# breaking big boulders



## Hobbes1911 (Mar 2, 2009)

Hey guys,

I have a hundred pound boulder that I would like to break apart. It's mostly quartz aka granite and I don't have a sledge hammer. How do I make the 1 boulder into many pieces?

And the answer dynamite is obviously not helpful.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

That's a big boulder... I think a sledge hammer, a jackhammer, something of that sort, those are probably the tools for the job. You could always try dropping it from a 2nd or 3rd story window on to some asphalt?

Explosives really _wood_ make the job easier.


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## yikesjason (Jul 2, 2008)

If you can find the right spot, you could get it to split with a hammer and chisel.


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

If it's possible to somehow lift it and drop it onto some asphalt, i think that would be your best option... you'd get a lot of cool looking pieces, for sure. :hihi:


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## ralph50 (Oct 20, 2007)

I would try to score it with a grinder and the use a 5lb. malet and a chisel to break it apart.

If you hit it very hard with a 5 pounder expect all sorts of fragments.

Be sure to wear eye protection granite/quartz is very sharp when fractured.


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## ralph50 (Oct 20, 2007)

If you are going to drop it drop it on concrete not asphalt. 

Your rock is way harder than the asphalt.


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## metageologist (Jan 10, 2008)

go to a tool rental out let get a hammer drill and a .5inch drill bit drill a hole every 3 inches across the width of the rock then get a slide hammer with a expandable head and place it in the center hole lift the hammer and drop the force of the expanding hammer will split the rock right in half repeat until desired size is achieved


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## DevinWolfe (Aug 1, 2009)

metageologist said:


> go to a tool rental out let get a hammer drill and a .5inch drill bit drill a hole every 3 inches across the width of the rock then get a slide hammer with a expandable head and place it in the center hole lift the hammer and drop the force of the expanding hammer will split the rock right in half repeat until desired size is achieved


 
Something tells me your name means you know a bit about rocks, I'd listen to this guy.

I have used slide hammers for sampling soil 10-12 feet deep, they're fun (the first time).


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## metageologist (Jan 10, 2008)

ya im a geologist and play with large rocks some the size of VW bugs and use the same method just a much larger hammer but i have done the same thing on smaller rocks.


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## Hobbes1911 (Mar 2, 2009)

Thank you all for the answers. Would Home depot be a suitable place for tools?


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## Hobbes1911 (Mar 2, 2009)

and the slide hammer method also makes pieces that are different looking or all the same size?


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## Hobbes1911 (Mar 2, 2009)

also would these rocks leach any substances into the water?


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## redman88 (Dec 12, 2008)

HD would have a basic sledge hammer. not sure about the feathers and wedges though.


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## DevinWolfe (Aug 1, 2009)

http://www.ur.com/

United Rentals is where I refer my customers for heavy stuff. They rent everything from bobcats and lifts to generators and jackhammers, so maybe they'll have heavy duty slide hammers.

The ones I use are not really capable of destroying rocks, more for soft soil.


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## FSM (Jan 13, 2009)

Karate chop it as hard as you can, it will split in half.


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## Hobbes1911 (Mar 2, 2009)

well I was already thinking about breaking it with my head but that was too barbaric I was told. :icon_wink


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## j-gens (Dec 11, 2008)

take it to a local stone quarry and see if they will take it up with one of their loader buckets as high as they can and drop it on another larger rock to see if they can break it for you... we used to do this with large rocks that were too big to fit into the crusher at the quarry i worked at and it would split them into some smaller pieces


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## metageologist (Jan 10, 2008)

Hobbes1911 said:


> and the slide hammer method also makes pieces that are different looking or all the same size?


the drill and slide hammer method splits pieces in half. 



Hobbes1911 said:


> also would these rocks leach any substances into the water?


99% of the time a granite is safe for use in a aquarium were did you collct it from


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## Hobbes1911 (Mar 2, 2009)

stone quarry no idea what the origin is since it just said decorative rocks and I failed to ask since I figured that granite will be safe.


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## Hobbes1911 (Mar 2, 2009)

So how would I make pieces that are not equal in shape and size and have sort of sharper edges?


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## redman88 (Dec 12, 2008)

get a hydrolic press and crush it so that it splits along its natural faults


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## metageologist (Jan 10, 2008)

Hobbes1911 said:


> stone quarry no idea what the origin is since it just said decorative rocks and I failed to ask since I figured that granite will be safe.


ok i was just wondering so dont worry if it is safe or not nearly all granits are safe 



Hobbes1911 said:


> So how would I make pieces that are not equal in shape and size and have sort of sharper edges?


once the rock is split in half just hit it with a sledge hammer it will break easy 



redman88 said:


> get a hydrolic press and crush it so that it splits along its natural faults


CHEATER


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## DorianBrytestar (May 26, 2009)

Whatever method you use, please make sure you wear eye protection and gloves. Those lil parts are sharp and fly a long distance.


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## billb (May 29, 2009)

Did you manage to break it down? Any pictures?

I would have given up at the mention of tool rentals. There are a lot of stone yards around - if you haven't done this yet check them out to see if you can avoid the labor!

Good luck

Bill


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## Hobbes1911 (Mar 2, 2009)

HAHA yea the boulder is in rocks now. I got a sledge hammer and started banging away just to see if it was possible. And it was after about an hour and lots of sweat later it is now broken into nice pieces.


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## jerp (Sep 12, 2009)

Hobbes1911 said:


> HAHA yea the boulder is in rocks now. I got a sledge hammer and started banging away just to see if it was possible. And it was after about an hour and lots of sweat later it is now broken into nice pieces.


 lol, was alcohol involved... An angle grinder with a diamond blade saw can carve it up as well, just have to keep the blade wet. Look up cutting granite counters for more info. An angle grinder is a hand held grinder and aren't too expensive. An angle grinder i handy if you need to break up the rock with a bit more finesse than a sledge hammer provides. Clamp do the rock well while you are cutting it.


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## Hobbes1911 (Mar 2, 2009)

hahahaha the sledgehammer was rather sufficient. Although I might have had a little liquid strength in me.


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## Mjc20 (Sep 8, 2009)

Grats on breaking it down! Get any good pieces out of it?

@metageologist i love your sig , but i think you forgot to mention that geologists like to make the bedrock


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