Air tools
Air hammers demand compressed air to do a job in few minutes which could demand much labor with muscle work during couple of hours. This compressed air is a key to the high performance ratio of the tools, so the manufacturers constantly pay attention to a more and more efficient usage of it in order to obtain a higher power impact on the one hand and less air consumption on the other hand.
Best air hammer
Best choice
Ingersoll Rand Air Hammer 114GQC
This one has 2-5/8-inch stroke and delivers approximately 3,500 blows per minute, the bore diameter is 11/16 inch, 1/4 inch air inlet and 3/8 inch minimum hose size. The hammer has a heat-treated piston and alloyed steel barrel, these features provide smooth action with many years of usage.
- 4,9 Rating
- High quality alloyed steel barrel and heat-treated piston
- 3 chisels set including a flat chisel, a tapped punch and a panel cutter
Top rated air hammers
Best air tools for the money
Best air hammer bits
1. Ingersoll Rand Air Hammer 114GQC
2. DEWALT DWMT70785 Air Chisel Hammer
3. Chicago Pneumatic CP7150K Air Hammer Kit
4. Ingersoll-Rand 122MAX Short Barrel Air Hammer
5. Craftsman 1/2in. Impact Wrench
Top rated air hammer for ball joints
Increasing impact power and reducing air consumption leads to more pleasant and faster finishing of tasks, thus this means at saving money at anyway. For air tools you need a good air compressor: read our article and find the right air compressor for your air tools.
The Best Of Air Tools
Air tools for mechanics
Air hammers, also known as “air chiselsâ€, are the ultimate solution for at-home maintenance, construction work, and those that work in the shop or frequently with cars. Air hammers are unique and desirable because they provide the user both the ability to preserve energy and effort, as well as protect themselves from unnecessary harm involving the physical strokes of using a regular hammer or holding any nails in place while using one. Similar with the new line of modern power tools like cordless ratchets and cordless screwdrivers, it’s a must have for any household.
Every power tool offers different advantages. Two common types of power tools are pneumatic tools, which are powered by compressed air, and electric tools, which use a plug or battery. Each type of power tool comes with its pros and cons. Choosing which tool is best for you should depend on what your specific needs are.
These air tools are a very helpful and useful in an anyone’s toolbox. There is a big choice between air tools and brands, what state enhanced power, better usability, long-life durability and convenient for storage boxes with sets of different chisels. So which air tool matches best to the needs of each customer?
Best brand of air tools
Here is a list of four air hammers available for sale today. Each of the air hummers is designed for different types of tasks mainly for household usage. The tools here are designed for the same tasks but do it differently. Due to design there are both advantages and disadvantages. The challenge is ahead of the customer to consider all the features of the hammers and to understand clearly what jobs are the most common for it.
1. Ingersoll Rand Air Hammer 114GQC
Buy Ingersoll Rand Air Hammer 114GQC
The air hammer is powered by compressed air. It has a built-in power generator, a convenient touch trigger and it is designed for ordinary tasks within a household like fixing exhaust systems, cutting panels, removing floor/wall tiles chipping/scrapping surfaces and a big range of general tasks which do not demand professional heavy duty tools. This one has 2-5/8-inch stroke and delivers approximately 3,500 blows per minute, the bore diameter is 11/16 inch, 1/4 inch air inlet and 3/8 inch minimum hose size. The hammer has a heat-treated piston and alloyed steel barrel, these features provide smooth action with many years of usage. A small but adding convenience feature of the hammer is a fast-disconnect retainer for an effortless and quick change of chisels and thus reduces the duration of finishing the job.
The manufacturer announces the advantages of a tool set:
- High quality alloyed steel barrel and heat-treated piston;
- 3 chisels set including a flat chisel, a tapped punch and a panel cutter;
- Diffused handle exhaust;
- Contoured convenient grip that makes handling the tool while operating easier and less effort demanding.
Like all of the Ingersoll impact tools this hammer has a matching design with enough torque and higher safety grade and increased productivity. The length is 8.5 inches and the weight is 4.1 pounds.
2. DEWALT DWMT70785 Air Chisel Hammer
Buy DEWALT DWMT70785 Air Chisel Hammer
The DEWALT DWMT 70785 Air Chisel Hammer has a touch control trigger and soft absorbing handle for convenient working. The light weight aluminum body with a medium barrel design add to the user comfort. The impact tool has a 1/4 inch air inlet with the top beats 2,600 pro minute. The set is equipped with 3 chisels and is designed for using .401 inch chisel shanks. The scope of tasks includes e.g. demolition of a brick wall/chimney, removing ceramic and natural stone tiles.
Please keep in mind the tool is meant for household usage unlike the heavy-duty professional machinery it is not designed for a constant day after day intense tasks, if so, you will need a big capacity air compressor because of high consumption and a right chisel for finishing tasks faster with less efforts both on hands and on the tool.
3. Chicago Pneumatic CP7150K Air Hammer Kit
Buy Chicago Pneumatic CP7150K Air Hammer Kit
Chicago Pneumatic CP7150K Air Hammer Kit is a good decision considering its price and its output. This powerful tool is designed for a .401 inch round chisel. The extra long piston stroke for this sort of hammers provides an advantage in additional power and minimizes the operational noise of air outlet. This model can be considered as a heavy duty tool with enhanced strength of the most loaded parts: the impact parts are heat-processed for long life service, the convenient handle contributes to a user comfort. This tool can be easily implemented for e.g. muffler and pipe removal, shop work, scraping rust, body shop works and other as also for automotive needs e.g remove ball joints. The tool operates with up to 2300 blows per minute and its retainer is designed for a fast and easy exchange.
Other technical details of the tool are: piston stroke length 3 1/2 inch house size 3/8 inch, bore diameter 3/4 inch, Average air consumption is 177 l.
Due to experience for small tasks the compressor with capacity of 20 gal is enough. For heavy duty tasks it is better to have a bigger tank like 26 gallon to save compressor of turn on and off all the time.
4. Ingersoll-Rand 122MAX Short Barrel Air Hammer
Buy Ingersoll-Rand 122MAX Short Barrel Air Hammer
Ingressol-Rand 122MAX Short Barrel Air Hammer is designed for a maximum comfort due to anti-vibration feature which softens vibration up to 30 per cent over other air hammers of this sort. The next useful feature is enhanced maximum impact force, this has risen up to 15 per cent compared to convenient tools. The short barrel delivers the impact needed and thus the duration of works will be reduced.
The quick disconnect retainer adds to productivity when reducing the duration of changeovers by chisels. Considering these features you get the modern user-friendly and reliable air hammer.
The scopes of use can be: automotive works, dismantling brick walls and chimneys, removing tiles on floor and walls, finishing on concrete surfaces and so on.
5. Craftsman 1/2in. Impact Wrench
Buy Craftsman 1/2in. Impact Wrench
This tool is also capable of big jobs, but more likely it will be better in from time to time tasks. The ordinary shape and gripped hand makes operating easy.
The tool’s features are: air inlet Size: 1/4 in.; recommended operating pressure: 90 psi.; housing material: composite; color: red/black; maximum output: 400 ft./lbs.; assembled height: 7.5 in.
How to choose an air hammer?
The main task of any jackhammer is to break down hard materials and structures made of them. It is a percussion tool with a reciprocating motion of the tool. Currently there are electric, gasoline and pneumatic demolition hammers.
The working principle of a demolition hammer: the force of compressed air drives the percussion mechanism. The blow is transmitted to the peak attached to the tool, and it acts on the material, destroying it. Chisels and chisels are also used as accessories, and a ring spring is used to keep them securely attached. The source of compressed air is a compressor, with which the hammer is connected by a rubber hose. The lack of a bulky motor makes the device compact and lightweight. And if the mains and gasoline ones weigh 10 – 16 kg, the pneumatic hammer weighs not more than 3 kg. It is convenient to hold it in your hands and work with it for a long time.
Another argument in favor of a compressed air hammer is its 100% electrical safety. There are no electrical nodes in the design, so there is no risk of sparks, electrocution and fire hazards. Such a tool is ideal for work in conditions of high humidity, dustiness, presence of flammable substances.
This is an incomplete list of works that are performed with a pneumatic demolition hammer today:
- Dismantling concrete structures, disassembly of brickwork.
- Cutting openings in walls for doors, windows, niches.
- Removing a layer of asphalt, loosening frozen ground and compacted soil.
- Breaking away ice, stone, and hard rock.
- Extraction of minerals.
- Conducting emergency rescue work.
As we have already said, the pneumatic breaker has become simply indispensable in the professional sphere and in everyday life. But one and the same tool will not be equally good for universal application. For example, a domestic class model simply will not cope with chiseling hard stone. And the purchase of a powerful device to perform small repairs in the house will not be appropriate. To make the right choice, it is always necessary to proceed from the specifics of the work and the comparison of the main technical characteristics.
How does a hammer mechanism look and work?
The percussive force here is generated by a special mechanism located under the housing cover. It’s the mechanism that creates the necessary shock waves that travel to the bumper cutter and on to the material, destroying it. It all works like an earthquake.
The bumper is quite heavy, noisy, and very vibrating in the process. It is true that manufacturers try to minimize the effect of vibration, but it still has a negative effect on human health when the hammer is used frequently and intensively.
Concrete breakers are also suitable for home use, but more often you will find them on large-scale construction sites or road works. If there is a need to buy such an implement, you need to know how to choose a demolition hammer: to take an electric or pneumatic, whether the design is important, what working characteristics still take into account? A competent choice will save you from inconvenience during the working process and greatly facilitate the life of the builder.
For construction work of any size, the best option – it is an electric drive of the right power. Before choosing an electric demolition hammer, you need to consider all the conditions of work.
The whole thing is that the motors in hammers are installed in different configurations:
- Horizontal. The motor in such models is installed vertically, the apparatus has a barrel shape. As a rule, such hammers refer to light and medium weight tools, not exceeding the 10 kg mark. And their mechanism is located in the horizontal plane. This makes it more compact but also limits it in such a parameter as the force of impact. What is most characteristic – even the small models are equipped with high-quality electronics and effective system of vibration damping.
- Vertical. Heavier and more powerful bumpers, the characteristics of which are quite different from the horizontal ones. Due to the high power of both the propulsion part and the striking mechanism, the hammers can consist completely of metal. For the most part, such hammers perform serious, dismantling work, where the tool works in a vertical position since to hold it in the horizontal plane requires great physical effort. The place of work of such machines is large construction sites, road work, and other complex jobs.
And which one is better among these ones?
Is there only one air hammer, which does all jobs well, doesn’t lose its properties after continuous usage and is convenient to handle? Experienced users like carpenters and DYI-ers have mostly made the best decision for their needs. There is no single answer.
One of the most clever ways to select is to start with the products of the most popular manufacturers.
Best air tools review
After you have decided which features of the tool are best for you you can go on with selecting tolls of different manufacturers and thus make the decision easier and correct.
Best Air Hammer
When working on construction sites or in your workshop, you sometimes have a need to break down cement or metal. Breaking down these two materials is not an easy task, but it can be done with a specific tool. That tool is an air hammer. An air hammer is something like a mini jack hammer; a handheld tool which makes use of chisels and which moves back and forth at rapid rates. It can be used to chisel down cement and metal pieces so that they’re smooth and even. Looking to buy an air hammer? If so, this guide has everything you need to make the correct purchase. However, each tool is designed to perform differently. Making decisions on the best air hammer to buy can be sometimes hard. We have made the process simpler for you and here are some of the quality air chisels you should invest in.
Determine air tool air consumption
Especially those who want to buy air tools should always keep an eye on their air consumption and make sure that their own air compressor can provide sufficient air capacity.
If you buy a powerful air tool such as an impact wrench with 600 l/min air consumption when the compressor at home only provides 300 l/min, you have nothing to gain. This means that the potential of the tool cannot be fully exploited.
For this reason, we have created a graphic with the average air consumption of the most commonly used compressed air tools as a rough guide.
Pneumatic tool vs. electric tool – The advantages and disadvantages of pneumatic tools
Air tools are commonly used, especially in interior design and many workshops.
But why do we take the supposed detour of using a tool with compressed air, which first requires electricity for the air compressor, so that this then provides compressed air for the tool, when this is also available directly as an electric tool?
So what are the decisive advantages of air tools over power tools and what are the disadvantages?
In summary, it can be said that air tools are primarily convincing due to their superior performance, robustness and durability and are therefore mainly of interest to professional users.
Attention: Regularly oil air tools or use a mist lubricator.
As mentioned in the advantages, air tools can be very durable, provided they are used and maintained properly.
The main focus here is to ensure that the tools are adequately lubricated.
To do this, you can either oil the tool regularly by hand or install a mist lubricator at the air outlet of the compressor. The mist lubricator mixes a fine oily mist film with the compressed air, whereby the tool is automatically oiled during operation.
Here we have listed a suitable oil for pneumatic tools.
What to pay attention to when buying?
The effectiveness of any percussion type tool depends on the force of the blow. And the pneumatic hammer is no exception. Household class models are not distinguished by high values on this parameter (from 1.6 to 5 J), but it is enough to break tiles, remove old plaster, make holes and grooves in the walls.
The demolition hammers used in the professional sphere have the impact force of several tens of joules (the value can reach 100 Joules). Such tools cope with hard stone, frozen ground, concrete, asphalt, rocks. As a rule, they surpass the technique of the household class in weight and size.
Another important indicator is the frequency of blows per minute. It ranges from 1000 to 3000 beats per minute. The higher, the faster the tool will cope with the destruction of the material. In this case, the choice should be made based on the amount of work.
To ensure the effective functioning of the pneumatic demolition hammer and not to let the performance decrease, it is important to choose the model correctly, based on the characteristics of the compressor. To do this, you need to compare the inherent characteristics of both the tool and the compressed air source:
Working pressure: in breakers is from 6 to 9 bar. As a rule, the compressor should have it 2 bars higher, because pressure loss in the hoses and receiver is common in the pneumatic system.
Compressed air demand: this figure is analogous to the capacity of mains tools. For pneumatic hammers and chisels, it ranges from 100 to 400 l/min. If you choose a model with a value of, for example, 340 l/min, the compressor must deliver at least 20% more air. This will avoid peak loads and reduce wear and tear on the motor of the equipment.
Air tool manufacturer
For those of you who like to buy your tools and machines from a specific brand, we have listed below what we believe to be the most popular air tool manufacturers.
- Ingersoll-Rand
- Metabo
- Einhell
- DeWalt
- Craftsman