# How to mix salt & ?



## gasjr4wd (Feb 14, 2010)

Dumb question but, when you mix salt and Calcium chloride or anything else like magic salt, ice b gone, etc, how do you mix it?
Seperately first in a bin then dump it in the spreader or what? I'm guessing it should be done fairly evenly... I thought about dumping it in the spreader and just letting it run into a large bin to mix. That would more than double my handling of it- not what I really want to do but if thats what I have to do I guess I will.
(I'm looking to add the 80lb viberator kit from Anglo Supply for my SnoWay 6 cu ft unit)

Edit: Would the 200lb viberator kit be better?


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## P.L. (Dec 15, 2007)

Put one part of the mixture in the spreader and spread over the desired area, than ad the second part of the mixture and go over the same aera again. It's a lot easier to be in the truck driving than handling material all day. Your spreader is only 6 cubic ft so it would not take long to go back over the aera covered by one load of material. That way you'd know exactly how much of each material was applied and probably would result in better consistancy than trying to mix it by hand.


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## G.Landscape (Oct 20, 2011)

200lbs vibrator would probably be overkill. Our 1.5 and 2 yard salt doggs and 200lbs vibrators and it always been enough. I would go with the 80 just based on the size of your spreader.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

How much material are we talking about?


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## gasjr4wd (Feb 14, 2010)

One of my reasons for trying this is folks on this forum say salt flows out the spreader much better when mixed with something else. I'm not overly thrilled with how straight salt flows out this thing. Bag to bag changes soo much.
I'm also trying to get the salt to work colder than it normally does. Some roads take about two bags, some less. I have one or two roads that have a spring that keeps feeding it water in the low spots so the ice gets thick there.
I have two pallets of salt and may have to mix it with something else 2:1 or 3:1 from what I read. A few do 4:1. I want to do a few tests before I buy another pallet of anything but I'm leaning toward Calcium chloride.
OK, forget the 200lb vibrator... going with the 80lb.


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

for side walks i use a couple of buckets mix it and hand throw it, find i get more material where i need it and less where i dont...save on material...i cut the bottom off a 5 qt oil jug, my gloved hand fits in the handle better

when doing covered areas, the curb side needs more than against the building, a spreader runs it everywhere.

for a tailgate using bags, i would layer it, not a perfect mix but should work


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## gasjr4wd (Feb 14, 2010)

I don't do sidewalks. Well, I did just get a small one just as a $10 favor but thats just a real small one or two handfuls size. We haven't had a reason to shovel or salt there yet.
I'm asking about mixing for the roads and drives I do with the tailgate spreader. I figure as a test I would put a bag of each on each side and dump them in at the same time. I even thought about using a drill with a mixing paddle bit just to give it a little mix for my tests.


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

gasjr4wd;1957087 said:


> One of my reasons for trying this is folks on this forum say salt flows out the spreader much better when mixed with something else. I'm not overly thrilled with how straight salt flows out this thing. Bag to bag changes soo much.
> I'm also trying to get the salt to work colder than it normally does. Some roads take about two bags, some less. I have one or two roads that have a spring that keeps feeding it water in the low spots so the ice gets thick there.
> I have two pallets of salt and may have to mix it with something else 2:1 or 3:1 from what I read. A few do 4:1. I want to do a few tests before I buy another pallet of anything but I'm leaning toward Calcium chloride.
> OK, forget the 200lb vibrator... going with the 80lb.


I have a 2500 Western Tail gate spreader on one truck for small lots. It can hold 12 bags of salt . and 5 gal of grit equals to bag of salt.
Temps 20 and up I run mix of 2 bags salt and 1 5 gallon of grit 
Temps 20-5 I'll run same mix but add a bag of Cal. to every 2 bags of salt.
Temp 5 and below I run mix of 1 bag salt and 2 bags Cal. and 5 gal of grit
One thing with my 2500 it has a auger and it runs backwards. Instead pulling down it pulls up and it blends everything.
Auger doesn't seal the hole up It can gravity flow on the sides of the auger.
I think works well never plugs up spreads even.
Switch it to where turns the right way it pulls to much out and doesn't spread evenly and it pop fuses a lot. It plugs up to so I switch back to where runs backwards and all my problems went away.
Doing this way you have to drive little slower.

Now I fill my V box I do the same but I fill it with a skid Bucket of grit bucket of salt then sometime a bucket of Cal. Dump evenly in the box.
I don't have a vibrator on either.


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## gasjr4wd (Feb 14, 2010)

Antlerart06;1957729 said:


> I have a 2500 Western Tail gate spreader on one truck for small lots. It can hold 12 bags of salt . and 5 gal of grit equals to bag of salt.
> Temps 20 and up I run mix of 2 bags salt and 1 5 gallon of grit
> Temps 20-5 I'll run same mix but add a bag of Cal. to every 2 bags of salt.
> Temp 5 and below I run mix of 1 bag salt and 2 bags Cal. and 5 gal of grit
> ...


Thanks for the recipes. 
I was really asking how to physically mix them. Your spreader is much larger than mine, but when and how do you mix everything? Grit... is that All-Purpose sand? Do you dump in half a bag of one thing, then half a bag of another, then go back to the first?
I know I've got to make a mesh top for the spreader soon. I've been thinking about adding some type of auger mounted inside but want to see if just running a mix would fix my flow issues. It does make sense to make the auger run so it pulls up rather than pack it down...
My spreader controller must have a circuit breaker or overload in it because when the spreader gets jammed the controller makes a squeal. It did it a few times the last time I used it when it was empty I think.


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## mpriester (Oct 2, 2011)

I have mixed mine in a cement mixer and than put it in a bucket for walks, mixes nicely this way.


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

mpriester;1957867 said:


> I have mixed mine in a cement mixer and than put it in a bucket for walks, mixes nicely this way.


like the idea, never thought of doing it that way out of the weather....mix it and preload buckets with tops


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

gasjr4wd;1957859 said:


> Thanks for the recipes.
> I was really asking how to physically mix them. Your spreader is much larger than mine, but when and how do you mix everything? Grit... is that All-Purpose sand? Do you dump in half a bag of one thing, then half a bag of another, then go back to the first?
> I know I've got to make a mesh top for the spreader soon. I've been thinking about adding some type of auger mounted inside but want to see if just running a mix would fix my flow issues. It does make sense to make the auger run so it pulls up rather than pack it down...
> My spreader controller must have a circuit breaker or overload in it because when the spreader gets jammed the controller makes a squeal. It did it a few times the last time I used it when it was empty I think.


Sorry dump a bag on the side of salt dump bucket of grit on the other side then switch sides keep doing that till its full
My control has a safety function to but over time it would pop fuse
I will tell this I am going buy another one we use it more then the V box 
Sure might have fill more then a V box but its sure is nice backing up in a lot and able to see.
I was lucky I bought mine at a Bank Auction I paid $125.00 for it last owner hadn't put a full pallet thru it I did have to buy the auger and install it.


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## blazer2plower (Nov 19, 2011)

Gasjr
I have the same spreader as you. I mix everything up in a big tote. And preloaded 5gallon buckets. 
I mix 3bags of rock with halite. 1bag of cc and 2 bags of glacier melt. If the temp's are below 0.
If a above 0 it's 3 bags of rock with halite an 2 bags of glacier melt. 
I do not have a vibrator. But I will have one this year. I have found that this spreads nice. With no clumping or bridging in the spreader. 
On my buckets I use gamma lids that screw on. The rubber O-ring helps keep out the moisture.


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## gasjr4wd (Feb 14, 2010)

Antlerart06;1957948 said:


> I did have to buy the auger and install it.


Where did you get this auger kit?


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

gasjr4wd;1958693 said:


> Where did you get this auger kit?


Western offers it 
Slide down the shaft and I had to drill a hole in the shaft to mount it


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## gasjr4wd (Feb 14, 2010)

blazer2plower;1958663 said:


> Gasjr
> I have the same spreader as you. I mix everything up in a big tote. And preloaded 5gallon buckets.
> I mix 3bags of rock with halite. 1bag of cc and 2 bags of glacier melt. If the temp's are below 0.
> If a above 0 it's 3 bags of rock with halite an 2 bags of glacier melt.
> ...


What type of tote?
What type of rock? Rock salt? I thought halite was another name for rock salt?
Thanks for the recipes also.
If you don't have any issues with your mix, why do you think you need a vibrator?
Have you tried other lids? I thought about trying plastic wrap under the normal lids. I did have to google gamma lids... what buckets are you using? Just standard Home Depot or something? I do see they carry a 5GAMMA6 lid. Is that what you use?
Did you have issues with your spreader with just salt?


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## blazer2plower (Nov 19, 2011)

As for the vibrator I have a customer that wants sand mixed with there salt. And its a PITA without a vibrator. 
I use safestep 3300. Its good to like 5º They have others out there that is cheaper. But I like the way it spreads. And no rock salt is different from Halite. Halite is a mineral found in or around salt. From the info I have gotten and have read. 
As for the totes I got the biggest one's they had from Wal-Mart. 
On the 5gallon buckets I am cheap. I get them from a Bakery that I plow for. I just take it off the bill. I just have to clean them out. The lids i get from EBay.they are screw on with a rubber o-rings. You could use the one's from lows home depot. They just snap on I thank. The buckets you can get cheap for a few dollars. If you want to spend some time cleaning the out. They just have frosting in them, pickles,flower. Easy stuff to clean. 
As having issues with my spreader.NOPE NOT ONE. If the salt is small I need to close the opening up alot. 
I spent some time on a cheat sheet that has . What I am using to how wide the opening needs to be.


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## blazer2plower (Nov 19, 2011)

If you need I can post a pick much later today when i go to my barn. Of my cheat sheet. I also have it marked on my spreader in paint marker. 
I go by the KISS method. 1-5 as well on my spreader.


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## Omega (Dec 22, 2013)

gasjr4wd;1958703 said:


> What type of tote?
> What type of rock? Rock salt? I thought halite was another name for rock salt?
> Thanks for the recipes also.
> If you don't have any issues with your mix, why do you think you need a vibrator?
> ...


With our winter so far i would just mix by the bag and alternate....although my small walks I just throw Lava by hand from a Lowes bucketThumbs UpThumbs Up
Depending on weather tomorrow I might have the whole crew out...finallypayuppayup


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## gasjr4wd (Feb 14, 2010)

blazer2plower;1958708 said:


> As for the vibrator I have a customer that wants sand mixed with there salt. And its a PITA without a vibrator.
> I use safestep 3300. Its good to like 5º They have others out there that is cheaper. But I like the way it spreads. And no rock salt is different from Halite. Halite is a mineral found in or around salt. From the info I have gotten and have read.
> As for the totes I got the biggest one's they had from Wal-Mart.
> On the 5gallon buckets I am cheap. I get them from a Bakery that I plow for. I just take it off the bill. I just have to clean them out. The lids i get from EBay.they are screw on with a rubber o-rings. You could use the one's from lows home depot. They just snap on I thank. The buckets you can get cheap for a few dollars. If you want to spend some time cleaning the out. They just have frosting in them, pickles,flower. Easy stuff to clean.
> ...


Today I tried the salt/sand mix... one salt to 1/2 sand... worked very well for flowing out. Little too well but this latest batch of salt seems smaller than the last batch. As you said, I had to close up the slot. Had the speed on 7 and i emptied a bag in about 300'. We have a few stop signs that are heading downhill... too many people don't even try to stop.
I think you should re-google Halite... everything I read and have been told it's 100% rock salt. Salt works till about 20, after that it slows down then doesn't do anything. Thats the situation I'm at now. It's 11 now.
Also tried some mixed stuff HD had for $9/40lb bag... seemed decent spreading but will see how it melts. A lot of dry dust... tasted like crap. 
Last year - if someone had offered me a swap, my spreader for a pizza I would have done it. I'm thinking about sticking a [email protected] wireless camera inside it to see if it's not flowing or empty or what.


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

gasjr4wd;1959395 said:


> Today I tried the salt/sand mix... one salt to 1/2 sand... worked very well for flowing out. Little too well but this latest batch of salt seems smaller than the last batch. As you said, I had to close up the slot. Had the speed on 7 and i emptied a bag in about 300'. We have a few stop signs that are heading downhill... too many people don't even try to stop.
> I think you should re-google Halite... everything I read and have been told it's 100% rock salt. Salt works till about 20, after that it slows down then doesn't do anything. Thats the situation I'm at now. It's 11 now.
> Also tried some mixed stuff HD had for $9/40lb bag... seemed decent spreading but will see how it melts. A lot of dry dust... tasted like crap.
> Last year - if someone had offered me a swap, my spreader for a pizza I would have done it. I'm thinking about sticking a [email protected] wireless camera inside it to see if it's not flowing or empty or what.


I google your spreader and it showed it has a auger in it unless its a option
Halite is just salt that comes from salt lake deposits. 
I cant see any difference in in Halite brand vs Road rock salt 
Sand sucks I use a grit its about 5x bigger then sand Some might call it chips or chat. 
I had about 30 ton of it pretreated with Cal. used it now just using non treated stuff. I still mix it in the hopper. 
11* here snowing little so the mix will be 1 bag salt I bag of Cal. I bucket of grit .
With grit it doesn't track inside like sand does.

The fastest acting salt I found is solar salt seem like its start working soon as it hits the snow. Salt was hard to find but last year solar was easy to find in bags.


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## gasjr4wd (Feb 14, 2010)

No auger, just 2 or 3 bolts that are supposed to bust up chunks.
Does it matter much where a vibrator is mounted? SW shows on the side. I figure on the back would be better but don't know if I have much room down low. Maybe up higher?


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