Improvised Compactor...
 

I need to compact several small areas of ground/chippings before laying
Indian stone slabs for light foot traffic. In the past I have rented a
plate compactor for this purpose.

For various reasons this is not going logistically easy or cost
effective this time though.

I was thinking of improvising a manual compactor with a big plug (say
30KG) of concrete with a 2x4 set in to it with through handles to lift
drop a few inches each time I pound.

ASCII diag:

||
==||== --- handles
||------ 2x4
||
##||##
#-||-# --- concrete plug, with screws/bolts to secure
######

Has anyone tried something similar? Did it work? Can anyone offer any
advice?

Thanks in advance,

Alex.

"AlexW" wrote in message
...
I need to compact several small areas of ground/chippings before laying
Indian stone slabs for light foot traffic. In the past I have rented a
plate compactor for this purpose.

For various reasons this is not going logistically easy or cost
effective this time though.

I was thinking of improvising a manual compactor with a big plug (say
30KG) of concrete with a 2x4 set in to it with through handles to lift
drop a few inches each time I pound.

ASCII diag:

||
==||== --- handles
||------ 2x4
||
##||##
#-||-# --- concrete plug, with screws/bolts to secure
######

Has anyone tried something similar? Did it work? Can anyone offer any
advice?

Thanks in advance,

Alex.

My next-door neighbour of many years ago used to use something similar. He
acquired a very heavy oak gatepost and drilled a hole through it to take a
piece of iron pipe to make handles. He seemed happy with the results.
Nick.

In article , "AlexW"
says...
I need to compact several small areas of ground/chippings before laying
Indian stone slabs for light foot traffic. In the past I have rented a
plate compactor for this purpose.

For various reasons this is not going logistically easy or cost
effective this time though.

I was thinking of improvising a manual compactor with a big plug (say
30KG) of concrete with a 2x4 set in to it with through handles to lift
drop a few inches each time I pound.

ASCII diag:

||
==||== --- handles
||------ 2x4
||
##||##
#-||-# --- concrete plug, with screws/bolts to secure
######

Has anyone tried something similar? Did it work? Can anyone offer any
advice?

That sounds rather heavy to me - here's one you can buy

http://www.toolstation.com/?r=f&feature=77668

I saw one with a wooden handle in Wickes the other day but didn't
notice the price.

Nick wrote:
"AlexW" wrote in message
...

I need to compact several small areas of ground/chippings before laying
Indian stone slabs for light foot traffic. In the past I have rented a
plate compactor for this purpose.

For various reasons this is not going logistically easy or cost
effective this time though.

I was thinking of improvising a manual compactor with a big plug (say
30KG) of concrete with a 2x4 set in to it with through handles to lift
drop a few inches each time I pound.

ASCII diag:

||
==||== --- handles
||------ 2x4
||
##||##
#-||-# --- concrete plug, with screws/bolts to secure
######

Has anyone tried something similar? Did it work? Can anyone offer any
advice?

Thanks in advance,

Alex.


My next-door neighbour of many years ago used to use something similar. He
acquired a very heavy oak gatepost and drilled a hole through it to take a
piece of iron pipe to make handles. He seemed happy with the results.
Nick.



Cheers for the info.

Alex.

Sounds too heavy, and too much work to lift it.

I use a commercially made compactor (=A31 in an auction). This is a 6"
square cast iron plate attached to a 1 1/2" steel rod. Because it's
relatively light (compared to your concrete dustbin-o-doom) I can jump
it up in the air easily, quickly and repeatedly over and over. With
your heavyweight I'd get a good squish from each blow, but I'd not be
able to use it continually or for anything like so many blows.

Careful de-rusting and polishing of the shaft paid dividends in reduced
blistering.

Rob Morley wrote:
In article , "AlexW"
says...

I need to compact several small areas of ground/chippings before laying
Indian stone slabs for light foot traffic. In the past I have rented a
plate compactor for this purpose.

For various reasons this is not going logistically easy or cost
effective this time though.

I was thinking of improvising a manual compactor with a big plug (say
30KG) of concrete with a 2x4 set in to it with through handles to lift
drop a few inches each time I pound.

ASCII diag:

||
==||== --- handles
||------ 2x4
||
##||##
#-||-# --- concrete plug, with screws/bolts to secure
######

Has anyone tried something similar? Did it work? Can anyone offer any
advice?


That sounds rather heavy to me - here's one you can buy

http://www.toolstation.com/?r=f&feature=77668

I saw one with a wooden handle in Wickes the other day but didn't
notice the price.

Yeah, IIRC these are about £20 from wickes, my concern here is that
these are quite light approx 5 kilos I think ... will this give me
enough compaction?

I am also a bit worried that I might struggle with this type as the head
is about 10cm square and it might push the chippings around the sides
rather than down to a degree, where as with a wider plug this effect
will be lessened?

I know there will be a trade off between the weight and velocity of the
pound due to my physical ability lift and pound the heavier device.

Cheers,

Alex.

In article , "AlexW"
says...
snip
Yeah, IIRC these are about £20 from wickes, my concern here is that
these are quite light approx 5 kilos I think ... will this give me
enough compaction?

I am also a bit worried that I might struggle with this type as the head
is about 10cm square and it might push the chippings around the sides
rather than down to a degree, where as with a wider plug this effect
will be lessened?

Only because you're spreading the force over a greater area, and the
proper tool will be easier to keep straight.

I know there will be a trade off between the weight and velocity of the
pound due to my physical ability lift and pound the heavier device.

Remember kinetic energy is proportional to the square of velocity, so
if you accelerate this downwards with a force of 1g in addition to
the acceleration due to its weight, it will be the equivalent of
dropping 20kg the same distance - and you'll be able to lift it
higher and use it longer than your 30kg lump of concrete.

Rob Morley wrote:
In article , "AlexW"
says...
snip

Yeah, IIRC these are about £20 from wickes, my concern here is that
these are quite light approx 5 kilos I think ... will this give me
enough compaction?

I am also a bit worried that I might struggle with this type as the head
is about 10cm square and it might push the chippings around the sides
rather than down to a degree, where as with a wider plug this effect
will be lessened?


Only because you're spreading the force over a greater area, and the
proper tool will be easier to keep straight.

I have never used one of these but have used sledge hammers up turned
for this sort of thing and the chippings do tend to move (like a dulled
down splash) ... my worry is that on the surface at least a sufficient
compaction will not be achieved. Gut feeling tels me a wider plate would
work better, but requires proportionately more force, hence heavier
weight.



I know there will be a trade off between the weight and velocity of the
pound due to my physical ability lift and pound the heavier device.


Remember kinetic energy is proportional to the square of velocity, so
if you accelerate this downwards with a force of 1g in addition to
the acceleration due to its weight, it will be the equivalent of
dropping 20kg the same distance - and you'll be able to lift it
higher and use it longer than your 30kg lump of concrete.

Yes. Maybe 15kg would be better then? assuming This can be lifted to the
same height then and accelerated sufficiently. I won't need to work it
all day or anything in either case. The areas are relatively small.

Cheers,

Alex.

In article , "AlexW"
says...
snip
I have never used one of these but have used sledge hammers up turned
for this sort of thing and the chippings do tend to move (like a dulled
down splash)

Not very flat on top, sledge hammers ...

Yes. Maybe 15kg would be better then? assuming This can be lifted to the
same height then and accelerated sufficiently. I won't need to work it
all day or anything in either case. The areas are relatively small.

I suggest using the proper tool (or making something very much like
it) - if a lump of concrete was a better tool they'd be selling them
in BMs.

In article . com,
writes:
Sounds too heavy, and too much work to lift it.
I use a commercially made compactor (£1 in an auction). This is a 6"
square cast iron plate attached to a 1 1/2" steel rod. Because it's
relatively light (compared to your concrete dustbin-o-doom) I can jump
it up in the air easily, quickly and repeatedly over and over. With
your heavyweight I'd get a good squish from each blow, but I'd not be
able to use it continually or for anything like so many blows.
Careful de-rusting and polishing of the shaft paid dividends in reduced
blistering.

I used a 12lb fence post hammer to compact the area the size of
a paving slab, to stand a water butt on. It seemed to work OK,
although the angle and position of use to have the hammer face
hit square on the ground would have made it impractical for any
area much bigger than that.

--
Andrew Gabriel

Rob Morley wrote:
In article , "AlexW"
says...
snip

I have never used one of these but have used sledge hammers up turned
for this sort of thing and the chippings do tend to move (like a dulled
down splash)

Even banging with the flat of a spade you get a bit of this.



Not very flat on top, sledge hammers ...

No, agreed, but the wickes things are not very wide though are they? and
20mm chippings can be pretty loose on top.



Yes. Maybe 15kg would be better then? assuming This can be lifted to the
same height then and accelerated sufficiently. I won't need to work it
all day or anything in either case. The areas are relatively small.


I suggest using the proper tool (or making something very much like
it) - if a lump of concrete was a better tool they'd be selling them
in BMs.

Proper tool is a plate compactor and that's not an option for me really.
this time round. My improvised tool won't better one of these.

It might better than the 5kg weight on a pole type though, which
/appears/ to be just for smallish jobs/light work. If the plate was
wider I'd probably just buy one, but I'm not conviced its wide enough
for the chippings I am working with.

Thanks for the input.

Alex.

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article . com,
writes:

Sounds too heavy, and too much work to lift it.
I use a commercially made compactor (£1 in an auction). This is a 6"
square cast iron plate attached to a 1 1/2" steel rod. Because it's
relatively light (compared to your concrete dustbin-o-doom) I can jump
it up in the air easily, quickly and repeatedly over and over. With
your heavyweight I'd get a good squish from each blow, but I'd not be
able to use it continually or for anything like so many blows.
Careful de-rusting and polishing of the shaft paid dividends in reduced
blistering.


I used a 12lb fence post hammer to compact the area the size of
a paving slab, to stand a water butt on. It seemed to work OK,
although the angle and position of use to have the hammer face
hit square on the ground would have made it impractical for any
area much bigger than that.


Thanks for the info.

Alex.

"AlexW" wrote in message
...
I need to compact several small areas of ground/chippings before laying
Indian stone slabs for light foot traffic. In the past I have rented a
plate compactor for this purpose.

For various reasons this is not going logistically easy or cost
effective this time though.

I was thinking of improvising a manual compactor with a big plug (say
30KG) of concrete with a 2x4 set in to it with through handles to lift
drop a few inches each time I pound.

ASCII diag:

||
==||== --- handles
||------ 2x4
||
##||##
#-||-# --- concrete plug, with screws/bolts to secure
######

Has anyone tried something similar? Did it work? Can anyone offer any
advice?

Thanks in advance,

Alex.

================
I used half of an 'acrow' prop. It has a 6" square plate and it's
surprisingly heavy. I used it on quite soft ground and a small square of old
carpet prevented sticking.

Cic.

Cic.

Cicero wrote:
"AlexW" wrote in message
...

I need to compact several small areas of ground/chippings before laying
Indian stone slabs for light foot traffic. In the past I have rented a
plate compactor for this purpose.

For various reasons this is not going logistically easy or cost
effective this time though.

I was thinking of improvising a manual compactor with a big plug (say
30KG) of concrete with a 2x4 set in to it with through handles to lift
drop a few inches each time I pound.

ASCII diag:

||
==||== --- handles
||------ 2x4
||
##||##
#-||-# --- concrete plug, with screws/bolts to secure
######

Has anyone tried something similar? Did it work? Can anyone offer any
advice?

Thanks in advance,

Alex.


================
I used half of an 'acrow' prop. It has a 6" square plate and it's
surprisingly heavy. I used it on quite soft ground and a small square of old
carpet prevented sticking.

Cic.

Cic.



Thanks for the tip. This might be an option. Had not thought of this.

Alex.

AlexW wrote:

I need to compact several small areas of ground/chippings before laying
Indian stone slabs for light foot traffic. In the past I have rented a
plate compactor for this purpose.

For various reasons this is not going logistically easy or cost
effective this time though.

I was thinking of improvising a manual compactor with a big plug (say
30KG) of concrete with a 2x4 set in to it with through handles to lift
drop a few inches each time I pound.

ASCII diag:

||
==||== --- handles
||------ 2x4
||
##||##
#-||-# --- concrete plug, with screws/bolts to secure
######

Has anyone tried something similar? Did it work? Can anyone offer any
advice?

Thanks in advance,

Alex.
I just run the land rover over it a few times..;-)