Hydraulic concrete breakers can be a construction worker’s best friend on job sites requiring serious demolition–they save massive amounts of time and labor.
However, these machines are complicated and challenging to operate properly, and they can be self-destructive if misused. If you are going to handle them on your job sites, you’ll want to educate yourself on how they work and how to use them safely.
In this article, Lawsen Equipment wants to help you by going over 10 of the most common questions about concrete breakers.
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In very simple terms, hydraulic concrete breakers are just giant jackhammers. (If you’re interested in the technical differences between the two, check out this blog.)
They are normally mounted on a larger machine, such as a skid steer, and use hydraulics to power a piston that breaks up concrete, rock, or other hard materials.
They are invaluable for breaking up large slabs of concrete, chunks of rock, or even asphalt surfaces–anything that would be too difficult and time-consuming to break apart by hand.
Most hydraulic concrete breakers work like this:
The breaker attaches to a skid steer or other larger piece of machinery, such as a skid steer, normally via a universal hydraulic quick-attach system.
Once attached, the breaker uses the hydraulic system of the larger machine to power a piston that drives the head, which strikes the rock or concrete, breaking it apart.
Given how the breaker works, one thing to remember when using it is that you should never, ever dry-fire it.
Think about it for a second.
If you accidentally dry fire, the piston fires, driving into the head, but the head doesn’t have anything to strike, so it essentially strikes itself, and the entire force of the blow goes back into the breaker.
That’s enough force to break rock, all directed back into the tool and from there back into the carrier machine. That amount of force is pretty destructive, and if you dry-fire too often, the tool essentially self-destructs and may even damage the carrier machine.
That is why experienced operators develop the skill of stopping operation right before the material breaks, so it dry fires as little as possible.
There are multiple risks you should watch out for when using these tools. These include:
As with any heavy machinery, there is plenty of risk involved with breakers. Here are a few tips on how you can stay safe while operating a concrete breaker:
One of the best ways to keep yourself safe on the job is to use common sense. Be aware of what is happening around you and potential hazards. That goes a long way towards keeping you and those around you safe.
Yes, you can use one for almost any hard object you need to break. That could include concrete, rock, asphalt, or even hard-packed earth that you need to loosen in order to dig out.
Some common uses for them include breaking up large concrete slabs or footings, asphalt, demolishing walls, and removing old foundations.
What size of concrete breaker you need depends on two factors: the type of job you are doing and the size of carrier vehicle you have.
Also, hydraulic breakers attached to larger vehicles are only for large-scale projects. For a smaller project, you may need a hand-held jackhammer or other smaller tool.
To determine exactly what size of breaker you need, we recommend you talk to the manufacturer/rental company you buy from.
There are several possible outcomes if you choose the wrong size:
As we said, the manufacturer/renter of the equipment should be able to give you good advice about what size you need.
How much these tools cost depends on factors such as weight, power, manufacturer, and add-ons. You should expect to pay at least several thousand–prices may range from $5,500-$17,000 on average.
In general, more power means a higher price. But more power often means higher productivity and efficiency, so it may be a worthwhile tradeoff in the long run.
How long your breaker lasts depends on factors such as quality of make, maintenance, and type of use. Generally, if you use and maintain it well, it should last many years.
Here is how you can extend the life of your concrete breaker:
Remembering these tips and others can help you avoid breaking your breakers!
In this article, we have already covered most of the common mistakes you might make when using a concrete breaker. To recap:
And always be aware and use your common sense! These tools are large and powerful and need to be handled properly.
