Mixing mortar, etc with regular drill

[Günter VögelBerg]

This is not exactly woodworking, so please forgive me. I am getting ready to mix up lots of mortar. I have a 12 amp corded dewalt drill. Will it damage the drill if I use it to mix the mortar? Should I buy a dedicated mixing drill?

[ryan feasel]

Definitely buy a dedicated mixing drill.

[Frank Pratt]

I have no idea what model drill that is, but when I bought my Dewalt tile saw, they threw in a corded Dewalt drill (DW130, I think) for mixing the mortar. It is fairly low speed, has lots of power & can mix mud all day long. That's the only thing I've used it for though.

If your drill is 12A & has a low gear speed below about 600 RPM, it should be fine for mixing mud.

[Tom M King]

We use 1/2" spade handle drills all the time to mix small batches of mortar, plaster, and thinset. They easily handle a bag of mortar, or thinset, and 10 gallons of plaster in a 16 gallon tub. One is a Rockwell that I bought new in 1974, and the other is an old, made in USA milwaukee. Both are still going strong, and we just used the Milwaukee day before yesterday. I don't remember the amperages, but 12 should be plenty strong enough

[Derek Meyer]

I used my corded Dewalt 1/2" drill to mix a lot of mortar when laying tile for my basement floor, which was about 800 square feet. It did fine and still runs great to this day, though I rarely use it as I now prefer my cordless tools for most tasks.

I've mixed mortar with my Dewalt 20V 1/2 drill and had no problems with that, either. I don't know if I would mix all day with it, but it works fine for small batches.

[scott vroom]

This is not exactly woodworking, so please forgive me. I am getting ready to mix up lots of mortar. I have a 12 amp corded dewalt drill. Will it damage the drill if I use it to mix the mortar? Should I buy a dedicated mixing drill?

When I mix up "lots of mortar" it's in a 5 gal bucket at least half filled with mortar. I use a 1/2", 500-RPM Milwaukee corded drill. No way a 12 amp cordless is up to that task. To get appropriate answers to your question, you should define the size of your mortar batches.

[Ken Combs]

Most mortar vendors specify a slower speed to minimize the amount of air entrained in the mix. I think the last bag of thin set I read, said 300rpm or less. Like most, I've use 5-600rpm drill to do that. But, my hole hawg is better for a couple of reasons: slower at 150 and the 90deg head minimizes the torque I have to resist. An inline drill can really wind your wrist!

[George Yetka]

If your only doing a small batch(10lbs or so) I have used an 18v cordless on many occasions on low speed. Havent had any issues with the drill. If your mixing 10 bags then just rent a mixer

[Tom M King]

I was curious to see what kind of corded, 12amp drill that Dewalt sells, and this is the closest I could find:
https://www.dewalt.com/products/power-tools/drills/angle-drills-and-specialty-drills/12-13mm-stud--joist-drill/dw124

A right angle drill works okay for mixing mortar, but I like the spade handled ones better that have the spade handle opposite the handle with the trigger on it.

[Tom Bender]

I might use my drill press. It will go all day at a suitable speed and save my arms too.

[Frank Pratt]

When I mix up "lots of mortar" it's in a 5 gal bucket at least half filled with mortar. I use a 1/2", 500-RPM Milwaukee corded drill. No way a 12 amp cordless is up to that task. To get appropriate answers to your question, you should define the size of your mortar batches.

It's a 12A corded drill he has, which will be plenty as long as it has a low gear.

[Mike Cutler]

I last used my Milwaukee Right Angle Drill to mix mortar and thinset. I used one of those long, spiral "stirrers" available at Home Depot. It seemed to work. I'm no expert though
I don't think I've ever tried a battery powered drill to mix mortar

[Günter VögelBerg]

Thank you, gentlemen. I have ordered a Milwaukee "Hole Hawg". How many drills do I have now? No idea.

[George Yetka]

Thats a good one you are sure to enjoy it. Id pick up a few self feed bits. When I first got my hawg i quickly broke all my spade bits and a few other types. The self feed bits seem to hold up well.

[Frank Pratt]

The Hole Hawg is a beast. I've seen them last 20 years, drilling out houses for electrical wiring every day. Chances are, you will never wear it out.

[Günter VögelBerg]

Yeah, I kind of wish I had it when I re-plumbed and re-wired the ceiling above my basement shop. Those 100+ year old floor joists are HARD.

[Art Mann]

I have used my 3/8 inch corded Dewalt drill and a spiral stir rod to mix many, many sacks of thinset for floor tile. I mix a little less than half a 5 gallon bucket at a time because the thinset gets too firm to work over time if you mix much more than that working alone. The drill body doesn't even get hot. I just don't understand having to buy a monster drill unless you are trying to mix mortar for laying brick.

[Tom M King]

We were grouting tile on a porch floor today, so I snapped a picture to put in this thread. Picture is Big Mike mixing 20lb. of tile grout in a five gallon bucket. He likes the Milwaukee 1/2" spade handle drill, because of the two I have, it's the only one with variable speed.

We did a large room with 12x24 tile a while back, and he mixed a whole pallet of thinset mortar with this same setup. Like Art said, we don't want enough mixed at the time to be worth using a mixer, like we do if laying brick, or stone.

If you're mixing inside, don't do it without buying a Whale Tale vaccuum attachment first, as in the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeIVvEYW1ec

[scott lipscomb]

My company builds landscapes. My guys mixed a lot of mortar, concrete, thinnest, etc with a Milwaukee 3002-1. I was amazed at how much, especially since a lot of our concrete mixes are very dry. I made the mistake of professing how amazingly durable the drill was and it died shortly thereafter. Its sitting around, and I do wonder whether it will come back to life with a new set of brushes.

[Günter VögelBerg]

I was curious to see what kind of corded, 12amp drill that Dewalt sells, and this is the closest I could find:
https://www.dewalt.com/products/power-tools/drills/angle-drills-and-specialty-drills/12-13mm-stud--joist-drill/dw124

A right angle drill works okay for mixing mortar, but I like the spade handled ones better that have the spade handle opposite the handle with the trigger on it.


I was mistaken. It is 10 amp.

https://www.dewalt.com/products/power-tools/drills/drills-and-hammer-drills/12-vsr-pistol-grip-hammerdrill/dwd520

[Tom M King]

What type of mortar will you be mixing? What's it for? How much do you have to mix?

[Tom M King]

My company builds landscapes. My guys mixed a lot of mortar, concrete, thinnest, etc with a Milwaukee 3002-1. I was amazed at how much, especially since a lot of our concrete mixes are very dry. I made the mistake of professing how amazingly durable the drill was and it died shortly thereafter. Its sitting around, and I do wonder whether it will come back to life with a new set of brushes.

Dust in the switch would be my first check.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I use an old Firestorm 1/2" hammer drill to mix thin set, drywall mud, concrete, mortar...pretty much everything powder that you add water to.
I hate that drill - as far as a drill or hammer drill goes - because no matter how much I "gorilla arm" the keyless chuck, it slips.

The stupid thing is a lot like the crummy Harbor Freight stuff you buy because you have a single use for it, but, it turns zombie & refuses to die - so you do everything you can to kill it off......then when it finally does die,,,you feel bad about it an lament it's passing ;).

[Dave Sabo]

For me, a purpose built mixer is the best tool for the job. A good bang for the buck is this:

https://www.contractorsdirect.com/rubimix-9n-chuck-mixing-drill?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIv7fJre3K4gIVEo7ICh2EngIOEA QYASABEgJcWvD_BwE

This type mixer can be had for half the rubi price from the usual online suspects- but QC might be ???




Don't scoff at battery powered tools for this task :

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Power-Tools/Specialty-Tools/Mixers/2810-20

even if it only does half what they say - it's plenty for a days work on all but the largest commercial jobs.

Not as elegant, but if you prefer yellow :

https://www.dewalt.com/products/power-tools/drills/angle-drills-and-specialty-drills/60v-max-mixerdrill-with-eclutch-system-kit/dcd130t1


The MOST important thing is to use the spiral type attachment with whatever you drive it with.







(https://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-2810-20-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless/dp/B076FJTV5W?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_13)

[Andrew Seemann]

Thank you, gentlemen. I have ordered a Milwaukee "Hole Hawg". How many drills do I have now? No idea.

I picked up an old beat up one of those about 20 years ago. Amazing tool. It has an unbelievable amount of torque; it is basically a hand held 1HP drill press, so treat it accordingly. Never use it in a manner where if it grabbed and spun it could injure you. It has 3/4 pipe thread holes to attach the handle. More than a few times I have put a 5' piece of pipe on to brace it against the ground for drilling through rim joists. Definitely an awesome tool; the I'm-done-messing-around tool. Wood just yields to it out of fear.

How many drills have I? That is kind of like asking how many planes or chisels or clamps I have. Pretty much a question I would be happier not knowing the answer to:)

[Bob Cooper]

I bought a slow turn big drill from HF just for this task.