1st Place New Tools - Tack Coat Sprayer, WVDOH-D4
PROBLEM
The steps involved with tack coat, from the initial mixing stage to transporting to applying to potholes needed to be more efficient. Previously, tack coat was taken to the job site in five-gallon buckets, mixed on-site, and applied using paint brushes or brooms to get the tack coat material into the hole.
SOLUTION
I have worked on farms my whole life. When things break down or need done, you learn to rig things to work and do the jobs you need done. Years of experience in highways have also helped me think about better ways to complete jobs in a more efficient labor reducing way. When working on pothole patching, I just started to think about a better way to apply the tack coat and this is the idea, through trial and error, I came up with.
LABOR, MATERIALS, & EQUIPMENT
one 55-gallon drum ( A metal drum might be better than plastic, as you are putting 15 to 20 pounds of pressure in it and the plastic barrel does expand a lot.)
one 2'' t two 2'' caps
one truck rim air steam
two 1'' gas valves
one 1'' nipple
10' of 3/4'' water hose
two 3/4'' water hose to 1'' male thread adapter
four 1'' hose clamps
COST
We had most of the materials at the shop, so no more than $200 for materials plus two-hours of labor.
SAVINGS/BENEFITS TO COMMUNITY
The tack coat sprayer allows our crew to mix and haul from 1-gallon to 55-gallons of tack and spray it instead of brushing or brooming it on. This makes the process quicker and more efficient. Being able to patch holes faster benefits both our crews and the traveling public. We have also made additional units for other maintenance crews within the WVDOH.
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