splitting rocks

[plowboy 1]

Do any of you have suggestions for splitting large rocks? I have burned them in the past with brush piles, but right now i don"t have time for that and can"t really afford to have it blasted or hire a hoe-ram. I thought i could dig it out, got sick of it snagging the haybine. Well, turns out it"s the size of a truck! Guess that"s why Dad left it there 50 years ago! Thanks

 

[plowboy 1]

Does anyone know if abig propane torch will generate enough heat to split rock?

 

[Stuart]

I usually spray for rocks in my fields.lol

 

[kyhayman]

Rent a jack hammer?

Or, what I did Sunday was I snagged one of my 13 year old cousins who was feeling stout. Told him I bet he couldnt swing a 9 pound hammer until he chipped off a piece of a concrete slab below grade. Took him almost a half hour but he won the bet so I let him shoot a couple of mags through my AR15. BTW if he lost the bet he was going to wash and wax my truck.

 

[Fergienewbee]

We had the remains of a raised oil storage tank foundation across from our house. It had an arched tunnel to reach the pipe fittings. At least two neighbors tried demolishing it using road-breaking equipment--those hammer things. It's a lot smaller, but still there. That's some strong concrete!

Larry in Michigan

 

[Anonymous-0]

Mo need to split it. Just let the other fellow have both pieces!

 

[showcrop]

What I do if the rock is too big to pull out is dig down deeper beside it then push it over and drop it down. Should be below frost level after that.

 

[glennster]

you can try wedge and feathers if you dont want to get involved in heavy equipment. you drill a line of holes in the boulder and then drive the wedges in between the feathers, they will split the rocks. here is a link. its a little more work than a trac hoe with a buster, but a whole lot cheaper. makes ya feel like an egyptian!!
poke here

 

[supergrumpy]

I originally thought you were making a joke - as in splitting large rocks using chicken feathers

 

[dmartin]

A propane torch will not work. We use oxy/propane to freshen up the surface of recyled cut stone. glennster is right. Pins and feathers will reduce any size stone down to a workable size. If it's in a hole just dig around it to make room to drill the holes.

 

[BCnT]

grind chicken feathers into a dry powder...they will go boom.

 

[Flurette Farm]

Do like I do drive a post near so you can see where it is and mow around it.
If your concerned about a clean looking field go back with your weed wacker........

 

[Ken Macfarlane]

I took the generator and by rotary hammer out an drilled holes in a bunch of the "icebergs" I hit every year. Got some cracking powder, you mix it with water and pour it in the holes.

When it cures it swells up and cracks stuff. I think its made of bentonite or something. Takes a few hours to cure.

I only took the tops off. Couldn't be bothered to find out how big they are or if they were ledge.

 

[RodinNS]

Ain't it great to be young, dumb and full of c**......
The things you learn when ya gets older...

Rod

 

[plowboy 1]

Thanks for all the ideas! and even the wise cracks! I've been reading about the expanding stuff and would really like to give that a try. Sounds like fun! If i get to it, i will post the results....stay tuned!