis_Spencer]

I have owned 3 of them myself and resale for close to what I paid for them. I buy a new one with every project because of the motors. I want a new motor for every pour. Keep them clean, maybe install better off road tires.

[@9252LIFE]

Yeah some tires with air would be nice. But then like everything you’d probably have a flat all the time. 😆

[@tWoforgamenot1]

cool. !

[@NoneyaTexasontheback20]

😁. 3 tons 👍

[@9252LIFE]

3 Ton!

[@tmacmi9095]

Nice review! Yes Harbor Freight does have some decent quality stuff, but stay away from their pneumatic nail guns, I bought one for work many years ago and after a using it for a while it shot a nail across the room without the trigger being touched😫. I now unplug the air line when not being used even for a few minutes, even though I got a decent brand now. ☝️

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you! Oh man that could’ve been bad!

[@bigdanlopez1378]

Just a thought. Maybe damn the creek up a bit and put in some kind of alternator. You can get free energy to charge your batteries. Any little bit helps. :)

[@9252LIFE]

We’ve thought of doing something like that one day.

[@Alx2672]

I watched you hump 80# bags all day, made my back hurt just watching. Great job. Must be all amazing food I see your wife bringing you that's powering all that work. Is that chicken your chickens, if so can you do a video on "from feed to table" and all the work evolved?

[@9252LIFE]

Our chickens are our egg layers. We haven’t got to the meat bird part yet. But will definitely do a video of it when we do.

[@Alx2672]

@@9252LIFE that's great I can't wait to see you guys 100% free (you're already 100% more free than I am, lol). Gonna have to build a butchering shed.... Teach the girls to hunt to compliment the future chickens.

[@pelleparafin8647]

Ty

[@patrickjobling8676]

I gots me a lil 23 ltr ceeement mixer..iuseit to separate clay from gold..😁pip pips and carryon pilgrims

[@9252LIFE]

Nice!

[@Michael777Simmons]

Awesome thanks

[@mathization]

3.5 cubic feet is about a cube with dimensions of 1.5 ft in each side.

[@pdufusc]

At Ole gural ain't no slacker.... and that gear wrench, you can't beat it. I worked aircraft maintenance for years, and I had rather use it than a ratchet any day.

[@9252LIFE]

Yes those Gear Wrenches are awesome

[@davidleatherneck]

late post but, I noticed the black/yellow arrows on the mixer were not lined up. Would the mixer worked better if they were aligned when the arms were installed as directed? Just wondering. Thanks

[@9252LIFE]

Not sure

[@georgebetz5929]

You reverse the blades with the narrow end toward the opening. Do you still find this to be the best way? Other videos I've watched have it the way you first had it with narrow end of the blades towards the bottom of the tub.

[@9252LIFE]

It would not mix at all the other way

[@Rejoice1631]

Yea.. Uh Huh... AMAZING(ly messy caulking).!.!.! Hehehehehe

[@briancupchurch]

That might work making Cob house

[@robertd6925]

Have you used it more? How has it held up?

[@9252LIFE]

We poured that whole pallet of concrete through it and it is still holding up strong. For the money I’d definitely still recommend it

[@fauxque5057]

HF cement mixers are a bargain. Only 3 problems I have are the belt is cheap and broke pretty fast mixing two 80lb bags at once. Also the starting capacitor smoked after about a year. Bought a pair on ebay cheap and fixed it. My biggest complaint is the cheap Chinese steel. It rusts under the paint. Paint bubbles, and flakes off. Not a concern on the outside but it sucks to have orange paint chips in your concrete. I tried running it with a bag of rocks in it for awhile and it helped, but there's still paint around the paddles and edges of the drum. Next I figured I would paint it to seal the chips. Off to TSC and bought some tractor paint, and hardener. Mixed it up poured it in and ran the mixer to coat it and then slapped some paint on places with a brush. Let it cure for a few weeks and then when I used it I got Orange paint flakes and new gray paint flakes. Moral of the story is don't try painting it. Now when I use it I trowel the paint chips down into the concrete.

[@Quacks0]

2:09 Hey, c'mon, Doggie --- you should know better than to mess with a GOAT --- they make the best BUTTER in America! :P

[@Rejoice1631]

I saw a few boobles, in thee concreet... Probably need to vibrate that a bit more, the next time that you mix er up, good sir... =)

[@9252LIFE]

Yes I needed to vibrate it for sure next time

[@garagekeys]

Something attractive about a woman that knows how to handle the pipe without instructions

[@tommcl8548]

👍👊

[@donfrank4429]

where do you buy on line the micro fiber rebar

[@9252LIFE]

I believe it was Helix.com?

[@williemaykit7940]

Did you silicone both sides of the rubber seal? I’m finishing putting mine together tomorrow.

[@9252LIFE]

Yes

[@williemaykit7940]

@@9252LIFE thank you!

[@coyoteprophet9734]

👍🏾

[@HomesteadingNorthernMichigan]

Don't Forget About Chads Live At 8Pm Eastern... See you there my friends

[@9252LIFE]

Yes! 😆

[@howie4150]

The CEO of IKEA was elected Prime Minister in Sweden. He should have his cabinet together by the end of the weekend.

[@sandboundchris]

First mistake. She read the directions. Good job though👍

[@9252LIFE]

Lol no kidding! 😂

[@kcretired1032]

When you realize that the mixer wasn't mixing, you said all I needed to do was flip it over. Were you referring to the Drum or the Paddles? And I noticed the Drum appears to be turning in the opposite direction? My first runs the mix was sticking to the drum when I tried to mix it at about a 45 degree angle, when I turned the drum steeper at 60 degrees from the top, the mix would drop to the bottom of the drum as it reached the top and seemed to to mix faster? But maybe I started backwards like you did in the beginning. I see looks like the paddles, thank you mine are backwards, why it wasn't mixing and sticking to the drum. I have a pour tomorrow, thanks. It was the SLOW motion that made the drum appear going backwards, sorry!

[@9252LIFE]

It mixes great after flipping the paddles around the correct way. And the more parallel to the ground you can have the drum while mixing the better. But depending on how much cement you have in the drum you’ll only be able to tilt it down as far as the cement will allow you before it wants to dump out. Hope it all goes well. Take care!

[@kcretired1032]

@@9252LIFE Sweet, the Magic Mixer. Last fall I made two batches of twelve 50lb bags of crack free and the Mix would STICK to the bottom of the drum. I remember going back to Harbor freight and telling the manager they had their paddles in wrong, boy was I wrong. This morning the first thing I did was flip those paddles around, big end down. After that I went to Home Depot and got 12 bags of 60lb Quikcrete. Lucky home depot had the 60lb bags where I could back my pickup truck to it to load them. I have my HFT Mixer in my back yard where I am landscaping 12" pavers charcoal and red in checkerboard pattern around the house: with a 8" x 6" deep concrete curb holding the pavers in place, 64 feet and about 42 quikcrete 60lb bags. I have a steel rod 15/16" by 4 feet in my axle on the mixer and I set the rod on a pair of Jackstands about 16" high and the single leg on stack concrete blocks. I can back my pickup truck to the drum and load the bags from my pickup truck without lifting the bags more than waist high. So with the drum straight up I slice the bag right in the middle, lift the bag onto the edge of the drum, then tilt the with cut into the drum, with a mask ON. So I mixed two 60 lb bags today and this machine poured like a cement truck. You are right almost parallel is better. I flip the drum over after loading the cement from truck bed with wheel barrow under the drum. As the cement mixed and got wetter, it literally would pour out of the drum on its own, then as you dumped it would pour out like a cement truck. So after pouring 12 bags, went and got another 12 bags and poured them, 18 to go, tomorrow. There is a fellow on utube that poured (832) 60lb bags with this machine to build his garage. Ouch, I'm 66 and down to 145lbs, from 170 and 832 bags? Thanks to your family for great Video.

[@9252LIFE]

@@kcretired1032 good to hear! Thank you

[@shadetreewelding]

Our goat and pyrenees play like idiots all day long. I have the smaller version of that mixer I use for tumbling my brass. Works great.

[@doolin-yu7cl]

guys, I think you forgot ads on this one!

[@9252LIFE]

Should’ve been ads?

[@zeegrey1460]

I just watched your well project if your still working on your well check out apple drain on water jetting your well with a pressure washer on KZbin Hope this help

[@olberarosa2346]

Chad GREAT VIDEO YOUR WIFE is bad WITH tools lol we WOMEN know how to use tools lol

[@9252LIFE]

Thank you Rose. She is awesome!

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

Generally, if something has a gasket and it doesn't say to use gasket sealant, don't.

[@williamwerner9150]

I think you fokes did a great job , buy hand... maybe you should of had a step up to get the bags in easier 🤔.... but then I'm tall what do I know🤣🤣🤣🤣🤪🤪🤪

[@9252LIFE]

I thought about a step. 😆

[@davidwatsonii9469]

OK, SO HOW DID YOU GET YOUR SAMMICH MAKER TO ASSEMBLE THAT, JUST KIDDIN, WE KNOW THE LADIES DO MOST OF THE WORK

[@HomesteadingNorthernMichigan]

Around off grid Chad they are

[@9252LIFE]

They are awesome!

[@uoobwatcher]

I just bought this mixer from harbor freight. The instructions suck. Missing hardware. Had to "wing it" to finish it.

[@lunchlady2023]

No sealant needed. The rubber ring was hanging off of handle.

[@pf5658]

Ok, so your wife and kids just put a bunch of guys to shame. Except for the one small thing they installed wrong it seems very straightforward to me. All the reviews and comments I’ve read about this thing being so difficult to assemble and how the instructions are very difficult to understand is a bit ridiculous.

[@tWoforgamenot1]

:)