I will be peeling back stucco for new windows and from everything I understand a small pneumatic chipping hammer seems to be the tool of choice. Supposedly, this sort of tool with its maneuverability will stack the deck in favor of chipping back stucco while leaving the paper relatively intact. First question — am I correct about this? Second question — will my double hot dog compressor be able to keep up? I know nothing about this tool… how much would a decent hammer cost? Are there features and/or brand names I should look for? Advice? Thanks in advance.
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Replies
Can't vouch for what you are trying to do, but I had an air hammer to chisel some concrete, running off my 4 gallon compressor, and it cycled a lot.
Dustin
Yes it will run it but it will run frequently if not continuously, depending on how fast your going at it.
I bought one not that long ago, think it was around 30 bucks. I'm sure you can spend more for better.
Just a thought on this. Have you considered an electric hammerdrill? Or how about running a circular saw with a dry diamond blade through the stucco set at a depth that wouldn't cut the paper? You could do multiple passes. Just a thought.
Yes, as a matter of fact I own a mid-sized Bosch rotary hammer. Although I haven't tried it, I'm pretty sure it can bash up stucco. But I know that thing will get heavy. I was hoping a little air hammer would be much more maneuverable... I could angle it this way and that... and with more finesse and less fatigue I hoped more of the paper would survive. I will probably buy an inexpensive one and hope that I don't burn up my compressor.
I bought a $20 one at Lowes and it works fine, doing exactly what you are doing. Cycles the hell out of my little Emglo though.
Yersmay,Yes, the little air hammer is much better than a rotohammer for contolled demo of stucco while saving the paper. I have a cheap one, and the one thing I would pay more money to have is a tool holder that does not permit the chisel to rotate freely at any time it pleases. Having a chisel that stays on one axis until the operator decides to turn it would improve control a lot, IMO.Go slowly, as the paper on an older unsheathed home is really easy to tear. Chunks of stucco still hung up in the wire can bash a hole through the paper really easily. It works best if you can hold the air hammer at a shallow angle to the wall face, so the force is tangent to the paper, not right into it.Be sure to drain the tank of your compressor when you are done. This process uses a lot of air.Bill