ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Hilti Ground Rod Driver

I'm a little suspicious of the water trick, JPS1006, but I'll give it a try. As you know, in this area, if it's swampland-black dirt...a few whacks & you're done.

Sometimes, though, it's gravel-pit country & that's when I'm looking for more than a hammer. When it's tough going, I'm using a hammer...I hit the rod 25 times and have to measure it to make sure it's moved. It doesn't happen often, so I'm not sure it's worth the $$$. However, in the past when I've finally bought a tool I wasn't sure I'd use, I find myself using it very often once I have it.

Dave

Dave

Dave
Ist rent electric jack hammer with ground rod driving bit from rental place like home depot. I bet you will love it after using and ask them how much it cost. I use an old milwaukee jack hammer. It makes life easier.

Dave,
Yes,Dave, it is!.
I'd personally use the TE-25 though, it's more rugged than the 22.
I used the 25 at a recent "RF Ground Driving" stint at a local Ham's Shack.
I told the older guys to put the club hammers away.
After I drove a series of Galv rods into the ground, with little or no effort at all,
there was much head scratching amongst the congregation of fellow Hams.
Followed by "Can I borrow that?".

HI
I have not posted here in a long time but I have a TE-60 I bought on ebay for under $100 and I intentionaly bought an older, as in metal body, for the weight. I install ground rods with one hand in my pocket. It is on it's way back from Austrailia on a slow boat where my son and I were on a three month job and in the month we have been back I sure miss it.

Back in June I was involved in a project to ground a 400' communication tower being built. The specs said that there was to be a ground grid, consisting of #2 copper, which was to be placed in a 36" deep trench, in a cross-hatch method. At every 10-15' of conductor, we had to place a 10' X 3/4" rod. Now consider this. The top of the rod was to be 36" deep, also. No problem, Huh?

At 4', we ran into shale rock. Tried the hilti method (both straight and 45 degrees), which did not work. One of my fellow workers said that the line crew for our utility had a rod driver bit which fit on a jack hammer, driven by a large air compressor.

Worked good for the first 5 rods, then started to bog down. I was standing in the trench (36" deep. remember) while my fellow worker was standing on grade. He would hold the jack hammer and control the air, while pushing down. I would reach up to the jack hammer body, and pull down, letting my 240lbs assist in the driving of the rod. this work for about 5 more rods.

Then the unthinkable happened. The bit, which was nothing more than an old jack hammer bit, cut off about 12" in length, with a 3/4" hole driller into it, broke.

Since my fellow worker was running the controls, and bending over somewhat, he let go of the handles to catch his balance. I, on the other hand, was in the trench pulling down on this heavy piece of equipment, could do nothing but turn away from what I was sure was going to be head wacking event.

It fell, but instead of hitting me in my hardhat, it pulled my right arm behind my back, while I was turning away from it.

Needless to say, 90 days and 1 operation for a torn rotator cuff later, I still don't have 100 percent use of my right arm, tho I am doing alot better now. I can comb my hair with my right hand, shave, shake hands, etc...

My advice it to try the Hilti, but be carefull of over extending yourself with it. If you have to go with a jack hammer type of driver, I pity you, and ask you to be extra carefull using it. I thought I was, but in 1 second I found out I was wrong.

Rick Miell

rmiell,
Really sorry to hear about the injury, thats a really heavy item to come down on you like that, hope it heals up soon.

Best of luck,
Mark

Dave I have used the water trick with great success. I feel that it is alot safer than having someone swinging a hammer over another persons head as they steady the ground rod. Just keep the rod wet and moving it in an up/down motion and you will be surprised at how good this works. And it really doesn't take a lot of water.

Free Water vs $1000.00 Hilti


Point me to the water!!!

Good luck

[This message has been edited by Bert66 (edited 11-01-2004).]