Page 2 of 3
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 10:06 pm
by mickg
if you treat them with respect you will get a few years out of a barrow and a cheap plastic bucket, we have had 6 years out of a plastic bucket, not lately as they are not made to the same quality any more
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 11:08 pm
by r896neo
the one good thing about rompox easy was the nice metal buckes/tins it came in.
26 quid for a bucket though as the contents was shite
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 11:11 pm
by Kuts
lutonlagerlout wrote:bitmac+plastic = fail
I dunno there's a gang near me who uses them.
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 11:26 pm
by lutonlagerlout
r896neo wrote:the one good thing about rompox easy was the nice metal buckes/tins it came in.
26 quid for a bucket though as the contents was shite
:laugh:
my mate uses the weatherpoint tubs for his boilies
he keeps asking when are we gonna use some more?
LLL
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:01 am
by Nigel Walker
Maybe I just use and abuse my barrows more than others !
The thing I have had on our last 3 normal barrows are the tyres going quick and then the weld which means that the skip comes away from the frame.
Even if a £50 barrow lasts 3 months - that's 13 weeks of work at 5 days a week = 65 days of punishment for the barrow. That comes in at 76p per day. Not bad value really when you consider that barrows are used every single day for a multitude of tasks.
The buckets that Weatherpoint and Drivesys (cobbletech) resin come in are very useful. At the moment we have around 40 empty clean tubs in our store. But around another 40 or so that we have used for various things. They are great for gauging sand and cement in mortar mix.
I have also given loads away to local farmers for feeding their sheep !
I like to use them if I have SBR in the mix or using SBR neat. Instead of trying to clean them, we just throw away the tubs after
Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 7:22 am
by lemoncurd1702
Nigel Walker wrote:The thing I have had on our last 3 normal barrows are the tyres going quick and then the weld which means that the skip comes away from the frame.
I've noticed that with the tyres also recently 3 in 6 months. I usually keep the wheels from scrapped barrows but had to buy one the other day £13!
If you drill a hole through skip and the tube you can either bolt or rivet it to the frame, use a washer or large head rivet. Keeps em going a bit longer.
Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 8:47 am
by mickg
I agree with the tyre, we had one split half way round on the side wall and the inner tube was bulging out, they are not being manufactured as good as they used to be but the metal top is still going strong on its second year with a quick pit stop to change the wheel,
I will take photos of our barrows and show you how well they still look on year 2, one has been bend slightly out of shape when it was strapped on the back of the trailer and the strap was too tight just means having to walk like a crab to keep it in a straight line 
Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 10:30 pm
by rxbren
my barrows tend to last around 4-6 months either failing at welds or skip body failing
tend to keep the wheels
had the misfortune of buying a black wheelbarrow from local builders merchant the handles were slightly narrower so was awkward to hold but the worst thing was how the body was held together it had a long nut and bolt at the back which never realised till two of us picking it up and emptying onto the back of the tipper the bolt made a nice 50mm groove off the skin of my elbow
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 11:43 pm
by KLS
Had the barrow a little while now and the only thing we haven't done with it is load it with full slabs as I just don't think it would take it being plastic.
Its handled everything well, piles of stuff definitely get moved quicker with less effort, but as I have loaded stuff such as MOT and soil into it now the surface has got a little scratched so the selling point of mortar/concrete not sticking isn't so true any more, it needs a proper good scrub with a hard bristled brush to clean it up now.
On the whole though as long as it lasts a good while i can see it saving money, mainly due to moving material quicker with less effort.
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:43 am
by mickg
but if its not being used to move debris like broken flags/concrete and tarmac then its not being used like you would a conventional barrow ?
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 7:36 am
by lutonlagerlout
it has to be all or nothing
IIRC I bought 2 haemmerlins last may and they are nearly dead now
but they have had everything in them
also we all get that odd small job where there is nowhere to wash out
PITA but they crop up from time to time
this has a negative effect having to bang the barrow out the next day
LLL
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 9:59 pm
by rxbren
the limex 100l i have at the has taken some abuse fairly well although one of the welds is starting to go on the frame the body is still pretty much in shape only couple of edges have rolled down plus is hammered out every now and again due to mixing rapid set cement for fence posts
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:07 pm
by Mikey_C
toolstation were bagging out wheelbarrows at £24.8 inc vat (cat num 15655) but have sold out.
screwfix are bagging out green non hamerlins at £33.99 inc vat (cat num 82115) and still have some left.
can't see how a £100-120 barrow can compete, but I am only a diy'er (this does mean I tend to hit barrows with diggers alot more due to lack of skill/ability when driving them.
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:37 pm
by KLS
mickg wrote:but if its not being used to move debris like broken flags/concrete and tarmac then its not being used like you would a conventional barrow ?
It having all that thrown at it, just not new/whole slabs when we move them on site.
I wouldnt have just the belle wheelbarrows, I still feel metal ones would be better.
Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 8:37 pm
by Injured
I have the bigger haemmerlin 120l wheelbarrows and have had them for over 2 years now, also have several of the wide green haemmerlin 90l ones that are various ages with the oldest being 6 years old, admittedly they have had a bit of welding to keep them going. Its all about treating them with a bit of TLC and keeping them well scrubbed at the end of every shift.