"Many air hammers are very heavy, require a lot of air to operate, and are not efficient," said Mike Roberts of Foundation Hammers. "We designed the Pile Master hammer to be lightweight, require less air, and able to produce up to 90 per cent impact energy transfer with an air compressor as small as 185cfm."

Pile Master hammers can be guided with 21 or 26in (53 or 66cm) leads, or freely suspended with an extended base to drive timber, H-pile, steel pipe, and prestressed concrete piles. An optional sheet pile adapter makes them ideal for driving sheet piles in soil conditions where a vibratory hammer cannot achieve the required depth. Pile Master hammers are also environmentally friendly, using a biodegradable anti-freeze as the only lubricant.

There are currently four Pile Master models available. The 24-900 offers an adjustable stroke from six to 24in and 450 to 1,800ft-lbs of energy; the 24-2500 offers 1,250 to 5,000ft-lbs of energy, the 36-3000 offers six to 36in and 1,500 to 9,000ft-lbs of energy; and the 36-5000 offers 2,500 to 15,000ft-lbs of energy. The 24-900 and 24-2500 models require a 185cfm air compressor, while the 36-3000 and 36-5000 models require only 375cfm.