# Tornado Mixer



## keke (Mar 7, 2012)

I know it's been a review about this but couldn't find it anymore...apologies...so can someone give me a review about tornado mixer?


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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

Here is the review for the cyclone mixer that the tornado was developed from. 
http://www.drywalltalk.com/reviews/cyclone-mixing-paddles-hardman-systems-industrial-ne-516

I have the tornado, it is my go to mixer.:thumbsup:


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## VANMAN (Jan 14, 2011)

Best mixer out there!:thumbsup:
But that job that the owner was a total Knob end, It was left after getting washed so not to be seen again!:furious:


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

I don't like it, I tend to just use a 18v cordless for mixing so the tornado mixer is a huge load on the drill, And it vibrates the bucket like you wouldn't believe then when you want to clean it if you try and drill it out in a bucket of water your going to get wet feet and legs, Then I had to take it out of the drill to hand wash it.

Ive tried prob 8 mixers and the first one I ever got was and is the best for me. Easy to get into a stiff bucket of mud, Not a battery killer, Doesn't vibrate the living hell out of a bucket, And just spin it out in a bucket of water and your done.


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

That one


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## keke (Mar 7, 2012)

cazna said:


> That one


that drill won't last for long in my hands


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## keke (Mar 7, 2012)

because I mix a lot of hot mud and I'm sick of how the normal one turns up after a while I decided to get one 

thanks for your help guys


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

keke said:


> that drill won't last for long in my hands


 Why not?? Its my second in ten years??



keke said:


> because I mix a lot of hot mud and I'm sick of how the normal one turns up after a while I decided to get one
> 
> thanks for your help guys


 So do I, Prob not as much as you and that's a very old mixer, Just knock the crust off once and a while, The tornado will be harder to clean.


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## keke (Mar 7, 2012)

cazna said:


> Why not?? Its my second in ten years??
> 
> 
> 
> So do I, Prob not as much as you and that's a very old mixer, Just knock the crust off once and a while, The tornado will be harder to clean.


second in 10 years but don't forget you are 1 man show

harder to clean  

"Features
The durable polypropylene mixing paddle, virtually eliminates bucket gouging due to polypropylene on plastic mixing
Easy flow design reduces the ocurance of lumps
Pivoting paddle acts as a squeegee to pull material off the sides of the bucket while mixing material in an upward motion
*Compound cleans off plastic easier and faster then traditional mixer*
Mixer comes with a 700mm shaft that will fit any standard mixing drill"

tell me more before I order 1


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

Yeah fair enough I am a one man show and also paint.

Lol I read my old review in that link of Gazs, I said easy to clean, What a hypocrite I am, After more use nah it wasn't.

You cant spin those in a bucket or it empty's the bucket over your feet, So you take it out of the drill, swish it about by hand, whack on the rim, Then you need to take to it with a scrubbing brush which theres no easy way to do that with all the holes and edges to it.

Gaz and Van prob don't agree but that's how I found it.

Get one, You may love it, Most people seem to but for me, Yeah nah, More work than old faithful.


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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

I always have a garden hose set up with a trigger nozzle set up on the job. Give the mixer a stomp in a bucket of water, that gets rid of 90% of the mud then a quick squirt with the hose. 
As I said it is my go to mixer, I use it for base, AP, and even cornice cement.:thumbsup:


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

Sometimes I have a hose, and sometimes not, Most often its two buckets full of water next to my trailer under the shelter of the door and often I'm in peoples drives or homes not a new home with gravel everywhere so hosing makes a mess or I'm out in the rain trying to hose off, I guess that's how I come unstuck with this mixer, I need one I can just drill spin out quick in a bucket with no power cords in the way.


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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

Fair comments Caz, I was on such a job today. This is my set up for small jobs, Makita battery drill, easy to clean mixer, and bucket gloves. No need to make a mess at somebody's home, just let it go off and crack it into the bin.


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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

Forgot to load the pic.


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## keke (Mar 7, 2012)

gazman said:


> Forgot to load the pic.


is that bucket glove?


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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

keke said:


> is that bucket glove?


Yes. It comes in handy when you don't have somewhere to wash out buckets.


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

I wondered what bucket glove was? Years ago when I starting my time as a painter there was a taper I met, He use to hit the sides of his buckets and out fell the mud?

Sitting there at smoko he was having a laugh telling his story to my boss about it, There was a builder who did some trowel grunting and seen this guy and his mud falling out of his buckets and asked how does that happen? So the taper (Another trowel grunter) Said oh its special acid I order in from the local hardware store so the builder goes in and starts asking I want some of that acid you put in plastic buckets so the mud wont stick in them, Of course they all wondered what he was on about??

Turns out the taper was just wiping the buckets out with a rag covered in engine oil :blink:


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## Aussiecontractor (Oct 6, 2014)

Haha yeah, Engine oil works I use regular canola oil and spray in bucket also use on window frames so mud doesn't stick to them either 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

keke said:


> I know it's been a review about this but couldn't find it anymore...apologies...so can someone give me a review about tornado mixer?



I use mine every day . It's a tough paddle ! 

Not much count for hot muds tho ...It throws a splash when mixing powders .. But It's my go to paddle for mixing All purpose muds! 

Dee Ann from Advance Tools sent this paddle to me 3? Years ago And I'd be lost without It! I love It! 

It's worth buying KeKe.


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

Have you ever used the Sheetrock paddle Moore?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

I have Fr8. Plusses, it moves a lot of mud, you can stand it up with the drill attached. Minuses, you need a very powerful drill to spin it. It is great if you are mixing multiple buckets at once.


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

gazman said:


> I have Fr8. Plusses, it moves a lot of mud, you can stand it up with the drill attached. Minuses, you need a very powerful drill to spin it. It is great if you are mixing multiple buckets at once.


 I had one of those as well once on a two speed mixer with the side handles, It was a beast of thing, Needed ear plugs to run it, Total pain in the A. Heavy, slow, took up space, hard to clean, My worry was if the rod ever bent it would throw everything out of whack, Sold it in the end before that happened.

That mixer that clamped onto the bucket and did its own thing never really took off did it.


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## D A Drywall (May 4, 2013)

I watched Fr8's mixer review video. So when my supplier (CSR) got the sheet rock mixer in well I had to try it. I love it. Mixes hot mud fast without lumps and mixes buckets of mud quickly without chewing up the sides. Yes it takes a good sized mixer drill to run it. 
I've never seen the tornado mixer available anywhere.

That Trim-Tex mixer looked sweet but was very pricey. I wish Tim would chime in. Let us know if his is still running.


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## rhardman2 (Jul 18, 2016)

*hmmmmmm....*



cazna said:


> I don't like it, I tend to just use a 18v cordless for mixing so the tornado mixer is a huge load on the drill, And it vibrates the bucket like you wouldn't believe then when you want to clean it if you try and drill it out in a bucket of water your going to get wet feet and legs, Then I had to take it out of the drill to hand wash it.
> 
> Ive tried prob 8 mixers and the first one I ever got was and is the best for me. Easy to get into a stiff bucket of mud, Not a battery killer, Doesn't vibrate the living hell out of a bucket, And just spin it out in a bucket of water and your done.


 It's not for everyone...

I happen to know that the inventor introduced his tools and deliberately didn't explain why things worked certain ways so he could see if the industry would understand them (easily). 

The mixing paddle was designed with a forward edge that cuts into the mud pulling the compound into the flow of the oncoming passages which cut the mud again moving it over the face, through the holes, and in an upward direction. In the next half rotation the oncoming blade does it again. This pulls the blade into a downward motion creating a "tornado" effect in the bucket. Computer assisted design was used to determine the most efficient action.

Since the blade is constantly cutting into new mud, it creates an outer rotation (searching out heavier material). You will see that as the material smoothes out the mixing action is less aggressive.

If you have vibration problems a more industrial speed drill (650 rpm) or variable speed would improve the outcome.

It does act different and was made to withhandle severe abuse and to clean easily.



P.S. Don't recommend a battery drill with this mixer as it's designed for moving much more material in a shorter amount of time than anything else on the market.


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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

Sounds like a smart bloke that inventor. 
As I said earlier, my go to mixer.:thumbsup:


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

fr8train said:


> Have you ever used the Sheetrock paddle Moore?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I've almost bought one a few times. I'll have to get one and try it out..


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## Wimpy65 (Dec 17, 2013)

Moore, I have 2 of the Sheetrock mixer & I really like them. The others are correct to say you need a corded drill to mix a 5 gallon bucket of mud. Boy does the Sheetrock mixer really mix! :thumbup:
I also have the small version of the Hardman mixer (from Advance Tools, I think) and don't like it.  Maybe the bigger one is much better, but I'm not going to bother 'cause I found a good mixer.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

When It comes to mixing A/P Mud ... I don't think anything can beat the old bow tie paddle. It's a back Jerker ..But It's fast and brings the heavy to the top.


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## gopherstateguy (Apr 8, 2012)

Only ever used the bowtie. Oh, and the potato masher stomper.


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

Wonder how a small tornado would go? My old faithful is 130mm I would be willing to bet one this size would Prob do.


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