Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/726012
September 2016 | EquipmentWorld.com 36 brand they'd never own again, but most agreed their knowledge was limited and that they didn't really know how their hammer stacked up against other products. I also turned to our own fl eet data and looked at the repair costs vs. hours of use on the hammers we already owned. If you Google 'hydraulic ham- mers', you will fi nd a myriad of companies and offerings. There are plenty of online forums with posts about the good, bad, and ugly of different brands. One contractor's favorite was another one's worst nightmare. It was easy to see why so many people just buy what their local dealer offers and hope for the best. However, I also identifi ed a couple of brands that merited ad- ditional research, added the best of our current manufacturers, and then fi nished off the list with a few recommendations from other con- tractors and sales reps. I took that list, put out requests to vendors and compiled as much information as I could fi nd online. I looked at the purchase costs, warranties, support availability and any refer- ences they had. Do a demo At the end of our search, we con- ducted a demo on a jobsite with the fi nalists. Equipment is a major investment; demos help ensure you're maximizing the return on those dollars. Most manufactur- ers or dealers will be happy to let you run a machine for a day or two to ensure it performs to their claims and your expectations. With hammers and other attachments, I recommend performing a demo with the carrier you plan on using it with most often. Seeing it run on your tractor is the only way to ensure you get the performance you're expecting. The main criteria I used for my comparisons fall into a few sepa- rate categories. Size matters Not all 5,000 pound hammers are the same. But, since there aren't established industry standards for hammer sizing, it's pretty much left up to each manufacturer to size their products. One company's 5,000-pound hammer could be the same size as another company's 7,000-pound hammer. So, how do you compare apples to apples? The best method I've found is by using the piston diameter or bit diameter. All things being equal, the piston size is going to determine how hard a hammer hits. A 5,000-pound hammer with a 4-inch diameter bit is unlikely to out-produce a 5,000-pound hammer with a 5.5-inch diameter bit. I also take into consideration the weight of the hammer, but the piston or bit diameter is the best indicator. It's critical to ensure that the hammer you select is the right size for your carrier. A hammer that is too small can be damaged by the weight of the carrier or excessive hydraulic fl ow. Having a hammer that is too big will result in weak or slow strikes, reducing productivity. Go with the fl ow The next step is to check the fl ow requirements for each hammer and make sure it matches your carrier. Some hammers require more fl ow than others to oper- ate correctly. Without suffi cient fl ow, you'll end up with a slow, unproductive hammer and a lot of overtime. Too much fl ow for a hammer will cause overheating in the hammer and the carrier, destroying seal kits in both and potentially ruining the hammer. Keep in mind that even correctly sized carriers can overfl ow a ham- mer. Today's construction market has a multitude of attachments, some requiring large amounts of fl ow or high pressure to oper- ate. Carrier manufacturers have responded with new models that maintenance | continued Products (continued) Caterpillar The new Cat H80E and H80Es Series hammers are designed for Caterpillar's backhoe loaders and 307 and 308 excavators, as well as other brands of carriers. They deliver 1,000 foot-pounds of energy at 600 to 1,500 blows per min- ute. Compared to the D-Series, they feature a lighter operating weight and wider oil fl ow to improve fuel consumption. An auto shutoff system prevents blank fi res. The curved profi le on the housing of the E-series strengthens the unit and eliminates stress points. Caterpillar H80Es Series hammers are designed for Caterpillar's backhoe loaders and 307 and 308 excavators, as well as other brands of carriers. They deliver 1,000 foot-pounds of energy at 600 to 1,500 blows per min- ute. Compared to the D-Series, they feature a lighter operating weight and wider oil fl ow to improve fuel consumption. An auto shutoff system prevents blank fi res. The curved profi le on the housing of the E-series strengthens the unit and Bobcat If it's fl atwork you're demolishing, the Bobcat drop hammer attachment hits at 20 blows per minute and allows the compact loader operator three seconds be- tween each blow to reposition the loader. The move-hit-move operation quickly breaks up large concrete expanses. The at- tachment impacts with 3,600 foot-pounds of energy and weighs just 1,925 pounds. Chicago Pneumatic With a service weight of 4,850 pounds, the Chicago Pneumatic RX 30 has an im- pact rate of 620 blows per minute at 5,500 foot-pounds. It is sized for carriers from 25 to 40 metric tons. The RX series fea- tures a hybrid gas/oil technology, fewer moving parts for reduced maintenance, and noise and vibration dampening technol- ogy for quiet operation. A vented percussion chamber directs dust away from the tool holder, extending bushing life.