Match Trowels to the Slab

How Crucial Is Comfort?
When it comes to selecting a power trowel, creature comforts may not be at the top of your list, particularly if the trowel is only an occasional use machine. But if your operators are spending a sizable chunk of the work week using them, comfort becomes a more important criterion.

For walk-behinds, controllability is perhaps the biggest concern. "Basically, what we look for in a walk-behind is the ease of use," says Steve DeGraeve, George J. Shaw Construction. "How easy is it going to be for the finisher to run it?"

When you move up to ride-ons, the control levers themselves become the issue. "If you're riding them every day, and particularly when it's the same people, fatigue and comfort are definitely a factor for them," says Keith Ahal, Ahal Contracting. This is one reason his company switched from mechanical to joystick steering controls.

"We use riding trowels every day. The joystick-type steering is more expensive, but they are a little more operator friendly," he points out. "If we used these machines once in a while, then we'd go back to the stick steering because it just wouldn't be cost effective to spend the extra money."

"Joystick steering is going to cost you $2,000 to $4,000 more per machine, depending on the manufacturer," admits Jay Allen, Allen Engineering. "But for a lot of people who do this six or eight hours a day, it's a big deal."

Of course, comfort goes beyond controls. The type of seat, position of the armrests, location of the control panel, balance of the machine and even visibility to the slab can all play a role in how operators feel at the end of the day, and how productive they are while on the machine.

"It's really all about production," states Jim Lewis, Wacker Corp. "The longer an operator can use a trowel without fatigue, the more productive he or she will be."