For landscape or construction contractors who brew cement on a frequent basis, a cement bowl attachment for your compact utility loader can be a solid investment. A cement bowl attachment allows contractors to easily haul, mix and pour large amounts of dry cement on a jobsite.

A cement bowl usually works in conjunction with an auger power head. An auger flighting inside the bowl contains the material during mixing; when rotation is reversed, the auger design allows cement to be poured in fence post holes, deck footings or other receptacles -- without the need to tip the bowl forward. The cement bowl can be used with either a high- or low-torque auger power head, providing greater control in any situation.

By using a CUL and cement bowl attachment, one person can perform in minutes the tasks that would take hours using manual labor. However, a cement bowl may not be right for every contractor. If you’re mixing and pouring large amounts of cement on a daily basis -- as one of your only jobs -- a dedicated cement mixer may be more appropriate for your business.

If you mix cement along with many other tasks, a cement bowl attachment will be beneficial for your business because it will be used regularly enough to earn a return on investment and profits in the future. Cement bowl attachments are powered by an auger power head that typically requires 8 to 14 gpm of hydraulic flow to operate.

When using a cement bowl attachment, consider these tips: 1) do not exceed the maximum capacity of the cement bowl; 2) slow down the bowl’s revolutions when pouring the cement to avoid spills and unnecessary jobsite mess; and 3) clean the bowl while the cement is still wet to make end-of-day cleanup quick and easy. Cement bowl attachments usually cost from $600 to $900, depending on the manufacturer. Just remember the auger power head will need to be purchased separately.

- By Greg Lawrence, Toro product marketing manager.