Do-it-yourself Rammer: A Homemade Vibratory Rammer From A Perforator For Soil Compaction. How To Make A Manual Sand Rammer?

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 12:09

When building a house, garage or walkway, the foundation plays a huge role. It is important to pay attention to the formation of the substrate, which consists of sand and soil. In order for the concrete to lie flat and not move, it is necessary to make an even bedding. In cases where a vibratory rammer is an expensive pleasure, they resort to the manual rammer option.

How to make a manual rammer?

The meaning of tamping is that each layer is compacted with a hand-made tool. Such a product is most often constructed from common materials that can be found in the garage. A bar with square sides of 10-15 cm is selected . There is no need to specifically purchase a new item - any whole bar will do.

Also for the manufacture of the structure you will need:

• steel plate 2 mm wide;
• stick without sharp corners up to 0.5 meters long;
• screws;
• glue.

Next, you need to prepare the bar, adjusting its lower part to the shape of a square. In the meantime, chamfers are removed and the sides of the wood are leveled with a plane. The next stage is the construction of a metal shoe . A drawing of the future shoe is depicted on a sheet of steel, and excess parts are removed with special scissors. Then the holes for the screws are cut in the metal tile. The finished shoe is fastened with wings to the lower part of the bar and fixed with screws. In the beam itself, a hole is drilled for a handle, which is attached to carpentry glue.

As a rule, during construction, the foundation is covered with loosened soil. Such material has a low density compared to compacted material. If compaction is not carried out in a timely manner, the soil will settle, and cracks will appear on its surface. Gaps between the surface and the wall can cause the concrete slab to break.

Now let's look at the methods that are often used to compact the soil

• Watering with water . A long-term method that requires constant access to water. For work, you need a hose with good pressure. Next, the entire area of the soil is poured, and for the best effect, a large volume of liquid is used. Water irrigation is a natural and long-lasting method, close to natural. As a result, the soil is dried for a couple of days, and then the next layer is laid.
• Tamping the soil with homemade tools .
• Mixed method . It is a combination of manual ramming and water pouring.

The sand ramming technique has its drawbacks . Initially, it is important to select the type of sand suitable for such work. Often they become gravel, since small grains of sand are generally not recommended to fall asleep. So, the larger the particles, the stronger the base, which will eliminate the shrinkage of the building.

To install a monolithic structure, particles of medium-grained sand are used. But even in this case, groundwater will affect the strength of the lower layer. Prevent the washing out of the base by laying geotextile trenches, after which sand is poured.

To begin with, the sand is sieved, since it contains many impurities, including clay, which affects its properties . They also create an optimal moisture level for sand. If you can roll a small ball, then the material is moist enough.

The moisture level should be around 15%.

The quality of the installation depends on both the equipment and the material . Everyone chooses the type of equipment according to their financial capabilities.

Vibratory plate manufacturing

It is very difficult to cope with soil compaction, so you cannot do without tools. For some, a home-made design becomes a good choice, while others purchase a gasoline vibratory rammer . The most popular types include a vibratory rammer and a vibratory plate. Their principle of operation is quite similar, and the rental of such a car is always in demand among construction companies.

For compaction of the earth layer, a vibratory rammer is most suitable . Its work is based on centrifugal force in a certain direction. The vibration amplitude depends on the device model. If we compare the device with a vibrating plate, then it is worth noting that it has a smaller size. And the compaction of the layer occurs due to the small volumes of the sole itself, which provides the best effect.

For compaction of sand, the best choice is a vibrating plate, since thanks to it the sand will be compacted and will not be squeezed out over the edges . But for laying paving stones, crushed stone or a base under a concrete slab, this method is more suitable than tamping. The large area for ramming is the main advantage of the method. Self-production of a vibrating plate using an electric motor will help save on equipment. It is not difficult to draw up drawings for structures.

For manufacturing you will need:

• power unit;
• two channels;
• iron plate more than 7 mm thick;
• fasteners;
• two wheels;
• pipe, which is used as a handle for easy movement of the structure.

Since vibration increases during operation, some inventors still attach soft hand pads. But this is optional.

The concrete vibrator is composed of an electric motor, a vibrating device and a flexible shaft. A replacement for the first element is constructed from a jackhammer, hammer drill, drill and other devices that transmit vibrations. There is no need to neglect the design of the flexible shaft for the vibrator, because it allows the tip to safely sink into the solution and transmit the desired vibration. Such a product can operate on a home electrical network of 220 V.

The vibratory rammer, constructed from a hammer drill, operates on the basis of impact force. A metal lance is created for the nozzle. This design helps to pass through the thickness of the concrete, which is extremely necessary after the pile foundation is poured. It is also important to decide on the required length of the nozzle. To process a large area, choose an extensive sheet, to which the perforator itself is attached.

It is necessary to firmly strengthen the structure, because the vibration force can be destructive for the product . In the case when the elements of the equipment have a horizontal position, the nozzle should be placed at a slight angle. And this can be achieved by attaching the washer as a support. Then a vibratory perforator unit is installed in it.

Recommendations

Before starting tamping, you need to familiarize yourself with the weight of the vibrating plate, as this affects the type of work and its volume. To compact the soil, you should opt for a vibratory rammer. And for sand, crushed stone or concrete base, a slab is used. Large-scale fields for football, golf and other sports are compacted with professional machines weighing from 50 to 100 kg . Weighting agents are added to homemade designs. The material for the weight can be water, cement or sand.

Before starting work, all structures on a gasoline engine are constantly tested for reliability . It is important to regularly remove carbon deposits from the candles, which will increase the operating time. For the first time, the oil is changed after a day of work, then the terms are extended to 3-4 days. For cases where work is performed at a depth of a meter or more, it is worth using the help of another person.