Air Hammer questions

[SteveU]

What are some of the things you use air hammers for other than cutting rusty exhaust bolts? Been noticing several different models with strokes from 29/32" to 3 1/2" and BPM from 1800 to 5000. What specs should I look for when I get one to replace the cheap toolkit one I have? What type of work is more suited to the long vs short stroke models? Price range is from about $30- 100, what do the more expensive ones offer that the cheaper models don't. (Talking IR or CP models, not the 14 dollar special, already have one of them) Do they all use .401 diameter chisels or do some use another size that you have to buy everything from them?
Thanks,
Steve

 

[ron in sc]

They are great with a tie rod fork separator attachment. Pop ties rods off fast and easy. When used with a chisel you can pop off other suspension parts too.

Get one with a long stroke and with lower BPM; they hit much harder.

Also get the quick change chisel retainer, much easier to deal with than that thing with the spring.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

A regular air hammer is great for use as a muffler splitter, deheading drums and cutting holes in them, a ball joint fork is a necessity and a regular chisel is very helpful. If you have a cheap one, that is all you probably will ever need.

All shanks on them are a Parker .401 Some very large aircraft rivet guns and air hammers use a .498 shank, but this is quite uncommon. Personally, unless you have a specific need for something better, I'd stick with the cheapie you have, it will probably do all you want it to do.

Go to the northern store and get a kit with chisels and splitters in it, they actually hold up well, and get a pricey ball joint wedge off the tool trucks. I just used mine to replace the lower control arms on a 2000 Nissan Sentra, and it make it a piece of cake. Ran the wedge in tight and while hitting the air hammer use a ball pein hammer in the other hand to wack the side of the spindle. The shock and the wedge makes it fall apart. Be aware the wedge destroys the ball joint seal so if you are salvaging parts do not use the wedge.

Charles

 

[TNToy]

I have a Matco RL910A. Very stout unit.

Snap On has a slightly cheaper Blue-Point that's also very good...
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...id=819&supersede=&store=snapon-store&tool=all

I also have an ancient Black & Decker my Grandfather used to own. It's much shorter and fits into tight place better, but isn't as strong.

You can spot a good one right away: get one that doesn't have a spring-type retianer, but instead a keyless-chuck looking deal. A powerful one would shove the chisel past a spring retainer pretty much constantly.

Like mentioned, a longer barrel and fewer blows means more power. What do you use one for? Well, when you get a good one... a LOT of things.

Cutting exhaust pipes and sheetmetal

Installing or removing balljoints

" or " tie rods

Freeing up stuck CV axles on FWD cars

Knocking frozen rotors and drums loose

Removing old bushings on a LOT of suspension parts

Hit the head of a frozen bolt with one to try and break the rust loose

Removing valve guides from heads

Removing U-joints from driveshafts

Pulling tie-rods and balljoints with a pickle-fork type of bit





Need I go on?

 

[Ign]

Ditto all the front end applications.

Also I use mine all the time in combination w the plasma. Torch the head off rivets, then torch a small dimple in the center of the rivet to help relieve the rivet's "grab." Then take the air hammer to 'em and they go flying out. Seems I'm always doing this on Ford frames for suspension modifications. Removed some rear spring hangers just two nights ago in fact.

 

[TNToy]

That's slick. I'm totally stealing that idea, and taking credit for my very own when friends ask me about it.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

You can spot a good one right away: get one that doesn't have a spring-type retianer, but instead a keyless-chuck looking deal. A powerful one would shove the chisel past a spring retainer pretty much constantly.

Not sure what you are talking about. You are not supposed to be operating the gun without the tool end firmly againist something. Indeed if you held up the gun and operated it, the tool would probably jump out.. The purpose of the spring is largely to keep the tool in the gun while you are handling it and somewhat while you are using it when it "slips".

Removing U-joints from driveshafts

Best to use the right tool for the job, a hydraulic press, even a large vise would be prefered over a air hammer. I can see where you would run a real good chance of damaging the yoke or other parts you don't want damaged.

Charles

 

[ron in sc]

I have a Matco RL910A. Very stout unit.

That's the same one I have.

 

[TNToy]

...The purpose of the spring is largely to keep the tool in the gun while you are handling it and somewhat while you are using it when it "slips".

And when it slips and the "tab" on the spring grabs something, the beehive ones can send the chisel skittering across the floor... invariably landing under the heaviest item in the shop.

The chuck style gun is the only kind worth buying. Maybe you don't agree with what I said previously - but you agree with that, right?

Best to use the right tool for the job, a hydraulic press, even a large vise would be prefered over a air hammer. I can see where you would run a real good chance of damaging the yoke or other parts you don't want damaged.
Charles

Never swapped joints in a Toyota pickup driveshaft, eh?
If they don't budge when blasted with a STRONG air hammer (after which you use a press or vise), you're going to need a torch. Been there, done that.

Toyota must install 'em with permanent loctite using a 500K press. Then they sit for 10 years rusting.

 

[BQuicksilver]

No way I'd knock ball joints apart with one of these, esp with packed grease fittings and aluminum suspension.

It's been suggested to me that these are useful for cutting into brick walls for electrical boxes. Anyone tried this? I was just planning on using a chisel and hammer.

 

[iiibdsiil]

My bro uses his cheapy CH one for pulling up tile all the time.

I could see it working good for the electrical boxes.

 

[JohnZ]

I use mine (with its own mini-regulator at the tool, at about 15-20 psi) for bucking soft aluminum body rivets (Corvette restoration); I get my .401" shank 3/16" rivet set tools from www.aircraft-tool.com. Almost everything is attached to the fiberglass body panels with rivets, and this setup makes setting them duck soup.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I use mine (with its own mini-regulator at the tool, at about 15-20 psi) for bucking soft aluminum body rivets (Corvette restoration); I get my .401" shank 3/16" rivet set tools from www.aircraft-tool.com. Almost everything is attached to the fiberglass body panels with rivets, and this setup makes setting them duck soup.

What you are using is an aircraft rivet gun, very controlable and easy to operate compared to a air hammer. There is a difference. I have a rather old Black and Decker air hammer, no control for something like riveting, but great for knocking out ball joints. I also have a 2X Cleco brand, 50+ years old aircraft rivet gun, and a Chicago Pneumatic 3X aircraft rivet gun. I use these for aircraft riveting. I also have a 4X off brand aircraft rivet gun at work that I use for anything from driving rivets to knocking out hard to remove stuff using a brass tipped set. One more I have at home is a American Pneumatic 7X aircraft rivet gun. I use this one with .498 sets for knocking out frozen parts in tractors, etc., very effective, its a monster and can do some serious damage if not properly controlled.

Charles

 

[Charles (in GA)]

No way I'd knock ball joints apart with one of these, esp with packed grease fittings and aluminum suspension.

On the Nissan Sentra I did a few weeks ago, it was about the only way to do it. I unscrewed the nut on the ball joint and it would not even completely thread off the stud, before it was hitting the CV joint, real tight. No way to get any other kind of tool on the end of the stud to press on it, and it is of course, a taper stud, so it was really stuck. Drove the wedge up in there and hit the spindle with a hammer and it fell apart. Changed both lower arms in an hour and 45 mins, and that included getting the jack and jackstands out raising the car, removing the wheels replacing the arms and putting it back together, and putting up all of the tools and jack, sweeping up, etc. Absolutely could not have done it without the air hammer, and wedge.

I helped a friend rebuild a Camaro front end one time. Drove the ball joint pickle fork in tight and told my friend to hit the spindle with while I ran the air hammer. He pulls out a large brass hammer, and we beat on it quite a while. Finally I asked for a Ball pein hammer and (he is kinda a woose) his eyes got real big like I was going to destroy his car, but the joint came loose on the second hit of that steel ball pein hammer. Moral of the story is that while Brass is good for not damaging stuff, it also doesn't have the hitting power of steel, its too soft and asorbs alot of the shock. They have their place, I use them at work on aircraft alot, but this wasn't a good place to be using it.

I agree, different cars use different tools, but many (most?) cars could easily have the pickle fork used on them. As I noted previously, it destroys the boot on the joint, so you do this only if you are replacing the joints or arm.

Charles

 

[docjake]

Not to Hijack an old thread but has anyone used these as a planishing hammer if so what attachment did you use. I read somewhere that some one was doing this but I cannot find it.

 

[oldjacks]

This is a common application but you need a frame to go along with the hammer. I have seen these set up at a number of auto swaps by custom makers. The dies are easily available on ebay but making the frame could get complicated without the necessary tools to construct.

These planishing hammers were made by a number of companies 60 or more years ago when cars had fenders that were big enough to get under. Now a lot of that old equipment has become quite valuable. I have a CP with two frames that I bought for $600.00 15 years ago. These very same units can sell now for something like $1600.00.

 

[wafrederick]

Snap On has a new model out that will take out rivets easily.My father's friend Rich has it and showed it to an auto wrecking yard demonstrating it to them taking the rivets out easily on a frame.Long stroke is great with suspension work.You can get a needle scaler attachment for an air hammer and it is worth the money to have going over badly rusted nuts and bolts also removing rust from a part.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I have the long barrel Japan made Mac air hammer. With the hammer attachment I have used it to knock loose all kinds of things. Old Jacks, do you wear those shoes on a daily basis? They look like they would fit me!! (14B)

 

[Milton Shaw]

Several other uses, I have a freeze plug installer for air hammer, worked great most of the time. Used some teenagers and a couple of cheap ones to bust up some concrete. Bushing drivers for suspension parts. Had a bit to hammer tie rod sleeves to loosen the sleeve to adjust toe in. They will get really cold if you run them about 20 minutes and work a 5 hp compressor hard also.

 

[tbobbo]

By far a needed tool for a pro. I cant live without it. I work on suspentions in a rusty area. I dont knkw what model it is.....but the snap on is king. I use it for all kinds of things. It really comes in handy for rounded fasteners. Use a chisel bit to make a spot the you can hit on with a hammer bit........turning out a rounded fastener. The snap on is bar far the best one on the market. I tried 4 other brands. Love the snap on! And generally i dont like snap on air tools.

 

[country83]

I used my SO PH3050 to blow a hole through a cinder block wall that a hammerdrill was having a hard time punching through. Stick the point in the quick-coupler and 10 minutes later, presto! Big enough hole to push 3 PVC pipes through.