Posted: 4/19/2017 3:28:14 PM EDT
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I'm about to tackle replacing the tile in several areas of my house. The tile is directly on the concrete slab, and some of it is cracked and a couple tiles have come loose. So, I need to completely remove the old stuff.
I was thinking about this Air Scraper from Harbor Freight to run off my 8 gal. Kobalt compressor. Specs of both are below. It looks like the scraper needs more air than my compressor provides, but will it still work if I'm not trying to run it continuously for long periods of time? Attached File Attached File |
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It will work, but being that far below the recommended SCFM your duty cycle is going to suck, and with only an 8 gallon tank your breaks are going to be frequent.
ETA: Math 8 gallons is approx. 1 cu ft. At 125 psi your tank holds 8.5 cuft At 90 psi your tank holds 6.1 cuft @10cuft/min it will take 14s to run the tank down from 125 psi to 90 without the compressor running. With the compressor running 24s. In practice it will actually be less than that because your compressor is rated 4 cfm @90 psi. When the tank is above that pressure it will be outputting less. Than it will be 36 seconds to recharge, but actually longer for the same reason stated before. So you are looking at about 20s working 40s off best case. Now that is working your compressor at 100% duty cycle, which is probably not recommended for a small compressor like that, so you will want to take an extended break every few minutes. ETA2: just noticed it will pump up to 150 psi. You're looking at closer to 40s on 60s off by the direct math, but your compressor will be less efficient at the higher pressure. So I'd guess 30s on 75s off would be more accurate. |
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I have demo'ed lots of tile using an air hammer regulated to 40 psi. Cheap bits, use a grinder or belt sander to keep them sharp.
Lo pressure keeps the dust down, use a mop to keep where you are working damp helps too. You will be on the ragged edge with your compressor. So I would suggest get a small area done, let the compressor rest while you toss the scrap, so it doesn't run continuously |
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Quoted:
I'm about to tackle replacing the tile in several areas of my house. The tile is directly on the concrete slab, and some of it is cracked and a couple tiles have come loose. So, I need to completely remove the old stuff. I was thinking about this Air Scraper from Harbor Freight to run off my 8 gal. Kobalt compressor. Specs of both are below. It looks like the scraper needs more air than my compressor provides, but will it still work if I'm not trying to run it continuously for long periods of time? https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/181234/Scraper-190891.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/181234/Compressor-190892.JPG OP - This is a good job to hire out. It's going to be more than busting out old tile. There is grinding to be done, usually with a vacuum assisted grinder, and a couple skilled, Spanish persuasion laborers. They also haul away the crap for you. A.W.D. |
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When I removed tile from a bathroom with an air chisel that uses ~5CFM@90PSI, I ended up with about 50% duty cycle of working to waiting for the compressor to catch up. Yours, using almost twice as much air, would be worse.
Whether it's worth it to buy a bigger compressor depends on how much tile you're taking out. |
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Do this math. Time how long your compressor takes to fill from 90 psi to 150 psi
Divide 245 by the time in seconds This will be your true working CFM. Then time on = 4.08/(10-CFM) = this is in minutes multiply by 60 is you want it in seconds. Time to refill will be 4.08/CFM This is assuming stopping at 90 psi and waiting until the tank fills completely back up. |
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A holding tank or large manifold would help being only 8 gal.
If you utilize your down time to cleanup and other tasks for the job it might work if your run time can get some tile lifted. There may be an electric spade available from H.F. Might be able to find a long handle with a spade bit that would lift the tile. You posters with the math always amaze me. |
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Thanks for the info guys. I'm going to give it a shot on the smallest bathroom. If the tool works well, I'll probably step up to a bigger compressor. Most of the portable compressors only seem to run about 4 CFM @ 90 PSI. What size tank would you recommend I step up to?
Would something like this work? Harbor Freight 2.5 hp 21 gallon I use my 8 gallon maybe 3-4 times a year to blow up tires and occasionally to run a small nailer. I'd pay some pros to do this, but I'm not working for at least the next few months and have plenty of time on my hands. I also looked at renting a bigger purpose built tile removal machine, but half of the areas I need to do are bathrooms with some cramped spaces. |
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Quoted:
I'd consider renting a small electric hammer from a rental yard instead. It would take far less time than waiting for your compressor to recover all day. Having done this on several remodels, I'm here to tell you that a.) hand chiseling that shit only works if the tile is seriously old and suffering from mortar de-bonding, and that b.) the way to go on this is a heavy-duty rotary hammer drill and a spade bit. A smallish jackhammer with a spade bit will also work, but you're gonna need to be a bit more manly than the average cubicle-dweller to make it work out for you. The air tools might work, if you had the right kind of compressor, which you probably don't. What you'd need would be a continuous-duty rotary job like they mount in trailers for major construction jobs. Anything else, you're going to burn up, because they're just not made for that kind of duty. Hell, I've had serious trouble trying to get the compressors we use for framing to run even something lightweight like a 3/8" air ratchet. The smaller compressors that you get down at the stores are simply not rated for running that kind of crap with any real utility. |
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Quoted:
^^^This^^^ Having done this on several remodels, I'm here to tell you that a.) hand chiseling that shit only works if the tile is seriously old and suffering from mortar de-bonding, and that b.) the way to go on this is a heavy-duty rotary hammer drill and a spade bit. A smallish jackhammer with a spade bit will also work, but you're gonna need to be a bit more manly than the average cubicle-dweller to make it work out for you. The air tools might work, if you had the right kind of compressor, which you probably don't. What you'd need would be a continuous-duty rotary job like they mount in trailers for major construction jobs. Anything else, you're going to burn up, because they're just not made for that kind of duty. Hell, I've had serious trouble trying to get the compressors we use for framing to run even something lightweight like a 3/8" air ratchet. The smaller compressors that you get down at the stores are simply not rated for running that kind of crap with any real utility. Which of these would you suggest? Harbor Freight Electric Demo Tools |
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I tried it. It will NOT work. I have a Uuuuuge compressor but borrowed my brothers for a job so I wouldn't need to run hose through my house. It would not run my scraper. It was an upright oil-less on wheels similar to the specs pictured.
Do not waste your time OP, that tool is an air hog. Don't use the tool to break a tile that comes off in one piece by hitting it sideways. The bit will shatter. 
The wide blade is very effective at removing old tile and mortar. No need for any grinding. If you are using it in the bathroom and plan to reuse your tub, be sure to protect it from shrapnel. |
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Quoted:
That makes sense. I'm still trying to avoid the rental route as there are several different areas that need to be done and the Mrs has shot down the idea of trying to do it all at once. By the time I rent the tool 5 or 6 times, I'll have paid for it at least twice. Which of these would you suggest? Harbor Freight Electric Demo Tools Unless you are "spry", you won't like using one of those heavy tools. I have run one extensively. In my nearing-retirement years, I would have no interest in trying to do a job with one. |
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I did a small job with the big electric HF hammer drill and a spade attachment. It worked great, and 100% duty cycle. I think they both use the SDS bits, so you can use whatever size spade you want. The disadvantage is that you have to work directly on the floor. I still use the hammer drill, and it's a pretty good tool.
It appears that the one I have is no longer made. It's similar to 1-1/8 in. SDS Variable Speed Pro Rotary Hammer Kit that you posted. It's a very versatile tool. If you're going to do it in stages, I think this would work great. |
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Alright, I picked up the 10.5 Amp 1-9/16 in. SDS Max-Type Pro Variable Speed Rotary Hammer Kit' and some chisel bits. I'll start on the project in a couple days.
Thanks for the advice! |
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Just get the right tool for the job.
Go to Home Depot get a Bosch bulldog rotary hammer they are like $150. Buy the 1" wide sds tile chisel for like $15. I've literally demoed over 100,000sq ft of tile with that exact thing, it pops up tile easily and if it's a small area it will take up all the thinset too. On large areas I use the bull dog to pop the tile up and a larger demo hammer with a 5" wide scraping blade to remove thinset, or I grind it off with a 7" diamond cup wheel with dust collection vacuum. |
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The best electric tool for tile removal is the Makita Power Scraper.
Not cheap but the guys who do it for a living like it better than the Hilti & Bosch SDS & SDS Max stuff. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004YOKZ?tag=vglnk-c102-20 |
this may be relevant to your interests - ave goes through some tile removal options
 The worst job ever. How to remove tile thin set from plywood. |