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soil block mixer

 
Shayok Mukhopadhyay
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Location: Broome County, NY, Zone 5b
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posted 3 years ago
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I make about 30-40 gallons of soil block mix a year (probably in 3 sessions). It's getting a little tiring hand mixing. The options I see in the $100 range are handheld electric  concrete mixers that you stick into a bucket; and hand-operated tumbling plastic compost bins. My concern with the compost bins are durability  (container is made of plastic) and material falling out of airing holes.

Looking for opinions, options, suggestions. Thank you!
 
Anne Miller
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If I were mixing potting soil on a regular basis I might get something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/F2C-Chamber-Composting-Tumbler-Rotating/dp/B08FD3MB66/ref=psdc_3238155011_t2_B009378AG2

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Barbara Kochan
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Have you considered a 5 gallon helix paint mixer. Not sure of the texture of the dirt you're mixing, nor if you'd want to do smaller batches. THAT SAID, seems like this agitation of the "soil block mix" would make it a dirt mix, like tilling soil: kills the good itty bitties (bacteria and fungus) in your garden.
 
Shayok Mukhopadhyay
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Location: Broome County, NY, Zone 5b
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Barbara Kochan wrote:Have you considered a 5 gallon helix paint mixer. Not sure of the texture of the dirt you're mixing, nor if you'd want to do smaller batches. THAT SAID, seems like this agitation of the "soil block mix" would make it a dirt mix, like tilling soil: kills the good itty bitties (bacteria and fungus) in your garden.



A paint mixer would only work for liquids, right? Good point about mixing too vigorously, breaking up the perlite, etc as a handheld concrete/mortar mixer might do.
 
William Bronson
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I use a a 10 gallon trash can, a 1/2" drill and a bulb auger to mix my container soil.
The auger mixes things very well without bogging down.
Putting it in a 10 gallon can keeps my 5 gallon batches from over flowing.

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Barbara Kochan
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Paint mixer can work with lighter/more flexible solids if your drill is strong enough (don't use cordless), as good paint is VERY thick/heavy.
 
Anne Miller
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Similar to William, my suggestion above could use a trash can with a lid or a 5-gallon bucket with a lid.

Just add ingredients and roll the can or the bucket.

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

 
Matt McSpadden
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How about a neighborhood teenager?

I do think the mixers on the end of the drill will not work very well unless your mix is very wet... in which case it is probably too wet for soil blocks. I think a tumble mixer of some sort would give a better result. I wonder if a rental company would sell an older cement mixed. The kind that is on a stand and tumble mixes and can be poured out. I have no idea what those would cost though.

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Shayok Mukhopadhyay
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Anne Miller wrote:Just add ingredients and roll the can or the bucket.


That is brilliant! I just need to figure a way to keep the lid locked.

I share the concern that an auger will only work with a mix that is too wet for soil blocks.
 
Douglas Alpenstock
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Anne Miller wrote:Just add ingredients and roll the can or the bucket.


Yes, this. Keep it simple.
 
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We agreed to buy a cement mixer as the machine is just tailor made for any kind of soil mix.

It is made for mixing concrete and cement which is way more abrasive and also more heavy than "potting" soils (thinking of wear and tear).
It will even be a nice return of investment if you have some extra premium soil for sale on hand.
Bags and a sewing machine for bags are also in an affordable range to start a small business.

In modern times the only right way forward is to come back to nature.

 
Anne Miller
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Shayok Mukhopadhyay wrote:

Anne Miller wrote:Just add ingredients and roll the can or the bucket.


That is brilliant! I just need to figure a way to keep the lid locked.



The 5-gallon Homer buckets have really tight-fitting lids if they a put on properly.  I sometimes have problems getting them open.

For everyone that might not know Homer buckets are from one of the big box stores that starts with H.D. and the buckets are orange.

I don't know about the free or cheap white bakery buckets as I never found them.

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John C Daley
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How are you making the blocks, because the mixing process varies for the type of process used.
If its a moist brew for use in a press, a concrete mixer, if its sloppy for adobe style a paddle mixer.

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