Breaking Rocks

[MikeBurr]

I have quite a few LARGE shelf rocks laying around that I would like to break up/cut up. The rocks are from 6inch to 12inch thick and average from 5 to 7 ft long, 3 to 4ft wide. Now it would be real nice if I could break them for easy wall building and movement. By shelf rocks, I mean that they are flat on both sides.
Any ideas on how to reduce the size of these rocks.
Already tried hammer and chise- makes a nice surface line, but couldn't keep it up long enough to break even a small rock.

 

[bugstruck]

Will your 33 roll them over or lift one end? If so, you might experment with some well placed round rocks placed underneath and dropping them. However, I can't say if that will work on the thicker slabs without some line drilling to create a fracture zone. 12" thick is pretty stout. I've read something about people drilling most of the way through in a line and placing expanding cement in the holes to promote a fracture. Never tried it though. A heavy air driven jackhammer may have some use too? That and a spline or SDS MAX hammerdrill would handle it. Still real work and expense though. Somebody who's actually done it would be rather more help.

I know what to do with real big round ones or rock veins. Call the air track/explosives guys in at big $$$. But that's not a solution for you. Be cheaper to buy them.

 

[roermo]

1st thing to pop in my mind is a jack hammer powered by air, or 2nd choice elec. Whish I had a better idea, good luck.
Roger

 

[EddieWalker]

I don't know if this will work or not.

When I work with flagstone, which is closer to 4 inches thick, I cut the bottom side with my circular saw and a masonary blade.

For those, just an inch or less will allow me to break them where I want. This allows me to shape them to fit where I want and still have a natural edge to it.

It might work on those big ones, but you might also have to score them deeper too.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[texasjohn]

I agree with EddieWalker.

Try the masonry blade approach and see if you can't break them along the score. I'd try scoreing all along one flat side maybe 1 inch deep, lifting edge and placing metal pipe under stone along score, hitting lifted edge with sledge hammer and hope it breaks along the score. The limestone here cuts amazingly easy with a masonry blade in a skill saw.

 

[CTyler]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'd try scoreing all along one flat side maybe 1 inch deep, lifting edge and placing metal pipe under stone along score, hitting lifted edge with sledge hammer and hope it breaks along the score. )</font>

I was going to suggest the same thing with the saw and masonry blade. Thats what I used to split all my blocks for retaining walls and steps. Now if he can use his loader to lift and drop the bigger pieces.

There is also a product called Dexpan to split rock, concrete etc.. that is non-explosive. However you need to drill holes.

I don't think there is any easy way other than a backhoe with a jack hammer attachment.

 

[Egon]

What type of rock is it? Does it have layers like slate?

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[KentT]

I'd vote for renting a skidsteer with with one of the attachments designed for busting up concrete and trying that... If it worked, you'd get them broken up quickly, then you can handle the rest with a tractor and FEL...

IMO, doing it by hand will take forever, regardless of what approach you take...

 

[zeuspaul]

Drill a series of holes about six inches apart with a hammer drill. Then use stone splitting wedges to split the rock. The wedges are cheap. You can get them at GraniteCityTool

Zeuspaul

 

[Robert_in_NY]

That was what I was thinking. I saw it done a few years back but have never tried it myself. All I remember is that it sure looked quick and easy.