Atlas Copco Backfill Tampers — TAM 14 & TAM 19
Slow, powerful blows that pack any backfill solid — including clay and finely crushed material a plate compactor rides over. The TAM series pneumatic tampers compact trench lines and around foundations one lift at a time, run by one operator on small compressor air.
The short version
The Atlas Copco TAM 14 and TAM 19 are factory-order machines — call 1-888-883-5144 to quote either. Need a tamper shipping today? The all-brands backfill tampers category has in-stock pneumatic tampers ready to go.
The TAM Series
Factory-order machines — quoted and ordered by phone.
TAM 14 Pneumatic Backfill Tamper
The one-person trench tamper: 800 BPM of slow, heavy blows through a 5 in. butt on 18 CFM, with a heat-treated cylinder, chrome piston, and integral oiler. The exhaust deflector sends air and oil away from the operator’s face — a small mercy that matters by hour eight.
Choose it when: utility trench backfill and around-foundation compaction on standard water, gas, and conduit work.
Key specs
TAM 19 Pneumatic Backfill Tamper
The heavy tamper: 780 BPM through a 6-1/4 in. butt on 28 CFM packs deeper lifts and heavier clay — the choice when trench spec calls for real density numbers in bad material.
Choose it when: clay-heavy backfill, thicker lifts, and compaction specs with teeth.
Key specs
Backfill Tamper Questions
Why a pneumatic tamper instead of a plate compactor or rammer?
Reach and material: a hand tamper compacts inside trenches, against pipe, around poles, and in corners no plate reaches — and its slow heavy blows consolidate clay and powdered fills that vibratory plates float over.
What air do the TAM tampers need?
18 CFM for the TAM 14 and 28 CFM for the TAM 19 at 90 psi — the smallest compressor on the truck runs either, with an inline oiler.
Are these in stock?
The TAM series is factory-order — call for current pricing and lead time. In-stock alternatives ship today from the backfill tampers category.
What is the right way to compact trench backfill?
Thin lifts, tamped wet-of-optimum, edges before center. The butt sizes here are deliberate: small enough to load the soil, big enough to cover ground. Call and we will talk your spec through.
Pack It Right the First Time
Quote a TAM by phone, or ship an in-stock tamper today.