Freeing up an air hammer

[Deb <ukstonespider@zzzzzzzzzzz>]

Dear all - I've just been trawling through the archive
to find out how to clean an air hammer - and have
found plenty of usefull stuff.  One thing I'd like to
double check on: Simon mentions chucking the thing in
a bucket of kerosene - I just want to check (Simon!?)
that this refers to the stuff that's used as a fuel in
lamps and heaters and is known as parrafin in the
UK ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerosene).  I'm pretty
sure that's what's meant but would like to be sure
before I go out in search of parrafin (not so easy to
come by these days!).

Cheers

Deb

Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 06:45:13 +1000

Following on from Bill & Walter's good advice, maybe you
could try to free up the piston without taking the
bottle apart. Soak the whole thing in a bucket of
kerosene and try running air through it periodically.
This has worked for me before. If you can free it this
way or by pulling it apart and cleaning it, and can
install dehumidifier and cooler to get clean, cool air  >
 from your compressor, always over-oil your air bottle
both before and after use with 32 grade oil or similar -
not too light, not too heavy. I keep a number of oil
bottles (barber's cat type) handy, our workshop runs
about 20 air bottles that have suffered abuse for over
40 years.

I keep my own air bottle in an old woollen sock in my
tool chest to keep it clean, and to soak up the excess
oil that seeps from it.

We use Superior and Bon Accord brands, these are what
are available in Australia. They have a brass locking
pin that shears when the tool is forced apart, and is
replaced when it is reassembled.

Simon