Cleaning paddle mixers...the easy way!

[Perfect Tiling]

Hi all..hope everyones keeping busy. Just thought I would drop a good tip onto the site. My appologies to all that already do this. Couple of weeks ago I saw a tiler trying to clean his paddle with a sponge after mixing his mornings addy. First thought was that its a slow way to do it and my second was that he still had the power on and was close to losing a finger or two. The tip...carry a bag of small gravel and an old bucket. When on site half fill the bucket with the gravel and fill with water. When youv'e mixed the addy just put the paddle in the bucket on forward and reverse until its clean. The gravel will last the job and can be washed to reuse. No fiddly cleaning and you keep your fingers.

[andy allen]

good tip........i usually bash the hell out of it when its dry...

[Perfect Tiling]

Aye Andy...so did I...then one day I hit my thumb!! I use this method all the time now...had the same paddle for ages. If the customer has gravel around their house its even better...just scrape a hole and bury the used gravel when job done.

[user123]

That's really pretty clever it's not that I need my big paddle mixer that often but because that principle can be applied to other cement adhesive tools, too, nice one

[hillhead]

I always use a hard bristled brush and one of them tall plasterers buckets.Good idea with the gravel though.

[Stewart]

Good tip, I use a hammer and takes two minutes.........


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- Sent From iPhone...

[Rob Z]

A bucket of sand is good, and spinning it in water gets most of it.

I read a thing on one of the construction forums years ago about a guy that lost his thumb because he was trying to clean the paddle while the drill was still plugged in. He was supporting the drill with his other hand while sponging the mess of the paddle. He unconsciously triggered the drill and it ripped his thumb off.

My procedure since then has been for all employees to unplug the drill when cleaning the paddle or tightening/loosening the chuck.

[impish]

I throw in a few cheap scourer sponges from the supermarket, the type you wash up with.
They whizz round and through the blades and do a good job. Last a while too.

[foggy34]

top tips thanks

[whitebeam]

Course sharp sand is good as well, can't stand minging paddles..

[judge]

A guy i used to work with years ago ripped one side of his ginger mop of heavy metal hair out whilst cleaning the paddle.He didnt feel anything at first ...then little dots of blood appeared on his bald head ....then the stinging kicked in.....!!!

[whitebeam]

It's standard H&E to disconnet any power tool before cleaning..

[Gall.B]

Toffee hammer or sand for me, sand is good for cleaning trowels too.

Have seen guys giving there trowels a GRINDER bath!

[macten]

Hammer - find it satisfying too!

[whitebeam]

Knocking the hell out of a paddle it then it has vibration which in turn rattles the life out of bearings in the mixing tool..

[doug boardley]

this is what I use to give mine a quick wash in between mixes

[Sir Ramic]

Knocking the hell out of a paddle it then it has vibration which in turn rattles the life out of bearings in the mixing tool..

Never had a mixer with bearing problems and I always tap the adhesive off when dry.

[Stewart]

Never had a mixer with bearing problems and I always tap the adhesive off when dry.

Same here... Had my Dewalt mixer for six years and still works as well now as it did the day I bought it.


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- Sent from iPhone.....

[Gall.B]

I take the whisk of before I tap it with my pin hammer, rinse between mixes.

[Brindle]

Word of warning....this happened to me once, over months/years of wear on large Rubi paddle the bottom 'ring' wore through during mixing. It spun out and opened into a massive sharp spike, ripped through the bucket and through side of my boot!! Luckily missed my foot.
I never steady any bucket with my feet anymore!

[whitebeam]

But surley if it's worn that bad and being used then it needs to be replaced..

[Brindle]

agreed, but it was well cleaned etc, had just worn thin near the bottom, something to look out for

[Dante Tiling]

Labourer and hammer = job done