HF Air Impact Hammer Question....

[Derek Arita]

Just got this tool and have a couple of questions...
http://www.harborfreight.com/Medium-Barrel-Air-Hammer-with-Chisel-61244.htmlhttp://www.harborfreight.com/Medium-Barrel-Air-Hammer-with-Chisel-61244.html
First, what's the little valve for at the base of the handle. Second, sometimes the hammer keeps on running even after I release the trigger. Is that normal? It will keep running slowly until the next pull of the trigger.

[Scott T Smith]

The link isn't working for me, but my SnapOn air hammer does the same thing and has for over 30 years.

[Derek Arita]

The link isn't working for me, but my SnapOn air hammer does the same thing and has for over 30 years.

Thanks Scott. There's a valve at the bottom of the handle that they call a regulator. Would you know how that is used?

[Rich Engelhardt]

The link doesn't work for me either, but, I was able to figure out which one you have.
I had the cheaper one (the $9.99 one) and used it to take off fake brick on a kitchen wall.
I ran it for eight straight hours a day on two separate days, back to back.

Towards the end, it was behaving just like you describe. Finally, it just flat out quit. I returned it and HF replaced it N/C. The replacement was dead on arrival so I ran to Home Depot and picked up a Husky brand. It too was a DOA, so I ran to Lowes and picked up a Kobalt for about $25.00. I see they run about $30 now.

Long story short, the Kobalt has been a workhorse. I finished up the fake brick wall and have used the thing hard on other jobs. I've used it hard enough that I've worn down one of the chisels.

The regulator should regulate how much power pulling the trigger applies to the tool.
To use it, you turn the regulator while triggering the tool and adjust it so the maximum power to the chisel coincides with pulling the trigger all the way back.

Is that confusing?

Maybe this is better.
If you pull the trigger all the way back and the tool lacks power, adjust the regulator.
If you pull the trigger and the power level doesn't change between half pulled and pulled all the way, adjust the regulator.


None of the air hammers I had cycled when the trigger wasn't pulled.
I can't imagine any tool with an on/off trigger that doesn't shut off is normal.

(BTW, IIRC - I believe the correct term for the "trigger" is throttle. If you look for trouble shooting help and see throttle, they mean "trigger".)


I'd either adjust that regulator to see if you can shut it off or return it to HF.

HF is outstanding about returns - as long as you have the sales slip.

[Justin Ludwig]

http://www.harborfreight.com/Medium-Barrel-Air-Hammer-with-Chisel-61244.html Here's a good link. He had it pasted twice.

No air hammer should cycle or "hammer" without the trigger pulled. I worked in airframes for 9 years and never worked with a gun that ran when I didn't want it to.

Take it back and get another one. The valve is a regulator - controls the volume of air which controls the intensity of the hammering.

[John Coloccia]

http://www.harborfreight.com/Medium-Barrel-Air-Hammer-with-Chisel-61244.html Here's a good link. He had it pasted twice.

No air hammer should cycle or "hammer" without the trigger pulled. I worked in airframes for 9 years and never worked with a gun that ran when I didn't want it to.

Take it back and get another one. The valve is a regulator - controls the volume of air which controls the intensity of the hammering.

I would assume you were using a rivet gun, not an air hammer? I was building an airplane for a while. Rivet guns are much different. Comparing a cheap air hammer to a rivet gun is like comparing a beach chair to a Maloof rocker. I have a junk air hammer too, and it behaves poorly too. I think the vibration keeps triggering the trigger, much like bump firing a semi-auto rifle.

[Justin Ludwig]

You're right, John. It's been many a year since I've played with those tools.

[Derek Arita]

Sorry about the wrong link. I think I'll have to return the HF and take a look at the Cobalt. Thanks for the info. I'm wondering if the quick release attachment will work on the Cobalt?

[Rich Engelhardt]

I'm not sure if the quick release will work or not.
I don't see why it wouldn't.

If you have a Sears Appliance Center near you, you might want to have a look there also to see what they sell the Ingersoll Rand air hammer for.

I know about a week after I was done using my Kobalt to finish the fake brick wall, Sears had the IR on sale for about $20.

Just my luck....