User Manual

Introduction 13
Utility companies and contractors are under pressure to control operating costs. With air compressors common
on job sites, some work crews fashion their own air-powered excavation tools – in hopes of finding cheaper
alternatives to safe, commercially available tools such as the Utility AirSpade.
“Workers say, it’s only blowing air so we can make a tool for $100,”
explains Craig Schoen, AirSpade National
Sales Manager. “So, they take a length of steel pipe, add a ball valve, and attach it to an air compressor.”
While building a home-made tool from spare parts might be cheaper, there are significant hazards and hidden
costs which should be considered.
Homemade tools lack critical safety features such as a dead-man trigger. Dropping a homemade tool in the
full-on position has the potential to “whip” and cause serious injury or damage. Utility AirSpade incorporates
a dead-man trigger which immediately shuts off the air supply if released.
Imagine uncovering a live underground electric cable with a steel pipe? Featuring an insulated fiberglass
barrel, the Utility AirSpade provides an important degree of protection from electric shock. In addition,
the non-sparking nozzle and couplers featured on the Utility AirSpade lower the risk of explosion
or fire when uncovering buried gas lines.
Besides keeping crews safe, the Utility AirSpade increases productivity. Homemade tools with an
open end, or crimped orifice, disperse air in an unfocused, inefficient pattern - typically, 3 to 4
times wider than the air jet exiting the Utility AirSpade nozzle. Conversely, the Utility AirSpade
supersonic nozzle focuses compressed air into a laser-like jet moving at 1200 mph, delivering
significantly more kinetic energy and momentum. Thus, workers can excavate more material in
less time compared to homemade tools. Less time also means lower air compressor
fuel consumption.
Finally, homemade tools can get hot. Featuring a thermally insulated handle and fiberglass
barrel, Utility AirSpade provides superior thermal protection, enabling workers to work
longer and more effectively.
While it may be tempting to build a homemade tool on the cheap, the
risks outweigh the temporary cost savings. “If you hit a utility
line, the human and financial costs can be enormous, ”
Schoen says. “Work safer and smarter
with the Utility AirSpade.”
HAZARDS & HIDDEN COSTS OF HOME-MADE TOOLS