[Hank]

I need to pick up a protective pad for our Wacker 1550. Does anyone have a good source? I found one on ebay for $305, but that seems high for a piece of rubber. Has anyone had any luck making their own? We have used pieces of carpet, but we had a hard time getting it attached enough to work without a struggle.

[Stonehenge]

If it's an "official" wacker pad, it's urethane, not rubber. New ones go for around $400, I believe.

But we've done sheets of rubber, too. $25 for those, pop a few grommets in 'em and they're ready. Paul had mentioned a long time ago that the rubber probably transfers some of the vibration back up through the machine and he's probably right, though we haven't had any serious problems going that route yet.

Never tried carpet.

[scl]

I found a company a few years back that sold urethane mudflaps for off road applications. I can't remember who they were quite yet, but I'll try to come up with it. Anyways, they were bulk urethane sold by the square inch, and I had to drill my own holes and make a simple bracket for my Bomag. Stuff was like 1/4" thick, and is still in good shape. It was $40-$50 or something like that.

Scott

[neversatisfiedj]

PAVE TECH - PAVE EDGE & PROBST Tools for Brick, Interlocking Concrete & Patio Pavers has them. I think they are like 250.00

[Matt Kulp]

We will be purchasing a urethane pad with our new machine this spring, but for the past 5 years we have just used pieces of concrete conveyor belts. Doesnt mark the pavers and holds up very well.

[synner]

it's a little on the budget side but we use an old piece of carpet every time we need a pad for the tamper.

[Orchard Ex]

I got one from Pave Tech last spring on sale for about $170 + shipping IIRC. I think that Cambridge was running a special on them this spring if you have a distributor nearby.

[John Palasek]

.


I just use 1/2-inch plywood.

Either two 4' x 4' pieces or two full sheets (whatever we have at the time). I tamp on one while someone places the next one down in front of the one I'm on. I "drive" onto that one and the one I was using is placed ahead of the one I'm on, and so on.

Works great! And since a 4' x 8' sheet of 1/2" CDX is still one of the cheapest things out there ($11 to $16) it's cost effective too.



-JP

[johnkeegan]

So you need 2 guys to tamp? Are you sure that's really "cost effective"?

[John Palasek]

Originally Posted by johnkeegan

So you need 2 guys to tamp? Are you sure that's really "cost effective"?

Well they're there already, so what's the difference?

When I'm tamping down a patio it usually means we're done and we're cleaning up. So while things are being put away, whoever happens to be nearby just moves a piece of plywood now and then.
Besides, I can do both anyway. I've worked out the plywood thing so that when I need to turn it, I move the compactor to one corner and I can "steer" the plywood with one foot. Not as easy as having someone there, but it can be done.

From a "cost effective" point of view, since using a pad is only something I do once in a great while, I can't see the logic in buying a $300 to $400 pad when a simple piece of plywood will do the same thing AND can be used for other things as well.

Maybe some guys are so busy that the extra ten or fifteen minutes needed to have someone follow them around moving the plywood is going to cut into their bottom line. If they're THAT busy, then more power to them!

But in my case, when I'm tamping a patio, the next destination afterwards is home. So if it takes me another fifteen minutes - or even an extra half-hour to have someone move plywood, all it means is that I'll get home a few minutes later.

I'll survive.




-JP

[dan deutekom]

I can't remember ever using something to pad my packer. We just spray a little bit of water in front of the packer to keep things from getting marked. Usually a second guy sprays water while the other packs but in a pinch one guy can hold the hose and spray at the same time. Now that we are using poly sand I find the loose sand protects the pavers just fine when we are packing.

[treedoc1]

rear dual wheel mud flap from your truck dealer

a white smooth urethane one was under $10

black plastic or rubber night leave marks