I bought one of these units as well. This tool is an excellent value and has served me well for the past four years; coming in at approximately half the price of comparable units. After many projects and hours of use, the only problem I have experienced is a broken belt. Even at that, it was a freak occurrence where a piece of gravel flipped up and got caught between the belt and pulley and cut a belt in two -- not really the machine's fault. The belts are common items available at any auto parts store -- no big deal.

I have to compliment you on your wise purchase. Inadequate compaction is a plague that is a dead give-away to far too many DIY projects of mediocre or poor quality. I really donÂt care how expensive the finish materials are. If they are setting on a poorly compacted, inadequate base, the finished job will be fraught with problems. This is an area of construction where "good enough" is never good enough. The DIY jobs with tilting and settling concrete slabs and roller coaster, uneven paver sections are ubiquitous.

Compared to the benefits received, plate compacting is an absolute no-brainer (and a display of no brains if not done). The machine itself is so simple that it can virtually be run by a monkey. The key is to let the machine do the work and donÂt try to muscle it around.

However, there are limits. Generally speaking, your base materials should be compacted in six inch (or less) lifts. In other words, donÂt try to compact a lot of fill all at once  do it in layers. About the only other caveat is to use some discretion when compacting next to exposed walls, unsupported on the opposite side. You can actually push out a wall if you spend too much time compacting right next to a wall. A little bit is OK but donÂt over do it. As to the rest of the project area, it would be virtually impossible to overdo it. However, you will soon get to a point, (which becomes obvious) where you are just wasting time. These machines are very good at what they do  and it doesnÂt take them long to achieve maximum results.

If you are compacting soil, moisture may be a consideration. Although not really much of a concern for stone products, soil that is too wet and/or too dry will not compact very well. Although this can get quite technical, a good rule of thumb is that the moisture content of soil when it is finally dry enough to first be worked in the spring is about perfect for maximum compaction. (What else does this tell you  ?)

DonÂt worry  after about ten minutes, you will be putting your 13 year old son at the controls.

IronBelly

Thanks, IronBelly. Buying the compactor was a no-brainer. Plus, it was on sale for $600, and I had a 10% off coupon. I figured I would have at least 3-4 rentals at $80/day + travel time, so $540 worked for me.

How do you move your's? I see some of the expensive unit have wheels, but this one doesn't. At 200lbs., wheels would be good.

Ponz

You can move a plate compactor on sack trucks, although they are probably know by a different name where you are, they have two wheels and a platform at the end of two long handles. If this model has a variable speed try using it at a low speed at first before increasing speed and vibration. You won't be able to get into corners and you will need a hand tamper (a heavy square of metal on a handle)for that. After a while it will go the way you want it to go with just a little encouragement and it should work in both directions. If the area to be compacted is flat then direction is no problem but if there is a slope you should go across the slope starting at the lowest side.

A related question.... I am putting a brick edging around my garden beds. Is there a particular tool I should be using to compact the screenings I'm using under the bricks? I've been doing the compacting by hand by whacking the screenings repeatedly with a heavy rubber mallet. It's the only thing I had on hand that I thought would do a reasonable job. It seems to work but I'm guessing that I way have some adjusting to do come next spring. So I was wondering if there's some handy-dandy tool out there that I should be aware of....?

woodyoak, you need a hand tamper as inkognito mentions. That's what I've used until now. The pool deck is just too big to compact manually. It would be perfect for your application. Plus, they are cheap ($15-$25), easy to store (I hang mine on the garage wall), and have no moving parts. They come in different sizes, usually 8" or 10" square.

It would make installing your edging much easier.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hand tamper

Thank you. I will look for one of those. My bricks are only 4" wide though so it would be wider than I need for the edging, although handy for a couple of areas that are wider...

I would suggest 2-3" lifts maximum for a plate compactor. Even a vibratory roller on a bobcat can only compact 6" lifts. The only small equipment that can do over 3" is a jumping jack.

An interesting assertion, Plantman -- and the first time I have ever heard it. There would certainly be no harm in following your advice.

I am no civil engineer, but for a good many years, I have always heard civil engineers typically recommend lifts of six inches or less. Even at numerous seminars I have attended, the engineering advice was always Of course, it will make some difference depending upon what material (and moisture content) you are compacting. At least with the stone products that I use, six inch lifts pack down to about 80 - 85 proctor with a plate compactor.

However, you raise an interesting point that deserves further investigation on my part. Actually, if you watch many of the "hurry up" construction backfills, you are glad to see a compactor -- any compactor -- on site at all. This is an important construction detail that far too many fail to recognize.

IronBelly

Most people i know with big equipment go 6" max so 3" max is a good idea

we went 4" lifts starting with #1's to choke out a soft spot in out lot

{{gwi:50060}}

GREENGUY you rascal.

Big boys & BIG toys.

IronBelly