Quick answer: choose a hand-held rock drill such as the Y19A when mobility, simple setup, and short downward or inclined holes are the priority. Choose an air-leg rock drill such as the YT28 when you need sustained feed support for tunnel faces, development headings, and repeated horizontal or inclined drilling. The two machines can both use an H22 × 108 mm shank interface, but that does not make them operationally equivalent. Air demand, hose size, feed support, drilling direction, rod/bit details, and site dust-control requirements still need to match the job.
Y19A vs YT28 at a Glance
The table below uses the current PerfoMax reference configurations for preliminary selection. Final quotations should still be checked against the supplied model data sheet and actual site conditions.
| Selection Factor | Y19A Hand-Held Rock Drill | YT28 Air-Leg Rock Drill |
|---|---|---|
| Operating concept | Hand-held pneumatic percussion drill | Pneumatic percussion drill normally supported and fed by an air leg |
| Reference machine weight | 19 kg | 26 kg, excluding the separate air leg |
| Reference hole diameter | 34–40 mm | 34–42 mm |
| Reference drilling depth | Up to 5 m | Up to 5 m |
| Drill steel shank | H22 × 108 mm | H22 × 108 mm |
| Reference air pressure | 4–5 bar | 0.50 or 0.63 MPa reference points |
| Air consumption at 5 bar / 0.50 MPa | ≤43 L/s | ≤55 L/s |
| Reference air hose ID | ≥19 mm | 25 mm |
| Typical fit | Small quarry jobs, secondary blasting, construction, mobile downward/inclined drilling | Tunnelling, mine development, sustained supported drilling in medium to hard rock |
Important: do not compare air-consumption figures unless the pressure condition is the same. The YT28 reference rises to ≤81 L/s at 0.63 MPa; comparing that number directly with a Y19A figure stated at 5 bar would exaggerate the difference because the test pressures are different.
1. Start with Drilling Direction and Feed Support
The most important difference is not the few millimetres of hole diameter. It is how the drill is supported and how feed force is applied to the bit.
When a hand-held Y19A makes sense
A hand-held drill is attractive when the operator needs to move quickly between short drilling positions and the hole orientation allows body weight and positioning to help control the tool. This is common in secondary blasting, small quarry work, construction trimming, and downward or inclined holes where a separate support leg would add setup time or obstruct movement.
The current PerfoMax Y19A reference configuration is 19 kg and uses an H22 × 108 mm shank. That lower machine weight is useful when the job is dominated by carrying, repositioning, and short drilling cycles rather than long continuous face rounds.
When an air-leg YT28 makes sense
An air leg supports the drill and provides controlled feed thrust through a pneumatic cylinder. That matters most when the operator must hold the drill on a tunnel face or maintain consistent thrust in horizontal and inclined holes. Air-leg drills are therefore commonly used for tunnelling and mine-development work where repeated holes and sustained feed are more important than minimum carry weight.
The YT28 should be evaluated as a system: drill + matched air leg + hoses + lubricator + compressor capacity + drill steel. Buying only the drill body and assuming the rest of the system will be interchangeable is a common source of low performance and commissioning delays.
2. Air Supply: Compare Tool-Inlet Flow, Not Compressor Nameplate Alone
Pneumatic rock drills only receive the pressure and airflow that actually reach the tool. Hose length, hose diameter, couplings, manifolds, filters, lubricators, simultaneous tools, and compressor loading all create losses between the compressor and the drill.
For the current PerfoMax reference configurations, the Y19A is listed at ≤43 L/s at 5 bar, while the YT28 is ≤55 L/s at 0.50 MPa. At the same nominal 5 bar condition, the YT28 therefore requires about 28% more reference airflow than the Y19A. The YT28 manual also lists ≤81 L/s at 0.63 MPa, illustrating why pressure must always be attached to an airflow number.
Do not size a compressor from horsepower or kW alone. Before ordering, confirm:
- compressor free-air delivery at the intended operating pressure;
- number of drills that may run simultaneously;
- main hose and branch hose internal diameters;
- total hose length and number of restrictions;
- actual pressure measured at the drill while it is working.
Ingersoll Rand's YT28 manual specifically notes that the pressure requirement is at the rock-drill inlet, not at the compressor, and that insufficient pressure or volume reduces efficient operation.
3. Can Y19A and YT28 Use the Same H22 × 108 Drill Steel?
They can share the same machine-side H22 × 108 shank standard when the individual rod is correctly specified, but H22 × 108 is not a complete bit-compatibility specification.
H22 describes the 22 mm hexagonal drill steel, and 108 mm refers to the shank length that fits the drill chuck. The opposite end of a tapered drill rod still has its own taper angle and bit interface. For example, PerfoMax currently offers an H22 × 108 mm tapered drill rod with an 11° connection option. The tapered bit must match that end geometry.
Before reusing an existing rod-and-bit inventory between Y19A and YT28, verify:
- H22 × 108 machine-side shank dimensions;
- total rod length and effective drilling length;
- taper angle at the bit end;
- bit diameter within the selected drill's practical range;
- water-flushing path and condition of the drill steel.
Do not buy on the phrase “H22 rod” alone.
4. Does Adding a Pusher Leg Turn a Y19A into a YT28?
No. PerfoMax can quote a matching pusher-leg option for the Y19A where appropriate, but adding external support does not change the Y19A's internal pneumatic design, reference air demand, machine mass, impact system, or model identity.
A pusher leg can improve support and operator ergonomics in a suitable setup. However, if the job is sustained tunnel-face or mine-development drilling, compare the full supported systems rather than assuming that a Y19A plus any leg is equivalent to a YT28. For YT28 procurement, the FT160-series air-leg model and exact suffix/interface should be confirmed against the quoted drill revision instead of selected by family name alone.
5. Practical Selection Matrix
| Job Condition | Usually Favors | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Frequent carrying between scattered short holes | Y19A | Lower machine weight and simpler hand-held setup |
| Secondary blasting or small quarry trimming | Y19A | Mobility and short-cycle flexibility |
| Repeated horizontal tunnel-face holes | YT28 + matched air leg | Supported, controllable feed is more important than minimum carry weight |
| Development heading with many holes per round | YT28 + matched air leg | Designed around sustained tunnelling and mine-development work |
| Compressor capacity is tightly limited | Check Y19A first | Lower reference air demand at the same 5 bar condition, but verify actual site pressure and productivity target |
| Existing H22 × 108 inventory | Either, after verification | Machine-side shank may match, but rod length, taper, bit diameter and flushing still need confirmation |
| Mixed drilling directions and uncertain setup | Compare full system | Orientation, support geometry, hose layout and operator workflow can outweigh headline model specifications |
Bottom line: YT28 is not automatically “better” because it is heavier and consumes more air, and Y19A is not automatically “better” because it is lighter. The correct choice is the machine that produces stable feed and acceptable drilling productivity with the air supply, orientation, mobility requirement, and drill-string configuration you actually have.
6. Common Procurement Mistakes
| Mistake | Why It Creates Loss | What to Confirm Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing only by hole diameter | Y19A and YT28 overlap in hole range, but their feed-support concepts differ | Drilling direction, cycle length and required support |
| Comparing airflow at different pressures | The higher-pressure number can make one model appear disproportionately air-hungry | Compare L/s at the same pressure and at the tool inlet |
| Ignoring hose ID | A restrictive hose can drop pressure even when the compressor looks large enough | Y19A ≥19 mm reference; YT28 25 mm reference, plus actual hose length |
| Assuming H22 means complete compatibility | The machine-side shank may match while the rod length or bit-end taper does not | H22 × 108 shank, rod length, taper angle and bit diameter |
| Ordering an air leg by “FT160” alone | Interfaces and suffixes can vary by quoted supplier/revision | Exact drill model, revision and controlled air-leg matching data |
| Treating 5 m as guaranteed production depth | Rock, rod condition, flushing, air supply and hole straightness affect real drilling performance | Target depth plus rock condition and complete operating setup |
7. What to Send Before an RFQ
A useful RFQ lets the supplier match a drilling system rather than guess from a model name. Send:
- target hole diameter and typical hole depth;
- drilling direction: downward, horizontal, upward, or mixed;
- rock type, hardness/UCS and abrasiveness if known;
- wet or dry drilling requirement and site dust-control rules;
- compressor free-air delivery at the intended pressure;
- main and branch hose ID and approximate hose length;
- number of drills expected to run at the same time;
- existing drill steel: H22 × 108, rod length and bit-end taper;
- bit diameter and bit type currently used;
- whether an air leg, lubricator, hose set or spare-parts package is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for downward holes, Y19A or YT28?
For short, mobile downward or inclined work, the hand-held Y19A is often the simpler choice because it is lighter and does not require an air leg for its basic operating concept. If hole count, feed consistency or site geometry changes, compare the complete system rather than drilling direction alone.
Which is better for horizontal tunnel drilling?
The YT28 with a correctly matched air leg is usually the stronger fit for repeated horizontal or inclined tunnel-face drilling because the leg supports the drill and supplies controlled feed thrust. This is consistent with the YT28's intended tunnelling and mine-development use.
Can a Y19A use a pusher leg?
A compatible support option can be quoted for some Y19A setups, but the exact leg and interface must be confirmed. Adding a leg does not convert the Y19A into a YT28 or give it the YT28's pneumatic performance characteristics.
Can Y19A and YT28 use the same drill rods and bits?
Both current PerfoMax reference configurations use an H22 × 108 mm machine-side shank. That creates potential drill-steel commonality, but the rod's total length, bit-end taper angle, bit diameter and flushing details must still match. Never approve substitution from “H22” alone.
How much more air does a YT28 need than a Y19A?
At the same nominal 5 bar / 0.50 MPa reference condition, current PerfoMax figures are ≤43 L/s for Y19A and ≤55 L/s for YT28, so the YT28 reference is about 28% higher. Actual compressor sizing also needs hose losses, simultaneous drills, reserve capacity and the pressure measured at the tool.
PerfoMax Rock Drill Options
For a mobile hand-held configuration, review the PerfoMax Y19A Hand-Held Pneumatic Rock Drill. For supported tunnelling and development drilling, review the PerfoMax YT28 Air-Leg Pneumatic Rock Drill and the FT160-Series Air-Leg matching page. If you already operate H22 drill steel, also confirm the current H22 × 108 mm tapered drill rod configuration before substitution.
Need help matching the drill, air leg, compressor and H22 tooling? Send PerfoMax your drilling conditions and request a technical quotation.
Technical References
- Ingersoll Rand — Product Information Manual, Air Percussive Rock Drill Model YT28. Used to verify YT28 intended use, 0.50/0.63 MPa airflow references, hose size, H22 × 108 shank and tool-inlet air-supply guidance.
- Atlas Copco — Pneumatic underground rock drills and pusher legs. Used to verify the general role of matched pneumatic pusher legs in supported drilling systems.
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1153 — Respirable crystalline silica. Used as a safety reference for dust-control considerations; local regulations and the supplied operating manual remain controlling requirements.