Jack Hammer - Warsop Benjo Power Rammer

[Andypan43]

I could'nt quite catch what the man said there.Did he say that the 1950's Warsop Benjo was lighter?I remember workmen using the 1950's Warsops in the early 70;s after putting in new gas mains in my street.Nice to see some still going.

[Bevoin1970]

@Andypan43 Yes I think he did say that. I too remember these machines well, on the day I took this film, and before I'd even spotted this chap, I knew that familiar sound echoing across the field straight away. Its a sound you never forget, if you were around at the time of these being used. Soon as I saw him, I went straight across, he even let me have a go, sure made my day. Hard work though... ha ha

Thanks for watching :-)

[JONTEJOY]

Great video, Fun to watch this old hammers in action...

Have a nice saturday

Jonas

[Bevoin1970]

@JONTEJOY I even got to have a go myself on this day, was great fun but not easy to do to begin with.

Thanks Jonas, you too have a great weekend

Paul :-)

[bartonlane]

I did not expect to see that on this video, I have never heard of a Jack Hammer and I did not expect to see it jumping up and down, H&S would go ape if they were still been used for road repairs today. (Bet that make a great thudd when coming back down. 5* Pauls as always.

Thanks

Daniel

[Bevoin1970]

Ah well you were born too late most likely.. ha ha

Back in my youth, they were a common sight amongst the Navvies who dug holes in the roads for whatever reason.

These were the early Wacker Plates of there day...

I actually got to have a go with this one in the video...

[bartonlane]

Glad you had a good bet it brought back alot of memorys, are the Jack Hammers Heavy?

Thanks

Daniel

[Bevoin1970]

Yes Daniel very heavy, its all solid metal no plastic parts on these babies, you need a certain amount of weight to ram down the soil before you put the tarmac top layer on.

You have to learn to "dance" if you like with one of these to control it effectively otherwise it'll go all over the place... :-)

[SuperRocking1]

i used the first one on the video in the 1960's when i worked on cable and pipe laying they were a bugga when they hit a back fill of soft spot of clay and the raming head sunk i think my work mates did it on purpose for a laugh brings back good old memories thanks for showing it .

[Bevoin1970]

I have memories of them as a kid, see big blokes in holes using them. After they had gone home me and my mates would have a go at using one. We never did get one going properly...

Just as well I suppose looking back. :-)

This chap may well be at this show again this year...!

[douro20]

Interesting that most of these are four-stroke machines, considering that the Barco ones to my knowledge are all two-stroke.

[douro20]

Are these things illegal to use on job sites now?

[Bevoin1970]

Yes you don't see them in England anymore...

[petrolscooterboy]

they look really cool

[keithfrmcov]

My friend has a benjo as the first one you are kindly demostrating, but for some unknown reason it does not fire up.

One more thing where was the show?

Many thanks

[Bevoin1970]

Sorry but these were not my machines, I was merely filming them at the time. The show was at Stramshall farm in Uttoxeter, Staffs. As for not working I have no idea, I could only make an educated guess and assume there is either no spark or no fuel or both, as the power rammer engine work on the same principle as a normal engine. Thanks for watching.

[Bidone1967]

In the GDR they use this power rammer up to 1989. I think it is a very hard work!

[Bevoin1970]

Yes it is extremely hard work, Very common in England during the 60's and 70's. Now they are considered too dangerous.....

Thanks for watching.

[UKTruckJourneys]

Not using these could explain the poor state of todays patch repairs to our roads.

Funny how a once such familiar sight can soon disappear from the everyday street landscape.

Bugger being a worm or mole in that field.

[Bevoin1970]

I know, soon as I heard this noise from across the field I knew exactly what it was, should have seen me go plodding over to it with my camera... ha ha sad or what? I did get to have a go mind, was brilliant, if only I could have filmed myself at the same time... :-)

[red777photo]

Handle With Care, Make Sure You Have Your Steel Toe-Cap Boots On....... LOL

Amazing !!!

[Bevoin1970]

I know I said exactly the same... ha ha

[mileybob]

I have 4 of these and steel toe caps are a very bad idea when using them. Even the small ones come down with over a tonne of foce behind them. Better to have a crushed toe then have the steelies slice your foot up, as im told has happened in the past.

[Bevoin1970]

You have four? I'd love just one if ever you fancy parting with one, especially a 1950's one. I see where your coming from with toe caps, Im not sure which is the lesser of the two evils, crushed toe caps or crushed toes..... thanks for watching and get in touch if you fancy parting with one. : -)

[Adler71]

I have a german book from 1951. There is a huge "frog" in it. 2500 kg, 50000 cc, evaporative cooling, 45 to 50 beats per minute. It needed 50 to 60 Liter of fuel for 8 hour work. Easy to handle, just cary a pack on your back with a 6 volt battery and a spak coil in it and hold a big bar like a lawn mower.

[Bevoin1970]

Cool, thanks for watching.

[Adler71]

I forgot to write that it was built a bit forward, so it jumped 20 cm or 8 inch forward every beat. Thats why they called it Frosch in eng. frog.

[Bevoin1970]

Thanks for the info... interesting

[weirdstuffanimation6]

those are cool they make an amzing sound

[Bevoin1970]

I got to have a go, the chap let me have a blast with one, Awesome that's all I can say... ha ha You should hear them close up, the camera doesn't pick up just how loud they can be. :-)

[birdman404]

geez these are vintage alright great video as always!!!

[Bevoin1970]

Brilliant aren't they? I bet there has been many an Irish man who has worked with one of these babies...?

[robmasterman]

Brilliant video Paul, I remember those being used on roadworks when I was a youngster..awesome machines without a doubt...5* Bob

[Bevoin1970]

Thanks Bob, me too, tried to get one going as a teenager but no luck on our part. haven't seen one of these since those days, I knew that sound straight away before I'd even seen it.

I even phoned my mate in Brighton and got him to listen to it, he knew straight away also... Was a joy for me seeing this machine in action once again. Happy days. Thanks for rating Bob.

[richthecardude94]

nice

[Bevoin1970]

Thanks

[pwalpar]

Operating this equipment looks too hard for me LOL bet it would mash your toes pretty quick Good video 5*

[Bevoin1970]

Steel toe caps are the order of the day with these things, that and being able to tango with a 300 lb machine.. ha ha Thanks for rating Walter.

[Bevoin1970]

The chap let me have a go some time later on, tell you what, it's bloody hard work. These things are beasts, its one thing playing in an open field but try doing it in a hole in the street.

You also don't get to hear just how loud these things are close up, the camera doesn't pick it up so good. Imagine the foot injuries if you got it wrong? And you could get one hell of an uppercut from one if you had your face over the top of it... Respect !!!!!!! especially the guys who used them.

[reversecone]

Everything must of been jumping after a day operating any one of those. Think of the RSI the operators must have got. From the days when guys could work in the street without wearing a reflective jacket!