Until recently, the problem with many rammers was that the operator felt almost as much vibration as the ground being compacted.

The RV Series rammers from NAC Construction Equipment, including the RV 70, have practically eliminated that shortcoming with shock-absorbing ferro-silicon rubber bellows. The bellows send the impact to the ground instead of back up into the machine, promoting longer component life and improved operator comfort, according to NAC president Pat Vehlow.

The RV 70 jumps 3.15 inches from the bellows down, but the operator's hand can be put an inch above the machine and will not be touched by it, he says. By comparison, the entire unit of similar products will jump 3 inches off the ground, Vehlow adds.

The RV 70 features a four-cycle Honda engine designed for tough jobs and offers improved reliability over a two-cycle engine. The easy-starting engine eliminates the premature engine failures common with mixed fuel usage. Should the operator mix fuels, the worst-case scenario is that the machine will emit a cloud of smoke but the engine will not fail, Vehlow says.

The RV 70 delivers 3,525 pounds of impact at 660-680 blows per minute. It weighs 155 pounds and runs at 3,650-3,750 rpm. Most two-cycle engines operate at about 4,000 rpm.

"(The unit) is cleaner, quieter and more fuel-efficient," Vehlow says. "And it's much different from anything else out there."

Operators likely will agree, with less vibration flowing through their bodies courtesy of the bellows and the heavy, doughnut-style handle isolators.