Swapped from 5-gallon buckets to a mortar trough 3 jobs ago

Used to just haul my mortar around in a 5-gallon bucket like everyone else. Kept having to stop and mix every 20 minutes because it would stiffen up too fast on hot days. Picked up a 24x18 mortar trough from a yard sale outside Dallas for $8 and now I can lay brick for almost an hour before needing a fresh batch. Anyone else make the switch and notice a big difference in your pace?

3 comments

3 Comments

wright.leo4d ago

It's wild how a simple change in the container can change your whole rhythm. That's one of those things you don't really think about until you try it, and then you wonder how you ever dealt with the old way. It's a lot like how people stick with some tiny annoying habit for years because they never stop and ask if there's a better option. Most folks just get used to the little frustrations and never step back to see the bigger picture. Tile guys have the same thing with mixing small batches in buckets when a bigger trough saves so much time on big floors.

josephbailey4d ago

Do you think most people just don't know there's a better way, or are they afraid to try it?

johnson.river4d ago

Man, @josephbailey hit the nail on the head. I think it's usually a mix of both - people either don't know there's a better way or they're scared the switch will mess up their flow. But once you make that little change and realize how much smoother things go, you feel dumb for sticking with the old method for so long.