How do I break a big rock?
- Thread starter bsi
- Start date
Here's what comes up when you Google "How do I break up a big stone?"
Freezing water in a tiny crack will split a stone, and the ancients used to build fires and pour cold water on the heated rocks to crack them.
Picking another route seems easier.
Freezing water in a tiny crack will split a stone, and the ancients used to build fires and pour cold water on the heated rocks to crack them.
Picking another route seems easier.
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BSI, the Captain has given you the right answer unless you want to cut a channel into the boulder instead.james t kirk said:
The above is exactly the way quarries used to split rocks before they started using the modern burner technology.
bsi said:
I belive there is a product called slow dynamite. Yiou just wrap the rock with it and leave it for a few hours. It breaks apart.
I have had a lot of experience in holes. Some I've created myself for me to fall into.
Seriously though, you can use an impact hammer drill to put a hole in it, say 3/8" or 1/2" and then insert a round-tipped chisel (cantire has them) and drive that in to split it. Done it many many times.
Doug
Seriously though, you can use an impact hammer drill to put a hole in it, say 3/8" or 1/2" and then insert a round-tipped chisel (cantire has them) and drive that in to split it. Done it many many times.
Doug
Some excellent rock breaking advice here.
I have a different outlook on these situations.
I encounter a big mother fuckin rock, I have no idea how to move it, break it or melt it. I can go and get advice on HOW to do it. But, as seen in this thread advice comes in many different forms.
My rule of thumb is this. If I don't know how, HIRE SOMEONE WHO DOES!
Time & Money spent on trying, not to mention potential for personal injury that I'm not even aware of...it's just not worth it.
Know your limit..stay within it. It gets done faster, and I've never had a trip to the ER as a result!
Experimentation is much better spent with a sexy female companion.
I have a different outlook on these situations.
I encounter a big mother fuckin rock, I have no idea how to move it, break it or melt it. I can go and get advice on HOW to do it. But, as seen in this thread advice comes in many different forms.
My rule of thumb is this. If I don't know how, HIRE SOMEONE WHO DOES!
Time & Money spent on trying, not to mention potential for personal injury that I'm not even aware of...it's just not worth it.
Know your limit..stay within it. It gets done faster, and I've never had a trip to the ER as a result!
Experimentation is much better spent with a sexy female companion.
Great advice right here. ^^^^^^^^^^MarkII said:
About 5 years ago I got such a wrist cramp doing my taxes, I have had someone do them every year since. There there was the time I needed my car washed...
All of the above are reasonable methods, the quickest would be the liberals looking for a check unfortunatly they tend to hang around and lower property values.
2 methods
1) feather and drifts, this method you drill a line of holes in the direction that you want the rock to break. any hammer drill will do it bits are inexpensive.
After you have the holes drilled you put the feathers( little wedges) in the hole faceing out ( 90 degrees to the break line) put the drifts into the holes between the wedges and TAP them in sequence. Go back and forth the rock will break in a few minutes. The feathers and drifts are available at beaver valley stone Younge and H.W. 7 ( LAndstaff rd)
2) Cut the rock with a concrete saw.
rent the saw from a rental shop with a diamond blade( extra charge). Get the largset saw they rent
Run a cut throught the length of the rock , the blade will probably not go all the way through it.
Insert a stone chisel ( available at Big Box stores you will need a couple)
Bigin to whale away on the chisel with a small sledge hammer , when it is securly jammed into the cut line take the second chisel insert it further along the cut and whale away this should loosen the first chisel. repeat process the rock should break along the line.
Please not SAFETY GLASS AND HEAVY GLOVES are a requirement for this.
If the rock is to big it will not break with the cut method. P.M. me if you have any other questions
Good Luck
2 methods
1) feather and drifts, this method you drill a line of holes in the direction that you want the rock to break. any hammer drill will do it bits are inexpensive.
After you have the holes drilled you put the feathers( little wedges) in the hole faceing out ( 90 degrees to the break line) put the drifts into the holes between the wedges and TAP them in sequence. Go back and forth the rock will break in a few minutes. The feathers and drifts are available at beaver valley stone Younge and H.W. 7 ( LAndstaff rd)
2) Cut the rock with a concrete saw.
rent the saw from a rental shop with a diamond blade( extra charge). Get the largset saw they rent
Run a cut throught the length of the rock , the blade will probably not go all the way through it.
Insert a stone chisel ( available at Big Box stores you will need a couple)
Bigin to whale away on the chisel with a small sledge hammer , when it is securly jammed into the cut line take the second chisel insert it further along the cut and whale away this should loosen the first chisel. repeat process the rock should break along the line.
Please not SAFETY GLASS AND HEAVY GLOVES are a requirement for this.
If the rock is to big it will not break with the cut method. P.M. me if you have any other questions
Good Luck
Well, thanks for all of the replies (so far).
I posted the original request about 10 minutes before I was leaving for the rental store. Pretty dumb of me to expect responses in that short of time.
At the rental place, the guy suggested an electric jackhammer to start. $40/4hours. Seemed OK to me.
Get to the site. No-one can get the generator started!! Grrrrrrrrr.
I poked around with a pick anyway while they were playing with the generator. The rock appears to be largely shale and broke sort of easily. There was not one big rock, it was many smaller obstructions in clay.
I was able to break off many hockey puck sized pieces even though I can take only a half swing with a pick. But I got weary of that after several dozen pieces.
Now that I see what I am up against, I am pretty sure that either the electric jackhammer or saw would do the trick if I had reliable electricity. I told my son that when he has a generator that will work, I will re-rent the jackhammer and come and finish the job.
I would say that I would have to award the correct answer to the guy that said:
JUST CALL THE PROS!!!!
I posted the original request about 10 minutes before I was leaving for the rental store. Pretty dumb of me to expect responses in that short of time.
At the rental place, the guy suggested an electric jackhammer to start. $40/4hours. Seemed OK to me.
Get to the site. No-one can get the generator started!! Grrrrrrrrr.
I poked around with a pick anyway while they were playing with the generator. The rock appears to be largely shale and broke sort of easily. There was not one big rock, it was many smaller obstructions in clay.
I was able to break off many hockey puck sized pieces even though I can take only a half swing with a pick. But I got weary of that after several dozen pieces.
Now that I see what I am up against, I am pretty sure that either the electric jackhammer or saw would do the trick if I had reliable electricity. I told my son that when he has a generator that will work, I will re-rent the jackhammer and come and finish the job.
I would say that I would have to award the correct answer to the guy that said:
JUST CALL THE PROS!!!!
