Looking for an Electric Jack-Hammer

Does anyone have a recommendation for a ‘Breaker’ for concrete ?

My preference [for ‘site safety’ reasons] would be 110 Volt

I don’t need a rotating drill

Prices for the better brands seem to be around £1500

… is there anything useful available at a lower price ?

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Grateful for any advice from first-hand experience.

MichaelG.

Michael,

Have you considered hiring one from somewhere like HSS?

John

I have done quite a lot of concrete breaking with a cheap sds drill from Aldi/Lidl. It is one with rotate, hammer and rotate and hammer only. It has the motor at right angles to the pointy end. About £50 I think.

You can do more quicker with a hired biggun, but then you end up burying yourself trying to get the job all done in the hire period. Better to pace yourself with you own equipment when one is drawing a pension.

Martin

Unless you are going into the demolition business full time have you considered hiring one. My impression is that most builders hire that sort of kit, and the local hire firm probably has a decent range at <£100 for a week.

John types faster than me!

Edited By Peter Cook 6 on 28/06/2023 13:01:55

Kango 2500 was what we used to favour on site or one of the "portapac" hydraulic ones if no power. If it is more of a pick you want for non horizontal surfaces then Kango 950 or lighter 637

What sort of use is it for as you would probably have difficulty lifting something like a 2500, the hydraulic one is lighter

Edited By JasonB on 28/06/2023 13:10:29

A decade ago when I needed one I also did this as it was cheaper than hiring one. I thought that it wouldn't last long, but it is still working.

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Yes

But I will have a lot of small jobs to do, on a not-particularly well-defined schedule … so I feel the need to own one.

MichaelG.

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It’s predominantly for horizontal surfaces [concrete paths in the garden, and breaking-up the occasional big concrete post-hole that has been enthusiastically filled]

I selected the approximate reference price of £1500 when I looked here: **LINK**

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/c/demolition-hammers--breakers/?Brand=x-110-volt-tools--equipment

So, that indicates the sort of thing I have in mind.

The guys I hired last year used something significantly bigger … but I’m sure I don’t need that

[ and I doubt if I could handle it ]

This chap is much younger, and much beefier than me !!

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He picked-up that digger-bucket with one hand … like a briefcase.

MichaelG.

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Something “nearly as good” as the Makita and Bosch items on that page, for about a third of the price, would do nicely I think.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 28/06/2023 14:59:42

Michael , I have a Bauker unit from Toolstation , code no. 68789 , which comes in a fitted case with tooling , and with which I am very pleased . It has easily done everything I have asked of it including breaking up a large concrete slab. It's in the clearance sale at mo , down from £69.98 to £40.

Michael, I have a cheap Titan version which weighs a ton but works OK. I have had it for years but it only gets occasional use. Seems to work far better than I expected. It is however 240v. I have used it successfully with a generator. You do need to keep it packed with grease and it sprays grease out so fine for outdoor use but be careful if using indoors.

.

Funnily enough, Trevor … I was looking at Toolstation just before I started this thread … saw that one and couldn’t believe that it could be any good at that price … I will have another look, PRONTO

Thanks

MichaelG.

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Slightly confused by your pricing, Trevor … I may be looking at the wrong model:

https://www.toolstation.com/power-tools/demolition-breaker/c1224

Edit: __ Yes, I was 

https://www.toolstation.com/search?q=68789

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 28/06/2023 15:11:24

A short while ago I was assisting other members of the ME society, to which I belong, clearing an area of ground for future development when we encountered a defunct hard concrete sewer casing. The site was once the location of a wartime RAF observation post so most obstacles encountered are hard, reinforced and very well made. A clump hammer and chisel wouldn't even mark it so someone suggested we used the club's 'Kango' hammer which is really a Chinese clone of the real thing (or what I think the real thing might look like). The tool hardly looked 'man enough' for the job but it sliced the concrete like a hot knife through butter. I was amazed!

Later, looking on a well known auction site, it appeared that these things (rated 3.5kW because less powerful models are available too) were selling brand new, with a selection of chisels and with a steel carrying case, for the grand total of £110 including delivery, so I bought one. I haven't used it yet, (at my age I can hardly lift it!) so it's just another tool that might 'come in' but having seen one in action I know just how it will perform. Yes, I know I might have more money than sense but you can't take it with you and it was such a great price for what I received and cheaper probably than hiring one with all the inconvenience of collection and return that would entail should the need arise.

Remember that the smaller breakers even if they are good enough will possibly involve bending to use them and only ideal for small areas. Even the Kango 900 or 950 will involve bending to use.

Some of the cheaper ones you can get from places like toolstation and screwfix may do the job but again will involve bending to use them.

The question you need to ask yourself is how big an area needs breaking and if known how thick the concrete is, as well as can you do this in a short period of time this will also determine the size of machine and whether to hire or buy.

Once finished a brought machine will either sit in the shed or need to be resold. A hire machine can be hired for long periods but that increases the cost so if only a short job may be the best option.

I think this https://www.toolstation.com/bauker-1700w-15kg-breaker/p57455

I have the screwfix version. Mashed through 4 inches of concrete floor/foundation no problem.

Only used it for 10's of hours all told, over 5 years.

It is very tiring to use. Get the smallest you need. This is not like lathes were the big will do the small!

For me, no brainer, get the clearance and spend £1000 on other tools.

+1 for being tiring to use, when I was a pretty powerful mid 30s and spent a day with a Bosch breaker that was like the Kango Jason mentions, I was knackered the next day. My last adventure with concrete breaking was with a cheapy Screwfix SDS machine, it did the job I needed to do, it was far easier than the lump hammer that I started the job with.

Mike

The Toolstation Bauker ones are only available for collection … and no reasonably local store appears to have stock.

Having another little browse, I found this: **LINK**

https://tools4trade.co.uk/collections/demolition-hammers-breakers/products/excel-electric-demolition-hammer-breaker-heavy-duty-1600w-240v

Which looks promising [but who can tell ?]

Modest price and free delivery.

They only appear to do 240V so my safety-conscious approach is probably doomed.

Does anyone have experience of Excel tools ?

MichaelG.

The UK's use of 110v on building sites is part historical curiousity, part institutional conservatism. Before the days of RCDs, 110v (centre tapped to earth) was a good way of preventing people getting killed. Now that RCD technology is mature, the rationale for having low voltage stuff is less clear.

Garden paths might yield to a sledgehammer. I managed to damage my elbow with the vibration from a Kangol, took a long time to come right

Hats sure can be troublesome if you do not wear them correctly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangol

I have a very simular item from Aldi, my dad has one from screwfix all much the same. They are very good for the money, I have used mine to demolish loads of concrete. A mate of mine used it to partially demolish his house. They are heavy, they are loud, they obviously vibrate your body but they do the job for very little money