breaking up boulders!

[NYlakesider]

My Uncle was an Indian stone mason, I remember when I was a kid he broke up some huge stones in our yard he used a thing called a feather and wedge.

Thanks!

I know about them, the hard part is making all the holes!

 

[NYlakesider]

I would talk to someone that does excavating in your area and see what they say. People in that business do that for a living and will be best to get LOCAL advice from.

Edit: another idea is go to a tool rental business. I rented an electric (120v) jack hammer and busted a few holes in the bottom of a gunnite swimming pool with one of these from Home Depot. It was a load so consider hiring the labor out. The tool rental was under $100 for half a day.

From what I have picked up on here they are light duty and even a lot of air powered are light for stuff like I want to do..

I think the best and easiest solution is to learn to love the rocks.

Thanks to all that contributed to this rather interesting (at least to me) thread!

 

[tops]

You answered your own question and came up with best solution.
My wifes uncle was having a 955 to do some loader work and while he was there he told the operator to dig up a rock that was sticking out of the ground and he left. He came back several hrs. later and there was a rock as big as a house was uncovered and still not all of the rock. The operator was laughing and said you told me to dig it out and I'm trying. He pushed the dirt back in. Larry

 

[pharris]

#2 on bristar

My company used a similar product in a downtown area where no blasting was allowed, removed many tons of rock, we bought it by the pallet. All you need is a 3/4" hammer drill, drill the holes, mix it up and pour it in. Next day the rock is broken, easy peasy! The product we used was made in China the workers called it Chinese dynamite.

 

[Nevada Ed]

You might go to plan #2....................

Raise the elevation of your yard with frame work and add more dirt, bark or ground cover.

What boulders ?

 

[old bear]

If the proper permits could be obtained the use of mild explosives is actually the best method. The age old trick is to contain the blast with old mattresses covered by 3' or 4' of dirt. Don't laugh, it works like a charm. It would take a "Master Blaster" who knows what he is doing to do the job. I could send you my copy of Dupont's Master "BLASTERS' HANDBOOK, but this is not a job for amateurs.

Bob, now we are down to the real deal. Never use force, just add more TNT. I knew there was a reason you were on my friends list

Fred

 

[H Richard]

Why not have a local landscape artist show you how to "decorate" around the rocks. Save a heck of a lot of work.

 

[Big Cholla]

Wait A Minute

Bob, now we are down to the real deal. Never use force, just add more TNT. I knew there was a reason you were on my friends list

Fred

Fred: I don't know....Twice in my construction career I had a so called "Master Blaster" also known as a "Powder Monkey" have me scrambling for cover under my pickup truck. And, I was a long way from the 'danger zone'. And, I have watch true powder monkeys play hard rock blasting like it was a piano. Hit it hard when and where required or hit it softly when and where required. .......

 

[klondike]

I break up basalt on my property with a sledge hammer, hitting it about a dozen times and then waiting about 9 months. The hammer puts enough stress in the rock that the temperature changes can work on it and enlarge the cracks. You might have to expose enough rock from the soil so that the soil does not absorb the force of your blows.
Wear safety goggles.

 

[Iggy]

Folks around here pay people to go git big boulders and put'em in their yards.. Go figger.

 

[mtgianni]

Folks around here pay people to go git big boulders and put'em in their yards.. Go figger.

I have even seen a few plant sagebrush in strategic areas. PT Barnum was right!

 

[rburg]

"think you used enough dynamite, there, Butch?"

 

[TX-Dennis]

Iggy beat me to it. People here pay thousands of dollars to have boulder hauled in and placed in their yards for decoration.

Just leave them and place plantings around them to make them look like they were part of the landscape plan.

 

[Viss]

I would suggest a 12" stihl cut off saw with a diamond blade ,and score the rock 3" deep 4 to 6" apart then chip off with a 45 or 90 lb jack hammer.

 

[glenwolde]

Some of the boulders are within a few feet of the house.....

You need to consider your foundation too...remove too much and things could shift.

 

[Abbynormal]

Start off with 1 stick of Dynamite per stone. Repeat until stone is of acceptable size!

It is acceptable to provide "beverages" to onlookers but not "shooters" until job is done.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Seems like a lot of work to install something that will continue to be a lot of work . . .

 

[Cyrano]

. Some of the boulders are within a few feet of the house, so no explosives.
Thanks again.

May not be a problem. In 1948 or so my folks wanted to add a utility room to our house in Connecticut. The house is built into a hill. They had to blast to make space for the utility room. Some of the blasting was within three feet of the house but they were able to cover it so there was no damage. The rock was that hard Laurentian granite that is probably the same thing you have.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

I suggest retiring to the recliner this afternoon for a nap, if that doesn't work, take a longer nap next time. You might dream up something.

 

[Watchdog]

I do appreciate yours and all the other ideas but I think discretion is the better part of valor and I will make a tactical retreat.

A wise decision on your part.