Cuturi Pneumatic Hammers: For raking out lime mortar on stone walls, anyone used such a thing?

[Ian X]

The last time I raked out a lot of mortar I used a smallish Hilti chipping hammer. I encountered two problems, the thing felt heavy after a few minutes and it was far too brutal or too slow on a lower setting. I have seen other people using chipping hammers and asked them about their experience and most agreed they lack finesse and can lead to many smaller stones becoming dislodged which require resetting.
I have 85 M2 of raking out to perform and am looking for a lighter solution with more finesse and control over the depth. There are many different gouges and points available for masons air hammers including spoon gouges which seem to offer a perfect solution but I would like to know the work rate. Old school hammer and chisel is out of the question, I have many micro tears in my right arm tendons.
So if you have used an air chisel for masonry do tell what you think.

 

[sako243]

Dad found an SDS bit on the end of a drill quite effective.

 

[voipio]

Have you considered these?

SMART Multi Cutter Mortar Buster Blade

Use this multi cutter blade from Smart to cut through plaster, brick and mortar with ease. It's often used for electric work to run cable, chase out a socket, or install an electric box. The blade has the strength to cut sharply through tiles without breaking them, and it has the precision to...

www.toolstation.com

Especially for the removal of finer detailed mortar.

 

[Ian X]

Have you considered these?

SMART Multi Cutter Mortar Buster Blade

Use this multi cutter blade from Smart to cut through plaster, brick and mortar with ease. It's often used for electric work to run cable, chase out a socket, or install an electric box. The blade has the strength to cut sharply through tiles without breaking them, and it has the precision to...

www.toolstation.com

Especially for the removal of finer detailed mortar.

Aha! I have a multi cutter tool, never thought to consider it a candidate but if you see the price of a decent quality air hammer one of those from Toolstation would be well worthy of a trial.
I was talking with a friend this afternoon after posting my question here and he was genuinely surprised that I was avoiding a chipping hammer. They are truly set in their ways around here so it's Marteau et Burin á main or Burineur even though they have to spend time resetting many smaller stones afterwards. The countryside is very rustic indeed, I am told it is easy enough to reset small stones but I have seen people spinning small rocks around and re trying to fit before casting the piece to one side and trying another, way too desperate for me.

 

[Erie Fred]

How about a needle scaler ?
A gloved hand to guide them into the slot, or make a template.

 

[brightspark]

a 4 inch angle grinder

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

Aha! I have a multi cutter tool, never thought to consider it a candidate but if you see the price of a decent quality air hammer one of those from Toolstation would be well worthy of a trial.

I have used one of those attachments for raking out grout on tiles before, they're extraordinary fast at material removal, although you will start to feel it from the rapid vibration fairly quickly, so periodic breaks are a necessity.

A diamond disc on a 4" angle grinder will do the same thing even faster, but is a bit more difficult to control.

Given 85m² to cover, I would probably buy both the diamond disk and raking attachments, and use the two tools interchangeably as required.

It's also incredibly dusty work with either (even by the standards of dusty things with power tools), so I would strongly advise a good mask and goggles (or use a powered head top if you have one with a grinding visor).

 

[gaz1]

a 4 inch angle grinder

same here this wall was cement rendared all removed with sds chisel and then cleaned out with grinder

 

[leadpig]

Hire or buy one of these

 

[Ian X]

same here this wall was cement rendared all removed with sds chisel and then cleaned out with grinder

View attachment 457377View attachment 457379

Luxury having all those straight lines. The attached image is what I have to deal with. For certain an angle grinder would be in and out of my hand too frequently. My pic shows commencement of deep pointing before second decorative "pierre apparentes" semi render on a job helping a friend out. The raking out was done with hammer and chisel as the construction was most certainly not a candidate for a chipping hammer, it was very laborious and I wish I had been unavailable as my right arm was unhappy for days afterwards.
That type of construction is the norm hereabouts, there are no straight or wavy lines of more than 18" and those are infrequent.
I think I took this photo because it was possibly the most hideous random coursed masonry I have ever seen, there are many 4 ways joints and too long straight paths. For the work at my place I have slightly more elegant to contend with but not by much, I need an aglile cutter that can be steered tightly.


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[gaz1]

this tool might be better for your usage

 

[Erie Fred]

How about a pressure washer with rotary nozzle ?

 

[Beanwood]

How about a pressure washer with rotary nozzle ?

Very aggressive very quickly! I asked a young friend to clean the gaps in the patio- took the mortar out no trouble but also another 4 inches in places. My fault for being too busy to supervise

 

[Erie Fred]

Very aggressive very quickly! I asked a young friend to clean the gaps in the patio- took the mortar out no trouble but also another 4 inches in places. My fault for being too busy to supervise

You can turn the pressure down.
also if it took out 4", well then 4" was all bad, and needed removed.

 

[Beanwood]

You can turn the pressure down.
also if it took out 4", well then 4" was all bad, and needed removed.

No, they took out the hardcore base unfortunately. It was a Karcher without pressure control - but I get you point, and it seems like a good idea if used carefully.

 

[Erie Fred]

No, they took out the hardcore base unfortunately. It was a Karcher without pressure control - but I get you point, and it seems like a good idea if used carefully.

I've got a 13 hp belt drive model that will do 4000 psi, 8and with the rotating nozzle, I took the "4x4" decals off my dodge by accident.
Peeled them right off......

 

[Robotstar5]

I've got a 13 hp belt drive model that will do 4000 psi, 8and with the rotating nozzle, I took the "4x4" decals off my dodge by accident.
Peeled them right off......

They had one with silly pressure in the paintshop for blasting dried paint off the floor grids, it was that dangerous it needed a safety man outside the paint booth holding a dead mans handle while keeping an eye on the operator.

 

[Ian X]

There are a few recommendations for an angle grinder but I can say with certainty I would be bumping into the neighbouring stones too often. The depth required to rake out exceeds the useful steering ability of even a 4" wheel. The walls I need to renovate (they are all internal) have a mixture of tuffeau which is soft enough to carve with a wood chisel and fiendishly placed flint that causes sparks and fear when tackled with discs of any sort.
I think that the solution must be the use of percussive tools but the tips to try a vibratory cutter (multi tool) are certainly worth a try and cheap to try too. This work is for later when the temperatures are steady and the summer fading so I won't be reporting any gripes or recommendations soon.

this tool might be better for your usage

Yes, that is the type of white finger inducing device I am thinking about. Thereare not too many videos on the subject but I found one and it does look like an effective tool for what I want to accomplish.

4:12 he shows the painful way to do it, noble mind, but painful after three hours. I think he is actually raking out OPC mortar, if that is correct then my job would be rapid, its lime mortar.

 

[Ian X]

How about a pressure washer with rotary nozzle ?

I tried that, it was very effective in some places but not others, in the places were it was effective it could get aggresive very quickly and clear out old powdery mortar scarily deep. It is difficult to see what is going on because of the rebounding dirty water and if you blip and inspect then blip again it is not near as effective as holding the trigger and moving slowly along.

 

[gaz1]

there is an electric version as well as a battery version as well