SYSK Selects: How Jackhammers Work

Chuck brings back a re-released episode from 2016 about jackhammers that he originally thought was boring, but it turns out these pneumatic powerhouses have a surprisingly interesting history and mechanics. Josh and Chuck dive into how jackhammers evolved from the brutal era of pickaxes and sledgehammers—inspired by a 19th-century need to tunnel through mountains—and explain the surprisingly simple piston-and-valve system that makes them work at a mind-boggling 1,000 to 4,500 impacts per minute. They also cover the serious health hazards of using these incredibly loud 130-decibel tools, from silica dust causing lung cancer to a condition called vibration sickness that can turn a jackhammer operator's fingers white and numb.