Sb

"Spike9458"

29/11/2005 8:37 PM

Splitting Granite

Hi All,

Not sure which forum to post this on ... but I have an outcropping of
ledge in my yard that I would like to reduce in size. I'm told there is a
fluid that can be used, other than water, to pour into drilled holes and let
mother nature take over during the winter months to freeze it, and
ultimately break/split/crack the ledge that is too close to my barn to
blast. Does anybody know of what I'm talking about?

Thanks in advance,

--Jim


This topic has 15 replies

Br

"BobK207"

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

01/12/2005 12:05 AM

http://demolitiontechnologies.com/

GG

"George"

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

30/11/2005 11:46 AM


"Joe Gorman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Todd Fatheree wrote:
>> "Spike9458" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>
>>>Hi All,
>>>
>>> Not sure which forum to post this on ... but I have an outcropping of
>>>ledge in my yard that I would like to reduce in size. I'm told there is a
>>>fluid that can be used, other than water, to pour into drilled holes and
>>
>> let
>>
>>>mother nature take over during the winter months to freeze it, and
>>>ultimately break/split/crack the ledge that is too close to my barn to
>>>blast. Does anybody know of what I'm talking about?
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance,
>>>
>>>--Jim
>>
>>
>> As long as you're already drilling the holes, why not get a set of wedges
>> and feathers and just split the face by hand? I found an example of the
>> wedges here (http://www.miconproducts.com/wedges.html). I saw this done
>> on
>> This Old House once upon a time. When this was done in the old days, the
>> hard part was drilling the hole. When they did it on TOH, the pro used a
>> pneumatic drill with a special bit that had a hole in it that compressed
>> air
>> blew into. Apparently, it did a better job than just a regular stone
>> drill.
>> Could be more fun than waiting for a liquid to maybe or maybe not split
>> it
>> for you.
>>
>> todd
>>
>>
> Couldn't find a price to compare there, but Lee Valley also carries them
> in one size.
> http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=10335&cat=2,2180,41007&ap=1
> Joe

This is a woodworking forum. Drill, drive dry wood, wet and wait.

Sb

"Spike9458"

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

29/11/2005 9:29 PM


"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Spike9458 wrote:
>> Hi All,
>>
>> Not sure which forum to post this on ... but I have an outcropping of
>> ledge in my yard that I would like to reduce in size. I'm told there is a
>> fluid that can be used, other than water, to pour into drilled holes and
>> let mother nature take over during the winter months to freeze it, and
>> ultimately break/split/crack the ledge that is too close to my barn to
>> blast. Does anybody know of what I'm talking about?
>
> Water has been used in quarries almost forever.
>
> Why would you use anything else?
>
> Lew

Time/Season

TF

"Todd Fatheree"

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

30/11/2005 7:54 PM

"John McCoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Todd Fatheree" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> > When they
> > did it on TOH, the pro used a pneumatic drill with a special bit that
> > had a hole in it that compressed air blew into.
>
> Note that this is an excellent way to give yourself a bad case of
> permanent lung damage. If you use such a drill, be sure to wear
> suitable protective gear.
>
> Serious professional drills pump water down the bore, not compressed
> air, an innovation the mining industry adopted after killing off the
> first generation of pneumatic drill users.
>
> John

Well, I'm not sure this is a serious professional type of job. And somehow,
I doubt a one-time use is likely to cause "permanent lung damage". And I'm
pretty sure this granite outcropping is outdoors, so I think my anxiety
level would be fairly low. If I were doing it, I'd probably still wear a
mask, but I don't think I'd inflate the risk to the level of someone
spending 8 - 10 hours a day in a hole.

todd

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

30/11/2005 2:40 PM


"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

>
> Water has been used in quarries almost forever.
>
> Why would you use anything else?

He may be in California and is looking for something more friendly to the
environment. ;~)

ni

"noonenparticular"

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

30/11/2005 1:56 AM


"Spike9458" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi All,
>
> Not sure which forum to post this on ... but I have an outcropping of
> ledge in my yard that I would like to reduce in size. I'm told there is a
> fluid that can be used, other than water, to pour into drilled holes and
> let mother nature take over during the winter months to freeze it, and
> ultimately break/split/crack the ledge that is too close to my barn to
> blast. Does anybody know of what I'm talking about?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> --Jim

Jim,

I googled for an old post regarding an expansive agent that you pour into
holes that you drill. Couldn't find the post, but I did find the company
that makes it.

Try this.
http://www.archerusa.com/product_dexpan_en1.html

Then, scrolled further down the article and realized it wasn't an old usenet
post, but rather a Fine Homebuilding article, which is referenced in the
link.

Happy cracking....

jc



>

DD

David

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

29/11/2005 5:41 PM

Spike9458 wrote:

> Hi All,
>
I'm told there is a
> fluid that can be used, other than water, to pour into drilled holes and let
> mother nature take over during the winter months to freeze it, and
> ultimately break/split/crack the ledge that is too close to my barn to
> blast.
>
yes, it's called nitroglycerin. :)

Dave

JM

John McCoy

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

30/11/2005 9:09 PM

"Todd Fatheree" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> When they
> did it on TOH, the pro used a pneumatic drill with a special bit that
> had a hole in it that compressed air blew into.

Note that this is an excellent way to give yourself a bad case of
permanent lung damage. If you use such a drill, be sure to wear
suitable protective gear.

Serious professional drills pump water down the bore, not compressed
air, an innovation the mining industry adopted after killing off the
first generation of pneumatic drill users.

John

JM

John McCoy

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

01/12/2005 6:44 PM

"Todd Fatheree" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Well, I'm not sure this is a serious professional type of job. And
> somehow, I doubt a one-time use is likely to cause "permanent lung
> damage".

Probably not, but you might want to google "acute silicosis" before
getting too confident. Granitic rocks are the worst for this.

> If I were doing it, I'd
> probably still wear a mask

Wearing a mask would be very wise. Dumping water down the hole
periodically is also a good idea (besides keeping down the dust,
it also cools the bit & helps clear the chips out of the hole).

John

JG

Joe Gorman

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

30/11/2005 8:26 AM

Todd Fatheree wrote:
> "Spike9458" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>Hi All,
>>
>> Not sure which forum to post this on ... but I have an outcropping of
>>ledge in my yard that I would like to reduce in size. I'm told there is a
>>fluid that can be used, other than water, to pour into drilled holes and
>
> let
>
>>mother nature take over during the winter months to freeze it, and
>>ultimately break/split/crack the ledge that is too close to my barn to
>>blast. Does anybody know of what I'm talking about?
>>
>> Thanks in advance,
>>
>>--Jim
>
>
> As long as you're already drilling the holes, why not get a set of wedges
> and feathers and just split the face by hand? I found an example of the
> wedges here (http://www.miconproducts.com/wedges.html). I saw this done on
> This Old House once upon a time. When this was done in the old days, the
> hard part was drilling the hole. When they did it on TOH, the pro used a
> pneumatic drill with a special bit that had a hole in it that compressed air
> blew into. Apparently, it did a better job than just a regular stone drill.
> Could be more fun than waiting for a liquid to maybe or maybe not split it
> for you.
>
> todd
>
>
Couldn't find a price to compare there, but Lee Valley also carries them
in one size.
http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=10335&cat=2,2180,41007&ap=1
Joe

Sb

"Spike9458"

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

29/11/2005 9:30 PM

Thanks, I think that's what I was looking for! The price there on the
website is rather elusive though.

--Jim

"noonenparticular" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Spike9458" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Hi All,
>>
>> Not sure which forum to post this on ... but I have an outcropping of
>> ledge in my yard that I would like to reduce in size. I'm told there is a
>> fluid that can be used, other than water, to pour into drilled holes and
>> let mother nature take over during the winter months to freeze it, and
>> ultimately break/split/crack the ledge that is too close to my barn to
>> blast. Does anybody know of what I'm talking about?
>>
>> Thanks in advance,
>>
>> --Jim
>
> Jim,
>
> I googled for an old post regarding an expansive agent that you pour into
> holes that you drill. Couldn't find the post, but I did find the company
> that makes it.
>
> Try this.
> http://www.archerusa.com/product_dexpan_en1.html
>
> Then, scrolled further down the article and realized it wasn't an old
> usenet post, but rather a Fine Homebuilding article, which is referenced
> in the link.
>
> Happy cracking....
>
> jc
>
>
>
>>
>
>

LH

Lew Hodgett

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

30/11/2005 2:17 AM

Spike9458 wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> Not sure which forum to post this on ... but I have an outcropping of
> ledge in my yard that I would like to reduce in size. I'm told there is a
> fluid that can be used, other than water, to pour into drilled holes and let
> mother nature take over during the winter months to freeze it, and
> ultimately break/split/crack the ledge that is too close to my barn to
> blast. Does anybody know of what I'm talking about?

Water has been used in quarries almost forever.

Why would you use anything else?

Lew

AD

Andy Dingley

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

01/12/2005 1:02 AM

On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 20:37:46 -0500, "Spike9458"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I'm told there is a
>fluid that can be used, other than water, to pour into drilled holes and let
>mother nature take over during the winter months to freeze it,

Water, but use wooden wedges too.

If you use plain water, then the force is symmetrical and the split can
go anywhere. If you take a strong (high crush strength, like elm or
oak) timber that's well-seasoned, then make it _bone_dry_ by leaving it
on the stove for a day or two, then you do two things. Firstly you make
a more powerful force, secondly you make one you can direct. Pack the
plugs into the holes so that there's a gap on the side towards adjacent
holes. Do it right and you get a neat zipper between the holes. The
"wedges" should also be near-parallel and well-fitting in the holes,
except for a flat planed on opposing sides. I used 24mm, because it's
the biggest long drill I had without getting an expensive core bit.

GM

George Max

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

30/11/2005 2:59 AM

On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 17:41:27 -0800, David <[email protected]> wrote:

>Spike9458 wrote:
>
>> Hi All,
>>
> I'm told there is a
>> fluid that can be used, other than water, to pour into drilled holes and let
>> mother nature take over during the winter months to freeze it, and
>> ultimately break/split/crack the ledge that is too close to my barn to
>> blast.
>>
>yes, it's called nitroglycerin. :)
>
>Dave

Straw colored, slightly oily and downright cranky when jostled. Good
idea.

TF

"Todd Fatheree"

in reply to "Spike9458" on 29/11/2005 8:37 PM

29/11/2005 8:58 PM

"Spike9458" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi All,
>
> Not sure which forum to post this on ... but I have an outcropping of
> ledge in my yard that I would like to reduce in size. I'm told there is a
> fluid that can be used, other than water, to pour into drilled holes and
let
> mother nature take over during the winter months to freeze it, and
> ultimately break/split/crack the ledge that is too close to my barn to
> blast. Does anybody know of what I'm talking about?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> --Jim

As long as you're already drilling the holes, why not get a set of wedges
and feathers and just split the face by hand? I found an example of the
wedges here (http://www.miconproducts.com/wedges.html). I saw this done on
This Old House once upon a time. When this was done in the old days, the
hard part was drilling the hole. When they did it on TOH, the pro used a
pneumatic drill with a special bit that had a hole in it that compressed air
blew into. Apparently, it did a better job than just a regular stone drill.
Could be more fun than waiting for a liquid to maybe or maybe not split it
for you.

todd


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