How to Select the Best Tool Bit for Your Hydraulic Breaker
How to Select the Best Tool Bit for Your Hydraulic Breaker
Reading time: 5 min
Introduction to Hydraulic Breakers
Hydraulic breakers, also known as hydraulic hammers, use hydraulic force to break through tough materials like concrete, rock or asphalt.
Typically mounted on construction equipment like excavators, backhoe loaders or skid-steer loaders, hydraulic breakers are especially useful for demolition tasks. These tools work by applying concentrated force on a specific point to break down hard materials that would be difficult to break with standard equipment.
Choosing the right hydraulic breaker tool can significantly influence productivity, operational costs and job completion time. In this guide, we’ll provide you with the information you need to choose the right tool for your next project.
Types of Hydraulic Breaker Tools and Their Use Cases
Moil Point
A moil point has a pointed shape that resembles a large pencil tip. Its form allows it to exert a high amount of force upon a small area, making it perfect for a wide array of breaking and demolition work, including breaking up concrete or making trenches. Moil point tools can be employed in both horizontal and vertical directions, enhancing their versatility.
Chisel
As the name suggests, chisel bits carry a flat, wedge-shape similar to a traditional chisel. This design allows for precise, shearing blows, making them perfect for fine detailed work like shaping rocks or breaking a specific segment of a concrete structure.
Blunt Tool
Blunt tools feature a blunted, dome-like end, and are much more focused on forceful impact than precision. A blunt tool’s design proves most beneficial in secondary breaking tasks where large rocks or heavily reinforced concrete need to be fractured into smaller, manageable pieces.
Pyramidal Point
Pyramidal points have a distinctive four-sided pyramid shape, concentrating the force to a singular central point. This high level of focused energy makes them highly efficient for breaking through hard rock formations, making them popular in the mining and quarrying industries.
Conical Point
With a cone-shaped design, the conical point is developed to apply a highly focused impact, but with a slightly broader area of effect than the pyramidal or moil point. This balance makes it highly effective in scenarios, such as breaking thick concrete slabs or large boulders, where focused force and wider impact area are required.
Tamping Pad Tool
The tamping pad tool has a large, flat, plate-like end. Unlike other breaker tools aimed at demolition or breaking, the tamping pad tool is primarily used for compressing or compacting soil, gravel and other granular materials. They're typically employed in tasks like preparing the ground for construction, laying a road bed or backfilling trenches.
Hydraulic Breakers vs Other Types of Demolition Equipment
The choice of demolition equipment always depends on the specifics of the job, but hydraulic breakers are frequently more efficient than alternative types of demolition equipment.
Jackhammers
Compared to traditional jackhammers, hydraulic breakers deliver significantly more power.
Jackhammers are useful for smaller demolition tasks but may be insufficient for large-scale projects. In these cases, hydraulic breakers are more efficient due to their superior impact force, allowing them to quickly break through layers of concrete and rock.
In addition, hydraulic breakers attached to construction vehicles alleviate the physical burden on operators, providing a much higher level of operator comfort than handheld devices.
Rippers/Crushers
Excavator rippers and crushers are excellent tools for excavation and crushing tasks, but their use becomes limited when breaking through large structures or hard rock. In such circumstances, the concentrated impact force of a hydraulic breaker proves more effective.
Blasters
Compared to blasting tools, hydraulic breakers offer much more precision and control. Blasters can complete demolition tasks rapidly but often lack the ability to retain the structural integrity of the nearby areas, resulting in collateral damage. Hydraulic breakers, on the other hand, provide operators with the ability to selectively break materials, preserving surrounding structures.
Benefits of Being Able to Switch Out Breaker Tools
The flexibility to switch out tools within a hydraulic breaker system offers several key benefits. This adaptability allows the same base machine to accomplish a wide variety of tasks by merely changing the tool bit.
For instance, a moil point could be used during initial breaking of the concrete surface. Once that is done, changing the tool bit to a chisel or a blunt tool can help with precision breaking or crushing large stones. This versatility avoids wasting time while waiting for a different piece of machinery and helps operators complete tasks more quickly.
Certain tasks also benefit from using multiple tool bits. A construction project involving site preparation, foundation pouring and trench digging could require the use of multiple breaker tools. For example, a moil point for trench digging, a chisel for precise breaking and a tamping pad tool for compacting soil. Instead of requiring different machines, one hydraulic breaker can perform all these tasks, just by switching out the tool bits.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Tool Bit
When selecting which tool bits to have on hand for a hydraulic breaker, you should consider these important factors.
Material type
The kind of material you are working with is essential in your tool choice. For instance, while moil points are ideal for breaking concrete, blunt tools are recommended when you need to break large rocks or heavily reinforced concrete.
Project Requirements
Different tasks within the same project may require different kinds of tool bits. For example, you may want to invest in one tool bit for excavating trenches and another tool bit for demolishing concrete structures.
Machine Compatibility
Ensure the tool bit you are considering is compatible with your particular hydraulic breaker model. Using incompatible tools can cause damage to the equipment and compromise safety.
Operational Environment
Whether your work will be in urban areas or outdoor sites affects your choice of tools. Some tool bits might be more suitable for precise breaking tasks in populated areas, while others are designed for heavy-duty jobs in open spaces.
Working Conditions
Consider factors like the hardness of the material, depth of the work and weather conditions. These could influence the selection and performance of the tool bit.
Budget Constraints
Cost is always a factor. Investing in high-quality tool bits can lead to prolonged tool life, providing long-term savings. Be sure to balance initial costs with potential future maintenance or replacements expenses.
Final Thoughts
Unlocking the full potential of your hydraulic breaker depends on making the correct selection of tool bits. Moil points, chisels, blunt tools, pyramidal points, conical points and tamping pads are common tool bits that broaden the capabilities of your hydraulic breaker. By choosing the best tool bits for your hydraulic breaker, you can ensure that your team is equipped to effectively tackle whatever task is at hand. The EquipmentShare Shop carries a selection of OEM and aftermarket attachment components, making it easy to quickly get the parts your machine needs to get on track. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Reach out to our dedicated parts experts and get personalized assistance.
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