Air Pick / Spade

[Stroppymonkey]

When I mentioned selling up my screw compresser the other day, someone mentioned an air pick/air spade which I hadn’t heard of before. I’ve done a little bit of research and they are A. Expensive and B. Very air hungry. There seems to be a few smaller models that would suit my 57cfm compression , but not sure how effective they would be. I would be interested in trying one for clearing around services and meter boxes, but given that most of our ground work jobs are in domestic properties with often waterlogged ground and plenty of clay, I’m worried that the resulting mess might make it unviable. Looks like it would be well paired with a large vaccuum unit. I’ve seen muck truck mounted versions somewhere.
Seen lots of hydro digging videos, but again that needs a suction wagon.
Anyone played much with air spades?
There’s a few chats around on making your own, and given my line of work, knocking something up with some steel tube wouldn’t be much drama.

 

[Giles]

When I mentioned selling up my screw compresser the other day, someone mentioned an air pick/air spade which I hadn’t heard of before. I’ve done a little bit of research and they are A. Expensive and B. Very air hungry. There seems to be a few smaller models that would suit my 57cfm compression , but not sure how effective they would be. I would be interested in trying one for clearing around services and meter boxes, but given that most of our ground work jobs are in domestic properties with often waterlogged ground and plenty of clay, I’m worried that the resulting mess might make it unviable. Looks like it would be well paired with a large vaccuum unit. I’ve seen muck truck mounted versions somewhere.
Seen lots of hydro digging videos, but again that needs a suction wagon.
Anyone played much with air spades?
There’s a few chats around on making your own, and given my line of work, knocking something up with some steel tube wouldn’t be much drama.

I’ve got one bought from auction not tried it yet they are silly money for what they, valve trigger and pipe make like 300-400 at auction and more on eBay

I bought one for cleaning dry crud off stonework but not used it yet.

Will try it but clay seems like it might defeat it

 

[V8Druid]

can some one show me a pic of what being discussed please ... is this some sort of air powered venturi vac?

 

[Giles]

MBW Soil Pick

Soil pick for sale. Air spade for sale. The MBW Europe Soil Pick is a selective excavator, it uses a supersonic jet of air to break up soil. MBW

www.mbw-europe.com

 

[Gecko]

There seems to be a few smaller models that would suit my 57cfm compression

The little one from MBW (above) consumes 80CFM.

Never seen one in action, but looking at their own vid. it looks like it'd be spectacular at cleanup and exposing anything subsurface without the usual risk of damage.
It also looks like its effectiveness drops off rapidly as the loose material gets deeper. As suggested, having someone vac or shovel the material out as you generate it would make a vast difference.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

The little one from MBW (above) consumes 80CFM.

Never seen one in action, but looking at their own vid. it looks like it'd be spectacular at cleanup and exposing anything subsurface without the usual risk of damage.
It also looks like its effectiveness drops off rapidly as the loose material gets deeper. As suggested, having someone vac or shovel the material out as you generate it would make a vast difference.

can some one show me a pic of what being discussed please ... is this some sort of air powered venturi vac?

air spade - Google Search

 

[V8Druid]

thanks guys ... couldn't see that working on clay though, as said

 

[Smiffy]

thanks guys ... couldn't see that working on clay though, as said

I think they where intended for cleaning topsoil off roots around trees for inspection but someone to do with health and safety has got hold of them and tries to push them for other uses. We are supposed to carry one but don't as we use beaver packs instead of pneumatic breakers .

 

[JD450A]

Tbh they are very good tools, have been around since the 50's at least. We have a very old one that we use occasionally.

They will blast off clay and most things but the dust and flying debris makes them a pita.

 

[DaveDCB]

I too picked one up from a job lot at auction, selling it on eBay paid for the whole lot alone.. The good old days!!

 

[Stroppymonkey]

I am still toying with the concept of digging small complicated holes more efficiently/safely/easily. Usually around water meters or up against the side of a house or around other services. Air Spades seem to be very messy from the feedback, and need a bigger compressor than mine. Hydro/Suction systems seem more applicable. Pressure washers are easily obtained/modified, but the suction bit more difficult. I have considered units like this, but emptying solids would be the issue. Would need the tank mounted at (or tiltable) to 45 degrees with a easy open clean door at the end for scraping out into a barrow. Ideally high enough for a tipping IW trailer. Does such a think exist on the UK market that is tow-able?

 

[Smiffy]

View attachment 53571
I am still toying with the concept of digging small complicated holes more efficiently/safely/easily. Usually around water meters or up against the side of a house or around other services. Air Spades seem to be very messy from the feedback, and need a bigger compressor than mine. Hydro/Suction systems seem more applicable. Pressure washers are easily obtained/modified, but the suction bit more difficult. I have considered units like this, but emptying solids would be the issue. Would need the tank mounted at (or tiltable) to 45 degrees with a easy open clean door at the end for scraping out into a barrow. Ideally high enough for a tipping IW trailer. Does such a think exist on the UK market that is tow-able?

There are a whole range of trailer or tracked mounted vac excavators available, but the price would mean they need to be working all day every day. Definitely an up and coming market.

Used

www.vac-ex.com

 

[Stroppymonkey]

There are a whole range of trailer or tracked mounted vac excavators available, but the price would mean they need to be working all day every day. Definitely an up and coming market.

Used

www.vac-ex.com

These are all air units.. I have requested a price for giggles. Guessing 50K?

 

[Smiffy]

These are all air units.. I have requested a price for giggles. Guessing 50K?

I'm pretty sure they all come with a water tank and pressure washer as well as an airplane so pretty much just hoover up whatever mess is in the hole.
I seem to remember that small units are around 65k new. Although my memory might be off.
Bear in mind there is a gang of 5 hand digging trial holes all day every day it seems on the M25/A3 junction works. And this would essentially replace 3-4 of them it must be worth a fair wedge on hire. Those blokes must cost 250-300 a day each and they aren't that productive.

 

[Lancs Lad]

I'm pretty sure they all come with a water tank and pressure washer as well as an airplane so pretty much just hoover up whatever mess is in the hole.
I seem to remember that small units are around 65k new. Although my memory might be off.
Bear in mind there is a gang of 5 hand digging trial holes all day every day it seems on the M25/A3 junction works. And this would essentially replace 3-4 of them it must be worth a fair wedge on hire. Those blokes must cost 250-300 a day each and they aren't that productive.

Ha I'm not the only one who has watched that gang of lads all watching one bloke dig
As I sat queuing...avoid it like the plague now...cut down from M40 across country etc now crap but at least it's moving...

 

[Smiffy]

Ha I'm not the only one who has watched that gang of lads all watching one bloke dig
As I sat queuing...avoid it like the plague now...cut down from M40 across country etc now crap but at least it's moving...

I live less than half an hour from it and was driving past it twice a day for a while. I am sure there where days they didn't move in 9hrs.

 

[JD450A]

These are all air units.. I have requested a price for giggles. Guessing 50K?

I know of a unit for sale, but would need to be mounted to a small lorry.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

The Air Vax man came back to me. 98K+vat for the baby one (which needs a compressor separate) and £165K+vat for the bigger one. I had to sit down after I opened that email.

 

[bobthebuilder]

The Air Vax man came back to me. 98K+vat for the baby one (which needs a compressor separate) and £165K+vat for the bigger one. I had to sit down after I opened that email.

not ordered one then ?

 

[Brendan]

used one years ago at terminal 5, was powered by one of the towable air compressors.
from what i can remember from using it, hateful thing, just wasn't very good for what we were doing