Masonry Magazine March 2010 Page. 32
MIXERS
BY DAMIAN LANG
# Quality Matters
Mixers are no longer disposable as mason contractors demand more from manufacturers.
YOU HAVE HEARD OF DISPOSABLE CUPS, FORKS, PLATES, DIAPERS AND EVEN RAZORS. But, contractors can't afford to throw away mortar mixers every time they finish a job, nor can they afford the breakdowns or repairs that come with the purchase of a low-quality mixer.
Most contractors realize it is more costly to repair a mortar mixer than it is to pay a little more for a well-built mixer at the time of the purchase. You have heard the saying, "Pay me now, or pay me later."
It works that way with equipment, too. Consider the cost of an equipment breakdown or the expense of transporting a mixer to a mechanic for repair. Simple math tells us the money saved upon purchase is much less than the long-term expense of owning a low-quality piece of equipment. Because of this, during the last few years, contractors have changed the way they purchase equipment.
Buying decisions now are based less on how low the price is, and more on what the mixer will do for the crew, how long it'll last, and what the cost of repairs will be during the life of the mixer. For this reason, manufacturers have been forced to improve the way they build mixers. It is much like what Honda has done with the motors that go on your equipment. If contractors see value in the product they are using, they notice and pay for that value. This change in thinking is harder on the parts business for manufacturers, but easier on the mason contractor who needs a dependable mixer to maximize profit.
Just what does it cost if a breakdown occurs?
IF A CONTRACTOR HAS five bricklayers on the job and his mixer breaks down, the cost to repair the mixer is a fraction of what it costs to have those bricklayers standing around waiting on mortar. In fact, nothing happens on most projects until