Vulcan Onshore Tip #11: Storage

Sometimes contractors forget that a Pile Driving Hammer is a machine and should be treated as such. Especially when the Hammer is to be stored for any length of time. Rust can create havoc in a Hammer. Sometimes the contractor takes a Hammer off of a job and lays it down in the yard expecting that it will go out on another job the next day. But two years later the Hammer is still in the same spot and rusty. Following the steps below will take about 30 minutes and save the contractor many hours of down time and expense.

1. To protect the columns and piston rod rod from rust during storage,wrap them with cloth, tie with wire and soak with oil. Grease on the columns and piston rod can be washed off with a heavy rain.
2. Wrap the slide bar as above.
3. Stuff oil soaked rags into the exhaust port in the valve chest.
4. Pour a quart of oil in the air intake and seal with water proof tape.
5. On the Single Acting Hammer pour a quart of oil into the exhaust port at the top of the cylinder and seal with waterproof tape.
6. On the Differential Acting Hammer stuff oil soaked rags into the lower cylinder around the piston rod.