Thread: Whacker Packer / Compactor

Just happens that mine is in pieces at the moment so I can help you. There is a crank type counter weight in the base (Westmix call it an exciter) that is belt driven. The motor and base are attached via rubber mounts. My mounts need replacing, it won't work without the mounts being right. I can take some pictures tomorrow if you are real keen, just let me know.

Geez this forum is amazing, where else do you get this type of service. Here are the pictures. The exciter is bolted upside down onto the cast spacer/mounting plate that is bolted directly onto the base. The engine is attached to the base via four rubber mounts (only three fitted in the picture). Hope this helps - I reckon it is easier to hire one

Cheers Burnsy!

That will be enough to work it out i reckon. And in record time. What a gentleman! thankyou very much.

They are like $70 a day to hire and you can get through a metric shitload of packing in a day. I easily did something approx 50m2 of driveway in a day, including multiple layers of base and fill.

To make one I would suggest you are up for several days of fabrication and stuffing around plus a few $ for the misc bits and pieces you will need.

Honestly, just hire it and save yourself the hassle (and I am the biggest fan of DIY).

BTW I discovered they are even cheaper to hire from Bunnings - I think my local hires them out for $50ish.

If you want to build something, build a brick saw for cutting the pavers. They are charged out at $170 a day and it is slow work.

To cut the pavers just get yourself a 9 Inch Grinder and a diamond blade. Lots of dust

Originally Posted by chris_stam

To cut the pavers just get yourself a 9 Inch Grinder and a diamond blade. Lots of dust

That's what I used, a 9" GMC grinder and a cheap Medallist 9" diamond blade.

Just pretend you're a horse and point your bum to wind, use a dust mask other PPE.

Hiring a brick cutter wasn't an option for me. We had to something like 200+ sqmtrs of clay pavers and did this over a period of time. Cutting the clay pavers was a breeze with the grinder, just a bit dusty!

I have cut a little concrete with a grinder. Nasty work.

The brick cutter is a lot more civilised, although still quite dirty.

I only laid about 20m2, but it was small pavers in 45 degree herringbone and plenty of corners and fiddly bits. Laying the body of the pavers took half a day. Cutting all the little angled bits took 2 days.

I would have gone mad if I had attempted that with a grinder.

I hired a saw for a day to do the bulk of it but did all the fidly bits with the grinder. Using a brick saw for 10hrs straight is not fun. I laid 120m2 of driveway and when you get a quote for 13.5k, you quickly learn how to lay pavers.

Thanks All,

I actually have a confession to make.... Was talking to one of the blokes at work today, trying to work it all out, when he mentioned that they have a spare one that's never used sitting in a shed. Don't know why I didn't think of it????

Anyway, going to save the effort of building / cost of hiring, and just borrow the work one (and I reckon I WILL return it, as it's a BIG sucker.

Thanks again to all.

PS. Nice paving jobs in the photos. Hope mine turns out that well!

BUGGER!!!

I was going to watch this with interest with the view to fabricating the same.

I've got a little over 200sq/M to dig out, and spread crushed rock to eventually bitumen. Hiring a wacker just isn't an option when the job is "a bit at a time" over the next 12 to 24 months. But if I could make, long-term-borrow, or buy a second-hand one...


Ditto on the great paving jobs too!!

Originally Posted by Yonnee

BUGGER!!!

I was going to watch this with interest with the view to fabricating the same.

I've got a little over 200sq/M to dig out, and spread crushed rock to eventually bitumen. Hiring a wacker just isn't an option when the job is "a bit at a time" over the next 12 to 24 months. But if I could make, long-term-borrow, or buy a second-hand one...


Ditto on the great paving jobs too!!

I don't exactly know what you are planning, or know anything about bitumen but I was easily able to spread out and compact roadbase in several layers and then do the same with crushed granite in a day. That was about 50m2 and it was shovel and wheelbarrow work.

Can you split the job into say 4 sections and work on each in turn. That means only 4 days of hire. Which is not much in the scheme of 200m2, and even more paletable when spread out over the time frame you are talking about.

Either that or get the site prepped over your 12-24 months. Get the first layer of gravel spread out the day before and I reckon 200m2 of compacting would be doable in a day if you hit it hard. Might cut the compactor hire down to 1-2 days.

I saw a mates dad built an electric one from a washing machine motor with a belt onto a round plate. The plate had a weight bolted to it eccentrically. No guards or nothing...

I call it the widow maker... didn't see it run but looked easy to build

Cheers
Pulse

Originally Posted by browny

I don't exactly know what you are planning, or know anything about bitumen but I was easily able to spread out and compact roadbase in several layers and then do the same with crushed granite in a day. That was about 50m2 and it was shovel and wheelbarrow work.

Can you split the job into say 4 sections and work on each in turn. That means only 4 days of hire. Which is not much in the scheme of 200m2, and even more paletable when spread out over the time frame you are talking about.

Either that or get the site prepped over your 12-24 months. Get the first layer of gravel spread out the day before and I reckon 200m2 of compacting would be doable in a day if you hit it hard. Might cut the compactor hire down to 1-2 days.

But when it comes to large jobs such as digging trenches and holes, or spreading dirt or rock, I can a bit of a 'tight-asre'...
While I've got two perfectly good arms and legs and am reasonably fit and healthy, at the end of the day, $70.00 a day to hire something goes a long way towards BBQ meat and a slab... even if it takes me seven times as long!!!

And besides, the satisfaction of designing and fabricating something that will do the job is half the fun.

hello there,

Am I currently trying to replace the engine on my wacker packer
I have a new one and am trying to get the fly wheel/ drive for the base unit off the old engine.
It has a bolt that boltsinto the engine shaft thats what i cant get undone because it spins with the engine
Anyone done this before?
I saw above that burnsy had one in pieces any ideas would be great thanks