OK all you experienced LG operators, I recently bought one and have put in the isolation pad in my concrete floor, (see pics) and now am reading up on what to put under the hammer. I have a 1 inch rubber floor mat, I have lots of black walnut, I have heard of both being ok, what say you??

I don't know about rubber. 35 years ago, I installed mine with a 3/4" thick plywood underneath. I buried the bolt heads in individual holes made with a star drill and used Rockite anchor cement. It's still going strong.

 

Sayings and Cornpone

"In order to burn out, a person needs to have been on fire at one time."

     Ayala Pines

If you choose to use the rubber, my advice would be to epoxy your anchors in or use springs on top of the hammer base and under the anchor nuts.

 

I once used rubber under my hammer and nutted down directly against the hammer base. The compression and expansion of the rubber under the hammer while running kept jacking the anchors out or loose from the concrete! 

ditto what Frank Turley said, some good plywood works great. If you use rubber, I would only use something like industrial conveyor belting. A lot of folks ive heard use horse stall matte, which in my view is going to break down quickly, and is actually too soft for intended use.

I agree with plywood,  I would recommend a piece of baltic birch plywood.  The hardwood is a lot tougher than fir or spruce and a LG has a fairly small base meaning more pressure. 

Hi I used stall mat under my 50 lb. hammer installed 6 years ago anchor bolts stayed tight & no degrading of mat

I agree with the 3/4" ply.I have just dug dowm 15" to reach clay and filled with reinforced concrete topped with exterior ply ready for my Beaudry Peerless no 7.

Going to epoxy resin the 6 rag bolts and wait a month for the concrete to "green off" before firing her up for the first time.

All very exciting!!

ok, thanks to all who responded, I will go with the 3/4 inch plywood and keep my 4x8 rubber matt intact to stand on. This forum has been such a help over the years, it is a testament to our community. Hope to see some of you at quad state!

What is the suggested pad that "Little Giant" recommends? That info is on their site and easy to read. The reason for the thin slightly flexible mat'l under the hammer is (in my opinion only) to help with the non machined base (uneven surface) to help distribute the pressure more evenly to the Floor - providing that is more even
.

Make sure your hammer is set high enough off the floor. I have seem many people that have 50lbs sitting right on the floor level. I am 6' 2"  Not a overly tall fellow and I set my 50lb LG on 6" tall timbers. I could have gone to 7" or even 8" I find myself bending over to have a closer look at the work to often.

 

I would guess a 25lb is even shorter. You do not want to stoop over all day. And you are not swinging a hand hammer like at the anvil so no need for it to be short!

I put my 50# LG on 4"x12" through bolted and glued together to get it to a good working height. It'd go awalking when I use it if I didn't have it pegged to a gozinta. One of the guys in the club has a 50# LG that turns closer to the rated BPM and it's rock and roll time when it's running. His is on a timber base and a rubber mat, it SHOULD be bolted down though. I've been thinking about squirting a little "Liquid Nails" under his to see if it'd stop it from rocking and walking.

 

Shop's looking good Mike. Wish I lived close enough to help you muss it some. <grin>

 

Frosty The Lucky.