 One of the plastering trade’s staple tools, the Refina Megamixer, is now available with an 1800 watt motor and Professional Builder took it out on a day’s trial with RCP contractors.
“If you’ve got a lot to mix up, and we invariably have, then this mixer from Refina is the thing to have to hand,” remarked Damien Jones. “Anything smaller would just be for guys who are just doing a bit of making good with a bit of finish or bonding. This Refina model has got the power to mix up four bags of finish or bonding at a time, and will deal with pretty much any material that you happen to be using, from browning to sand and cement, to floor screed. I’ve even seen guys mixing up paint with it – although you have to do be doing an awful lot of painting to make that worthwhile. If you’re plastering all day, every day like we are then you need something heavy duty that’s going to cope with being used all day, every day. Some of the smaller mixers of different makes I’ve seen are fine but they’re just not going to cope with that – or with stronger mixes like external render.”
“It’s also pretty durable as well – the last one I had went on for ever and I think the key is this H Frame body. Not only does it make it a lot easier to grip and manoeuvre it also seems to protect it from the everyday knocks and scrapes that any tool is going to get on site no matter how careful you are. Given that you’re going to have a labourer knocking up the muck for you most of the time as well – and they might not be as careful as you are – that’s particularly important.”
The MM30/2 1800 Watt H Handle to give it its full title comes in a 110v and 230v model and weighs in at a more than manageable 7.2kg – which is surprising for the power it generates. The job the two plasterers were working involved bonding and finishing an extension and the high ceiling and awkward shape to the property – it was a former church – made it more than a little cosy to move around in.
“A good feature of this tool is the click lock mechanism for removing the paddles, which makes it a lot easier to set up, and it’s also pretty easy to clean at the end of they day as well – just give it a whirl in a bucket of water and you’re done,” explains Damien, also of RCP Contractors. “Having two different buckets that comes with the unit is also handy in that you can keep one for bonding and one for the multi finish for instance, but the major selling point, and the reason for having it, is always going to be the power. There aren’t many plasterers who are going to be able to use a tool that can’t deal with at least three bags of plaster in one mix and this can do that just fine.”
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