[Stonehenge]

Despite my efforts to have redundant equipment at the ready in case of a break down (or large jump in staff), I've had 2 compactors (our only two at the time) break down within a day of each other. This resulted in a hasty purchase of a 3rd compactor, along with ordering 2 Honda power plants for the 2 broken ones. The one I just bought is the Wacker 1550. After using it for a day, I liked the speed, but was very impressed with compaction. With that, I thought I'd comment on the compactors we have, and their strengths and weaknesses. I'd love to hear others with experience with several brands to volunteer their observations, too.

Our first compactor - a Stone S-28 - 5hp Briggs. Very heavy, and slow travel, but with that speed it's easy to steer. Rated compressive force is around 3,300#, pretty much the same as the rest. Compaction is good. Though right now, the power plant has been disassembled for repair. Might fix it, might throw in a new Honda.

Second - Bomag - don't recall the model, but has a 5.5 Honda. Very fast, about 130 pounds. Approximately same rated compaction, and performs as such. One person can lift (with a little effort). Due to speed, a little hard to drive in tight spaces.

Third - Wacker 1550 - 5.5 Honda. Same rated compaction. Not as fast as the Bomag, but almost. And compaction! There was noticeable increase in difficulty of driving edge restraint spikes into the compacted stone, more difficult to pull pipe, much more difficult to rake out high spots. A little heavier than the Bomag, not as heavy as the Stone. I really didn't think compaction could vary that much given the same size engine, but it can.

How 'bout the rest of you hardscapers - any experience with different brands of reversible compactors? I had a chance to buy one of two used Wacker 3345's this summer, but they were both in a little rougher shape than I could look past. Might see about getting one this year, though new ones are $6-7K.

[Rex Mann]

Jeff,

I have wackers 1550's and one Stone compactor. They both have 5.5 HP Honda's. I do not know the model number of the Stone. I bought it used 8 years ago. It has better compaction then the Wackers but it has trade-offs. It is much heavier and its slower. When I lived in Ohio it was strange when it came to compaction equipment. Columbus and south everything was Stone compaction. North of Columbus everything was Wacker. I had to take my Stone to Columbus, 120 miles away for repairs. No one in Cleveland would touch it. "We only service what we sell" read as "if you did not buy it here were not going to help you out in a pinch and fix for you". Here in Az everything small is wacker.

I have rented the larger reversible diesel rammers. They are nice. Considered buying one until one of my guys said "how will we load and off-load that 400 pound thing in our trucks. Just a thought.

Peace,

[Stonehenge]

Yup. I hear you. I wasn't looking at the diesels, as they were $2-3K more than gas. Too rich for my blood...

As for loading and unloading, we'd only use them on projects where we'd also have a skid steer on site (which is most), and they usually have a nice spot to hook a chain to, to pick off a truck and set down.

[Paul]

For small stuff the 1550 is a nice machine, BUT I find them too light for sub-base compaction, that being said most 5-8 Hp units are too small for that anyway........ Ok you can do sub-base compaction with a 5-8 Hp unit but the time it takes is too long for the wages I have to pay. If you look really hard at your numbers (wages and are honest about them) you would look at the larger units or a mounted unit. An example would be the time it takes to compact a 1000 sq ft drive, My numbers are for 95% compaction it takes a 1550 4 hrs to achieve this, then put in the stone 6" with 2" lifts figure another 4 hrs...... this has cost most of you around $130 give or take. A roller mounted on your skid steer it would be done in 1 hr- 1/2 hr each operation saving you about $115 in labor this also follows for the plate compactors mounted on skid steers. If you figure that you will be installing your finial course faster you are saving even more. you might even be able to cut a 4 man crew to 3 men. Your savings are not as great with larger walk behinds but you will see some savings, more like a 2 year pay off versus a one year pay off.


For these figures I'm using $16 per hr as a base wage and 60,000 sq ft of brick a year. Adjust your numbers for as much brick as you do a year.

We timed what it takes to do a 500 sq ft job to reach 95% compaction and had a testing service out at the time to test compaction for both the sub-base and gravel.

[Stonehenge]

Thanks for the great info on the compaction, as always....

I have a question about the testing service - were the tools they used ones that could be reasonably purchased? And how much was it to have the testing service out?

I'd really like to be able to test the density of some of the bases we prep, so I can know exactly where we stand, but I have no idea even what kind of equipment to get to measure, other than using the 'nail through the base' test we've talked about before.

[Paul]

I don't really know what it cost they were on site to test a parking lot, so I had them test it for me while they waited around the park we where doing. As a note the sub-base read 87% compaction before we started. The equipment cost I don't know never even look into it. Services like this are best left to independent firms that have the insurance You don't want to be held responsible for a miss read reading or maybe a failure because your equipment was not up to par.

[Pelican]

I've got 2 Mikasa plate tampers I can't complain one iota about. I bought one used and was given the other by a contractor leaving the business. Both have the model numbers worn off (ID plate intact, no hot equipment here), but both have 5hp Robyn motors. I don't know the specs, but generally I can get complete compaction on a 4" lift in 3 passes.

I've used one for five seasons and it was purchased from a paving company who had used it hard. The only thing I've done to it is replace the belts, filters and oil changes. A very reliable machine.

The second I received last season from a large construction company leaving the business. It had seen obvious neglect and smoked severely when using it. The motor blew on the 5th job, I've got a new Honda to put on it and expect many years of service from it. The plate on this one is a bit bigger than the first and the speed is a bit faster.

Overall I'm very happy with the Mikasa machines, but finding parts is a bit difficult, dealers are hard to find.

[Stonehenge]

That's the thing I really like about all these machines - for the most part, even if you totally beat on the thing and destroy the engine, 1 pulled belt and 4 bolts later, you have a new engine and almost a totally new compactor ready to go.

When I worked for a company 15 or so years ago we had a Mikasa - it was on the small side, but was extremely reliable. It was light enough that one person could drive it up to a screed pipe and lift it over the pipe while running...I can still do that now with the Wacker 1550's, but it's a little tougher. Can do it with the Bomag too, but it's so fast that quick hands are more important than a string back. And it's impossible with the Stone. Just too darn heavy.

Pelican - you have any big compactors? Something like the Wacker 3345, with 9hp, reversible?

[Pelican]

I've been considering something like that, but presently don't have enough large projects to warrant the expense. Most of my jobs are 4' wide sidewalks which often have steps involved, so the smaller machines work better.

There's a residential housing boom in my area presently so that's where my market is. I have gotten a few patios and a couple driveways where the larger machine would work well, but it's hit or miss.

I've also been looking at a plate tamper for my 248 Cat skid steer for these larger jobs. I think they're a little less expensive than the dedicated units, but perhaps some maneuverability is sacrificed?

[Stonehenge]

That's what I'm thinking, too. I know Paul really likes them, but I think he tends to have more wide-open spaces to work with. Even a residential driveway for us, installed where there's a pre-existing home and landscaping, would be really hard to do with a skid-steer mounted unit - unless it was mounted far to one side, so that the tires wouldn't be straddling the thing everywhere we compacted. Plus, we would have to likely turn on the base to get complete compaction in every nook and cranny, and as you know turning would rip up that base.

I was also thinking about one of the bigger units for retaining walls, especially at new residences, where backfilled soils have not quite settled by the time we come in to do our work.

I'd be interested in hearing a side-by-side for anyone who's used a Wacker vs a Bomag at this size (are there others?)

[Paul]

You should have no problem with a plate on a skid steer on jobs like that you start at the top and finish at the end of the drive then make one pass across the edge of the drive. You don't make turns until you finish the pass. It's really not that hard to use them once you figure a plan of attack. Yes we do have large plate compactors do they get used as much since we bought the skid model........no but they have there uses.

One point I should bring out here be very careful using the heaver plates near new foundations and fresh poured concrete, they can and will push walls and break concrete.

[Stonehenge]

Hrmmm.... What's the best solution in those cases then (new foundations)? Rammer? Excavate down to bottom of foundation?

[VoodooChile]

You guys still up on the Wackers? We're looking to buy.

That's the one I've liked most when I've rented, and sounds like its compaction is as good as any of the other small plate compactors.

We do mostly path/patio work with natural stone...a tad more forgiving than pavers.

[Bill Schwab]

We started using a Bomag Vibratory pad foot roller last year, 36" wide, reversable, and reversable vibration. We finish packing with a Mikasa powered by Honda. Time wise, that roller eats everything up and spits it out for lunch.

[VoodooChile]

Your scale of project dwarfs what I do Bill. The Wacker 1550 are only about 20" wide by 24" but still can be cumbersome around the obstacles we encounter when we do small residential patios and paths.

How handy is that Bomag in tight spaces? "Reversible" meaning I can run it right up to a foundation, and then easily send it the other way? Or "reversible" meaning a contortionist Mr. Olympiad can knock it off course?

Definitely a big drawback of the Wacker is difficult it is to turn. We usually have two guys on it in tight spaces, and still wind up with the base getting plowed up.