Among the new equipment in General Equipment Company’s booth at World of Concrete this year was the new Rip-R-Stripper electric floor-covering scraper. According to company president Dennis Von Ruden, the Rip-R-Stripper features a 3/4 horsepower, 115/230 VAC, 60-Hertz electric motor for high productivity and low noise levels.
“We mounted an exciter unit directly to the driveshaft,” Von Ruden says. “The scraper uses downward force to bore into and strip away applied floor coverings and adhesive. Multiple removal accessories allow for a wide range of applications, and external weights can be added to provide extra force for removing tough residues and to increase material removal rates.”
Von Ruden notes that the Rip-R-Stripper’s ergonomic design ease operator fatigue levels while increasing work stamina and reducing the chance of occupational injury. “The operator’s handle offers a full-width, tubular design to increase leverage and control,” he says. “The handle-grip configuration is designed to optimize wrist strength and adjust to operators of any build, helping to prevent lower back pain.”
Safety and productivity rates are further increased by the unit’s Back-Saver blade control system. “The Back-Saver allows infinite adjustment of the blade angle during use,” Von Ruden explains. “This eliminates having to stop the machine an manually change blade angles or adjust linkages.”
Several blade options fit the Rip-R-Stripper allowing it to handle different materials and work in varying application dimensions. These options include 6, 10 and 16 inch straight blades (with beveled edges) for removing carpet, linoleum and ceramic tile; 6 and 10 inch angled blades (with beveled edges) for mastic removal; 8 and 12 inch straight scoring blades for removing materials from concrete surfaces and 8 and 12 inch straight scoring blades (with a downward beveled edge) for wood surfaces. All blades can be quickly and easily removed using a supplied T-handle Allen wrench.
“The Rip-R-Stripper is designed for easy transport and storage,” Von Ruden says. “The handle folds down and frame-integrated lifting grips are standard. The unit is equipped with solid composite wheels. Each wheel is fitted with an externally mounted, adjustable scraper to minimize build-up of adhesive and mastic materials and keep the unit freely moving around the jobsite.”
