Piercing tool’s interchangeable heads add increased productivity

Piercing tool’s interchangeable heads add increased productivity

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The Vermeer Hole Hammer pneumatic piercing tool manufactured by the McLaughlin Group can be fitted with either a standard replaceable head or spring-reset moving head assembly. The multiple-head design enables contractors to use one tool in a variety of soil conditions. The tool can be powered by most standard towable air compressors delivering 150 psi, depending on the diameter.

The standard replaceable head is made of solid, heat-treated steel for conditions where production averages one foot per minute, while the moving head is designed for rocky or hard ground. The wear components of the rebuildable heads have a 12- to 18-month lifespan, depending on use.

Another unique feature is the tool’s quarter-turn, air-on reverse design, says Jeff Wage, vice president of sales for the McLaughlin Group. “When the operator is shooting the tool and needs to reverse the tool, just by turning the external hose one-quarter turn anticlockwise (to the left), the tool will continue running and change the direction of the piston,” reducing lost time on restarts.

Designed to create compacted bore holes up to 75 feet long, the tool’s piston head ensures full striking force is delivered upon impact. Residual energy helps the tool body travel through the bore path.

“Delivering all that force to the nose in front of the tool improves bore accuracy and productivity in clay or rocky soils,” Wage says. “A spring mechanism resets the head. So blow after blow, the head is reset to its start position.”

The tool’s ribbed body also provides added grip in loose soils. “We take the extra time and expense to machine the outside diameter of the tool body,” Wage says. With the piston inside the hammer cycling at 400 blows a minute, the tool wants to swim or oscillate in loose ground, he adds. “By adding that surface feature over a third of the outside of the tool body, it has more gripping force, stabilizing the tool for increased accuracy and productivity.”

Made of high-grade alloy steel, heat-treated and machined to tolerances of 0.001 inches, the piercing tool is available in 2-, 2 1/2- and 3-inch diameters. The tool’s rear tail hose is field-serviceable. Wear rings on the striker and valve reduce steel-on-steel wear. The tool’s modular design enables components to be rebuilt, extending its overall life. 888/837-6337; www.vermeer.com.



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