Tampers can be called many different things depending on what part of the country you live in and depending on what country you are from. There are basically 3 types of pneumatic tampers, a bench rammer, foundry tamper and earth tamper.

Bench rammers are the smallest type of tamper and range anywhere from 14” length to approximately 30” in total length. They can be used for a multitude of purposes but are mainly used in the refractory industry or foundries for packing substances that are fine in texture such as powders rather than earth. They can be used in tight areas such as drums or barrels and can be mounted to a bench for specific tasks. They can have various size butts placed on the end that range from 2 to 5 inches in diameter and the butts can be made from rubber, aluminum or steel.

Foundry Tampers are generally used in Foundries as well but are a “stand-up” version and are generally 4 feet tall. They look much like a standard Earth Tamper but usually have a rubber butt on the end that is anywhere form 2 to 4 inches in diameter. They are lighter than a standard Earth Tamper because of the material they are used on.

Earth Tampers are a heavier tamper ranging from 35 to 60 lbs and generally have a 6” diameter butt on them that is made from steel or aluminum. They are used for packing earth, creating earth homes, tamping poles and fence work and are also used of developing sand bunkers on golf courses. Tampers are generally 48” tall but can be shortened by threading the handle directly into the body of the tool. Earth tampers generally have a standard ¾” threaded port in them so the pole can be removed and replaced with a shorter one if it is necessary for what you are working on. Some guys will purchase a standard ¾” gas pipe from their local hardware in the length that they want but note that tamper poles are specifically designed with thick walls to handle large air pressure and standard gas pipe does not compare and would be deemed dangerous if used for a long periods of time. They will generally rust over time also making them weak. Typically butts can be changed out and are specific in taper to fit certain models. All butts are not universal and cannot always be switched from one model to another. Some are fastened to the piston rod with screws and some are pressed on.

Note: There are important things to remember when owning a tamper.

1.) Never leave your tamp on the ground or leaning against a wall when the air line is hooked up. Accidents occur when they either fall over on the live handle or accidentally roll ever on to the live handle.

2.) Always unhook the air line or shut-off the air pressure to the tool when taking a lunch break or any break for that matter.

3.) If you have the air line unhooked never the lay the tool down in the dirt. Always lean upright preferably in a corner. Any slight amount of debris or even a tiny stone that gets into the end of your air inlet could possible render the tool inoperable. There are valves that have tiny holes in the tool and when those valves get clogged the tool will stop working. I can not stress this piece of advice enough based on repair experience.

http://www.eairtool1.com/

APT-131 6" Diameter Shoe/Butt Tamper

7OB 3" Diameter Shoe/Butt Rammer