HammerHead® Trenchless Releases Air Hammer Designed for Small Utility Drills

LAKE MILLS, Wisc. – HammerHead® Trenchless, a Charles Machine Works company, has introduced the new HammerHead Roughneck™ R200, the first two-inch rock hammer engineered specifically for horizontal directional drilling applications. The R200, the smallest pneumatic rock hammer of HammerHead’s Roughneck line, is designed to expand the capabilities of small utility drills allowing 7000- to 10,000-ton class directional drills to effectively drill through solid rock as well as other difficult soil conditions. 

The R200 rock hammer was made to be the most efficient system available to HDD contractors in communications, gas, electrical and water service installations.  The R200 model drills a 3.125-inch pilot hole.

“The R200 allows you to use a small drill on jobs you couldn’t before.  If you needed to drill through solid rock, you’d have to bring a large drill to supply enough power which requires more labor, more support equipment, and more time to complete the job.  With the R200, contractors can save money by maximizing the capabilities of a small drill,” explained Josh Hood, HammerHead HDD product manager. “When you’re working in small spaces or drilling short distances such as under a road bed, it makes sense to use a small drill and now you can, regardless of soil conditions.”

A key feature unique to the R200 rock hammer is the electronically-controlled air flow. With the touch of a button, the operator can adjust the air flow from open to closed and anywhere in between which allows them to manage the power of the hammer on the fly. This feature is critical in situations where soil conditions change abruptly.  The ability to reduce or increase power quickly prevents costly interruptions during the bore. 

The HammerHead R200 air hammer shares similar features with the other models of the HammerHead Roughneck line. The Roughneck R400, R500 and R600 are recognized as some of the most trusted and productive pneumatic rock hammers available for HDD applications.  All four models are capable of drilling at rates of up to 150-feet per hour with exceptional steering performance. Additionally, all Roughneck rock hammers feature side-load high-flow housing, a patented pull back kit system and a lightweight control station. 

Serviceability is a key design feature in all HammerHead pneumatic hammers and the R200 is no exception.  Patented spanner wrench holes in the front and rear of the hammer reduces the number of breakout jaws required when performing maintenance or changing out rock bits.

The HammerHead R200 rock hammer is offered as a complete system to get contractors up and running.  The system includes a R200 Roughneck air hammer, offset and angled offset bits, patented pullback kit, control station/oiler with tethered electronic remote control, hydraulic breakout tooling, 2.5-inch universal high-flow housing, and a conversion kit specific to the drill.

The R200 rock hammer system is available from HammerHead Trenchless Equipment or from authorized dealers, worldwide. Authorized dealers can be found on the web at www.hammerheadtrenchless.com.com.com or by calling 800.331.6653. (International: + [1] 920.648.4848).


HammerHead® Trenchless, a Charles Machine Works Company, of Lake Mills, Wisconsin, USA manufactures and delivers a unique combination of rehabilitation, replacement and installation equipment and consumables for the underground construction market. Besides being a full solutions provider in rehabilitation and replacement, HammerHead also offers unmatched field support and project consultation to its customers worldwide. HammerHead products are proudly made in the U.S.A. and sold and serviced in more than 63 countries. For more information visit www.hammerheadtrenchless.com.com.com.

HammerHead and HammerHead Logo are registered trademarks and Roughneck are trademarks of Earth Tool Company, LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Charles Machine Works

Established in 1902, Charles Machine Works, an employee-owned company, founded in Perry, Oklahoma, is the only manufacturer and global distributor that solely exists to make underground utility construction profitable. Our family of companies includes Ditch Witch®, Subsite® Electronics, DW/TXS®, HammerHead®, Radius® HDD, American Augers®, Trencor® and MTI® Equipment. For more information visit charlesmachine.works.