Fax: 01444 414813
Email: info@airstream.co.uk
by Peter Brett - March 2006
For more information call Christine
01444 440188
01444 440188
From IMER International
– Competent Competition
in the Portable Mixer Market
The IMER arrived via courier who had the sense to check with me that he was able to leave it at the house despite my not being there. The box is large and weighs 46 kilos. I doubt whether this will be a factor affecting the target market, because the box will fit nicely into the back of the average white van!
Fitting the machine together is simplicity itself. All the bolt holes line up, the diagrams in the instructions are clear (although occasionally a bit Italian accented) and the spanners provided to do up the bolts are real drop forged ones that actually fit the bolts. The hardest task for me was inflating the pneumatic tires because my battery powered inflator needed a bit of extra help from a footpump. As befits a machine that is to be used on a building site and therefore is likely to get a hard life, it is a strongly built and yet also a simply made machine. If it goes wrong even the mechanically illiterate shouldn't have too much trouble finding out what the problem is. I was sent the 115 volt electrically powered version to try out for this review (this is also available in 240 volt). This necessitated buying a 115 volt continuously rated transformer, so if you don't have one, it should be factored into the costs. They are not outrageously priced and should be used on-site anyway, so it may be a good opportunity to join the 21st Century Health and Safety
Regulations.
There is also a petrol powered version as an option, and how I wished I had that option 30 years ago.
I was a little nonplussed to receive a plastic mixing drum as well as the steel one. It took a bit of thought and conversation to discover that this is an option given to customers of the ROLLBETA. The plastic drum has many advantages. Although only marginally lighter than the steel drum, it is easier to clean because concrete and mortar tend to stick less well to it. It is also rust free, although the mixer paddles will rust as they are made of steel. But the biggest advantage for end users appears to be that you can hit it with a lump hammer to clean off those stubborn lumps of concrete and mortar left in it. At a recent trade show end users were asked to try out for themselves the differences between the plastic drum and the metal one. The metal drum was left seriously out of shape while the plastic drum was able to absorb the punishment from the lump hammer. If only all problems were that easily solved.
Fortunately for me I was able to get the ROLLBETA near the work site, near an electrical point and near the raw materials. Although it is a portable machine and wheels around on the flat quite easily, I wouldn't
like to hoik it around too much. At around 46Kgs in weight it is probably better handled safely by two people. I cheated a bit by buying in ready mixed aggregate, so all I had to do was add cement and water to the rotating drum and stand back till it was adequately mixed. When the mix was ready I tipped it onto a flat piece of waste ply and slid it to the work site a few yards away. Not much else to say really. A simple job done well is always satisfying and it sure as heck is easier on the back! Timesaving it most certainly is. In retrospect I would have had an even easier time if I had been able to use the optional trestle. Once the machine is mounted on this it is possible to put a wheelbarrow under the drum and pour the mix out and wheel it away. If I were using the ROLLBETA every day I would certainly invest in one. Working on my own I was able to mix enough concrete to keep me busy all the time with very little downtime other than tea breaks. (The weather has been cold down here - I needed frequent warming up.)
Up until fairly recently consumers have not had that much choice of quality machines in this sector of the market. I am in favour of fair competition in markets because consumers generally benefit, and innovation is promoted. The IMER ROLLBETA has added to the range of machines available and I am sure that its docile handling and prodigious work habits will gain it many friends.
Independent Review by Peter Brett
Airstream Communications