Air Hammers: Long or Short Stroke?

[Moose-LandTran]

I'm looking to buy an air hammer, mostly likely an IR 118 or 122. What's better in terms of performance a long or short stroke?

Another thing i'm wondering about is hex or round shank. If i buy a hex shank hammer, can i still use round shank bits in it? I'm guessing a hex shank means they stay in the position you fit them in?

Thanks.
-Moose.

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

I prefer a short stroke hammer - the bits seem to last a little longer. Most automotive chisels are round shank, so you'll have a broader variety than with the hex.

 

[TozziWelding]

I have an IR 121 and it is a beast, for heavy heavy work I have a rivet buster

 

[bad_idea]

i prefer short, fast strokes.

 

[wafrederick]

If you are going to do lots of front end work,long stroke.Get the quick release coupler instead of the spring.I had a spring on one and no more,bit came out everytime

 

[diesel research]

I can see a need for both.

Yesterday I had wheel seals that wouldn't budge. Rusted to a steel hub. Seal puller didn't work, snap on 24" pry bar and 4lb sledge would barely touch it, mostly mangle it a little.

Grabbed a IR114 (lots of buzzing not a lot of punch) coworkers cringed at the idea of that so close to wheel bearings and races. Quick buzz from the outside edge and it popped right out. Low enough power even on max to keep it on target.

Ok enough for most pop rivets, pushing some cotter pins, and other light work, but sometimes you need a hard hitter to break nuts or drive rusted pins.

 

[Altec]

i prefer short, fast strokes.

Oh, you!

 

[theoldwizard1]

If you are only going to buy one, make it a long stroke. Hits harder.

 

[crewchief888]

depends on what i'm doing,
ripping sheet metal or other light work, short stroke
everything else, long stroke.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Needed for more heavy work, driving out seizes suspension bush casings, seize CV joints. Not sheetmetal work and the like.

Thanks guys.

 

[greasemonkey44]

i was looking at the 114(http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200342899_200342899); id consider getting something else though. i use the air hammer infrequently, mostly bushing and ball joint rivets

 

[diesel research]

i was looking at the 114(http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200342899_200342899); id consider getting something else though. i use the air hammer infrequently, mostly bushing and ball joint rivets

Need more power than the 114 for a lot of automotive type stuff. 114 was what I used. Borrowed that specific one because I know they aren't beasts. (haven't found which one I will buy yet, but find myself borrowing and trying different kinds, ranging between IRs, snap on, matco, and harbor freight) Each have their own uses and benefits.

 

[Seanbev24]

Needed for more heavy work, driving out seizes suspension bush casings, seize CV joints. Not sheetmetal work and the like.

Thanks guys.

Sounds like the long barrel will suit your needs the best. They are a bit pricey, but the Snap-On PH3050A is the best I've used.

 

[bgott]

Long barrel hits harder, slower. Short barrel hits lighter, faster. I prefer the long barrel, sometimes it's easier to fit a short barrel with a short chisel into tight places. So, you need both!

 

[greasemonkey44]

thanks for the warning diesel research; i used a snap on ph350 that thing had balls.
Ive heard good things about chicago pneumatic guns

 

[Moose-LandTran]

i was looking at the 114(http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200342899_200342899); id consider getting something else though. i use the air hammer infrequently, mostly bushing and ball joint rivets

I'm looking at a 117, not a big price difference for the added performance. I'll mostly use it for driving out seized CV joints, removing wheel locks, maybe killing the occasional co-worker.

Sounds like the long barrel will suit your needs the best. They are a bit pricey, but the Snap-On PH3050A is the best I've used.

I'd love to get a PH3050A, but they're about twice my price range. Worth it, no doubt, but more than i can afford. I like the look of the new IR 118 and 122s though. Very similar to the Hazet/PCL/KS ones.

Long barrel hits harder, slower. Short barrel hits lighter, faster. I prefer the long barrel, sometimes it's easier to fit a short barrel with a short chisel into tight places. So, you need both!

This is true, but maybe the long barrell first.

 

[richfinn]

I'm looking at a 117, not a big price difference for the added performance. I'll mostly use it for driving out seized CV joints, removing wheel locks, maybe killing the occasional co-worker.



I'd love to get a PH3050A, but they're about twice my price range. Worth it, no doubt, but more than i can afford. I like the look of the new IR 118 and 122s though. Very similar to the Hazet/PCL/KS ones.



This is true, but maybe the long barrell first.

Hi Moose you could try these guys, I got my IR W360 Impact from them

http://www.marmax.co.uk/acatalog/round_shank_hammers.html

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Hi Moose you could try these guys, I got my IR W360 Impact from them

http://www.marmax.co.uk/acatalog/round_shank_hammers.html

Ah, yes, i know Marmax well. Very good to deal with, i've bought 3 impacts and 2 air ratchets from them. They're still almost always the cheapest to buy from, and very reliable.

How do you like your W360? I want to buy a cordless impact at some time, and it's between the IR and the Bosch. (Snap-on being considerably more expensive.)

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Aircraft rivet gun, much more controllable than a air hammer. Smoother trigger you can just tap with it if you need. 99% of the rivet guns and air hammers both use a Parker .401 taper shank and larger ones use a much less common .498 Parker shank.

Now if you REALLY need to knock something loose...................

Ingersoll Rand 9X aircraft rivet gun

Atlas 4X good all around rivet gun size for riveting and beating on stuff. Never used an Atlas however.

Charles

 

[yogitech]

I'd have to second the SO ph3050a... It's a nasty beast! If you could swing the cost, it's worth it?

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Aircraft rivet gun, much more controllable than a air hammer. Smoother trigger you can just tap with it if you need. 99% of the rivet guns and air hammers both use a Parker .401 taper shank and larger ones use a much less common .498 Parker shank.

Now if you REALLY need to knock something loose...................

Ingersoll Rand 9X aircraft rivet gun

I was looking at one of those somewhere the other day. Looks serious..

Is the shank diameter on hex shanks across the flats? If so, does that mean i can use round shank bit in a hex shank hammer?

I bought a used IR 117H-EU off eBay. I know, used air tools, but it was only £10. Got 10 bits for £8 too!

Air demand/consumption is another issue, at work the air supply is hit or miss.

 

[richfinn]

Ah, yes, i know Marmax well. Very good to deal with, i've bought 3 impacts and 2 air ratchets from them. They're still almost always the cheapest to buy from, and very reliable.

How do you like your W360? I want to buy a cordless impact at some time, and it's between the IR and the Bosch. (Snap-on being considerably more expensive.)

Its been good, had it 3 years and still good on the 2 ni-cd batteries. What I
like is that one charger fits all the cordless tools and you can buy the batteries and tool bodies seperate when you need them, I will go for the li-on battery when these wear out probably, it can restore the batteries using a regen cycle. Not as powerful as the Snap-On but it takes off Transit wheel nuts and most hub nuts I have tried it on.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Its been good, had it 3 years and still good on the 2 ni-cd batteries. What I
like is that one charger fits all the cordless tools and you can buy the batteries and tool bodies seperate when you need them, I will go for the li-on battery when these wear out probably, it can restore the batteries using a regen cycle. Not as powerful as the Snap-On but it takes off Transit wheel nuts and most hub nuts I have tried it on.

Good to know, thanks.

To be honest, i'm not looking for the most powerful one out there, and i've had nothing but good experience with IR. I know the Snap-on is more powerful, but it's another £200 or something, for not a huge gain. There are times at work my 2135 won't budge something, so an electric gun doing the same is no issue.

 

[diesel research]

Aircraft rivet gun, much more controllable than a air hammer. Smoother trigger you can just tap with it if you need. 99% of the rivet guns and air hammers both use a Parker .401 taper shank and larger ones use a much less common .498 Parker shank.

Now if you REALLY need to knock something loose...................

Ingersoll Rand 9X aircraft rivet gun

Atlas 4X good all around rivet gun size for riveting and beating on stuff. Never used an Atlas however.

Charles

So it seems as if a 4x is about as high as you can go on a riveter in the .401 shank category?

How do you rate most riveters in the noise and vibration category compared to automotive type hammers? Seems most of the automotive hammers brag about extra shock absorption. Also not sure how the 4x compares to a ph3050 hammer in the power category. Obviously it's going to have more control.

 

[Hammer1963]

Sounds like the long barrel will suit your needs the best. They are a bit pricey, but the Snap-On PH3050A is the best I've used.

I agree on all accounts with the Snap-on PH3050A. The Cornwell and Matco versions of the Professional Tool Products made models are pretty impressive too

 

[vssjim]

I have a CP 711 I bought in 1975 for muffler work and CP 714 I use most of the time for small stuff but when I need to make things move I use my CP717 it is an air HAMMER.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

When I need to make things move I use my CP717 it is an air HAMMER.

at $560 with 49% off through Amazon, it's still ever so slightly out of budget..

 

[DrkMtnDew]

i like my long strokes better but keep a shorty around also. for longs i have the PH3050 and IR117 and for a shorty i have an older SO.

 

[greasemonkey44]

bought a 121, hope its the beast your said it was tozzi
pretty good deal at 35$ shipped

 

[Heaty]

Snap on Air Hammers aren't the greatest, every technician I know who owns one, has bin through more than one SO air hammer in a few years of usage.