Some things to consider -
Power spray washers come in a wide variety of maximum pressures and gpm. I had just gotten paid when I bought mine so I got the best one I could find, one that makes 4,000psi and uses 4gpm. It would literally rip your skin off if you were careless with it. I don't run it wide open, more like 3/4 throttle. At that setting it shreds paper well but when I hauled it to Judith's the weekend we put up the vigas, I found that it is ineffective with cardboard boxes. Start to finish, a 55 gallon drum of pulp takes 20-25 minutes. Chances are excellent that you will end up splattered and wet. Ear plugs and full face shield are essential. A raincoat or poncho are nice.
Tow mixers make three times as much pulp in the same time. You don't get splattered and wet. A tow mixer will chop just about anything you feed it. Tow mixers are great for driving over molds and dumping to make blocks, if that's what you want to do.
An advantage of spray washer mixing is that you can put the barrel just about anywhere, including on a platform next your forms for convenient dumping without lifting. With a good pump you can pump from a tow mixer to your forms, also without lifting.
If you are not in a hurry, don't have lots of room for towing a (not street legal) mixer, or are not interested in fabricating a tow mixer, then spray mixing is the way to go. If you really want to get it done quickly and have the room, tow mixers have advantages. I'm lucky enough to have both available, the best of both worlds.
spaceman All opinions expressed or implied are subject to change without notice upon receipt of new information.
On 4/12/2010 4:29 PM, alexis.marcil wrote:
aren't you affraid of burning your drill? Since you already have a tow mixer, why are you building another one? I'm asking because I want to upgrade from my 5 gal bucket and drill and was hesitating between spaceman pressure washer and a tow mixer... Alexis
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