Corded concrete breaker/jack hammer or one of them hydraulic breaker packs?

[Trevorleach]

I have quite a bit of concrete to break up, I reckon a couple of skips full, plus a 40 foot long wall 3 feet high.
So will one of them cheap electric jobs from toolstation/screwfix do the job or should I hire a hydraulic unit like the JCB Beaver?
I really want something that will do the job and not cause me immense frustration at its lack of go/grunt.

 

[brightspark]

just hire a big electric breaker and get on with it/ you will be well p.issed off using a smaller breaker and spend days even a 900 kango hammer is 2 small

 

[Agrismith]

I have quite a bit of concrete to break up, I reckon a couple of skips full, plus a 40 foot long wall 3 feet high.
So will one of them cheap electric jobs from toolstation/screwfix do the job or should I hire a hydraulic unit like the JCB Beaver?
I really want something that will do the job and not cause me immense frustration at its lack of go/grunt.

If it is that much the see about hiring a digger with a breaker on for a weekend.
Beaver packs are great but heavy, take a lot of work if you aren't used to it, and no good for walls as you can't hold them horizontal.
The breakers from Screwfix etc are great for small amounts, plenty powerful enough but have dreadful vibrations. Hours use split through the day absolutely max to avoid havs. An electric breaker suitable for prolonged use is going to set you back about a grand brand new. Maybe half that off marketplace.

 

[angellonewolf]

its been asked on here before and i allway recomend the titan breaker from screwfix they are a beast

and a builder bloke that was working with me but as his staff was not looking after the hilti units was costing them a fortune in repairs now after seing mine they work the same if not better but they are heavy in use but at 150 new with a year warrenty they can throw them away after as they paid for them seleves

how much you got to do ?

 

[Trevorleach]

Thank you all.
This has caught my eye, https://www.toolstation.com/draper-225kg-t-breaker-2100w-demolition-hammer/p14173

 

[Trevorleach]

its been asked on here before and i allway recomend the titan breaker from screwfix they are a beast

and a builder bloke that was working with me but as his staff was not looking after the hilti units was costing them a fortune in repairs now after seing mine they work the same if not better but they are heavy in use but at 150 new with a year warrenty they can throw them away after as they paid for them seleves

how much you got to do ?

Now off for a look at their site

 

[angellonewolf]

Titan TTB811DRH 16.4kg Hex Shank Electric Breaker 230V - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Adjustable auxiliary handle for increased comfort and enhanced control. Supplied with a pointed chisel, flat chisel and a carry case. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.

www.screwfix.com

this one i got or at least the older version

 

[Trevorleach]

If it is that much the see about hiring a digger with a breaker on for a weekend.
Beaver packs are great but heavy, take a lot of work if you aren't used to it, and no good for walls as you can't hold them horizontal.
The breakers from Screwfix etc are great for small amounts, plenty powerful enough but have dreadful vibrations. Hours use split through the day absolutely max to avoid havs. An electric breaker suitable for prolonged use is going to set you back about a grand brand new. Maybe half that off marketplace.

Sorry should have said it is a side path down some steps then approx 3.5/4ft wide, I am top side of the wall and it is slowly going over so machine might be in trouble!

 

[angellonewolf]

ps dont try take massive chunks out the brakers will bang the metal in to the concrete but it needs to split the concrete or all you will do is get the tool stuck and wont get it out

dont ask me how i know

 

[brightspark]

Thank you all.
This has caught my eye, https://www.toolstation.com/draper-225kg-t-breaker-2100w-demolition-hammer/p14173

looks well capable

 

[Agrismith]

Titan TTB811DRH 16.4kg Hex Shank Electric Breaker 230V - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Adjustable auxiliary handle for increased comfort and enhanced control. Supplied with a pointed chisel, flat chisel and a carry case. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.

www.screwfix.com

this one i got or at least the older version

Whilst they are great. The amount of work the op describes is way beyond their safe use unless it was done over the course of a year. The vibration on them really are appalling.

Sorry should have said it is a side path down some steps then approx 3.5/4ft wide, I am top side of the wall and it is slowly going over so machine might be in trouble!

Hire shops will do digger and breaker that are sub 3ft wide and under a tonne. And they will move the material once you are done breaking

 

[Pete.]

Hilti TE3000 for the slab, TE1000AVR for the wall. You won't want to buy them so just hire them and get points not chisels. Use the shortest point you can get away with, the shorter they are the more punch you get.

 

[sako243]

How thick is the concrete? A big sledgehammer works surprisingly well for an inch or two of concrete. Don't try and break small bits but you can often fracture it quite easily into largish chunks.

 

[brightspark]

well; a couple of skip loads about sums it up

 

[JOEPRO]

Titan TTB811DRH 16.4kg Hex Shank Electric Breaker 230V - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Adjustable auxiliary handle for increased comfort and enhanced control. Supplied with a pointed chisel, flat chisel and a carry case. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.

www.screwfix.com

this one i got or at least the older version

+1

Very powerful breaker

 

[Turbo]

I had the opportunity to use one of the Titan breakers recently & hated it. It is very hard to control as there is a long throw on the chisel. I was trying to cut out a neat hole around a girder which proved impossible. As soon as it started up it would jump 6" away from where you wanted to chisel. If they has fitted a soft start to the motor it would help a lot. Then there's the vibration, after a few minutes you hands were numb.

It's quite a heavy lump too so you need to be fairly strong to handle it. At 15kg you are trying to control 3/4 bag of cement jumping around! It will be ok to chisel out a concrete floor but far too heavy for a wall unless you're name is King Kong!

If it were me I'd be hiring a mini digger & rock breaker for a few hours.

 

[Trevorleach]

How thick is the concrete? A big sledgehammer works surprisingly well for an inch or two of concrete. Don't try and break small bits but you can often fracture it quite easily into largish chunks.

Unsure I think approx 4 inch, not reinforced as far as I know.

There are two walls, one 40 foot long and another 20 foot long running paralell to the first wall with approx 18 inches between them, and Iirc approx 10 feet of that 18 inch gap has concrete poured in to a depth of at leats 2.5 feet to try and stop the main wall failing.

 

[Trevorleach]

Thank you for all the replies, you have certainly given me things to think about, things I had not even considered!

 

[pedrobedro]

I hired one similar to the Titan for a weekend to break up a path down the back garden, concrete about 4" thick with rubble thrown in. I'd tried the big hammer but it wouldn't touch it. I got it home and thought I'd just have a go with it and a couple of hours later the job was done. I could have hired it for half a day if I'd known how good it was.

 

[Martin Hocking]

I’ve done a fair bit of breaking with the titan type one mentioned above. And it’s good enough for breaking up a 4 inch slab without too much bother. But I would mention one caveat with it.

The bearing housing for the back end of the motor is plastic and if your going to be on it for hours on end be aware of the motor getting too hot, if the thing starts to make a funny noise, stop straight away and let it cool down. I killed our last long suffering one at work when a job needed to be done at all costs.

They are very affordable for what they are and when I took it apart the switch is replaceable and there was tons of meat on the brushes left after all the abuse we have it.

To be honest though I’d listen to @pete the man eats concrete for breakfast and gets paid to do it!