A Division Of

Guardair Corporation54 Second Avenue Chicopee, MA 01020

(413) 594-4400

www.air-spade.com

Air Excavation Tools for Arboricultural, Landscaping, Utility, and Construction Applications

Presentation Designed To:

• Learn how and why Compressed Air is used for soil excavation.

• Understand the technology and advantages of AIR-SPADE.

• Learn about applications where AIR-SPADE tools are used.

Compressed Air is Everywhere•Virtually all industrial facilities equipped with Compressed Air.

•Virtually all job sites have portable Compressed Air.

The “Fourth Utility”•Compressed Air performs many useful functions in industry.

•Referred to as the “Fourth Utility” – along with Electricity, Water, and Natural Gas.

Power of Compressed AirCompressed Air drives machinery, runs buffers and grinders, operates lifts, and powers jackhammers – just to name a few – but really effective for Soil Excavation.

Excavating with Compressed Air• Compressed Air has long been used for soil excavation.

• Air excavation “tools” traditionally homemade and inherently unsafe.

• Typically fabricated from a ball valve and random length of iron pipe.

No dead-man feature – dropping while “on” can result in serious injury.

Not insulated from potential underground electrical hazards.

Not thermally insulated.

Incorporate no ergonomic features.

Air consumption not matched with rated flow of air compressor.

Inefficient air flow through outlet (nozzle) results in longer dig time.

Longer dig time equals increased air compressor fuel consumption.

Homemade Air Excavation Tools

Development of AIR-SPADE • AIR-SPADE originally developed in the 1980’s by researchers at Dravo

Corporation in Pittsburgh, PA.

• Spun-off as Concept Engineering Group, Inc.

• Purchased by Guardair Corporation in 2008.

• Thousands of AIR-SPADES in use worldwide.

Excavation with AIR-SPADE • Much faster and easier than

digging by hand.

Excavation with AIR-SPADE

Excavation with AIR-SPADE

How Does AIR-SPADE Work?

• Soil is unconsolidated assemblage of solid particles including clay, sand, rock, and organic matter.

• Voids between particles occupied by air and/or water.

• Compressed Air directed at close range enters voids and expands, fracturing soil instantaneously.

• Non-porous materials, such as metal, plastic, cables, or tree roots are unaffected.

Patented Supersonic Nozzle

• AIR-SPADE patented supersonic nozzle turns Compressed Air into a high-speed, laser-like jet.

• Moving at approximately Mach 2 (1,200 mph), the energy and momentum of air is focused into

the soil, dislodging it in a fraction of a second.

Advantages of AIR-SPADE ERGONOMIC Comfortable pistol-grip style handle.

SAFE Dead-man trigger.

LIGHTWEIGHT Non-conductive fiberglass barrel.

EXTENSIONS Barrel extensions for deeper excavations.

MULTIPLE NOZZLES Properly match air compressor output.

SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE Patented supersonic nozzle.

ACCESSORIES Wide range of unique accessories.

Soil Excavation Rates

Minimum Compressor Size

AIR-SPADE 2000

• The “Industry Standard”.• Rugged and versatile ergonomic design.• Available alone or with accessory kit.

AIR-SPADE 2000 Specifications

• Pressure 90 psig • Flow 25, 60, 105, 150, 225 scfm• Length 60 inches• Handle Pistol-Grip with Dead-Man Trigger• Barrel Non-Conductive Fiberglass• Dirt Shield Rubber, Sliding• Nozzle Extra-Hardened Stainless Steel

AIR-SPADE 2000 Accessories• Replacement Nozzles• Barrel Extensions• 45o Adapter• Lightweight Air Hose

AIR-SPADE 3000

• For even faster soil excavation.• The most powerful air excavation tool available on the market. • Unique, in-line design.

AIR-SPADE 3000 Specifications

• Pressure 90 psig • Flow 330 scfm• Length 78 inches• Handle In-Line with Dead-Man Trigger• Barrel Non-Conductive Fiberglass• Dirt Shield Rubber, Sliding• Nozzle Extra-Hardened Stainless Steel

Arbor and Landscape Applications

• Root Collar Excavation• Radial Trenching• Bare Rooting and Transplanting• Large Tree Work• Root Pruning• Irrigation and Line Installation• Vertical Mulching• Soil Aeration

Root Collar Excavation

Girdling Root

Root collar excavation is an essential part of tree health care and is used for:

• Disease and/or pest inspection.

• Application of treatments for diseases such as Oak Wilt.

• Eliminate girdling roots.

Radial Trenching

• Poor soil conditions may leadto poor root development.

• Radial trenching and subsequent soil replacement is an excellent method to enhance root structure.

• Radial trenching with AIR-SPADE performs soil excavation without root damage.

Bare Rooting and Transplanting

• Bare rooting is done onsmall trees.

• Easy to excavate the entireroot system.

• Great way to evaluate and understand the effects of root treatments.

• Also used to prepare trees in nurseries for transplanting.

Large Tree Work

• Clear excess soil fromroots to reduce weight prior to move.

• Clean soil off unwanted roots prior to trimming.

• Remove soil prior to boxing.

• Used in large tree projects all over the world.

Root Pruning

AIR-SPADE used to locate roots for pruning prior to construction of:

• Sidewalks and driveways.

• Swimming pools or ponds.

• Other landscaping projects.

Irrigation Line Installation

• Excavate irrigation trenches in a “root friendly” manner.

• Strategically locate irrigation lines with respect to existing roots.

• AIR-SPADE specified by many municipalities for this application in campusesand parks.

Air-Spade In Action

Air-Spade In Action

Air-Spade In Action

Excavation of Stem Girdling Roots

Expose Root Flares For Tree Injections

Root Collar Excavations of Buried Trees

Use a Debris Shield to Contain Soil

Expect to Get Dirty!

Close Your Windows

Summary

• Air excavation has become a viable and beneficial procedure for arborists.

• Air excavation safely uncovers tree roots without damage to the tree or other solid, underground objects.

• There are a wide variety of applications that can be performed.

• Bare rooting large trees prior to transplanting is the fastest growing application of air excavation in arboriculture.

A Division Of

Guardair Corporation54 Second Avenue Chicopee, MA 01020

(413) 594-4400

www.air-spade.com

Air Excavation Tools for Arboricultural, Landscaping, Utility, and Construction Applications