Frequently Asked Questions

The Slammer Construction

 

  • What Does it Do?     The Slammer is a human-powered jack hammer and is ideal for digging hard ground, breaking concrete, cutting through roots, rock and wood. The force is concentrated/focused and can be repeated on the same spot over and over again.
  • Why was The Slammer tool created?    To work more efficiently, safer and smarter. To be a sturdy and strong tool that could endure robust use. To enable the user to get the job done more quickly than when using conventional tools. To enable the user to get into tight, awkward spaces where machinery could not reach, or where it is hard to reach physically with conventional tools. 
  • How is it good for my back?     Slammer tools are a great option to help reduce bank strain injuries. When operating Slammer tools you utilise your core strength muscles (thighs, glutes and abs) and keep your straight back. No twisting or digging motion. And the design of the blade allows for the Slammer to be walked out of the ground (rocked side to side) rather than being pulled out. The Slammer is heavy to carry so we recommend carrying it in 2 equally weighted pieces, one in each hand. When you have it in situ, insert the inner bar. When operating the tool you are only lifting the top half each time (NOT the full weight of the tool).
  • I already have a digger, jack hammer and other power tools. Why do I need a Slammer?     The Slammer lives in the work truck or tool shed. Most Slammer owners find it quicker to grab a Slammer to do a job than having to find power for electric tools, compressed air for pneumatic tools, or petrol for gas powered tools. It also costs one quarter of the price of power tools . Quality steel, simplicity of design, durability and minimum maintenance make it convenient for all sorts of jobs.
  • Why is it so heavy?     The Slammer tools are made from high tensile steel, structural pipe and abrasion resistant steel plate. The total weight is 9kgs. (The same as a large crow bar.) It can be separated into 2 x 4.5kg pieces when walking. When using the tool you are only lifting 4.5kgs in weight rather than lifting all 9kgs.
  • My Slammer was quiet, it is now getting louder and louder. It also got jammed when working in the rain. The Slammer has a wool baffle to reduce shock and noise. This needs to be replaced with use. My 8 year old Slammer has been through 40 to 50 of them over the years with daily use. The jamming happens when the wool gets wet. I use a length of number 8 wire of fencing wire to get the old wet wool out, then replace it with a fresh new baffle. Sometimes you can flip the female part of the Slammer upside down drop it onto a wood block and pieces of old wool will drop out. It is a good idea to store the Slammer in two pieces with the female end upside-down. This will prevent moisture build up. Dimensions of the wool baffle are 3cm by 27cm and are 100% wool. Do not use rubber or synthetics as they will heat up and jam. Slammer tools come with a rubber sleeve that can prevent moisture build up.
  • How do I keep my Slammer sharp?    I use a grinder with a metal grinding disk for sharpening the blade and a file for sharpening it in the field. If you are using the tool for plant roots, keep the blade sharp at an acute angle. If you are using the tool on rock and concrete keep the blade at a broader angle. 
  • I bent my Slammer, what do I do?     The Slammer will bend along the pipe when pulling out the bar to extend the leverage when using it as a pry bar. The Slammer has to be pulled out, flipped over and apply force in the opposite direction to bend it straight. I have a bent my Slammer tool hundreds of times, then straightened it with the opposite force. Usually I have more roots to cut before trying to pry again and in extreme cases I still use a solid pry bar but 90% of the time it is not necessary.
  • What is the Rammer for?     The Rammer was invented to utilise the same force of the Slammer to compact soil around fence posts, retaining walls and to use as an attachment plate for the foot which is used to compress soil in paving work. It works very well in tight areas where it is hard to get a gas powered compressor. The Rammer on the female without the male part can also be used like a sledge-hammer.
  • Will the male shaft fit into all the different female Slammer shafts?     Yes it will.
  • Are all blades made from the same Abrasion Resistant Steel plate?    Yes they are all made by JFE steel in Japan and are the toughest steel that we have used in the last 24 years.

 

 

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