Safety
Electric jack hammers or air jack hammers can be dangerous if no safety precautions are taken.
- Ensure that ear plugs, goggles and gloves are worn while in use.
- Electric jack hammers also have the added danger of electrical current.
- Only use an electric jack hammer with a 2.5mm, 3 core extension cord.
- Do not use an jack hammer if the electrical cord is damaged in any way.
- Do not drag the jack hammer by the extension cord.
- The larger the jack hammer, the more precaution must be taken to prevent injury.
- Be aware of flying debris whilst the jack hammer is in use
Application
With demolition, always start from the outside and work inward and break off small pieces at a time. Check for construction rods in the concrete. If you come across any, it will have to be cut out with a torch or grinder. Use a steel pry rod to help loosen the concrete from time to time-do not use the jack hammer as a prying rod.
Do not try to break a big section at a time-start about 7 to 10 centimeters apart from each break. After each break-away section, turn off the power switch and lift the hammer to the next section.
Do not apply undue pressure on the jack hammer and allow the tool to do the job for you. If you begin to drill a hole without breaking or cracking the concrete-STOP and start from the edge again otherwise the chisel will get stuck in the concrete.
Rock drilling/breaking
The same application applies to breaking rock with an air assisted breaker as an electric breaker on concrete. Do not use an electric breaker on rock.
To drill into rock, a rock drill must be used. Place the rock drill bit no more than 10 centimeters from the edge and drill into the rock to the appropriate depth-several holes may be drilled-again not more than 10 centimeters apart. The rock drill has a debris expeller which must be applied every few centimeters of drilling. The rock drill stops drilling when the lever is activated and resumes again once the lever is deactivated. This is used to expel all debris whilst drilling in order to allow the drill to make contact with the rock surface and not the debris.
Use a boulder buster and a paving breaker to split the rock between the drilled holes. The boulder buster will become stuck in a hole if the holes are drilled too far apart.
A paving breaker and a chisel can be used to break already cracked rock.
Once all the holes are broken through and the debris is removed, the process of drilling can commence again.
Both the rock drill and paving breaker use rock oil-once the exhaust outlet stops expelling oil, the lubricator bottles must be exchanged with full ones.
PRO HIRE IS HERE TO HELP!
The staff at Prohire Plant and Tool hire have many years experience in the plant and tool hiring business in Gauteng. We know tools! So please do not hesitate to draw on our experience and knowledge of the tools we hire.