20080120 back door stoop removal

I rented an electric jack hammer to remove the old concrete step and caliche. The caliche layer looks like leftover cement that was poured on the ground and left to harden. It is actually a calcium carbonate layer from either sea bed sediment or calcuim leached from the surrounding rock by rain and deposited in the lower (desert) areas. The calcium settles and hardens around existing rocks such as granite rubble with varying degrees of hardness.

 

5/18/2010 UPDATE

 

I have now rented four different Electric Demolition Breakers - jack hammers and

here is my opinion of each:

 

THE BEST

Bosch Brute 60-lb 11304 Electric Demolition Breaker / Hammer

This thing is only 60 pounds and it cracks through all my caliche with

ease and speed. I would say it is about three times faster than the

poorest performing Hitachi.

 

SECOND BEST

Makita 66-lb HM180

Low noise but not as fast as the Bosch.

It's also 6 pounds heavier than my number

one choice.

 

THIRD PLACE

Wacker 60-lb Electric Demolition Breaker

Almost the same breaking rate as the Makita but noisier.

Size does matter. The lighter the tool, for equal destructive

power, the better.

 

LAST PLACE

Hitachi H90SE 70lb. Demolition Breaker Hammer

It's heavy, it's loud and it's slow.

I spent a whole day on a three hour job.

 

Caveat Emptor:

These machines are all rentals with unknown

wear and maintenance records.

If any of these are wrongly rated then

shame on the rental company for not maintaining

their machines and skewing my appraisal.

 

If you have any opinions please leave a comment

below.

 

Done